How much should a teenager charge for babysitting?

Teen babysitters typically charge around $15 to $22 an hour, and location matters more than almost anything else.

For context, the national average for experienced adult sitters ran about $26 an hour for one child in early 2026, with most cities falling between roughly $19 and $29. Rates rose close to 5% over the prior year, which outpaced inflation. Teens sit below the adult average, which is fair, but the adult number is useful because it tells your teen what the ceiling looks like.

What moves the number up. Each additional child, usually a dollar or two more per kid. Evenings, weekends, and holidays. Last minute bookings. Extra responsibilities like meals, homework, driving, or the family dog. And certification, because a CPR or babysitter course is inexpensive and parents notice it immediately.

What moves it down. Being new, and living somewhere with a lower cost of living. Both are fine. Neither is a reason to charge nothing.

The research method that beats any article. Have your teen ask two neighbors what they last paid a sitter. That is the actual local rate, and it is more useful than a national average.

One habit worth building early: agree the rate before the job, not after. The conversation where nobody named a number is the one that ends with a teen getting twenty dollars for four hours.

More on pricing: how much should your kid charge.