State cost data
Arkansas
Quick answer
How much does daycare cost in Arkansas?
Full-time center-based infant care in Arkansas runs $9,178 a year on Child Care Aware of America's 2024 survey, about 14.8% of the state's median household income. Family child care (a licensed home-based provider) runs $7,963 a year for an infant, typically less than a center.
| Item | Cost | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Center-based, infant | $9,178 | Child Care Aware of America, "Child Care in America: 2024 Price & Supply, Affordability Analysis" (survey fielded January 2025, published May 2025) |
| Center-based, toddler | $8,801 | Child Care Aware of America, "Child Care in America: 2024 Price & Supply, Affordability Analysis" (survey fielded January 2025, published May 2025) |
| Center-based, 4-year-old | $8,320 | Child Care Aware of America, "Child Care in America: 2024 Price & Supply, Affordability Analysis" (survey fielded January 2025, published May 2025) |
| Center-based, before/after school | $3,397 | Child Care Aware of America, "Child Care in America: 2024 Price & Supply, Affordability Analysis" (survey fielded January 2025, published May 2025) |
| Center-based, full-time summer | $1,971 | Child Care Aware of America, "Child Care in America: 2024 Price & Supply, Affordability Analysis" (survey fielded January 2025, published May 2025) |
| Family child care (FCC), infant | $7,963 | Child Care Aware of America, "Child Care in America: 2024 Price & Supply, Affordability Analysis" (survey fielded January 2025, published May 2025) |
| Family child care (FCC), toddler | $7,727 | Child Care Aware of America, "Child Care in America: 2024 Price & Supply, Affordability Analysis" (survey fielded January 2025, published May 2025) |
| Family child care (FCC), 4-year-old | $7,745 | Child Care Aware of America, "Child Care in America: 2024 Price & Supply, Affordability Analysis" (survey fielded January 2025, published May 2025) |
| Item | Cost | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Median household income (2024) | $62,106 | U.S. Census Bureau, "Household Income in States and Metropolitan Areas: 2024," American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates (ACSBR-025, published September 2025) |
Source: Child Care Aware of America, "Child Care in America: 2024 Price & Supply, Affordability Analysis" (survey fielded January 2025, published May 2025). Checked 2026-08-28. See the full methodology and the cross-state statistics page.
Use this number
- Compare Arkansas against another state in the cost explorer.
- See Arkansas childcare as a share of your income in the budget calculator.