Preschools & Pre-K in Alaska
Preschool and pre-K programs across Alaska take children from about 3 until kindergarten. Full-time preschool-age care at a center costs a median of $250 a week in the middle Alaska county (2022).
- preschools and pre-K programs listed
- 333
- towns
- 32
- towns have their own preschools and pre-K page
- 15
- of all Alaska daycares
- 88%
Map of Alaska: each dot is a town with preschools and pre-K programs, sized by how many are listed
Preschool and pre-K
What preschool costs in Alaska
- Preschool-age care at a center, per week, in the middle Alaska county (2022)
- $250
- The median of 8 county medians, from $194 in the lowest county to $360 in the highest.
Alaska
Largest towns for preschools and pre-K in Alaska
Programs
Programs in Alaska
Counts come from the state record and what each daycare says it offers. A daycare without a tag may still offer the program; ask.
| Program | Listed |
|---|---|
| All daycares | 377 |
| Take infants | 259 |
| Child care centers | 207 |
| Accept subsidy | 334 |
| In-home daycares | 170 |
| Christian & church daycares | 11 |
| Montessori schools | 18 |
| Preschools & pre-K | 333 |
| Early morning daycare | 20 |
| Part-time daycare | 16 |
| After-school care | 372 |
| Head Start | 15 |
The Alaska state record
Alaska Department of Health, Child Care Program Office licenses daycares in Alaska.
- License list
- The state's public list of licensed child care
- Ages served
- The ages on each license
- Inspections
- On the state's own site; each listing links to it
Before you enroll
Choosing a preschool or pre-K in Alaska
- 1
Ask about the day
Ask how the day runs: free play, circle time, outdoor time and naps. Ask what children do to get ready for kindergarten.
- 2
Half day or full day
Many preschools run half days or school-year hours. If you work full time, ask about before- and after-care.
- 3
Ask about cost
Ask for the tuition, the registration fee and whether the state's pre-K or child care assistance can pay part of it.
- 4
Check the license record
Open a listing for its state license, the ages it serves and, where the state publishes it, the inspection record.
Alaska
Cost, inspections and ratios in Alaska
A to Z
All 32 Alaska towns with preschools and pre-K, A to Z
B1 town
- Bethel1 preschool
C1 town
- Cordova1 preschool
D1 town
- Delta Junction2 preschools
E1 town
- Eagle River7 preschools
F1 town
- Fairbanks40 preschools
J1 town
- Juneau20 preschools
N4 towns
- Nikiski1 preschool
- Ninilchik1 preschool
- Nome2 preschools
- North Pole12 preschools
P2 towns
- Palmer10 preschools
- Petersburg3 preschools
S5 towns
T1 town
- Talkeetna1 preschool
V1 town
- Valdez1 preschool
W1 town
- Wasilla27 preschools
No town on this list matches. Check the spelling, or search by ZIP code above.
Nearby
Nearby states
Questions
Questions about preschools and pre-K in Alaska
How many preschools and pre-K programs are in Alaska?
333 preschools and pre-K programs are listed in 32 Alaska towns. A daycare without this tag may still run a preschool room; ask.
Which Alaska town has the most preschools and pre-K programs?
Anchorage, with 145 listed. Next are Fairbanks (40) and Wasilla (27).
What is the difference between preschool and pre-K?
Pre-K is the year before kindergarten, usually for 4-year-olds, and many states fund free or low-cost pre-K. Preschool is the wider term for programs for children of about 3 to 5. Many daycares run both, and this list has both.
Is there free preschool near me?
Head Start is free for children 3 to 5 from families who qualify, and many school districts run free pre-K classes. School-district pre-K is often not on child care license lists, so check with your school district too.
What age is pre-K?
Pre-K is usually for children who turn 4 by a cutoff date in late summer or early fall, the year before kindergarten. Each state sets its own cutoff.
What is the difference between preschool and daycare?
A preschool teaches children of about 3 to 5 before kindergarten, often for part of the day. A daycare looks after children while parents work, often all day, and many daycares run a preschool room. This list has both: places whose state record serves preschool-age children, that offer pre-K on their own website, or that are named a preschool.
Who licenses daycares in Alaska?
Alaska Department of Health, Child Care Program Office licenses daycares in Alaska. It publishes inspections on its own site; use the state search linked on this page.