An infographic, Educating Pennsylvania’s Youngest Learners cost to educate, from the Pennsylvania Key shares a snapshot of the expenses related to child care in Pennsylvania. All families in Pennsylvania deserve access to quality early care and education programs, but quality programs can come with a hefty price tag.
The infographic is based on information from a study, Examining Child Care Funding and Finance in Pennsylvania, conducted by Research for Action (RFA) on how six Pennsylvania early education providers of different shapes, sizes, and community contexts from across the commonwealth financed high-quality child care.
The study found the average daily cost of child care for an infant was $73.98 per day, or nearly $370 per week, or $1,554 per month, which is almost double the average monthly rent for many Pennsylvania families. (Average monthly rent for PA was $868 in 2015 according to the US Census.) And at $19,235 per year, this amount is nearly equivalent to the $22,910 annual salary of a Pennsylvania preschool teacher.
The infographic can help make the case for the investment in Pennsylvania’s early learning programs. Feel free to share with families and friends, use in newsletters and websites, and share on social media.
Child care costs in Pennsylvania.
Pennsylvania’s Promise for Children, known as PA Promise, is a campaign to help families make good choices about their child’s early learning and choose quality early learning programs that are right for their family. The Pennsylvania Office of Early Learning and Development (OCDEL) is the primary partner in PA Promise.
Call Pennsylvania’s CONNECT Helpline at 1-800-692-7288 for information about your child’s development and connecting to Early Intervention services in Pennsylvania.
Call Child Care Works Helpline at 1-877-4-PA-KIDS (1-877-472-5437) for information about finding, paying for and other concerns related to child care.