Babysitter pay in Wisconsin
The median wage for childcare workers in Wisconsin's 13 metro areas runs from $14.07 an hour in Fond du Lac to $16.66 in Green Bay, 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* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Green Bay | $16.66 | $15.08–$17.75 | $19.00 |
| Madison | $16.56 | $14.16–$18.79 | $19.00 |
| Milwaukee | $16.00 | $14.38–$17.65 | $18.50 |
| Sheboygan | $15.88 | $15.26–$19.33 | $18.50 |
| Racine | $15.61 | $14.81–$17.52 | $18.00 |
| Appleton | $14.97 | $14.44–$16.95 | $17.00 |
| Oshkosh | $14.88 | $14.41–$17.21 | $17.00 |
| La Crosse | $14.77 | $14.15–$16.84 | $17.00 |
| Eau Claire | $14.64 | $13.79–$16.94 | $17.00 |
| Kenosha | $14.56 | $11.78–$17.21 | $16.50 |
| Wausau | $14.52 | $13.11–$15.23 | $16.50 |
| Janesville | $14.44 | $12.20–$16.96 | $16.50 |
| Fond du Lac | $14.07 | $10.55–$15.75 | $16.00 |
*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 Wisconsin
- Duluth, MN $14.89 median
- Minneapolis, MN $17.46 median
Outside the metro areas
| Area | Median | Employed |
|---|---|---|
| Northwestern Wisconsin | $18.60 | 60 |
| South Central Wisconsin | $14.86 | 210 |
| Northeastern Wisconsin | $14.62 | 300 |
| Western Wisconsin | $14.43 | 190 |
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.