Daycare Cost by State
Compare average child care prices across all 50 states and DC. Find out how much daycare costs in your state for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers.
National Average
$15,585/yr
Infant center-based care
Most Expensive
$26,343/yr
Massachusetts
Least Expensive
$7,696/yr
Mississippi
Monthly Average
$1,299/mo
Infant center-based care
Select Your State
Click a state to see detailed cost breakdowns, center vs home comparisons, and nearby state data
Massachusetts
1st most expensive
$26,343
$2,195/mo
District of Columbia
2nd most expensive
$26,193
$2,183/mo
Maryland
3rd most expensive
$25,321
$2,110/mo
Hawaii
4th most expensive
$24,115
$2,010/mo
California
5th most expensive
$22,628
$1,886/mo
Washington
6th most expensive
$21,348
$1,779/mo
Colorado
7th most expensive
$20,978
$1,748/mo
New York
8th most expensive
$20,439
$1,703/mo
Minnesota
9th most expensive
$20,421
$1,702/mo
New Jersey
10th most expensive
$20,213
$1,684/mo
Illinois
11th most expensive
$19,807
$1,651/mo
Oregon
12th most expensive
$19,500
$1,625/mo
Vermont
13th most expensive
$18,710
$1,559/mo
Connecticut
14th most expensive
$18,492
$1,541/mo
Rhode Island
15th most expensive
$18,486
$1,541/mo
Nebraska
16th most expensive
$18,147
$1,512/mo
Wisconsin
17th most expensive
$17,963
$1,497/mo
Virginia
18th most expensive
$16,796
$1,400/mo
Delaware
19th most expensive
$16,617
$1,385/mo
Indiana
20th most expensive
$16,478
$1,373/mo
New Hampshire
21st most expensive
$16,040
$1,337/mo
Arizona
22nd most expensive
$15,964
$1,330/mo
Maine
23rd most expensive
$15,730
$1,311/mo
Kansas
24th most expensive
$15,156
$1,263/mo
Montana
25th most expensive
$15,080
$1,257/mo
Pennsylvania
26th most expensive
$14,910
$1,243/mo
New Mexico
27th most expensive
$14,244
$1,187/mo
Utah
28th most expensive
$14,160
$1,180/mo
Missouri
29th most expensive
$13,780
$1,148/mo
Ohio
29th most expensive
$13,780
$1,148/mo
Michigan
31st most expensive
$13,454
$1,121/mo
Tennessee
32nd most expensive
$13,126
$1,094/mo
Florida
33rd most expensive
$13,011
$1,084/mo
Wyoming
34th most expensive
$12,784
$1,065/mo
Kentucky
35th most expensive
$12,740
$1,062/mo
Iowa
36th most expensive
$12,694
$1,058/mo
Nevada
37th most expensive
$12,659
$1,055/mo
North Carolina
38th most expensive
$12,370
$1,031/mo
North Dakota
39th most expensive
$12,299
$1,025/mo
Alaska
40th most expensive
$12,107
$1,009/mo
Texas
41st most expensive
$11,349
$946/mo
Georgia
42nd most expensive
$11,066
$922/mo
Louisiana
43rd most expensive
$10,847
$904/mo
Oklahoma
44th most expensive
$10,809
$901/mo
Idaho
45th most expensive
$10,608
$884/mo
South Carolina
46th most expensive
$10,474
$873/mo
West Virginia
47th most expensive
$10,439
$870/mo
Arkansas
48th most expensive
$9,178
$765/mo
Alabama
49th most expensive
$8,632
$719/mo
South Dakota
49th most expensive
$8,632
$719/mo
Mississippi
51st most expensive
$7,696
$641/mo
10 Most Expensive States for Daycare
Ranked by infant center-based care costs (2025 data)
| Rank | State | Infant Center | Toddler Center | Preschool Center |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Massachusetts | $26,343 | $24,314 | $20,669 |
| 2nd | District of Columbia | $26,193 | $24,087 | $20,981 |
| 3rd | Maryland | $25,321 | $22,594 | $15,601 |
| 4th | Hawaii | $24,115 | $18,852 | $13,992 |
| 5th | California | $22,628 | $19,500 | $16,665 |
| 6th | Washington | $21,348 | $19,236 | $16,908 |
| 7th | Colorado | $20,978 | $17,479 | $14,800 |
| 8th | New York | $20,439 | $18,661 | $17,343 |
| 9th | Minnesota | $20,421 | $18,042 | $15,733 |
| 10th | New Jersey | $20,213 | $19,448 | $17,503 |
Source: Child Care Aware of America — "Child Care in America: 2024 Price & Supply Report" (January 2025 survey). All costs are annual estimates in USD.
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