Childcare Cost in New Jersey (2026)
Full-time infant care at a licensed center averages about $1,546 a month ($18,550 a year) across New Jersey, and about $1,257 a month in a licensed family child care home. That ranks New Jersey 14th of the 47 states with a current statewide price survey, 16% above the national average for the same survey.
New Jersey Childcare Costs at a Glance
Monthly cost for one child in full-time care, 2026. Daycare figures are statewide averages for licensed providers (Child Care Aware of America); nanny figures use Care.com's average New Jersey rate of $23.49/hour × 40 hours a week, before employer payroll taxes; the au pair figure is the national program cost (agency fees, the federal minimum stipend and education allowance).
Daycare Prices in New Jersey by Age (2026)
Infant care costs the most because licensing rules require more caregivers per baby. At New Jersey centers, toddler care averages 7% less than infant care and care for a 4-year-old 19% less; licensed family child care homes cost 19% less than centers for an infant.
| Age | Center, per month | Center, per year | Family child care, per month | Family child care, per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Infant | $1,546 | $18,550 | $1,257 | $15,080 |
| Toddler | $1,440 | $17,280 | $1,203 | $14,430 |
| 4-year-old (preschool) | $1,251 | $15,020 | $1,086 | $13,030 |
Source: Child Care Aware of America, Child Care in America: 2025 Price & Supply (state data as of December 2025), +3.2% to 2026 prices via the BLS consumer price index for day care and preschool (series CUUR0000SEEB03). Statewide averages for full-time care in licensed providers; "family child care" means a licensed provider caring for children in their own home. New Jersey's center infant average fell 11.1% from CCAoA's 2024 report, a change that usually means the state's price source changed (for example, a new market rate survey), so don't read it as a real price change.
Nanny, Nanny Share and After-School Care in New Jersey
Care.com's average starting rate for a nanny in New Jersey is $23.49 an hour (October 2026). For a 40-hour week year-round that is about $48,860 a year ($4,072 a month) before employer payroll taxes, which add roughly 10% more. In Newark, the rate is $24.28 an hour, or about $50,500 a year.
In a nanny share, two families split one nanny and each typically pays about two-thirds of the solo rate: about $32,570 a year per family at the New Jersey average. After-school care for a school-age child averages $20.81 an hour statewide; at 15 hours a week that is about $16,230 a year, before summer care. As a nanny's employer you owe Social Security, Medicare and federal unemployment tax once you pay $3,000 or more in a year. Estimate the total with the nanny tax calculator or the nanny share calculator.
How Prices Vary Across New Jersey
Prices are high across New Jersey, with less spread between counties than in most states. In the U.S. Department of Labor's 2022 county medians, full-time infant center care ranged only from $282 a week in Camden County to $327 in Morris County, with Essex County (Newark) at $296, Hudson (Jersey City) at $322 and Bergen at $318. In 2026 prices that is roughly $1,505 to $1,745 a month.
The state's own 2023 market rate survey, fielded from August to November 2023, found a statewide median of $357 a week for infant center care and $275 in registered family child care homes, rising to $412 and $300 in the most expensive group of zip codes. It doesn't publish county medians, but at the 75th percentile infant care in North Jersey centers ran from $395 a week in Passaic County to $445 in Bergen County.
How New Jersey Compares With Nearby States
Child Care Aware of America's national average for full-time infant center care was $15,460 a year in 2025, about $1,330 a month in 2026 prices. New Jersey's statewide average is 16% above that, 14th highest of the 47 states in the survey. The table compares New Jersey with its neighbors using the same survey, so the figures are like-for-like.
| State | Infant center, monthly | Infant family child care, monthly | Rank of 47 |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Jersey | $1,546 | $1,257 | 14 |
| New York | $1,804 | $1,449 | 7 |
| Pennsylvania | $1,316 | $970 | 23 |
| Delaware | $1,484 | $979 | 17 |
CCAoA 2025 statewide averages, +3.2% to 2026 prices. Rank 1 = most expensive. Our state pages for metro-tracked states headline a different figure (the average of the metros we track), so compare states using this table, not those headlines. For a big-city comparison, see our metro estimates for New York City and Philadelphia. In our calculator, North Jersey zip codes use a Northern New Jersey estimate and South Jersey suburbs the Philadelphia one.
How Affordable Is Child Care in New Jersey?
A year of full-time center care for one infant ($18,550 at the statewide average) equals 18% of New Jersey's median household income ($104,294), 11% of the median income of a married couple with children ($173,628) and 39% for a single mother ($48,094), using the U.S. Census Bureau's 2024 American Community Survey. Two-earner households with children earn far more than the state median, but for a single parent full-time infant care takes more than a third of income.
Help Paying for Child Care in New Jersey
Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP)
New Jersey's subsidy program is run by the Department of Human Services' Division of Family Development, and county Child Care Resource and Referral agencies review applications. New families qualify with gross income up to 200% of the federal poverty guidelines: $54,640 a year for a family of three (chart effective March 1, 2026). At renewal, families stay eligible up to 250% of poverty ($68,300 for three), and can then get a one-time phase-out of up to a year as long as income stays under 85% of state median income ($113,577).
Copays are a share of gross income: 4% for one child in full-time care (6% for two) between 101% and 200% of poverty, and 5% (7%) above 200%. Part-time care costs half as much, and copays are waived at or below the poverty line and for children in child protective services. For example, a family of three earning $52,000 with one child in full-time care pays about $173 a month. New applications were paused on August 1, 2025, reopened for priority groups in December 2025, and reopened to all eligible families on April 9, 2026. Apply online through MyNJHelps; program details are on ChildCareNJ.gov.
New Jersey tax credits
New Jersey's Child and Dependent Care Credit is refundable and equals a share of your federal credit that falls as New Jersey taxable income rises: 50% up to $30,000, 40% up to $60,000, 30% up to $90,000, 20% up to $120,000 and 10% up to $150,000, with no credit above that (Form NJ-1040, line 64, in the 2025 instructions). The law ties it to the federal credit allowed for the year, so the larger 2026 federal credit should raise it, but the Division of Taxation hasn't published 2026 instructions yet.
Families with a child age 5 or younger may also qualify for the refundable New Jersey Child Tax Credit: up to $1,000 per child in tax year 2025 at New Jersey taxable income of $30,000 or less, phasing out by $80,000. The fiscal 2027 budget raises every amount by 25% for tax years 2026 through 2028, so the top amount becomes $1,250.
Free preschool
New Jersey funds free, full-day preschool for 3- and 4-year-olds in participating school districts, in district classrooms, licensed child care centers and Head Start. It isn't statewide yet: 294 of 567 eligible districts and charter schools took part in 2025–26, with seats for almost 88,000 children. Check whether your district takes part on the Department of Education preschool page.
Federal tax breaks
Federal benefits are the same in every state. For 2026 a Dependent Care FSA through an employer lets you set aside up to $7,500 per household before tax ($3,750 if married filing separately), and the Child and Dependent Care Credit covers 20% to 50% of up to $3,000 in care costs for one child or $6,000 for two or more; FSA money reduces the costs that count toward the credit. Compare the two with the Dependent Care FSA calculator or the child care tax credit calculator, and check your subsidy odds with the subsidy eligibility calculator.
What Our Calculator Uses in New Jersey
The zip-code calculator prices most of New Jersey with metro estimates, which run above the statewide average because they reflect the New York and Philadelphia commuter belts. Zip codes outside those areas use the statewide averages on this page.
| Area | Zip codes | Center | In-home daycare | Nanny |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Jersey (Newark, Jersey City, Paterson, New Brunswick) (metro estimate) | 070–079, 088–089 | $22,620 | $15,080 | $50,360 |
| South Jersey near Philadelphia (Camden, Cherry Hill) (metro estimate) | 080–084 | $19,650 | $15,480 | $47,610 |
| Trenton, Princeton and the Shore (Mercer, Ocean) (statewide average) | 085–087 | $18,550 | $15,080 | $48,860 |
Yearly cost for one infant in full-time care. Zip codes are matched on their first three digits. Nanny figures are before employer payroll taxes. The calculator also adjusts for each child's age, part-time schedules, sibling discounts and tax savings.
About These Figures
Statewide daycare prices here are averages for licensed providers across all of New Jersey, reported to Child Care Aware of America for its 2025 Price & Supply survey, and raised 3.2% to 2026 prices with the BLS day care and preschool price index. Our city pages estimate metro prices from Care.com rates, and big-city prices usually run above a statewide average. Use this page to compare New Jersey with other states, and the calculator for your zip code.
Child Care Aware of America's figures are used for informational purposes with credit to Child Care Aware of America, info.childcareaware.org/price-and-supply-2025. County figures come from the U.S. Department of Labor's National Database of Childcare Prices (public domain). See our methodology for how the calculator works.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does daycare cost in New Jersey?
Full-time infant care at a licensed New Jersey center averages about $1,546 a month ($18,550 a year) statewide in 2026 prices, based on Child Care Aware of America's 2025 survey adjusted for inflation. Toddler care averages $1,440 a month and care for a 4-year-old $1,251. A licensed family child care home averages $1,257 a month for an infant. Prices in North Jersey run above the statewide average.
How much does a nanny cost in New Jersey?
Care.com's average New Jersey nanny rate is $23.49 an hour (October 2026), about $48,860 a year for 40 hours a week, before roughly 10% in employer payroll taxes. In Newark the average is $24.28 an hour. A nanny share cuts the cost to about $32,570 a year per family.
Does New Jersey help families pay for child care?
Yes. The Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) accepts new families with income up to 200% of the federal poverty guidelines, $54,640 a year for a family of three in 2026, and lets enrolled families stay up to 250% ($68,300). Copays are 4% to 7% of income, waived at or below the poverty line. CCAP reopened to all eligible families on April 9, 2026, after a pause that began in August 2025. Many school districts also offer free full-day preschool for 3- and 4-year-olds.
Is there a New Jersey child care tax credit?
Yes. New Jersey's refundable Child and Dependent Care Credit is 10% to 50% of your federal credit, depending on income, for New Jersey taxable income up to $150,000. Families with children age 5 or younger may also get the refundable New Jersey Child Tax Credit, up to $1,250 per child from tax year 2026.
Sources
- Prices: Child Care Aware of America, Child Care in America: 2025 Price & Supply (published May 2026; state price data; methodology). Inflation adjustment: BLS CPI-U, day care and preschool (December 2025 394.711; September 2026 407.335).
- County prices: U.S. Department of Labor, National Database of Childcare Prices, 2022 county medians (data file).
- Nanny rates: Care.com Cost of Care Calculator, Newark (state and city averages, October 2026).
- Subsidy: NJ DFD income eligibility schedule CC-229 (effective March 1, 2026); copayment schedule (effective March 1, 2026); NJ Department of Human Services news releases of December 19, 2025 and April 9, 2026.
- Taxes: NJ Division of Taxation, Child and Dependent Care Credit; 2025 NJ-1040 instructions; P.L.2021, c.308 (N.J.S.A. 54A:4-17); Governor's office, fiscal 2027 budget signing (June 30, 2026).
- Preschool: NJ Department of Education, mixed-delivery preschool report, FY2026.
- Market rates: 2023 New Jersey Child Care Market Rate Survey (Rutgers School of Social Work for NJ DHS).
- Income: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year, table B19013 (median household income) and table B19126 (median family income by family type).
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