The Average Cost of Daycare and How to Pay for It

Most families today need two incomes to survive, therefore, there is a large need for someone to watch the children of working parents. But what can parents expect to pay on average for daycare, and how do they pay for it?  Many families are still having trouble making ends meet and finding reliable child care is no easy task. Entrusting your child to a person for five days a week while you work means you need to find quality child care. With that quality comes a price tag.

Where you live will be a big determining factor as to how much you will pay for child care.  According to research, you may expect to pay less for daycare if you live in the south– about $6,000 a year ($500 a month).  Typically, northern states will be more expensive – averaging $11,000 a year ($917 a month).  These figures are for baby and toddler care.  Costs for pre-school age children are generally lower, and depending on where you live, you can expect to pay anywhere from $3,794 to $10,920 a year ($316 to $910 a month) or more for each child. Some facilities will allow for discounts for two or more children.

Many families will rely on referrals from family and friends who are already using child care facilities  but if you are new parents or living in a new place away from people you know, a good place to start a search is through www.childcareaware.org.  The website boasts at being “America’s most trusted childcare resource.”  You can type in your zip code and take a thirty second survey to assess which information about child care in your area best suits your needs.  When you submit the survey, you’ll receive results of quality day cares in the area of where you live as well as their average rates.

You can find help with financial assistance for childcare if you meet certain eligibility requirements.  You can use the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services website to get information about financial assistance based on your needs. The website also provides a list of state agencies through the National Child Care Information Center.  Another government option is your local Head Start agency.  They will be able to assist you in providing the forms and question you may have about the program if your child is eligible for enrollment.   They can also find the closest Head Start to your residence.   

Since the cost of day care for children has skyrocketed, many families may be turning to close relatives and friends for help. More grandparents are taking care of children than in years past because parents can not afford other options or simply because they have the time to spend with the younger generation. Another alternative may be to coordinate a group of parents who are in a similar situation and work out a schedule where parents watch the children of others during working hours. Perhaps parents who work different shifts would be available at different hours of the day in order to keep the costs of child care low.

The reality is – this is about the safety and care of the children. There is no way to gauge the reliability of a child care facility without visiting it first to see how it is being operated and staffed. Sacrifices may have to be made around the house in order to afford the best quality in child care for the first few years until regular schooling begins. Parents may also want to weight the pros and cons of becoming a single income family and cut out child care costs altogether if the figures are encouraging by having one parent stay home to save the cost of child care.