Childcare Landscape Study - Flipbook - Page 7
Davidson County Child Care Landscape Study Results
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The cost estimation model reveals that the estimated monthly cost of high-quality centerbased child care is $3,457 for infants, $2,729 for toddlers, and $2,214 for preschoolers in
greater Davidson County (see Figure 4).
Figure 4: Estimated Monthly Cost of High-Quality Center-Based Child Care in Greater Davidson County
Expense Category
Infants
Toddlers
Preschoolers
Staffing Expenses
$2,880
$2,187
$1,697
Food and Kitchen Supplies
$186
$186
$186
Facility and Business Expenses
$181
$181
$181
Educational and Other Supplies
$44
$44
$44
5% Reserve
$165
$130
$105
$3,457
$2,729
$2,214
Per Child Monthly Total
Source: 2025 Davidson County Child Care Cost Estimation Model. The Prenatal-to-3 Policy Impact Center, 2025.Note:
Estimates reflect a modeled example child care center based on Child Care Provider Survey data and structured cost
assumptions for high-quality care in greater Davidson County.
Staffing costs, which represent the largest share of the cost of child care (83%), vary by age
group because of required ratios and group-size limits, whereas non-staff expenses (food,
supplies, etc.) are allocated evenly among all children served in a center. As a result, infant care
is the most expensive because lower educator-to-child ratios and smaller group sizes require
more educators per child. In other words, fewer families share the staffing costs for an infant
class, resulting in higher costs per infant slot. Consequently, the high cost of infant care often
leads programs to offer limited infant classes in favor of more profitable preschool classes.
A Median-Income Single Parent with Two Children Would Face Costs Equivalent
to 143% of Their Annual Income at the True Cost of High-Quality Care
If child care centers charged tuition that reflected the estimated true cost of high-quality care, the
resulting prices would be unattainable for most families. In greater Davidson County, high-quality
child care for one infant and one toddler, priced at the estimated true cost of care, would represent
roughly 143 percent of the median household income for a one-parent household (see Figure 5).
Prenatal-to-3 Policy Impact Center 2025
www.pn3policy.org
