What It Means
Daycare cost is what a family pays for a child's regular care at a child care center or in a provider's home. Care.com's 2026 Cost of Care Report puts the national average at $332 a week. Federal price data from the Department of Labor shows how widely that moves with the child's age, the type of provider and where you live.
Try It: See Daycare as a Share of Your Income
Starts at Care.com's 2026 average of $332 a week. Put in your own quote and household income; the income and weeks here are examples.
At or under 7% of income, the share HHS set in 2016 as its benchmark for an affordable child care copayment.
Above 7% of income, the share HHS set in 2016 as its benchmark for an affordable child care copayment. Ask your state's child care assistance office whether you qualify for help.
How People Say It at Work
- "Daycare costs more than our rent."
- "The infant room is the expensive one."
- "We're on three waitlists and comparing tuition."
The Breakdown
Dated prices, with their sources
| Source | What it measured | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Care.com, 2026 Cost of Care Report | Average weekly daycare cost | $332 a week, down 3% from $343 in 2024 |
| Department of Labor, National Database of Childcare Prices (2018 prices from 47 states, released January 2023) | One child for a year, by county | $4,810 for school-age care in a home-based setting in small counties, up to $15,417 for infant care in a center in very large counties ($5,357 to $17,171 in 2022 dollars) |
Worked example. A family earning $90,000 a year (example) pays the 2026 average of $332 a week, all 52 weeks:
| Step | Amount |
|---|---|
| $332 × 52 weeks | $17,264 a year |
| Per month | about $1,439 |
| Share of $90,000 | 19.2% |
| HHS's 7% benchmark on $90,000 | $6,300 |
At the national average, this family spends well over 7% of income, the share HHS set in 2016 as its benchmark for an affordable child care copaymentCopayA fixed dollar amount, such as $20, that you pay for a covered health care service under your health insurance plan. See more.
What moves the number. The Department of Labor's database breaks prices out by the type of provider (a center or a home-based program), the child's age and the county. In its figures, infant care in a center sat at the top of the range and school-age care in a home-based program at the bottom. For your own budgetBudgetA plan for a set period, usually a month, that lists the money you expect to receive and how you'll spend or save it. See more, use a quote from a provider near you.
Good to Know
Some daycare costs can count toward the federal child and dependent care credit. IRS Publication 503 says the expenses have to be work related, meaning they let you (and your spouse, if filing jointly) work or look for work, and they have to be for a qualifying person's care; check Publication 503 or ask a tax professional before you claim anything. For help paying, ask your state's child care assistance office. HHS set 7% of family income as its benchmark for an affordable copayment in 2016 and has revised the subsidy program's rules since, so the state office can tell you what applies now.
FAQ
How much does daycare cost per month?
At Care.com's 2026 average of $332 a week, a full year of care comes to about $1,439 a month. Prices vary a lot by area, age and type of provider, so get quotes from providers near you.
Is infant daycare more expensive?
In the Department of Labor's National Database of Childcare Prices, yes: infant care in a center was the most expensive category, reaching $15,417 a year in very large counties in 2018. School-age care in a home-based program was the least expensive.
Can I get a tax break for daycare?
Possibly, through the child and dependent care credit. IRS Publication 503 says the costs must let you work or look for work and be for a qualifying person's care, so read it or ask a tax professional about your situation.
Do It in Buhata
Budget and repeating entries
Add your daycare bill in Buhata as a repeating weekly or monthly expense, so each payment shows on the Calendar before it's due.
Open BuhataRelated Terms and Categories
- Nanny salary
What a family pays a nanny, usually quoted by the hour or week. Care.com's 2026 report puts the US average at $21.75 an hour for one child.
- Nanny share cost
What each family pays when two families share one nanny, which Care.com puts at about two-thirds of the cost of a nanny of your own.
- Dependent care FSA
A workplace account that lets you pay for a child's or dependent's care with pretax pay so you can work; the 2026 limit is $7,500, or $3,750 married filing separately.
- Summer camp cost
What families pay for day or overnight summer camp; in a 2022 American Camp Association survey, most day camps charged $1 to $100 a day.
Sources
Care.com, "How Much Does Child Care Cost? 2026 Cost of Care Report"; U.S. Department of Labor, Women's Bureau, "National Database of Childcare Prices"; U.S. Department of Labor, "Child care remains out of financial reach for many families, US Department of Labor data shows" (January 24, 2023); U.S. Department of Labor, Women's Bureau, issue brief "Childcare Prices in Local Areas" (January 2023); HHS Administration for Children and Families, "2024 Child Care and Development Fund Final Rule: Frequently Asked Questions"; IRS, Publication 503, "Child and Dependent Care Expenses"
- www.care.com/c/how-much-does-child-care-cost
- www.dol.gov/agencies/wb/topics/featured-childcare
- www.dol.gov/newsroom/releases/wb/wb20230124
- www.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/files/WB/NDCP/508_WB_IssueBrief-NDCP-20230213.pdf
- acf.hhs.gov/occ/faq/2024-ccdf-final-rule
- www.irs.gov/publications/p503
Last updated .