What is the average cost of child care? 

To answer this question, we must look at a variety of factors: 

Type of care (child care center, home, ministry, etc.): Generally, center-based child care programs are the most expensive. Home-based child care is often the most affordable. Ministry programs (often run by faith-based organizations) usually fall somewhere in the middle. 

Paths to QUALITY ™ level: At its entry level, Indiana’s quality rating and improvement system, also known as PTQ, requires participating providers to meet additional health and safety requirements. As providers progress, more is expected of their learning environment, curriculum and staff credentials. These investments in quality cost money, which means child care costs increase, too.

County (where you live or work):  The cost of living in a specific area often impacts the cost of care. In counties with higher cost of living, salaries are often higher, too, and so is child care. 

Your child(ren)’s age(s): Infant care requires more hands-on attention and lower child-to-staff ratios, which usually means it is costlier than care for older children.

With these factors in mind, what might care cost for your family? Take a look using the dashboard below.