Babysitter pay in Washington
The median wage for childcare workers in Washington's 11 metro areas runs from $17.33 an hour in Walla Walla to $21.02 in Seattle, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). Pick your area for suggested babysitter rates built on those figures.
| Metro area | Median | Middle half | Experienced sitter* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle | $21.02 | $18.87–$21.86 | $24.00 |
| Longview | $20.34 | $18.18–$22.02 | $23.50 |
| Mount Vernon | $19.30 | $18.48–$21.44 | $22.00 |
| Bellingham | $18.66 | $18.64–$18.66 | $21.50 |
| Bremerton | $18.60 | $17.06–$20.31 | $21.50 |
| Olympia | $18.46 | $17.56–$20.37 | $21.00 |
| Wenatchee | $18.33 | $17.81–$20.61 | $21.00 |
| Kennewick | $18.19 | $17.67–$18.71 | $21.00 |
| Spokane | $17.90 | $17.35–$20.61 | $20.50 |
| Yakima | $17.57 | $17.44–$20.24 | $20.00 |
| Walla Walla | $17.33 | $17.04–$17.33 | $20.00 |
*Our suggested rate for one child: 15% above the local median. Each metro area's page has the full range.
Metro areas that cross into Washington
- Lewiston, ID $14.94 median
- Portland, OR $19.03 median
Outside the metro areas
| Area | Median | Employed |
|---|---|---|
| Eastern Washington | $18.37 | 140 |
| Western Washington | $18.24 | 210 |
How we get the suggested rates
A babysitter does much the same job as a childcare worker, usually alone and often in the evening, so we start from what childcare work pays locally: a new or teen sitter at the local median wage, an experienced sitter 15% above it, and a pro (CPR-certified, years of experience) 30% above it. Each child after the first adds about $2.50 an hour. It's a starting point, not a rule. Late nights, holidays, last-minute bookings, special needs and extra duties like driving or cooking all justify more; our guide to how much to pay a babysitter goes through them.
What these figures cover
They come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' wage survey for May 2025, for the occupation it calls Childcare Workers: people paid to look after children at daycares, schools, businesses and in private homes. The survey asks employers, so it counts childcare workers on a payroll, and its technical note says it leaves out the self-employed and household workers. Babysitters paid directly by a family aren't in these numbers. Read them as what childcare work pays where you live, not as a survey of babysitting rates.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, occupation 39-9011 Childcare Workers. Suggested rates are Sitterday's rule of thumb, explained above.