Average Child Care Cost in 2026: Daycare, Nanny and More

Child care cost by type of care

The type of care you choose matters more than anything else. Care.com’s 2026 Cost of Care Report surveyed 3,000 parents who pay for care. Here is what they pay on average.

Source: Care.com 2026 Cost of Care Report, survey fielded Nov 2025. Yearly cost is our calculation: weekly cost times 52.

Nanny rates rose about 5% from the prior report, while daycare and family care center prices dipped slightly (down 3% and 6%). A nanny costs roughly 2.6 times as much as a daycare spot (our calculation), but the gap narrows when you have more than one child.

Infant vs. toddler vs. preschool

Babies need the most hands-on care, so infant rooms have the smallest groups and the highest prices. Child Care Aware of America (CCAoA) collects prices from state agencies and reported these national averages for 2025.

Source: Child Care Aware of America, Child Care in America: 2025 Price and Supply, May 2026. Ranges reflect the report’s three averaging methods.

Across all ages and settings, CCAoA put the national average at $13,184 a year in 2025. That is lower than the Care.com daycare figure because CCAoA uses statewide price data, while Care.com asks parents what they actually pay.

For toddlers, Care.com reports $308 a week at a daycare center and $936 a week for a nanny.

Cost for two children

A second child almost doubles the bill at a center, but barely moves it for a nanny.

Source: Care.com 2026 Cost of Care Report.

With two toddlers, a nanny costs $952 a week versus $585 at a center, a difference of $367 a week or about $19,084 a year (our calculation). With three or more kids, or when you add commute time and sick days, a nanny or nanny share can start to make sense.

Keep in mind what each option includes. A daycare center sets its own hours and closes on holidays, while a nanny works around your schedule but makes you an employer, which can mean payroll taxes and paid time off. A family care home is often the middle ground on both price and flexibility.

How much of your income it takes

The US Department of Health and Human Services treats 7% of family income as the line for affordable care. Most families are well above it:

• The average parent spends 20% or more of household income on child care, per Care.com.
• 78% of families spend at least 10% of income, and one in five spends more than $30,000 a year.
• 31% of parents dip into savings to cover it.
• CCAoA puts the average at about 10% of median income for two-parent households and 33% for single parents.

Government data shows the same squeeze. The Department of Labor’s National Database of Childcare Prices found full-day care for one child ranged from $6,552 to $15,600 a year in 2022, or 8.9% to 16% of median family income depending on the county.

Child care is the single biggest line in the cost of raising a child during the first five years, so it is worth planning for before the baby arrives. Our guide to the cost of having a baby covers the birth itself.

Tax breaks and other ways to pay less

1. Child and dependent care credit. For 2026 the IRS raised the credit rate to as much as 50% (from 35%). You can count up to $3,000 of expenses for one child or $6,000 for two or more, for a maximum credit of $1,500 or $3,000. The rate falls with income but never below 20%.
2. Dependent care FSA. The 2026 limit rose to $7,500 per household ($3,750 if married filing separately). This money is pre-tax, but expenses paid with it cannot also count toward the credit.
3. Compare center and home-based care. Family care homes averaged $323 a week in Care.com’s survey, a little below centers, and CCAoA data shows home-based infant care is often cheaper too.
4. Ask about sibling and employer discounts. Many centers offer a sibling rate, and some employers subsidize care or hold priority spots.
5. Check state subsidies. Programs vary by state and income. Your local child care resource and referral agency can tell you what you qualify for.

Because care is a fixed monthly cost, it helps to see it next to your other bills. The 50/30/20 budget calculator shows how it fits your take-home pay.

See how we research every number on our method page, or browse more family life costs.