Average Cost of Daycare & Preschool in Washington (2024)

The average cost of daycare in Washington is about $1,779 a month for an infant and $1,409 a month for a 4-year-old in a licensed center (2024 data).

Center-based preschool for a 4-year-old in Washington averages $16,908 a year — about $1,409 a month, above the US average of $12,503. Infant care runs higher (about $21,348/year). Source: Child Care Aware of America, 2024 Affordability Analysis, 2024.

Infant care in Washington runs about $4,440 more a year than preschool-age care, so the cost usually falls as your child grows. Eligible Washington families can pay far less — the state's public pre-K, Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program (ECEAP), is free for income- or risk-qualified children — see help paying for preschool in Washington.

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 Washington

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