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Job outlook for child care sitters in the United States
Child care sitter job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected child care sitter job growth rate is 6% from 2018-2028.
About 61,600 new jobs for child care sitters are projected over the next decade.
Child care sitter salaries have increased 20% for child care sitters in the last 5 years.
There are over 210,251 child care sitters currently employed in the United States.
There are 125,552 active child care sitter job openings in the US.
The average child care sitter salary is $33,416.
Are child care sitter jobs in demand?
Child care sitter job and salary trends over time
Child care sitter jobs over time
Child care sitter job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 210,251 | 0.06% |
| 2020 | 237,023 | 0.07% |
| 2019 | 269,224 | 0.08% |
| 2018 | 270,715 | 0.08% |
| 2017 | 269,655 | 0.08% |
Average child care sitter salary over time
Child care sitter salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $33,416 | $16.07 | +5.1% |
| 2024 | $31,802 | $15.29 | +4.3% |
| 2023 | $30,503 | $14.66 | +4.3% |
| 2022 | $29,256 | $14.07 | +5.3% |
| 2021 | $27,786 | $13.36 | +4.2% |
Child care sitter jobs by state
Most common states for child care sitters
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 215 | 20% |
| 2 | Iowa | 3,145,711 | 592 | 19% |
| 3 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 126 | 18% |
| 4 | Vermont | 623,657 | 110 | 18% |
| 5 | Delaware | 961,939 | 162 | 17% |
| 6 | South Dakota | 869,666 | 148 | 17% |
| 7 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 132 | 17% |
| 8 | Missouri | 6,113,532 | 977 | 16% |
| 9 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 890 | 16% |
| 10 | North Carolina | 10,273,419 | 1,495 | 15% |
| 11 | Wisconsin | 5,795,483 | 852 | 15% |
| 12 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 207 | 15% |
| 13 | Maine | 1,335,907 | 199 | 15% |
| 14 | Illinois | 12,802,023 | 1,731 | 14% |
| 15 | Michigan | 9,962,311 | 1,387 | 14% |
| 16 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 80 | 14% |
| 17 | Ohio | 11,658,609 | 1,491 | 13% |
| 18 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 1,112 | 13% |
| 19 | Arizona | 7,016,270 | 936 | 13% |
| 20 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 244 | 13% |
Most common cities for child care sitters
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Newnan | 1 | 3% | $27,732 |
| 2 | West Palm Beach | 1 | 1% | $29,944 |
| 3 | Durham | 1 | 0% | $30,412 |
| 4 | Raleigh | 1 | 0% | $30,411 |
Child Care Sitter job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of child care sitter experts
Queens College of the City University of New York
Child Care Aware of America
International Nanny Association
Dr. Michael Perrone
Clinical ProfessorQueens College of the City University of New York
Elementary and Early Childhood Education
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Child Care Sitters to find work opportunities?
Dr. Michael Perrone: All of our graduates seek to become teachers in NYS. So, one needs NYS teacher education certification, experience, etc. There is definitely a need for substitute teachers because of hybrid learning; this is the most pronounced pandemic related need. Nothing about full-time trends (employment-wise) that are pandemic-specific. There has always been a need for students to have certifications in different areas, but this is not pandemic-related.
What general advice would you give to a Child Care Sitter?
Lynette M. Fraga Ph.D: Future child care workers-more appropriately named early childhood educators-can expect to play a critical role in children's development as the most rapid period of brain development occurs during the first five years of life.
At the same time, the pandemic has exacerbated the existing inequities in the child care system. The median wage for child care workers in 2019 was $11.65 per hour, hardly a living wage. They deserve to be treated as the professionals they are, and to be fairly compensated and valued.
What general advice would you give to a Child Care Sitter?
Laura Schroeder: Young graduates will need to have some knowledge or experience in early childhood education, as help with the school day has become an important part of a nanny's job since the pandemic. They also must be able to work independently and be self motivated as their bosses will likely not be on site. There are jobs for nannies all over the U.S., but the best paying jobs tend to be in wealthier areas and larger cities, for example L.A., San Francisco, Seattle and Boston.