Child care at center costs?

[alyssa810]

My son was at a center in Quincy close to where I work, and his toddler rate was $323 a week; when he hit 2.9, it dropped to $270 a week, and went up a few dollars each year so when he "graduated" in June, we were paying $289. It WAS expensive, but there were plenty of other places that were more.

Our tuition covered 2 snacks and a hot lunch, which was nice, and we provided diapers and wipes when he still used them. I also think you get what you pay for. We were at this center for just over 5 years, and we were very pleased with the care and early education DS received while he was there. While it was a center, it was a renovated house in a neighborhood so it didn't have as much of a "center" feel to it. Our only complaints, besides the tuition (because everyone always wants to pay less LOL) was that my work schedule is such that I am off every other monday, and we still had to pay for the days he wasn't there. When we were looking for places though, everyone did that, much like in the way that you have to pay when you take vacation or if the child is sick.

I think in most cases, the closer you are to a big city, the pricier it's going to be. Our old place had 2 other locations, one just a little closer to Boston but still in Quincy that was just a few dollars more than our location, and another location about 25 miles south where tuition was close to $50-100 less, depending on the ages.

Good luck with your search!

 

[englishteacha]

We paid $75 for a part time slot at a small center for our daughter. We are in rural Maine, and $25-30 a day is pretty average here. Of course, our paychecks are lower than in other parts of the country, too!

 

[Dictator]

Hi. If anyone with a 2-3 yr old in a daycare CENTER part time 2 days a week would be willing to let me know the cost, I would appreciate it. Cant find tuition listed and want to have an idea what is normal before making calls. We live in MD.
Thanks

I paid $136/week at a Celebree center in the baltimore area for 2 days a week.

 

[kandb]

We are in Bergen county, NJ. My son goes 3 days a week full time and it is $900 a month. It includes 2 snacks and a hot lunch and the facility is excellent.

 

[clh2]

Holy crap daycare is expensive for you guys! As a toddler my DDs full time daycare which included breakfast lunch and snack was only $117 a week. Switched to another daycare at 2 (4 star) and it is $107 a week. This is all in NC.

I paid more than that when DD was in "toddler" day care (which was when they where 2 or older). That was 17 years ago.

 

[funkychunkymonkey]

$150 full time, 2's all meals included (including supper, and two snacks). Diapers and wipes are parent provided. Were one of the cheapest in our area though

 

[texaslady22]

In rural Arkansas where I live, full-time at a center is $100 a week for an infant/toddler. In a home daycare, they typically charge $10-$15 a day. I guess our kids just aren't worth as much?

 

[Arkansan]

In rural Arkansas where I live, full-time at a center is $100 a week for an infant/toddler. In a home daycare, they typically charge $10-$15 a day. I guess our kids just aren't worth as much?

I wouldn't say that at all! I think state laws on maximum number of children per caregiver make a HUGE difference in cost! My oldest was born in WI where the ratio was 4:1. When we moved to AR we were surprised (and a little shocked) to learn the state maximum ratio of babies (under 2 yrs. old) was 8:1!!!! We only used daycare there while house hunting and that was enough for us. This was few years ago, so I'm not sure if anything had changed, but I'd be surprised if it had. My youngest had 17 in his kindergarten class in PA and 28 in his first grade class in AR. I don't think low child:caregiver or student:teacher ratios are a priority in AR.

 

[vetrik]

We pay $50/day for our 4 year old to go to a center 3 days/week, and includes breakfast, lunch and snacks. That's with a small discount for having payments auto-deducted.

She was in a home daycare until this summer and we paid $45/day for 3 days/week.