Babysitters are more expensive than ever - here's how much they charge in major US cities

A survey of over 1,000 American families by Care.com found that the average hourly wage for babysitters across the US is $13.44 - the same as 2014, but up 28% from $10.50 in 2009.

In major cities, a sitter is even pricier: about $14 in Los Angeles, $15 in New York, and nearly $17 in San Francisco.

The majority of families hiring someone to watch the kids let their sitters set the rate, 40% base the pay on what their friends pay sitters, and 20% use a pay rate calculator. Over a quarter of families tip their sitters on top of their pay.

There's some especially good news for sitters, though: 87% of families surveyed would give their favorite babysitter a raise.

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