How To Become A Sitter: What It Is and Career Path

What is a sitter and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

A sitter is someone who is hired to care for someone else's children or pets while the parents or owners are away. Sitters may work part-time or full-time, and their responsibilities include supervising children or pets, preparing meals, assisting with homework or activities, and maintaining a safe and clean environment. They may also be required to have transportation. Sitters must have excellent communication and interpersonal skills to effectively interact with their clients and build trust.

ScoreSitterUS Average

Salary

2.2

Avg. Salary $28,724

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level

8.0

Growth Rate 36%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity

5.7

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.91%

Asian 7.95%

Black or African American 17.31%

Hispanic or Latino 15.53%

Unknown 4.06%

White 54.24%

Gender

female 86.14%

male 13.86%

Age - 50

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 50

Stress Level

8.0

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity Level

7.4

Complexity Level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance

9.6

Work Life balance is excellent

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being a Sitter?

Pros

Flexible schedule
Opportunity to work with children and/or animals
Potential for high pay, especially for specialized services
Opportunity for personal and professional growth
No formal education or certification required

Cons

Inconsistent income and job availability
Potential for difficult or demanding clients
Need to be available at odd hours or on short notice
Lack of benefits or job security
Need to maintain constant focus and attention while working

Key steps to become a sitter

Explore sitter education requirements

Most common sitter degrees

High School Diploma

32.3 %

Bachelor's

23.3 %

Associate

19.6 %

Start to develop specific sitter skills

Skills	Percentages
Patients	25.67%
Kids	20.15%
CPR	12.94%
Patient Safety	5.58%
Home Health	5.13%

Obtain the necessary licensing

Becoming a licensed sitter usually doesn't require a college degree. However, you need to pass an exam to become a licensed sitter in most of states. 25 states require sitters to have license for their work. You can see the list of states below.

State	Education	Exam	License Url
Alaska	Degree required	Third-party exam required	Nurse Aide
Arkansas	Specific course required	Both state and third-party exams required	Nursing Assistant (Certified)
California	Specific course required	State exam required	Certified Nurse Assistant
Colorado	Specific course required	State exam required	Nurse Aide
Connecticut	Specific course required	State exam required	Nurses Aide

Gain additional sitter certifications

Sitter certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific sitter certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

The most common certifications for sitters include Medical Assistant and Patient Care Technician.

More About Certifications

Research sitter duties and responsibilities

Run groceries or medical errands for patients.
Complete light housekeeping duties, such as dishes, folding laundry, buying groceries.
Help out with regular ADL's as well such as bathing, ambulating, eating, dressing, and exercise.
Assist with ADL's; bathing needs, food prep, exercise, drive and assist with appointments, light housekeeping

Prepare your sitter resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your sitter resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a sitter resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose From 10+ Customizable Sitter Resume templates

Build a professional Sitter resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Sitter resume.

Apply for sitter jobs

Now it's time to start searching for a sitter job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams

How do sitters rate their job?

-/5

5 Stars

4 Stars

3 Stars

2 Stars

1 Star

Sitter reviews

A zippia user wrote a review on Jul 2023

Pros

Very fulfilling and rewarding

Cons

Hard work, not enough staff, mandated a lot. Under appreciated!

A zippia user wrote a review on Sep 2022

Pros

I love working with kids

Cons

Working with kids means sometimes it can get overwhelming

A zippia user wrote a review on Jun 2022

Pros

I love being a role model telling the kids stories making them lunch coloring and drawing with them and making them happy and laugh

Cons

I honestly can’t complain because there was nothing I ever didn’t enjoy being a babysitter infact I want to work at w children’s hospital when I graduate and make the kids smile and happy

What is a sitter and how to become one

What are the pros and cons of being a Sitter?

Sitter career paths

Key steps to become a sitter

Explore sitter education requirements

Most common sitter degrees

Start to develop specific sitter skills

Obtain the necessary licensing

Gain additional sitter certifications

Research sitter duties and responsibilities

Prepare your sitter resume

Choose From 10+ Customizable Sitter Resume templates

Apply for sitter jobs

How Did You Land Your First Sitter Job

Average sitter salary

How do sitters rate their job?

Sitter reviews

Sitter jobs by state