What daycare costs in 2026
Updated October 25, 2026
Short answer
Child Care Aware's latest report puts the average price of child care in the US at $13,184 a year in 2025, about $1,100 a month. Full-time infant care in a center is the most expensive kind, from about $6,500 a year in Mississippi to over $27,000 in Massachusetts. Preschool-age care and family child care homes usually cost less.
Prices at a glance
| Type of care | Typical yearly price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| US average, all child care | $13,184 | Child Care Aware, 2025 report |
| Center infant care | About $6,500 to $27,000 by state | Lowest Mississippi, highest Massachusetts |
| Preschool-age center care | Usually less than infant care | Ratios allow more children per teacher |
| Family child care home | Usually less than a center | Licensed care in the provider's home |
| Full-time nanny, one child | About $41,600 to $72,800 plus taxes | Cheaper per child with siblings or a share |
Why infant care costs the most
Ratios. Most states require 1 adult for every 3 to 5 infants but allow 1 for every 10 to 12 preschoolers, so the same teacher's pay is split across far fewer families in the infant room.
Ways to bring the cost down
- A Dependent Care FSA through your employer lets you pay for care with pre-tax money, up to the yearly limit your plan allows.
- The federal Child and Dependent Care Credit covers part of what you pay for care while you work.
- State child care subsidies help many working families; your state's child care agency, linked from ChildCare.gov, explains who qualifies.
- A nanny share costs each family about two thirds of a solo nanny.
- Some employers pay for backup care or offer child care benefits, so ask HR.
This guide is general information, not tax or legal advice. Rules change, so check with a tax professional or the agency linked below before you file.
Questions
About $1,100 a month on the 2025 US average of $13,184 a year, by Child Care Aware. Infant care in big cities often costs $2,000 a month or more.
For one child, daycare is usually cheaper. With two or more young children, or in a nanny share, a nanny can cost about the same or less per child.
Massachusetts has the highest price for full-time center infant care in Child Care Aware's 2025 report, over $27,000 a year.
Sources