Daycare startup cost and profit calculator.
Estimate monthly revenue, staff pay, rent and what is left from your own numbers. Pick a state to fill in typical prices, pay and ratios.
Sources: National Database of Childcare Prices, U.S. Department of Labor, Women's Bureau; Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Your estimate
Add spots by age group to see your estimate.
Estimates from your own numbers. This is not financial or legal advice.
Where the numbers come from
Tuition starts at the state’s median weekly center price, its newest year, from the U.S. Department of Labor.
Pay starts at the state’s median pay, May 2025, from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Lead teachers use preschool teacher pay, assistants use childcare worker pay, and directors use their own.
Ratios are the state licensing rules on our licensing pages, last changed June 18, 2026.
Each age group uses the strictest ratio the state sets for any age in it.
Spots, hours, rent and setup costs are your own numbers.
Staff pay is pay only. It leaves out payroll taxes, benefits and paid time off.
Every result is an estimate from your own numbers. It is not financial or legal advice.
Startup costs by state
Each state’s page fills in its own prices, pay and ratios.
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Run a program in your state? Bloomily handles enrollment, billing, check-in and family messages. See how it works
Plan your program
- Child care prices by state
Weekly prices in every state and county.
- Daycare business plan
How to write a plan for funding and licensing.
- Tuition calculator
Typical rates by state and age group.
- Ratio calculator
Staff needed for each age group, by state.
Questions, answered
How much does it cost to open a daycare?
It depends on your building, size and state. Type your own setup costs to see the months to cover them.
Is owning a daycare profitable?
It depends on enrollment, tuition, pay and rent. The calculator shows what is left each month from your own numbers.
Where do the starting numbers come from?
Tuition comes from the U.S. Department of Labor’s price database. Pay comes from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025.
Does staff pay include taxes and benefits?
Staff pay is pay only. It leaves out payroll taxes, benefits and paid time off.
How does the calculator count staff?
It uses your state’s ratio for each age group, rounded up. Staff are counted for every hour you are open.
Questions about childcare in your state?
Tell us what you run or plan to open. A person on our team answers.