Definition: Estimated annual child care cost at which families of half of children enrolled in full-time licensed care pay more and families of half of children enrolled in full-time licensed care pay less, by age group and type of facility (e.g., in 2021, the median annual cost of full-time licensed child care for an infant in a child care center was $20,809 in Alameda County).
Data Source: California Child Care Resource and Referral Network, California Child Care Portfolio (Jan. 2023).
Footnote: These estimates are based on data from the Regional Market Rate Survey of Child Care Providers. Infants are children ages 0-1; preschoolers are children ages 2-5. Full-time care is 30 hours or more per week. Child care centers are facilities that provide care for infants, preschoolers, and/or school-age children during all or part of the day. These facilities may be large or small and can be operated independently by nonprofit organizations or by churches, school districts, or other organizations. Most child care centers are licensed by the California Dept. of Social Services (CDSS). In family child care homes, care for up to 14 children is offered in the home of the provider, often a parent; care is typically provided for children of a variety of ages. Family child care homes also are licensed by CDSS. N/A means that data are not available.
