According to Care.com, the average weekly costs for infant childcare are $580 for a nanny, $390 for an au pair, $211 for a childcare and $195 for a family care . Annually, infant childcare averages between $10,140 and $30,160, depending on the type, quality, and location of care. Infant daycare prices can be impacted by anything from the educational background of caregivers to the employment rates in your area.
What factors should I expect to impact the cost of daycare for my infant?
As one might expect, the ratio of infants to adults can have a significant impact on the cost of childcare. This is because additional staff is an added expense, and quality care is typically associated with low child-to-adult ratios. The low ratios tend to enhance the bond between your child and the caregiver, thereby ensuring superior quality of care.
Does your daycare provide supplies and food for your child? If so, this added expense can greatly increase operating costs for the daycare, which will be passed along to you in the form of higher childcare fees.
Are always the children supervised? If children are always supervised—even when sleeping—it is likely that a larger staff is required to meet the needs of the children and the facility. What is the educational background of the caregivers and administrators? You are likely to pay lower fees if the caregivers have only a high school education, which is often all that is required to qualify for the position. If the caregivers and administrators have a background in early childhood education, however, you are then paying for the quality of expertly trained staff.