Daycare cost · Louisiana
How much does daycare cost in Louisiana?
Full-time infant care at a Louisiana daycare center cost a median of $143 a week in the latest federal county survey. Preschool at a center cost $137 a week, and infant care in a home daycare $133.
- a week, center infant care, county survey
- $143
- a week, center preschool, county survey
- $137
- Counties priced
- 64
By age
Daycare prices by age in Louisiana
Weekly prices for full-time care. The county survey figures are the middle county in Louisiana; the posted figures are the middle rate on Louisiana daycare websites.
| Age | Center, county survey | Home daycare, county survey | Posted by daycares |
|---|---|---|---|
| Infant | $143 | $133 | Too few to show |
| Toddler | $140 | $133 | Too few to show |
| Preschool | $137 | $133 | Too few to show |
| School ageOften before and after school only | $126 | $115 | Too few to show |
County survey: U.S. Department of Labor, 2022; Louisiana figure = the median of 64 county medians. Fewer than 30 Louisiana daycares post a usable full-time rate for any one age group, so this page does not give a posted figure for Louisiana.
Reading the numbers
Where these figures come from
These prices come from the U.S. Department of Labor's 2022 survey, which builds on state surveys of what providers charge. The Louisiana figure is the middle of 64 parish prices, and each parish counts the same.
Some Louisiana daycares post their rates online, but too few post a full-time rate for any one age to give a fair 2026 figure. Prices have likely gone up since 2022, so ask each daycare for its current rate.
By county
Where daycare costs more in Louisiana
Lowest county price
$120a week for center infant care in East Feliciana Parish and 1 other countyHighest county price
$160a week for center infant care in LaSalle ParishEast Baton Rouge Parish
$143a week for center infant care; the most populous county in LouisianaJefferson Parish
$152a week for center infant care; one of the 3 most populousOrleans Parish
$152a week for center infant care; one of the 3 most populousPrices stay within a fairly narrow band across Louisiana. In 2022, center infant care ran from $120 a week in East Feliciana Parish to $160 a week in LaSalle Parish. Jefferson Parish and Orleans Parish (New Orleans) were at $152 a week, and East Baton Rouge Parish, which includes Baton Rouge, at $143.
Home daycares cost a little less: the middle parish charged $133 a week for infant care in a home daycare, against $143 at a center.
- A year of center infant care at the middle county price
- $7,436
- of the middle county household income ($50,961)
- 15%
- counties where it passed 20% of household income
- 3 of 64
Every county
Daycare prices in every Louisiana county
Weekly county survey prices for full-time care, A to Z. Select a column heading to sort by it. The towns are where most of each county's daycares on DaycarePal are.
| Towns | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Acadia | $158 | $147 | $140 | CrowleyRayneChurch Point |
| Allen | $127 | $126 | $103 | OakdaleKinder |
| Ascension | $150 | $140 | $142 | GonzalesPrairievilleDonaldsonville |
| Assumption | $150 | $140 | $142 | Morgan City |
| Avoyelles | $133 | $132 | $106 | MansuraCottonportBunkie |
| Beauregard | $127 | $126 | $103 | Deridder |
| Bienville | $132 | $132 | $104 | Arcadia |
| Bossier | $157 | $147 | $137 | Bossier CityBentonHaughton |
| Caddo | $157 | $147 | $137 | ShreveportKeithville |
| Calcasieu | $153 | $141 | $137 | Lake CharlesSulphurIowa |
| Caldwell | $130 | $129 | $103 | Columbia |
| Cameron | $153 | $141 | $137 | None listed |
| Catahoula | $133 | $132 | $106 | Jonesville |
| Claiborne | $132 | $132 | $104 | HaynesvilleHomer |
| Concordia | $133 | $132 | $106 | VidaliaFerriday |
| De Soto | $157 | $147 | $137 | MansfieldStonewallLogansport |
| East Baton Rouge | $143 | $137 | $133 | Baton RougeZacharyBaker |
| East Carroll | $130 | $129 | $103 | Lake Providence |
| East Feliciana | $120 | $123 | $100 | Clinton |
| Evangeline | $132 | $132 | $107 | Ville PlatteMamou |
| Franklin | $130 | $129 | $103 | Winnsboro |
| Grant | $132 | $132 | $106 | Dry ProngPollock |
| Iberia | $158 | $147 | $140 | New IberiaJeanerette |
| Iberville | $143 | $137 | $133 | PlaquemineMaringouinWhite Castle |
| Jackson | $132 | $132 | $104 | Jonesboro |
| Jefferson | $152 | $140 | $133 | MetairieMarreroKenner |
| Jefferson Davis | $153 | $141 | $137 | JenningsEltonWelsh |
| Lafayette | $158 | $147 | $140 | LafayetteBroussardYoungsville |
| Lafourche | $150 | $140 | $142 | ThibodauxRacelandLarose |
| LaSalle | $160 | $147 | $139 | Jena |
| Lincoln | $157 | $144 | $137 | RustonGramblingSimsboro |
| Livingston | $158 | $147 | $140 | Denham SpringsWalkerLivingston |
| Madison | $130 | $129 | $103 | TallulahDelhi |
| Morehouse | $130 | $129 | $103 | Bastrop |
| Natchitoches | $157 | $147 | $137 | Natchitoches |
| Orleans | $152 | $140 | $133 | New Orleans |
| Ouachita | $157 | $144 | $137 | MonroeWest MonroeCalhoun |
| Plaquemines | $152 | $140 | $133 | Belle Chasse |
| Pointe Coupee | $120 | $123 | $100 | New Roads |
| Rapides | $157 | $147 | $139 | AlexandriaPinevilleBall |
| Red River | $132 | $132 | $104 | Coushatta |
| Richland | $130 | $129 | $103 | RayvilleMangham |
| Sabine | $132 | $132 | $104 | None listed |
| St. Bernard | $152 | $140 | $133 | ChalmetteVioletArabi |
| St. Charles | $150 | $140 | $142 | LulingDestrehanSaint Rose |
| St. Helena | $133 | $132 | $107 | Greensburg |
| St. James | $150 | $140 | $142 | PaulinaVacherie |
| St. John the Baptist | $150 | $140 | $142 | La PlaceReserve |
| St. Landry | $132 | $132 | $107 | OpelousasGrand CoteauPort Barre |
| St. Martin | $158 | $147 | $140 | Saint MartinvilleBreaux Bridge |
| St. Mary | $132 | $132 | $107 | FranklinBerwickBaldwin |
| St. Tammany | $158 | $147 | $140 | SlidellCovingtonMandeville |
| Tangipahoa | $158 | $147 | $140 | HammondPonchatoulaAmite |
| Tensas | $130 | $129 | $103 | None listed |
| Terrebonne | $150 | $140 | $142 | HoumaGraySchriever |
| Union | $130 | $129 | $103 | Farmerville |
| Vermilion | $132 | $132 | $107 | AbbevilleMauriceKaplan |
| Vernon | $133 | $132 | $106 | Leesville |
| Washington | $133 | $132 | $107 | BogalusaFranklinton |
| Webster | $132 | $132 | $104 | MindenSpringhill |
| West Baton Rouge | $143 | $137 | $133 | Port Allen |
| West Carroll | $130 | $129 | $103 | None listed |
| West Feliciana | $143 | $137 | $133 | Saint Francisville |
| Winn | $133 | $132 | $106 | Winnfield |
Paying for care
Ways to lower the cost
Louisiana's Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP), run by the Louisiana Department of Education, helps families pay for care while parents work, go to school or train for a job. On DaycarePal, 1,101 Louisiana daycares are listed as accepting child care assistance: see the Louisiana daycares that accept it.
Head Start and Early Head Start are free for families who qualify, mostly by income, and serve children from birth to age 5. Ask your school district about free pre-K seats for 4-year-olds.
Part-time schedules can also lower the cost. When you compare daycares, ask about registration fees, sibling discounts and whether you pay for holidays and vacation weeks.
- Daycares in Louisiana that accept child care assistance
- Part-time daycare in Louisiana
- Child care resources for Louisiana families (childcare.gov)
- Head Start center locator (Office of Head Start)
Questions
Questions about daycare cost in Louisiana
How much is daycare per month in Louisiana?
About $620 a month for full-time center infant care, at the 2022 middle-parish price of $143 a week. Preschool at a center ran about $594 a month, and infant care in a home daycare about $576.
How much does infant care cost a year in Louisiana?
About $7,436 a year at the 2022 middle-parish center price, or 15% of the middle parish's household income ($50,961). In 3 of the 64 parishes, center infant care took more than 20% of household income.
What does daycare cost in New Orleans?
In the 2022 survey, $152 a week for center infant care in Orleans Parish, and $140 a week for preschool. Jefferson Parish had the same prices.
Which Louisiana parish has the highest daycare prices?
LaSalle Parish, at $160 a week for center infant care in the 2022 survey. East Feliciana Parish had the lowest, at $120. The table on this page lists every parish.
Why is there no 2026 posted rate for Louisiana?
Only 24 Louisiana daycares post a full-time infant rate on their websites, too few for a fair middle figure. Ask each daycare for its current price.
We are a directory, not the daycare. Each daycare sets its own prices; ask for the current rate for your child's age and schedule.
Sources: U.S. Department of Labor, National Database of Childcare Prices (2022 county prices and household incomes); rates posted on Louisiana daycare websites, read in 2026. See daycares in Louisiana for each daycare's own listing.