Enter your ZIP code to see average childcare tuition rates in your area. Compare your current rates to local averages by age group.
Enter your ZIP code to see average tuition rates in your area.
Enter your ZIP code above
We'll show average tuition rates for your area instantly.
Type your 5-digit ZIP. We'll load average tuition rates for your state with metro adjustments applied instantly.
See average monthly tuition by age group — infant through school-age — with low-to-high ranges for your area.
Enter your current tuition to see where you fall — below average, on par, or above — with a percentage comparison.
Annual rate review: Before setting next year's tuition, check where your current rates fall relative to your local market. If you're 15% below average but your costs have risen 10%, that's your case for a rate increase.
Opening a new center: Before committing to a location, check tuition benchmarks for that ZIP code to see if the rates you'd need to charge are competitive in that market.
Board or investor conversations: Use benchmark data to justify rate increases or expansion plans. “We're 12% below the state average for infant care” is more persuasive than “we need to raise rates.”
Parent communication: When explaining rate increases, showing parents that your rates are at or below area averages builds trust and context.
Competitive pricing is only half the equation. Seedlist helps you manage your waitlist and fill every seat faster — so your tuition revenue stays on track.
Our benchmarks are based on data from Child Care Aware of America's annual reports and Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates. We use state-level averages with metro adjustment factors for major urban areas to give you the most relevant comparison for your location.
True ZIP-code-level tuition data requires expensive proprietary datasets that would make this tool paid-only. We use state averages with metro adjustment factors for the top 40+ metro areas — which gives you a reliable ballpark that's within 10–15% of your actual local market in most cases.
We update the benchmark data annually when Child Care Aware publishes new reports, typically in the spring. The current data reflects 2025–2026 estimates. If you notice rates that seem significantly off for your area, the metro adjustment may not fully capture your local market — use the comparison feature to see where you actually fall.
Being below average isn't automatically bad — it may reflect your local market, your center's size, or your program model. But if you're significantly below average (20%+ lower) while your costs keep rising, it's worth reviewing. Our guide on raising daycare tuition covers how to increase rates without losing families.
Use them as a reference point, not a target. Your costs, location, program quality, staff ratios, and market position all factor in. Start with our tuition calculator to find a rate based on your actual costs and margin goals, then compare that number to these benchmarks to see if it's competitive.