Babysitting Rates In San Francisco, San Jose Top List Of Priciest Cities
(CBS SF) -- The going rate for a babysitter is likely higher than what you may think, especially in the Bay Area, according to a recent survey.
Online care provider database Care.com says babysitters are in hot demand with sitter rates climbing 28 percent in the last five years to an average of $13.44 an hour.
Topping the list of priciest cities to hire a babysitter is San Francisco at an average of $16.65 an hour, followed by San Jose at $15.63 an hour.
Among all major cities in Care.com's January 2015 survey, Grand Rapids, Michigan was the least expensive for babysitters at $11.31 an hour, which is still higher that that city's minimum wage.
Other notable results from the survey:
- Three out of four survey respondents said babysitters should be paid more than minimum wage.
- 51 percent of parents said they would pay more for a sitter with experience.
- 49 percent said how much their kids adore the sitter is the motivating factor for hiring a sitter, versus three percent saying how much she or he charges.
- 26 percent said they tip their sitters in addition to their hourly rate.
Carlos E. Castañeda is Senior Editor, News & Social Media for CBS San Francisco and a San Francisco native. You can follow him on Twitter or send him an email.
