Why is infant daycare more expensive than preschool?

Infant daycare costs more mainly because babies need closer, more individualized supervision than older children, and providers price that into their weekly rates. The 2022 NDCP national median for center-based infant care is $243.75 per week, compared with $186.00 per week for preschool-age care — a difference of $57.75 per week, or about $3,003 per year.

How much does daycare cost for a toddler vs an infant?

Nationally, center-based toddler care has a 2022 NDCP median of $206.07 per week ($10,715.64 per year), compared with $243.75 per week ($12,675 per year) for infant care — toddler care costs about 15.5% less. Family child care shows a similar gap: $175.00 per week for toddlers versus $185.00 for infants.

Is family child care always cheaper than a daycare center?

Almost always, but not at every age. Family child care undercuts center-based care for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers in the 2022 NDCP national medians. At school-age, though, the pattern flips slightly: family child care costs $150.00 per week versus $148.30 per week for a center — the only age group where a center is marginally cheaper.

At what age does daycare become less expensive?

Center-based daycare prices decline at every age step in the 2022 NDCP national data, so cost drops each time a child moves into an older age group. The largest single drop is from preschool to school-age, where the median center-based price falls 20.3%, from $186.00 to $148.30 per week — likely reflecting fewer paid hours once a child is in school part of the day.

How much does infant daycare cost in Niagara County, NY?

In Niagara County, New York, the 2022 NDCP data lists center-based infant care at $247.00 per week and family child care at $190.00 per week, both close to the national medians of $243.75 and $185.00. By comparison, school-age care in the same county costs $194.00 per week at a center — $53.00 less than infant care.

How can I plan for daycare costs that change as my child ages?

Since center-based prices fall at each age transition in the 2022 NDCP data — roughly 15.5% from infant to toddler and 9.7% from toddler to preschool — families can expect their weekly bill to ease over time rather than climb. Running your own numbers through an affordability calculator against your specific income and county is the most reliable way to plan ahead.

COST DATA

Infant vs Toddler vs Preschool: How Age Changes Daycare Cost

By Sharon Ben-Moshe · July 18, 2026

Daycare cost falls steadily as a child gets older: 2022 NDCP data puts the U.S. median weekly price for center-based infant care at $243.75 per week, dropping to $206.07 for toddlers and $186.00 for preschoolers — a 23.7% decline from infant to preschool age, largely because infants require closer supervision than older children.

For the complete national picture — every age group, both care types, and how prices compare across states — see the full breakdown in How Much Does Daycare Cost? Official U.S. Prices by Age.

Key Takeaways

Infant care costs the most: $243.75 per week for center-based care nationally — the highest of any age group in the 2022 NDCP data.
Toddler care is 15.5% cheaper: the center-based median drops to $206.07 per week once a child ages into the toddler bracket.
Preschool keeps falling: center-based preschool care has a $186.00 per week national median, 9.7% below the toddler price.
School-age flips the pattern: family child care ($150.00/week) is slightly more expensive than a center ($148.30/week) — the only age where that happens.
The infant-to-school-age gap is real money: $95.45 per week, or $4,963.40 per year, separates the most and least expensive age groups nationally.

Why Does Infant Care Cost the Most?

Infant care carries the highest price of any age group because infants need closer, more hands-on supervision than toddlers, preschoolers, or school-age children. That need shows up directly in the numbers: the 2022 NDCP national median for center-based infant care is $243.75 per week, or $12,675 per year — more than any other age bracket the data tracks.

Family child care follows the same pattern at a lower price point: $185.00 per week for infants versus $175.00 for toddlers, a smaller but still consistent gap. For a closer look at why center-based and family-based prices differ the way they do at every age, see Center vs. Family Child Care Cost.

How Much Cheaper Does Childcare Get as Kids Age?

Childcare gets less expensive at every age step through preschool, then the pattern shifts at school-age. Center-based infant-to-toddler care drops 15.5%, from $243.75 to $206.07 per week. The toddler-to-preschool step is smaller — a 9.7% decline to $186.00 per week.

The largest single drop comes next: center-based preschool-to-school-age care falls 20.3%, to $148.30 per week, likely because school-age children spend part of the day in school rather than in paid care. Family child care does not follow the same curve at that final step — its school-age median, $150.00 per week, is actually higher than the center-based price, the only age group where family care costs more.

Daycare Cost by Age: The Full Breakdown

Here is the complete 2022 NDCP national picture — the population-weighted median of county medians — for both major care types. Actual prices vary widely by state and county; browse the state-by-state directory to find numbers for your own area.

Infant: $243.75/week center-based ($12,675/year) · $185.00/week family child care ($9,620/year).
Toddler: $206.07/week center-based ($10,715.64/year) · $175.00/week family child care ($9,100/year).
Preschool: $186.00/week center-based ($9,672/year) · $171.45/week family child care ($8,915.40/year).
School-age: $148.30/week center-based ($7,711.60/year) · $150.00/week family child care ($7,800/year) — the one age where family care costs more.

A Real Example: Daycare Costs by Age in Niagara County, New York

In Niagara County, New York, a county of 212,230 people with a median family income of $85,934, 2022 NDCP prices track the national pattern closely. Center-based infant care costs $247.00 per week, toddler care $230.00, preschool $200.00, and school-age care $194.00 — each age bracket cheaper than the one before it.

Family child care in Niagara County follows the same downward slope: $190.00 per week for infants, $180.00 for toddlers, and $175.00 for both preschool and school-age children. Every figure sits close to the national medians, which is what you would expect from a mid-sized county rather than a high-cost metro area.

How to Budget for Age-Based Daycare Costs

Because prices fall as children age, a family's childcare bill in year one is usually the highest it will be. Running the numbers for your own income and county — rather than relying on national averages — is the only way to know where you actually stand. Try the affordability calculator or read How to Budget for Daycare for a step-by-step approach.

Whichever budgeting method you use, the core fact from the 2022 NDCP data holds across the country: age is one of the biggest levers on your childcare bill, and it moves in your favor as a child gets older.

Frequently asked questions

Why is infant daycare more expensive than preschool?: Infant daycare costs more mainly because babies need closer, more individualized supervision than older children, and providers price that into their weekly rates. The 2022 NDCP national median for center-based infant care is $243.75 per week, compared with $186.00 per week for preschool-age care — a difference of $57.75 per week, or about $3,003 per year.
How much does daycare cost for a toddler vs an infant?: Nationally, center-based toddler care has a 2022 NDCP median of $206.07 per week ($10,715.64 per year), compared with $243.75 per week ($12,675 per year) for infant care — toddler care costs about 15.5% less. Family child care shows a similar gap: $175.00 per week for toddlers versus $185.00 for infants.
Is family child care always cheaper than a daycare center?: Almost always, but not at every age. Family child care undercuts center-based care for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers in the 2022 NDCP national medians. At school-age, though, the pattern flips slightly: family child care costs $150.00 per week versus $148.30 per week for a center — the only age group where a center is marginally cheaper.
At what age does daycare become less expensive?: Center-based daycare prices decline at every age step in the 2022 NDCP national data, so cost drops each time a child moves into an older age group. The largest single drop is from preschool to school-age, where the median center-based price falls 20.3%, from $186.00 to $148.30 per week — likely reflecting fewer paid hours once a child is in school part of the day.
How much does infant daycare cost in Niagara County, NY?: In Niagara County, New York, the 2022 NDCP data lists center-based infant care at $247.00 per week and family child care at $190.00 per week, both close to the national medians of $243.75 and $185.00. By comparison, school-age care in the same county costs $194.00 per week at a center — $53.00 less than infant care.
How can I plan for daycare costs that change as my child ages?: Since center-based prices fall at each age transition in the 2022 NDCP data — roughly 15.5% from infant to toddler and 9.7% from toddler to preschool — families can expect their weekly bill to ease over time rather than climb. Running your own numbers through an affordability calculator against your specific income and county is the most reliable way to plan ahead.