What Are The Babysitting Rates In Australia?
Your guide to babysitting rates in Australia
The average babysitting rates in Australia are between $25 - $35 per hour.
The carer’s experience, qualifications, the role, the hours and location vary greatly. This will have an impact on the babysitting rates per hour.
Please note that Find A Babysitter is not a nanny agency, we are simply a job and introduction site. So we do not set the babysitters’ hourly rates or add any other costly overheads. You have flexibility and freedom to negotiate hourly rates that are appropriate.
This guide is to share information about the range of babysitting rates in the industry currently, to help you with hourly rates.
Babysitting Rates: Agency vs Introduction Site
There are different hourly rates for babysitters working through nanny agencies, compared to babysitters advertising through Find A Babysitter.
Babysitters or nannies engaged through agencies are usually ‘employees’ of the agency and generally are more expensive compared to ‘independent contractors’. This is because agencies have set rates and added fees to cover their administrative, staffing and office overheads. These additional fees may include daily booking fees, last minute booking fees, permanent placement fees and cancellation fees. Hourly rates through agencies are usually $30-45 per hour, plus admin and booking fee and/or placement fees.
Babysitters advertising on Find A Babysitter have rates that are usually lower than a nanny agency. This is because many babysitters are ‘independent contractors’ and are flexible with rates. As ‘independent contractors’ most babysitters don’t charge penalty rates, extra overheads or fees. So this means the cost of finding and engaging a babysitter through our site is more affordable. Below are the rates that babysitters are currently advertising on their profiles online. Hourly rates of babysitters on Find A Babysitter are usually $20-35 per hour.
Babysitter Rates Comparison Chart: Nanny Agency vs Find A Babysitter
| Nanny Agency | Find A Babysitter | |
|---|---|---|
| Day time hourly rates | $30 - 45 per hour | $20 - 35 per hour |
| Daily booking fee | $25 - 30 per day | $0 |
| Cancellation charge | $50 per cancellation | $0 |
| Placement fee for permanent roles | $1,300 - $3,500 | $0 |
Average Daytime Babysitting Rates at Find A Babysitter
There are lots of factors that influence the babysitting rates of the carers advertising on Find A Babysitter. Here are some details about daytime rates we are seeing in the capital cities around Australia:
Babysitting rates SydneyIn Sydney babysitting rates are commonly between $25/hr to $35/hr. A few nannies are charging over $35/hr if they’re very experienced and well qualified. Some babysitters are charging slightly lower rates if they’re less experienced.
Babysitting rates MelbourneMost nannies and babysitters in Melbourne are advertising rates between $25/hr to $35/hr. This may be higher or lower depending on the level of experience and the role.
Babysitting rates BrisbaneThe majority of the babysitters in Brisbane are charging rates between $25/hr to $30/hr. The babysitting rates in Brisbane are slightly lower in general than hourly rates in Melbourne and Sydney. This does vary from suburb to suburb though and we are seeing some rates at $27-28 for roles in high demand (e.g., after school care).
Babysitting rates PerthBabysitters and nannies in Perth are mostly charging between $25/hr - $30/hr. Given the low unemployment rate in Perth we are seeing hourly rates increasing and many babysitters are charging closer to $30 per hour.
Babysitting rates AdelaideMost of the babysitters in Adelaide are advertising their rates between $20/hr and $25/hr. The rates in South Australia are a little lower than other states and major cities generally.
Babysitting rates DarwinRates for babysitters in the Northern Territory and Darwin range between $20 - $30/hr, based on industry research.
Babysitting rates HobartIn Hobart and Launceston babysitting rates are between $25 - $32/hr.
Summary of Babysitting Rates Around Australia
| City | Babysitter Rates for Daytime Work |
|---|---|
| Sydney | $25 - 35 / hr |
| Melbourne | $25 - 35 / hr |
| Brisbane | $25 - 35 / hr |
| Perth | $25 - 32 / hr |
| Adelaide | $20 - 25 / hr |
*Please note for after-school care the rates are usually at the higher end of the range.
What factors influence babysitting pay rates?
The employment marketThe state of the employment market influences recruitment and rates. With low unemployment rates there is a smaller pool of babysitters and nannies. So the current market conditions are pushing hourly rates up. This applies to many industries, but specifically to nannies and babysitters as we emerge from the pandemic and extended lockdowns.
Factors to considerThe range of factors that will influence babysitter’s hourly rates include
- Location
- Number of children
- Time of the day (e.g. after school care is more expensive)
- Ages and stages of children (i.e., a young baby will need an experienced nanny)
- The babysitter or nanny’s experience
- Day of the week
- Length of shift
- Whether the babysitter is using her own car
- Market forces - supply and demand
Based on our research around Australia the average rates for a babysitter are $20-40/hr. For less experienced babysitters rates are $20-30/hr. For more experienced qualified carers it is commonly $30-40/hr.
What are the average rates for a qualified nanny?Carers with more qualifications and experience usually charge higher rates. For example an experienced nanny with a Certificate in Early Childhood Education will charge higher hourly rates than an 18 year old university student. Often experienced nannies charge over $30/hr.
What are the babysitting rates for After School Care?After school care is in high demand. Due to the responsibility of the role and market forces, the hourly rates for these roles are often a bit higher than daytime rates. In Melbourne and Sydney babysitters are often charging $28/hr and over. After school care is usually a 3-4 hour shift that involves picking up children from school, taking them to sports or activities, taking them home, helping with homework and possibly preparing a meal. The job often includes driving, managing multiple children and doing some light domestic tasks.
What is the cost for a babysitter to use her own car for work?Some roles like after school care require the babysitter or nanny to use her own car to drive the children to or from activities. Many families offer their own car for this, given that the car will have the appropriate car seats fitted and it will be serviced and ready. Other families may ask the babysitter to use her car. In this case the family may consider additional pay per hour, or per week, or per kilometer (e.g., 72c/km) to cover petrol, insurance and usage.
Are babysitting pay rates different for weekends and public holidays?Babysitting and nanny rates may be higher for weekends and public holidays, compared to week days. This can be negotiated with the babysitter, depending on the role.
What’s the minimum length of a babysitting shift?Find A Babysitter does not set any minimum length of shift. The industry standard (based on the relevant Award for employees) is 2 hours. If babysitters are ‘independent contractors’ we recommend parents and babysitters agree on a minimum length of shift based on what is fair and reasonable.
What are the hourly rates for split shifts?Broken shifts or split shifts are two shifts within one day that are broken up by unpaid hours. For example a before school shift 7-9am and then an after school shift 3-6pm on the same day. This type of role may attract a higher hourly rate because it often means the employee is left with hours between shifts that are unpaid. It could be worth looking at a ‘job share’ arrangement for this kind of role where one person covers the mornings and a different person works in the afternoons.
What are the rates for babysitting several children?Babysitter’s hourly rates will depend on the number of children being cared for. Caring for 1 single child will be less than caring for 2, 3 or more children. Or caring for twins or triplets! Industry practice is to add $1 more per hour per child. So if the usual rate is $26/hr for 1 child, then it would be $27/hr for 2 children and $28/hr for 3 children and so on.
Are there different rates based on children’s ages?Yes. Another factor that affects a babysitter’s hourly rates is the age of the child or children being cared for. This is because different ages and stages require different levels of education, skill and supervision. For example newborn babies, toddlers and school aged children all have very different needs.
What are the hourly rates for a housekeeper?A housekeeper is usually paid more than a babysitter as the role carries more responsibilities. It varies from home to home, but often involves caring for children, managing the household, doing laundry, cleaning, running errands, doing grocery shopping and cooking meals.
What are overnight babysitting rates in Australia?The rate depends on the babysitter or nanny’s experience and the details of the role (the hours, the number of children, whether the children sleep through). Some carers state an hourly rate for the entire time e.g., 18 hours x $25. Some carers state an hourly rate until 7pm, then an overnight flat fee, then resume the hourly rate at 6am or 7am.
How much does an Au Pair cost?The cost of an au pair varies depending on the role. Usually it’s approximately $300 per week, plus room and board, to cover 25-30 hours per week.
We hope that this information helps explain the babysitter rates in cities around Australia currently. In summary, Find A Babysitter gives you flexibility to negotiate with nannies and babysitters, to set the most appropriate rates for the role.
