Daycare cost · Rhode Island
How much does daycare cost in Rhode Island?
Full-time infant care at a Rhode Island daycare center cost a median of $293 a week in the latest federal county survey. A home daycare charged $260 a week for a baby, and center preschool ran $248 a week.
- a week, center infant care, county survey
- $293
- a week, center preschool, county survey
- $248
- Counties priced
- 5
By age
Daycare prices by age in Rhode Island
Weekly prices for full-time care. The county survey figures are the middle county in Rhode Island; the posted figures are the middle rate on Rhode Island daycare websites.
| Age | Center, county survey | Home daycare, county survey | Posted by daycares |
|---|---|---|---|
| Infant | $293 | $260 | Too few to show |
| Toddler | $283 | $254 | Too few to show |
| Preschool | $248 | $212 | Too few to show |
| School ageOften before and after school only | $65 | $217 | Too few to show |
County survey: U.S. Department of Labor, 2022; Rhode Island figure = the median of 5 county medians. Fewer than 30 Rhode Island daycares post a usable full-time rate for any one age group, so this page does not give a posted figure for Rhode Island.
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 Rhode Island's own surveys of what providers charge. Each of the state's 5 counties counts the same, and the state figure is the middle county.
We read 208 Rhode Island daycare websites for prices, but too few post a full-time weekly rate for any one age to give a fair 2026 figure. Use the 2022 prices as a starting point and ask each daycare for its current rate.
By county
Where daycare costs more in Rhode Island
Lowest county price
$290a week for center infant care in Providence CountyHighest county price
$311a week for center infant care in Newport CountyProvidence County
$290a week for center infant care; the most populous county in Rhode IslandKent County
$297a week for center infant care; one of the 3 most populousWashington County
$293a week for center infant care; one of the 3 most populousRhode Island prices sit close together from county to county. In 2022, center infant care ran from $290 a week in Providence County, which includes the city of Providence, to $311 a week in Newport County. Kent County, home to Warwick, came in at $297 and Washington County at $293.
Home daycares cost less across the state. The middle county charged $260 a week for infant care in a home daycare, against $293 at a center; for preschoolers it was $212 against $248.
- A year of center infant care at the middle county price
- $15,236
- of the middle county household income ($96,319)
- 16%
- counties where it passed 20% of household income
- 1 of 5
Every county
Daycare prices in every Rhode Island 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 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bristol | $293 | $248 | $259 | BarringtonBristolWarren |
| Kent | $297 | $251 | $261 | WarwickEast GreenwichCoventry |
| Newport | $311 | $263 | $275 | MiddletownPortsmouthTiverton |
| Providence | $290 | $245 | $254 | ProvidenceCranstonJohnston |
| Washington | $293 | $248 | $260 | North KingstownSouth KingstownWesterly |
Paying for care
Ways to lower the cost
Rhode Island's Child Care Assistance Program, run by the Department of Human Services, helps working families with lower incomes pay for care. On DaycarePal, 24 Rhode Island 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. Ask your school district whether it has public pre-K seats for 4-year-olds.
Home daycares and part-time schedules can also cost less. When you compare, ask about registration fees, sibling discounts and whether you pay for weeks your child is away.
Questions
Questions about daycare cost in Rhode Island
How much is daycare per month in Rhode Island?
About $1,270 a month for full-time infant care at a center, at the 2022 middle-county price of $293 a week. A home daycare came to about $1,127 a month for a baby, and center preschool to about $1,075.
How much does infant care cost a year in Rhode Island?
About $15,236 a year at the 2022 middle-county price for center infant care, or 16% of the middle county's household income ($96,319). In 1 of the 5 Rhode Island counties, it took more than 20% of household income.
Is home daycare less expensive than a center in Rhode Island?
Yes, in the 2022 survey. Infant care cost $260 a week at a home daycare and $293 at a center in the middle county; toddler care was $254 against $283.
Which Rhode Island county has the highest daycare prices?
Newport County, at $311 a week for center infant care in 2022. Providence County had the lowest, at $290. The table on this page lists all 5 counties.
Why is there no 2026 price from daycare websites?
Of the 208 Rhode Island daycare websites we read, too few post a full-time weekly rate for any one age. Ask each daycare for its current rate for your child's age.
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 Rhode Island daycare websites, read in 2026. See daycares in Rhode Island for each daycare's own listing.