Childcare Cost Calculator
Enter your weekly childcare rate and household income to see a year of care, the federal Child and Dependent Care Credit, what a Dependent Care FSA saves and what you pay after both. Pick your state to fill in its median household income and a starting weekly rate scaled to its cost of living; the table lists both for every state.
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Additional Details
Annual Childcare Cost
Estimated • Based on your inputs
Monthly Cost
$1,231.00
Detailed Breakdown
Disclaimer: This calculator provides estimates for informational purposes only. Results should not be considered financial, tax, or legal advice. Consult a qualified professional for your specific situation.
How this calculator works
A year of care is the weekly rate, prorated to the days you enter, times 52 (a second child and more get a 15% sibling discount). The federal side follows the statute: the Child and Dependent Care Credit takes 50% down to 20% of up to $3,000 of care for one child or $6,000 for two or more, on the IRC §21 AGI and filing-status scale, reduced dollar for dollar by any DCFSA money (§21(c)), and is limited to the federal income tax left after the standard deduction (it is nonrefundable). A DCFSA election, up to $7,500 in 2026, saves the federal income tax plus employee Social Security and Medicare tax on the amount. The Child Tax Credit is shown apart because it does not depend on spending on care. The lesser-spouse earned-income limit, married filing separately and state tax on a DCFSA are not modeled. The state picker fills the two inputs this site's state childcare calculators prefilled: the state's median household income and a starting weekly rate that scales the national placeholder by the state's cost-of-living index.
Childcare cost against income by state
Median household income is the Census figure the state picker fills. The weekly rate is the modeled national placeholder ($14,760 a year) times the state's C2ER cost-of-living index, not a surveyed price. The last two columns run the calculator for one child aged 2 in care five days a week, married filing jointly, no DCFSA.
| State | Median household income | Cost-of-living index | Starting weekly rate (modeled) | Year of care, % of income | Net after the federal credit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $66,659 | 86 | $244 | 19.03% | $11,638 |
| Alaska | $95,665 | 124.5 | $353 | 19.19% | $17,306 |
| Arizona | $81,486 | 108.6 | $308 | 19.65% | $14,966 |
| Arkansas | $62,106 | 89 | $253 | 21.18% | $12,106 |
| California | $100,149 | 140.3 | $398 | 20.67% | $19,646 |
| Colorado | $97,113 | 102.7 | $292 | 15.64% | $14,134 |
| Connecticut | $96,049 | 103.6 | $294 | 15.92% | $14,238 |
| Delaware | $87,534 | 100.6 | $286 | 16.99% | $13,822 |
| Florida | $77,735 | 100.8 | $286 | 19.13% | $13,822 |
| Georgia | $79,991 | 90.1 | $256 | 16.64% | $12,262 |
| Hawaii | $100,745 | 185.8 | $527 | 27.2% | $26,354 |
| Idaho | $81,166 | 99.4 | $282 | 18.07% | $13,614 |
| Illinois | $83,211 | 94.5 | $268 | 16.75% | $12,886 |
| Indiana | $71,959 | 89.7 | $255 | 18.43% | $12,210 |
| Iowa | $75,501 | 86.1 | $244 | 16.81% | $11,638 |
| Kansas | $75,514 | 87.1 | $247 | 17.01% | $11,794 |
| Kentucky | $64,526 | 94 | $267 | 21.52% | $12,834 |
| Louisiana | $60,986 | 91.3 | $259 | 22.08% | $12,418 |
| Maine | $76,442 | 112.9 | $320 | 21.77% | $15,590 |
| Maryland | $102,905 | 118.8 | $337 | 17.03% | $16,474 |
| Massachusetts | $104,828 | 148.1 | $420 | 20.83% | $20,790 |
| Michigan | $72,389 | 92.1 | $261 | 18.75% | $12,522 |
| Minnesota | $87,117 | 93.4 | $265 | 15.82% | $12,730 |
| Mississippi | $59,127 | 87.4 | $248 | 21.81% | $11,846 |
| Missouri | $71,589 | 88.2 | $250 | 18.16% | $11,950 |
| Montana | $75,340 | 106 | $301 | 20.78% | $14,602 |
| Nebraska | $76,376 | 90.1 | $256 | 17.43% | $12,262 |
| Nevada | $81,134 | 105.4 | $299 | 19.16% | $14,498 |
| New Hampshire | $99,782 | 108.5 | $308 | 16.05% | $14,966 |
| New Jersey | $104,294 | 119.2 | $338 | 16.85% | $16,526 |
| New Mexico | $67,816 | 90.2 | $256 | 19.63% | $12,262 |
| New York | $85,820 | 132.6 | $376 | 22.78% | $18,502 |
| North Carolina | $73,958 | 96.7 | $274 | 19.26% | $13,198 |
| North Dakota | $77,871 | 90.5 | $257 | 17.16% | $12,314 |
| Ohio | $72,212 | 93 | $264 | 19.01% | $12,678 |
| Oklahoma | $66,148 | 83 | $236 | 18.55% | $11,222 |
| Oregon | $85,220 | 110.4 | $313 | 19.1% | $15,226 |
| Pennsylvania | $77,545 | 95.3 | $271 | 18.17% | $13,042 |
| Rhode Island | $83,504 | 110.9 | $315 | 19.62% | $15,330 |
| South Carolina | $72,350 | 92.7 | $263 | 18.9% | $12,626 |
| South Dakota | $76,881 | 93.5 | $265 | 17.92% | $12,730 |
| Tennessee | $71,997 | 89.7 | $255 | 18.42% | $12,210 |
| Texas | $79,721 | 90.8 | $258 | 16.83% | $12,366 |
| Utah | $96,658 | 98.4 | $279 | 15.01% | $13,458 |
| Vermont | $82,730 | 113.4 | $322 | 20.24% | $15,694 |
| Virginia | $92,090 | 99 | $281 | 15.87% | $13,562 |
| Washington | $99,389 | 115.1 | $327 | 17.11% | $15,954 |
| West Virginia | $60,798 | 87 | $247 | 21.13% | $11,794 |
| Wisconsin | $77,488 | 95.7 | $272 | 18.25% | $13,094 |
| Wyoming | $75,532 | 94.4 | $268 | 18.45% | $12,886 |
Income: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 1-year 2024, table B19013. Index: Missouri Economic Research and Information Center (MERIC) — C2ER Cost of Living Index, Q2 2026, period Q2 2026 (100 = U.S. average). Credit: IRC §21 as amended by Pub. L. 119-21, limited to federal income tax after the standard deduction. For real local prices, ask your state's Child Care Resource & Referral agency or see the U.S. DOL Women's Bureau National Database of Childcare Prices.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does daycare cost per year?
Prices are set provider by provider, so the calculator starts from a modeled placeholder: $14,760 a year for full-time infant care ($10,600 for preschool), entered as $284 a week, which comes to $14,768 over 52 weeks. At the 2024 U.S. median household income that year of care is 17.64% of income before credits. Scaled by state cost of living and set against each state's median income, the share runs from 15.01% in Utah to 27.2% in Hawaii (table below). Enter the weekly rate your provider quotes for a real figure.
Can I use a Dependent Care FSA and the childcare credit together?
Yes, but not on the same dollars. Every DCFSA dollar comes off the credit's $3,000 or $6,000 expense cap (IRC §21(c)), so a $7,500 election for one child leaves no expenses for the credit. For a married couple at the U.S. median income paying $14,768 a year with no DCFSA, the credit is $1,050 at a 35% rate; enter your election to see which mix saves more.
All Calculators
Colorado Childcare Cost Calculator
Estimate childcare costs in Colorado. Modeled infant daycare placeholder ~$15,159/yr. Compare tax credits and DCFSA savings.
Connecticut Childcare Cost Calculator
Estimate childcare costs in Connecticut. Modeled infant daycare placeholder ~$15,291/yr. Compare tax credits and DCFSA savings.
Delaware Childcare Cost Calculator
Estimate childcare costs in Delaware. Modeled infant daycare placeholder ~$14,849/yr. Compare tax credits and DCFSA savings.
Georgia Childcare Cost Calculator
Estimate childcare costs in Georgia. Modeled infant daycare placeholder ~$13,299/yr. Compare tax credits and DCFSA savings.
Hawaii Childcare Cost Calculator
Estimate childcare costs in Hawaii. Modeled infant daycare placeholder ~$27,424/yr. Compare tax credits and DCFSA savings.
Idaho Childcare Cost Calculator
Estimate childcare costs in Idaho. Modeled infant daycare placeholder ~$14,671/yr. Compare tax credits and DCFSA savings.
Illinois Childcare Cost Calculator
Estimate childcare costs in Illinois. Modeled infant daycare placeholder ~$13,948/yr. Compare tax credits and DCFSA savings.
Indiana Childcare Cost Calculator
Estimate childcare costs in Indiana. Modeled infant daycare placeholder ~$13,240/yr. Compare tax credits and DCFSA savings.
Iowa Childcare Cost Calculator
Estimate childcare costs in Iowa. Modeled infant daycare placeholder ~$12,708/yr. Compare tax credits and DCFSA savings.
Kansas Childcare Cost Calculator
Estimate childcare costs in Kansas. Modeled infant daycare placeholder ~$12,856/yr. Compare tax credits and DCFSA savings.
Kentucky Childcare Cost Calculator
Estimate childcare costs in Kentucky. Modeled infant daycare placeholder ~$13,874/yr. Compare tax credits and DCFSA savings.
Maine Childcare Cost Calculator
Estimate childcare costs in Maine. Modeled infant daycare placeholder ~$16,664/yr. Compare tax credits and DCFSA savings.
Maryland Childcare Cost Calculator
Estimate childcare costs in Maryland. Modeled infant daycare placeholder ~$17,535/yr. Compare tax credits and DCFSA savings.
Massachusetts Childcare Cost Calculator
Estimate childcare costs in Massachusetts. Modeled infant daycare placeholder ~$21,860/yr. Compare tax credits and DCFSA savings.
Minnesota Childcare Cost Calculator
Estimate childcare costs in Minnesota. Modeled infant daycare placeholder ~$13,786/yr. Compare tax credits and DCFSA savings.
Mississippi Childcare Cost Calculator
Estimate childcare costs in Mississippi. Modeled infant daycare placeholder ~$12,900/yr. Compare tax credits and DCFSA savings.
New Hampshire Childcare Cost Calculator
Estimate childcare costs in New Hampshire. Modeled infant daycare placeholder ~$16,015/yr. Compare tax credits and DCFSA savings.
New Jersey Childcare Cost Calculator
Estimate childcare costs in New Jersey. Modeled infant daycare placeholder ~$17,594/yr. Compare tax credits and DCFSA savings.
New Mexico Childcare Cost Calculator
Estimate childcare costs in New Mexico. Modeled infant daycare placeholder ~$13,314/yr. Compare tax credits and DCFSA savings.
New York Childcare Cost Calculator
Estimate childcare costs in New York. Modeled infant daycare placeholder ~$19,572/yr. Compare tax credits and DCFSA savings.
North Carolina Childcare Cost Calculator
Estimate childcare costs in North Carolina. Modeled infant daycare placeholder ~$14,273/yr. Compare tax credits and DCFSA savings.
Ohio Childcare Cost Calculator
Estimate childcare costs in Ohio. Modeled infant daycare placeholder ~$13,727/yr. Compare tax credits and DCFSA savings.
Pennsylvania Childcare Cost Calculator
Estimate childcare costs in Pennsylvania. Modeled infant daycare placeholder ~$14,066/yr. Compare tax credits and DCFSA savings.
South Dakota Childcare Cost Calculator
Estimate childcare costs in South Dakota. Modeled infant daycare placeholder ~$13,801/yr. Compare tax credits and DCFSA savings.
Tennessee Childcare Cost Calculator
Estimate childcare costs in Tennessee. Modeled infant daycare placeholder ~$13,240/yr. Compare tax credits and DCFSA savings.
Texas Childcare Cost Calculator
Estimate childcare costs in Texas. Modeled infant daycare placeholder ~$13,402/yr. Compare tax credits and DCFSA savings.
Utah Childcare Cost Calculator
Estimate childcare costs in Utah. Modeled infant daycare placeholder ~$14,524/yr. Compare tax credits and DCFSA savings.
Virginia Childcare Cost Calculator
Estimate childcare costs in Virginia. Modeled infant daycare placeholder ~$14,612/yr. Compare tax credits and DCFSA savings.
Washington Childcare Cost Calculator
Estimate childcare costs in Washington. Modeled infant daycare placeholder ~$16,989/yr. Compare tax credits and DCFSA savings.
West Virginia Childcare Cost Calculator
Estimate childcare costs in West Virginia. Modeled infant daycare placeholder ~$12,841/yr. Compare tax credits and DCFSA savings.