Small child care center
Open a licensed child care center in rented premises with a small team of qualified staff.
- $50k-250k
- Full-time
- Own premises
- Licence or permit needed
Estimates for a small start in the US, not guarantees.
Official data
82,162 US businesses with employees in this field, +2.5% in a year
NAICS 624410 “Child day care services”. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2023.
What it is
A licensed child care center in a leased space, caring for infants, toddlers and preschoolers in age-based classrooms with a staff team and a director.
Your first three steps
- Contact your state's child care licensing agency to learn center license requirements, including director qualifications
- Research local demand and tuition rates, then draft a budget covering rent, staff and a startup reserve
- Look at spaces and check with your city or county on zoning, building and fire code requirements for child care use
Who pays
Working parents and families, plus state child care subsidy programs where your center is approved to take part.
How it makes money
Weekly or monthly tuition per child, with rates varying by age group. Income depends on how many licensed spots you fill and staffing costs.
Skills that help
- Early childhood education knowledge
- Managing and scheduling staff
- Budgeting and cash flow
- Talking with parents and inspectors
Watch out for
- Center licensing, staff qualifications, background checks and ratios are set by each state, so check yours
- Building, fire, health and zoning approvals can take time and money before you can enroll children
- General liability and property insurance, and workers' compensation once you hire
- Staff wages are usually the biggest cost, and turnover can disrupt your classrooms
- Food service rules if you serve meals, so check with your health department
- Enrollment may take months to build, so plan enough cash to cover that period
Deep research report · US
Everything you need to start: small child care center
Researched with live web search for United States: real startup prices, the licences and rules, what others charge, a break-even example, how to find your first customers and a 30-day launch plan. With sources.
- Startup costs with real prices
- Licences, registration and rules
- Pricing: what others charge
- Break-even example
- Finding your first customers
- 30-day launch plan
- Risks and how to reduce them
Questions people ask
How much does it cost to open a child care center?
Startup costs are typically around $50,000 to $250,000, depending on your premises, fit-out and equipment. These are estimates only. Building, fire, health and zoning approvals can take time and money before you can enroll children, so plan for that.
How much can a small child care center earn?
Monthly revenue is typically around $15,000 to $75,000, depending on enrollment and the ages you care for. These are estimates of revenue, not profit. Staff wages are usually the biggest cost, and enrollment may take months to build.
What licensing rules apply to a child care center?
Center licensing, staff qualifications, background checks and ratios are set by each state, so check yours. Also check building, fire, health and zoning approvals, insurance requirements, and food service rules with your health department if you serve meals.
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