Childcare Landscape Study - Flipbook - Page 9
Davidson County Child Care Landscape Study Results
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Centers report paying an average wage of $18.15 per hour, which is not enough to meet basic
needs in the region. Child care directors report that educator turnover is a major challenge, with
more than half of centers losing more than 20 percent of educators annually. Directors cite
increasing pay would be an effective strategy to reduce turnover, but also report financial
constraints, with more than half of centers not profitable and more than two-thirds planning to
raise tuition in the next year.
When modeling the true cost of high-quality center-based child care in the region, ensuring
educators earn a living wage, the cost ranges from $2,214 for preschoolers to $3,457 for infants
per month. Most parents could not afford to pay the true cost of care; it would require 80
percent of income from a single parent making the county median income just to pay for one
infant to attend child care while they worked. These challenges face the child care industry
nationwide, not just in greater Davidson County, and perpetuate a system of low educator
wages and high educator turnover.
Leveraging the strengths and addressing these interconnected challenges throughout the local
child care system will require coordinated and informed decision-making. Together, these
findings provide a foundation to guide next steps in strengthening greater Davidson County’s
child care system for the benefit of children, families, educators, and providers alike.
Prenatal-to-3 Policy Impact Center 2025
www.pn3policy.org
