Infant Daycare Cost by State 2026 — All 50 States
$1,230/month is the national average for full-time infant center-based care. That’s $14,760/year. Mississippi runs as low as $650/month. Washington DC tops out at $2,400/month. Infants are the most expensive age group in any daycare — by a significant margin.
2026 Infant Care Costs at a Glance
Infant Daycare Cost by State (2026)
Full-time center-based care. 0–12 months. Source: HHS/ACF Child Care Market Rate Survey.
| State | Per Month | Per Year |
|---|---|---|
| Washington DC | $2,400 | $28,800 |
| Massachusetts | $2,200 | $26,400 |
| New York | $1,900 | $22,800 |
| California | $1,800 | $21,600 |
| Connecticut | $1,800 | $21,600 |
| Washington | $1,800 | $21,600 |
| Rhode Island | $1,700 | $20,400 |
| New Jersey | $1,700 | $20,400 |
| Maryland | $1,600 | $19,200 |
| Colorado | $1,600 | $19,200 |
| New Hampshire | $1,500 | $18,000 |
| Hawaii | $1,500 | $18,000 |
| Oregon | $1,500 | $18,000 |
| Vermont | $1,500 | $18,000 |
| Minnesota | $1,400 | $16,800 |
| Virginia | $1,400 | $16,800 |
| Illinois | $1,400 | $16,800 |
| Alaska | $1,400 | $16,800 |
| Delaware | $1,200 | $14,400 |
| Wisconsin | $1,200 | $14,400 |
| Maine | $1,200 | $14,400 |
| Pennsylvania | $1,200 | $14,400 |
| Michigan | $1,100 | $13,200 |
| Nevada | $1,000 | $12,000 |
| Nebraska | $1,000 | $12,000 |
| Ohio | $1,000 | $12,000 |
| North Dakota | $1,000 | $12,000 |
| Montana | $1,000 | $12,000 |
| Indiana | $1,000 | $12,000 |
| Iowa | $1,000 | $12,000 |
| Florida | $1,000 | $12,000 |
| Arizona | $1,000 | $12,000 |
| North Carolina | $950 | $11,400 |
| Utah | $950 | $11,400 |
| Texas | $900 | $10,800 |
| Wyoming | $900 | $10,800 |
| Missouri | $900 | $10,800 |
| Kansas | $900 | $10,800 |
| Idaho | $900 | $10,800 |
| Georgia | $900 | $10,800 |
| New Mexico | $850 | $10,200 |
| South Carolina | $850 | $10,200 |
| South Dakota | $850 | $10,200 |
| Tennessee | $850 | $10,200 |
| Kentucky | $800 | $9,600 |
| Oklahoma | $750 | $9,000 |
| West Virginia | $750 | $9,000 |
| Louisiana | $700 | $8,400 |
| Alabama | $700 | $8,400 |
| Arkansas | $680 | $8,160 |
| Mississippi | $650 | $7,800 |
Why Infant Care Costs So Much
Infant care costs $1,230/month nationally because staff-to-child ratios are legally mandated at 1:3 or 1:4. Preschool classrooms run 1:8 to 1:10. Infant rooms need 2–3x more caregivers per slot, and labor is about 70% of daycare operating costs. There's no efficiency to find — if a center isn't charging more for infants, it's subsidizing that room from older age groups.
The answer is staff-to-child ratios. Most states require one caregiver for every 3–4 infants. For preschoolers, one teacher can cover 8–10 kids. The math is simple: infant care needs 2–3x as many caregivers per slot. Labor is ~70% of a daycare’s operating cost, so the ratio nearly doubles the price.
There’s no way around it. If a center isn’t charging more for infants, it’s either cutting corners on staffing or subsidizing infant care with profit from older age groups.
Infant Care vs. a Nanny
A full-time nanny averages $2,700/month nationally versus $1,230/month for center-based infant care. For one child, centers are nearly $1,500/month cheaper. But with two infants, two daycare slots run $2,460/month — nearly the same as a nanny covering both. Families with twins or two kids under 2 often find a nanny share or solo nanny cheaper than two center slots.
A full-time nanny averages $2,700/month nationally. Center infant care averages $1,230/month. Nannies are more expensive for one child. The math changes with two: two daycare slots cost $2,460/month, while a nanny watching both runs $2,700–$3,000. For two infants, a nanny is often cheaper.
Infant Daycare Cost in Major Cities
City rates run 20–60% above the statewide average. Check your metro.
More Daycare Cost Pages
Cost by Age Group