Summary: Full-time center-based infant care averages about $13,000 a year in the United States, but that national figure hides a fourfold spread between states. Mississippi averages under $7,000 a year while the District of Columbia tops $28,000. The table below lists every state, the CSV download is free, and the sections that follow explain why the spread is so wide and how to use the numbers when you are shopping for care.
When people quote a national average for daycare, the number sounds manageable until you price care in your own zip code. Labor is the main input in child care, and labor costs follow local wages, so a center in Boston and a center in Birmingham are selling fundamentally different cost structures. State licensing rules add a second layer: the required number of adults per infant varies by state, and every extra required staffer shows up in tuition.
Use the table as a starting bid, not a final answer. Within a state, metro prices can run 20 to 40 percent above the state average, and individual centers vary with their own staffing, curriculum, and waitlist pressure. The CSV download lets you sort and compare, which is handy if you are weighing a move or comparing two metro areas.
Approximate annual cost of full-time center-based care for one infant. Figures are state averages compiled from Child Care Aware of America data and 2026 rate compilations; metro prices typically run higher.
| State | Annual cost (USD) |
|---|---|
| District of Columbia | 28356 |
| Massachusetts | 26709 |
| Minnesota | 22569 |
| California | 21945 |
| Colorado | 21840 |
| Hawaii | 21167 |
| Alaska | 20943 |
| Washington | 20677 |
| Connecticut | 20254 |
| Oregon | 19064 |
| Maryland | 18946 |
| Vermont | 18836 |
| New Jersey | 18155 |
| New Hampshire | 17364 |
| New York | 17361 |
| Ohio | 17071 |
| Wisconsin | 16956 |
| Rhode Island | 16758 |
| Delaware | 16220 |
| Illinois | 16107 |
| Nevada | 15950 |
| Arizona | 15625 |
| Indiana | 14471 |
| Virginia | 14277 |
| New Mexico | 14244 |
| Nebraska | 14106 |
| Pennsylvania | 13354 |
| Maine | 13310 |
| Missouri | 13173 |
| Utah | 13094 |
| Florida | 13021 |
| Montana | 12778 |
| Oklahoma | 12468 |
| North Dakota | 12373 |
| Tennessee | 12249 |
| Georgia | 11863 |
| North Carolina | 11720 |
| South Carolina | 11512 |
| Texas | 10706 |
| Michigan | 10023 |
| West Virginia | 9692 |
| Idaho | 9630 |
| Iowa | 9605 |
| Wyoming | 9327 |
| Kansas | 9105 |
| Arkansas | 8873 |
| Louisiana | 8873 |
| Kentucky | 8756 |
| South Dakota | 8680 |
| Alabama | 7871 |
| Mississippi | 6868 |
Three forces create the spread. First, wages: child care is labor-intensive, and a teacher's pay in a high-cost metro can be double the pay in a low-cost one. Second, ratios: some states require one adult for every three infants while others allow one for five or six, which changes how many tuition-paying families each teacher's salary is divided across. Third, real estate and insurance: commercial rent and liability insurance in dense coastal metros add hundreds of dollars a month per classroom.
Demand pressure is the multiplier. In metros with long waitlists, centers price to the market because they can fill every slot. In areas with excess capacity, prices stay closer to cost. That is why two states with similar wages can still show very different averages.
Child Care Aware of America has long pointed out an uncomfortable comparison: in many states, a year of infant care costs more than a year of in-state public college tuition. The crossover states move around year to year, but the pattern holds across most of the Northeast and West Coast. The comparison is not apples to apples, since college is four years and daycare is typically three to five, but it reframes the decision: families are financing something the size of a college education with no financial aid office.
The practical takeaway is to treat child care like a major capital decision. Get quotes early, ask about annual increase clauses in the enrollment contract, and map the cost against the whole preschool window, not just year one. The calculator on the home page shows a 5-year total for exactly this reason.
State averages smooth over the details that move your actual bill. Registration fees, supply fees, and activity fees can add $500 to $2,000 a year on top of tuition. Part-time schedules rarely cost half of full-time; most centers price part-time at 60 to 75 percent of the full-time rate because the slot still blocks a full-time enrollment. Sibling discounts of 5 to 10 percent are common but not universal, and some centers cap them.
Age bands matter too. These figures are for infants, the most expensive band. Toddler rates typically run 10 to 20 percent lower, and preschool rates lower still. If you are comparing centers, always ask for the rate schedule by age band in writing.
If you are relocating, run the numbers before you sign a lease. A $15,000 salary bump that comes with a $12,000 jump in child care costs is mostly a wash, and families routinely underestimate the care side. Compare the destination state's average against your current one, then add a metro premium of 20 percent as a planning buffer.
Also check the destination state's assistance programs. Income limits, subsidy rates, and pre-K availability differ enormously. A state with higher sticker prices but universal pre-K at age 4 can be cheaper over the full window than a cheaper state with no public pre-K.
Child care costs have risen faster than overall inflation for a decade. Child Care Aware of America reported that the average cost of care rose 13.3 percent from 2023 to 2024 alone, and is up more than 35 percent over five years. The drivers are the same ones behind the table: rising wages for teachers, tighter staffing, and facilities costs.
Federal policy has moved in both directions. The March 2024 HHS rule capped co-payments at 7 percent of income for families receiving child care assistance, and a May 2026 rule removed that mandate. For families paying privately, the practical effect is nil either way, which is why the tax credit and FSA strategies in the paying-for-childcare guide matter more than waiting for policy.
Averages are set by what centers charge, not by what you must pay. Family child care homes average about 10 percent less than centers nationally and can be substantially cheaper in high-cost states. Employer-sponsored centers and nonprofit centers often undercut commercial chains. Nanny shares, where two families split one nanny, can cut the per-family cost nearly in half while keeping one-on-one ratios.
Negotiation room is limited but real: ask about part-week schedules, sibling discounts, annual-payment discounts, and whether the registration fee is waivable during low-enrollment months. Get every quote in writing with the annual increase clause highlighted.
The District of Columbia averages about $28,400 a year for full-time center-based infant care, followed by Massachusetts at about $26,700. Among the 50 states, Mississippi is the least expensive at under $7,000 a year.
About $250 a week nationally for full-time center-based infant care, based on the roughly $13,000 annual average. Care.com's 2026 survey of posted rates puts the average at $332 a week, which reflects asking rates in its marketplace rather than a government survey.
Yes. Every figure in the table is for one infant in full-time center-based care. Multiply for additional children, then apply whatever sibling discount the provider offers, typically 5 to 10 percent.
Staff-to-child ratios. Infants legally require the most adults per child in nearly every state, so each infant's tuition covers a larger share of a teacher's salary. Ratios loosen as children age, which is why prices step down for toddlers and preschoolers.
Figures: 2026. State averages compiled from Child Care Aware of America 2024 Affordability Analysis and 2026 rate compilations; weekly rates from the Care.com 2026 Cost of Care Survey. Verify with local providers. This guide is for planning only.