Preschool education may definitely seem like a luxury, but most parents believe that just a few hours at school for their toddlers greatly contributes to social development and preparation for kindergarten.
There are so many benefits to preschool.
However, contrary to the advantages, costs are set.
In addition to other activities that your children have, the additional costs of preschool education seem to be seriously expensive.
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Average Costs
As usual, costs are something to always keep in mind when choosing between public and private schools.
Public preschools are funded by the state to ensure that families of all income levels have access to this education.
On the other hand, private preschools charge tuition fees, which can be too high for families with limited financial means.
However, most schools also offer financial support to ensure that all children have access to quality insurance.
According to the National Association of Child Care Resource & Referral Agencies (NACCRRA), the average cost of preschool ranges from $4,460 to $13,158 per year, depending on where in the United States you live.
For private school, average costs are from $1,000 to $47,000.
Public Preschool Costs
The average monthly cost ranges from $372 to $1100 per month.
At the lowest cost, a child can attend school two days a week for four hours.
At the highest cost, a child can attend school five days a week for at least 6 hours.
Of course, the amounts vary depending on the school and area.
For example, in Missouri, you can pay $5,950 a year, or half the amount you would pay in New York.
In Traverse City Area Public Schools, for 2021/22 state the following fees:
- Preschool full-day options:
- 5 days – $39/per day, $6,942/yr
- 3 days – $41/per day, $4,264/yr
- 2 days – $41/per day, $3,034/yr
- Preschool half-day options:
- 5 days – $26/per day, $4,680/yr
- 3 days – $27/per day, $2,862/yr
- 2 days – $27/per day, $1,998/yr
Daily fees are charged based on enrollment, not attendance.
In Duluth Public Schools, for 2021/22, states the following:
- Head Start income-eligible families and Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten families will be determined at enrollment and will not pay any tuition or registration fees.
- School Readiness tuition is determined using a sliding fee scale, making preschool affordable for all.
For example, for an all-day classroom, for an income of:
- $75,000 or more, annual tuition is $2,565 ($285 monthly),
- $40,000 to $74,999, annual tuition is $2,025 ($225 monthly),
- $20,000 to $39,999, annual tuition is $1,260 ($140 monthly),
- and, for an income under $20,000, annual tuition is $0.
For a half-day classroom, for an income of:
- $75,000 or more, annual tuition is $1,665 ($185 monthly),
- $40,000 to $74,999, annual tuition is $1,350 ($150 monthly),
- $20,000 to $39,999, annual tuition is $810 ($90 monthly),
- and, for an income under $20,000, annual tuition is $0.
Private Preschool Costs
The average private preschool tuition in California is $11,350 per year (2021-22).
The private preschool The Learning Experience Early Education Center has the lowest tuition of $1,011 per year.
On the other side, private preschool The Harker School Upper School has the highest tuition of $47,000 per year.
Private school San Miguel Catholic School applies $3,405 yearly tuition:
- Tuition Rates for parishioners:
- 1 child – $3,404,
- 2 child – $4,640,
- 3 child – $5,876,
- 4 child – $7,112.
- Tuition Rates for non-parishioners:
- 1 child – $3,679,
- 2 child – $4,915,
- 3 child – $6,151,
- 4 child – $7,387.
Additional Costs
A private preschool that requires uniforms and offers several extracurricular programs may cost as much as $500 more than a traditional preschool.
A non-refundable registration fee is required for all students and it cost on average $40.
The late fee is mostly $10 and most of the schools apply $1 per minute for late drop-off.
For example, San Miguel Catholic School has a graduation fee:
- $50 per student for Transitional Kinder (TK)
- $50 per student for Kindergarten
- $200 per student for 8th Grade
Also, some schools offer the Before and After Preschool Program and it cost an average of $5 per hour.
Discounts
Some schools offer sibling discounts and a lower price on more than one child in the school.
There is mostly a 5% discount for paying in full at the beginning of the school year and a 5%-25% family discount for having more than one child in the Tuition-based Preschool program.
