Child Care Cost Calculator

Child Care Calculators & Planning Tools

Get a personalized estimate with any of our free calculators, then read the national averages and money-saving guidance below.

How Much Does Child Care Cost in the United States?

Child care is one of the largest recurring expenses for working families in the United States, and for many households it rivals the cost of rent or a mortgage payment. Across the country, the average family with an infant in a child care center pays about $12,659 per year, or roughly $1,055 per month, for full-time care. That single line item can consume a fifth or more of a median family’s take-home pay, which is why so many parents search for reliable estimates before they commit to a work arrangement, a move, or a new child.

This guide breaks down what families actually pay using the most recent state-by-state figures from Child Care Aware of America, the U.S. Census Bureau, and the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Every dollar amount below is drawn from real published averages rather than estimates, so you can plan with confidence. When you want a number tailored to your exact situation, the calculators above do the math for your state, income, and family size.

Average Annual Cost by Child Age and Care Type

The table below shows the national average annual cost for full-time care, grouped by the child’s age and the type of provider. Notice how the cost drops as children get older and how family child care usually sits below center-based care.

Put in monthly terms, center-based infant care runs about $1,055 a month, while a toddler costs around $971 a month. A school-age child in a before- and after-school program is the cheapest category because the hours are shorter and the child needs less hands-on supervision.

Why Infants Cost the Most

Infant care is consistently the most expensive category. The national average for an infant in center-based care is about 9% higher than the same care for a toddler. The reasons are straightforward: infants require a lower caregiver-to-child ratio by law, they cannot be grouped with older children, and they need more individual attention, feeding, and diapering. As a child moves into the toddler and preschool years, ratios loosen and costs fall. Parents with more than one child should plan for this step-down, but also for the fact that two children in care at once roughly doubles the bill.

Center-Based, Family Child Care, or a Nanny?

The three main types of paid child care each trade off cost, convenience, and flexibility differently. On average, family child care (a smaller home-based program) costs about 31% less than a center for an infant, which makes it the budget-friendly middle option between a large center and a private nanny.

• Center-based daycare – The most common choice. Costs are predictable, facilities are licensed and inspected, and socialization with a group of children is built in. It is usually the most expensive option for infants but offers the most structure and the widest hours.
• Family child care – Care provided in a provider’s home, often for a mixed-age group. It tends to be cheaper than a center, offers a homier setting, and may have more flexible hours, but capacity and curriculum vary more from one provider to another.
• In-home nanny – The most flexible and most expensive option. A nanny comes to your home, follows your routine, and can often handle siblings, pets, and light housework. The trade-off is a higher all-in cost plus household-employer tax responsibilities (the “nanny tax”).
• Nanny share – Two families split one nanny. This can bring the per-family cost close to daycare while keeping the in-home convenience, which is why it has become popular in high-cost cities.

Our Nanny vs Daycare calculator lets you enter your state and hours to see exactly which option is cheaper for your family, and the Nanny Share calculator shows your savings when you split the cost with another household.

Child Care Costs Vary Dramatically by State

Where you live is almost as important as the type of care you choose. Child care prices track local wages, real estate costs, and state licensing rules, so the same infant in a center can cost thousands of dollars more in one state than in another. The table below ranks the five most expensive and five least expensive states for center-based infant care using current averages.

Families in the highest-cost states often pay more than $21,306 per year for a single infant in center care, while families in the lowest-cost states may pay closer to $6,880. That gap is large enough to change a family’s relocation or career decisions, which is why we built a dedicated guide for every state.

Browse all 50 state child care cost guides → for localized averages, subsidy rules, and links to each state’s child care assistance office.

Cut Your Costs with the Child and Dependent Care Credit (CDCC)

The federal government offsets a portion of child care costs through the Child and Dependent Care Credit (claimed on IRS Form 2441). For 2026, the credit is worth a percentage of up to $3,000 of qualifying expenses for one dependent, or $6,000 for two or more, and the percentage scales down as income rises. A family in a lower tax bracket can recover a meaningful share of what they paid, while even higher-income families still receive a valuable credit.

On top of the credit, many families can pay for care with pre-tax dollars through a Dependent Care FSA (also called a DCAP), which lowers both federal income tax and, in most states, state income tax. Using the FSA and the credit together — within the rules that prevent double-dipping — is the single biggest legal way to shrink a child care bill. Our Tax Savings calculator estimates your combined federal and state benefit in seconds.

For the official rules, see the IRS Publication 503 guide we link in our resources section, and read our tax deduction vs. credit explainer for the nuances.

Child Care Subsidies Through the CCDF Program

Lower- and moderate-income families may qualify for help through the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF), administered by each state’s child care agency. Subsidies pay part or all of the cost of care for eligible families, typically those working, job-training, or in school, with income limits that usually fall between 85% and 100% of the state median income depending on the state and family size.

Eligibility, copayments, and waitlists differ by state, and in many areas demand exceeds available funding, so applying early matters. Our Subsidy Eligibility calculator gives a fast, anonymous estimate of whether your household might qualify based on your state, income, and family size, and our CCDF subsidy guide walks through the application steps.

9 Practical Ways to Lower Your Child Care Costs

1. Use a Dependent Care FSA first. If your employer offers one, contribute up to the $5,000 limit to pay for care with pre-tax dollars — it is the highest-leverage savings available to most families.
2. Claim the Child and Dependent Care Credit. Even if you use an FSA, you can often still claim a credit on the remaining expenses; run both through our tax calculator to see your total benefit.
3. Check subsidy eligibility. Many families who assume they earn too much actually qualify, especially with two or more children. A five-minute check can be worth thousands.
4. Consider a nanny share. Splitting one nanny with another family can cut your in-home care cost roughly in half while keeping the convenience.
5. Ask about sibling discounts. Most centers and many family providers reduce tuition for a second or third child in the same family.
6. Use free and public pre-K. Once a child turns three or four, many districts and states offer free or low-cost pre-K that replaces a year or two of private tuition.
7. Negotiate with your employer. Some companies offer dependent care benefits, backup care, or flexible spending beyond the standard FSA. It never hurts to ask HR.
8. Lean on relatives or a reciprocal co-op. Informal arrangements with grandparents or a babysitting exchange with other parents can cover gaps without a full-time bill.
9. Revisit your state choice. If you are relocating, our state guides and cross-state calculator show how much the move could change your annual child care cost.

Frequently Asked Questions