Thursday, Aug. 10, 2023
Is Minnesota among the most expensive states for child care?
Minnesota is ranked fourth for day care costs, following the District of Columbia, Massachusetts and California, according to the Economic Policy Institute. The institute says child care in Minnesota costs between $9,682 to $16,087 a year for full-time care per child.
Child care costs vary by quality of care, location, age and needs of the child. Infant care tends to be the most expensive.
The median Minnesota household income is $77,706. Childcare can cost between 12% to 20% of a household’s yearly income.
Affordable child care advocates argue that services should cost 7% of the median household income, $5,439.
Nationally, childcare can cost between $4,810 to $15,417, or about 7% to 22% of the national median household income according to the institute.
In-state tuition for the University of Minnesota costs $16,654 a year.
This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
Sources
- Google Docs Costs of Child Care Spreadsheet
- Economic Policy Institute Child care costs in the United States
- childcareaware.org Child Care in Minnesota
- US Census Minnesota Census Data
- childcareaware.org Child Care Advocacy Statement
- umn.edu Cost of Attendance
- US Census US Median Incomes
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