Child Care Costs More than College Tuition in Many States
Parents paying for child care know all too well about the findings from Parents and the High Cost of Child Care: 2010 Update–paying for child care is VERY expensive! Published by the National Association of Child Care Resource & Referral Agencies, the report says:
“The high cost of child care forces parents to make difficult decisions. Parents want high-quality child care for their children. Unfortunately, safety, health and school readiness comes at a cost that many parents cannot afford.”
Findings included:
- In 40 states, the average annual cost for center-based care for an infant was higher than a year’s tuition and related fees at a four-year public college.
- Since 2000, the cost of child care has increased twice as fast as the median income of families with children.
- In 25 states, the increase in the cost of infant care in a center far exceeded the rate of inflation.
- In 36 states, the average annual cost of center-based infant care exceeded 10 percent of the state’s median income for a two-parent family.
- In every U.S. region, the average center-based child care fees for an infant exceeded the average annual amount that families spent on food.
- Center-based child care fees for an infant exceeded the average annual rent payments in 24 states.
- Center-based child care fees for two children (an infant and a 4-year-old) exceeded the average annual rent and mortgage payments in 18 states.
Read the full report.
Read the Executive Summary.
