Childcare Costs

Childcare costs more than college tuition!

Did you know that in many cases the average cost of childcare is MORE than the average cost of state college tuition? In fact, the average cost of infant care exceeds the cost of public college in every state and is twice as much in some urban areas! What's more, college students, on average, pay tuition fewer years than parents pay for childcare; but, they have the added assistance of financial aid and student loans.

Surveys show that childcare tuition can be as much as 65% of a parent's annual income - hitting single parents the hardest. However these very same childcare centers allow parents to work, attributing for over $100 billion dollars in annual wages!

We recognize that quality programs cost money to run effectively and know that in many cases such childcare centers are actually under-funded! However, Through Daycare Advantage and the iCare Family of Programs, we are helping to make childcare more affordable while advocating for and supporting quality programs.

Click on the links below to find out more about the cost of childcare in your state:

Search the average cost of childcare across the nation and compare to college tuition

Search state facts on early childhood development including the cost of high quality care