Average Cost of Daycare & Preschool in Ohio (2024)
The average cost of daycare in Ohio is about $1,148 a month for an infant and $979 a month for a 4-year-old in a licensed center (2024 data). Below that, the real published rates of 5 Ohio schools — not an average.
Center-based preschool for a 4-year-old in Ohio averages $11,752 a year — about $979 a month, close to the US average of $12,503. Infant care runs higher (about $13,780/year). Source: Child Care Aware of America, 2024 Affordability Analysis, 2024.
Real published tuition: among the Ohio preschools we list, published monthly tuition ranges $353–$2,015/month (20 programs that post prices). Most schools don't publish rates — ask for a quote.
Infant care in Ohio runs about $2,028 more a year than preschool-age care, so the cost usually falls as your child grows. Eligible Ohio families can pay far less — the state's public pre-K, Ohio Early Childhood Education (ECE) Program, is free for income- or risk-qualified children — see help paying for preschool in Ohio.
Estimate your preschool cost
Based on Ohio's average — adjust for your child's age, schedule, and program type.
✓ Sent. See help paying for preschool in Ohio.
What Ohio preschools actually charge
State averages are a starting point, not a price. These are real published rates from 5 Ohio schools we list, taken from each school's own tuition page or rate sheet and converted to a monthly figure — cheapest program first. Click a school name to see the source.
| School | City | Program | Published rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| First Community Preschool | Columbus | Three-year-olds — M-W-F 9:00-1:00 | $353/mo |
| Montessori Children's House | Columbus | Morning Montessori, 3-Day (age 2.5 only) — Half-day mornings, 3 days/week | $375/mo |
| Overbrook Preschool | Columbus | 4 & 5-year-olds — 4 half-days/week | $405/mo |
| Gan Ephraim | Columbus | Age 3+, Half Day (9-1) — 9:00am-1:00pm | $583/mo |
| Villa Montessori Preschool | Columbus | Infants, 2 days/week — 2 days/week | $1,010/mo |
Lowest published program per school, normalised to a month. Most preschools don't publish rates at all — a blank here means we haven't found a published price, not that a school is cheap or expensive. Always confirm current pricing with the school.
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 Ohio
See also: when your child can start in Ohio · preschool costs in other states.