Average Cost of Daycare & Preschool in North Carolina (2024)

The average cost of daycare in North Carolina is about $1,031 a month for an infant and $865 a month for a 4-year-old in a licensed center (2024 data).

Center-based preschool for a 4-year-old in North Carolina averages $10,381 a year — about $865 a month, below the US average of $12,503. Infant care runs higher (about $12,370/year). Source: Child Care Aware of America, 2024 Affordability Analysis, 2024.

Infant care in North Carolina runs about $1,989 more a year than preschool-age care, so the cost usually falls as your child grows. Eligible North Carolina families can pay far less — the state's public pre-K, NC Pre-K, is free for income- or risk-qualified children — see help paying for preschool in North Carolina.

Prices swing with schedule and program type — full-day costs about twice a half-day, and Montessori or private programs run well above a community or church-based one; meals, registration, and materials fees add more. What drives preschool pricing → · How to afford preschool → · Compare the real price →

Preschools in North Carolina

See also: when your child can start in North Carolina · preschool costs in other states.