Daycare cost · North Dakota
How much does daycare cost in North Dakota?
Full-time infant care at a North Dakota daycare center cost a median of $209 a week in the latest federal county survey. A home daycare charged $153 a week for a baby.
- a week, center infant care, county survey
- $209
- a week, center preschool, county survey
- $177
- Counties priced
- 53
By age
Daycare prices by age in North Dakota
Weekly prices for full-time care. The county survey figures are the middle county in North Dakota; the posted figures are the middle rate on North Dakota daycare websites.
| Age | Center, county survey | Home daycare, county survey | Posted by daycares |
|---|---|---|---|
| Infant | $209 | $153 | Too few to show |
| Toddler | $190 | $145 | Too few to show |
| Preschool | $177 | $146 | Too few to show |
| School ageOften before and after school only | $172 | $150 | Too few to show |
County survey: U.S. Department of Labor, 2022; North Dakota figure = the median of 53 county medians. Fewer than 30 North Dakota daycares post a usable full-time rate for any one age group, so this page does not give a posted figure for North Dakota.
Reading the numbers
Where these figures come from
The 2022 prices come from the U.S. Department of Labor's county survey, which draws on North Dakota's own surveys of what providers charge. Each of the 53 counties counts the same, and the state figure is the middle county.
We read 123 North Dakota daycare websites, but too few post a full-time weekly rate for any one age to give a 2026 figure. Ask each daycare for its current rate.
By county
Where daycare costs more in North Dakota
Lowest county price
$195a week for center infant care in Eddy CountyHighest county price
$240a week for center infant care in Divide County and 1 other countyCass County
$214a week for center infant care; the most populous county in North DakotaBurleigh County
$221a week for center infant care; one of the 3 most populousGrand Forks County
$212a week for center infant care; one of the 3 most populousNorth Dakota prices vary less than you might expect. In 2022, center infant care ran from $195 a week in Eddy County to $240 a week in Divide County, with McKenzie County, around Watford City, also at $240. The larger counties sit a little above the middle: $214 in Cass County, which includes Fargo, $221 in Burleigh County, which includes Bismarck, and $212 in Grand Forks County.
Home daycares cost noticeably less. The middle county charged $153 a week for infant care in a home daycare, against $209 at a center.
- A year of center infant care at the middle county price
- $10,868
- of the middle county household income ($69,722)
- 16%
- counties where it passed 20% of household income
- 2 of 53
Every county
Daycare prices in every North Dakota 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 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adams | $198 | $167 | $145 | None listed |
| Barnes | $209 | $177 | $153 | Valley City |
| Benson | $199 | $168 | $146 | Fort Totten |
| Billings | $203 | $172 | $149 | None listed |
| Bottineau | $218 | $185 | $161 | Bottineau |
| Bowman | $220 | $186 | $161 | Bowman |
| Burke | $216 | $183 | $159 | None listed |
| Burleigh | $221 | $187 | $162 | Bismarck |
| Cass | $214 | $181 | $157 | FargoWest FargoHorace |
| Cavalier | $207 | $175 | $152 | Langdon |
| Dickey | $203 | $172 | $149 | None listed |
| Divide | $240 | $203 | $176 | None listed |
| Dunn | $230 | $195 | $169 | None listed |
| Eddy | $195 | $165 | $143 | None listed |
| Emmons | $199 | $169 | $147 | None listed |
| Foster | $209 | $177 | $154 | Carrington |
| Golden Valley | $217 | $184 | $160 | None listed |
| Grand Forks | $212 | $180 | $156 | Grand ForksNorthwood |
| Grant | $200 | $169 | $147 | None listed |
| Griggs | $200 | $170 | $147 | None listed |
| Hettinger | $215 | $182 | $158 | None listed |
| Kidder | $198 | $168 | $146 | None listed |
| LaMoure | $198 | $168 | $146 | None listed |
| Logan | $212 | $180 | $156 | None listed |
| McHenry | $213 | $180 | $156 | None listed |
| McIntosh | $199 | $169 | $147 | None listed |
| McKenzie | $240 | $203 | $176 | Watford City |
| McLean | $215 | $182 | $158 | None listed |
| Mercer | $224 | $189 | $164 | Hazen |
| Morton | $223 | $189 | $164 | Mandan |
| Mountrail | $216 | $183 | $159 | StanleyParshall |
| Nelson | $199 | $168 | $146 | None listed |
| Oliver | $199 | $169 | $147 | None listed |
| Pembina | $204 | $173 | $150 | None listed |
| Pierce | $209 | $177 | $154 | Rugby |
| Ramsey | $201 | $170 | $148 | Devils Lake |
| Ransom | $222 | $188 | $163 | None listed |
| Renville | $219 | $186 | $161 | None listed |
| Richland | $208 | $176 | $153 | Wahpeton |
| Rolette | $197 | $167 | $145 | Dunseith |
| Sargent | $221 | $187 | $162 | None listed |
| Sheridan | $201 | $170 | $147 | None listed |
| Sioux | $196 | $166 | $144 | Fort Yates |
| Slope | $205 | $173 | $150 | None listed |
| Stark | $220 | $186 | $162 | Dickinson |
| Steele | $203 | $172 | $149 | None listed |
| Stutsman | $206 | $175 | $152 | Jamestown |
| Towner | $201 | $170 | $148 | None listed |
| Traill | $209 | $177 | $154 | None listed |
| Walsh | $203 | $172 | $150 | None listed |
| Ward | $220 | $186 | $162 | Minot |
| Wells | $199 | $168 | $146 | None listed |
| Williams | $230 | $195 | $169 | Williston |
Paying for care
Ways to lower the cost
North Dakota Health and Human Services runs the Child Care Assistance Program, which helps pay part of the cost for working families and parents in school or training. On DaycarePal, 19 North Dakota daycares are listed as accepting child care assistance: see which ones.
Head Start and Early Head Start are free for families who qualify, mostly by income, and serve children from birth to age 5.
Home daycares cost less in every county in the 2022 survey, and part-time schedules can lower the bill too. Ask about registration fees and whether you pay for weeks your child is away.
Questions
Questions about daycare cost in North Dakota
How much is daycare per month in North Dakota?
About $906 a month for full-time infant care at a center, at the 2022 middle-county price of $209 a week. A home daycare came to about $663 a month, and center preschool to about $767.
How much does infant care cost a year in North Dakota?
About $10,868 a year at the 2022 middle-county price for center infant care, or 16% of the middle county's household income ($69,722). In 2 of the 53 counties, it took more than 20% of household income.
Does home daycare cost less than a center in North Dakota?
Yes. In the 2022 survey, the middle county charged $153 a week for infant care at a home daycare and $209 at a center; for preschoolers it was $146 against $177.
Which North Dakota county has the highest daycare prices?
Divide County and McKenzie County, both at $240 a week for center infant care in 2022. Eddy County had the lowest, at $195.
How much does daycare cost in Fargo or Bismarck?
In 2022, center infant care cost $214 a week in Cass County, which includes Fargo, and $221 a week in Burleigh County, which includes Bismarck.
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 North Dakota daycare websites, read in 2026. See daycares in North Dakota for each daycare's own listing.