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Preschool & pre-K

Preschools & Pre-K in Alabama

Preschool and pre-K programs across Alabama take children from about 3 until kindergarten. Full-time preschool-age care at a center costs a median of $125 a week in the middle Alabama county (2022).

preschools and pre-K programs listed
2,148
towns
310
towns have their own preschools and pre-K page
155
of all Alabama daycares
94%

Map of Alabama: each dot is a town with preschools and pre-K programs, sized by how many are listed

Preschool & pre-K
What puts a daycare on this listThe state record lists preschool-age children among the ages it serves or names a state pre-K program, or it says it offers pre-K, or its name says preschool, pre-K or nursery school. Public school pre-K classes are often not on child care license lists; check with your school district too.A daycare without this tag may still run a preschool room; ask.

Preschool and pre-K

What preschool costs in Alabama

Preschool-age care at a center, per week, in the middle Alabama county (2022)
$125
The median of 67 county medians, from $103 in the lowest county to $139 in the highest.
Preschool tuition posted on daycare websites in Alabama, per week (2026)
$175
The median of 38 daycares that post a full-time rate; half post between $148 and $244. Posted rates run above the 2022 survey: they are newer, and mostly from centers.
of preschool websites mention part-time or half-day places
16%
Of the 363 websites we read for preschools in Alabama, 16% mention part-time places and 17% mention full-time care. Ask which days and hours a place covers.

County prices: U.S. Department of Labor, National Database of Childcare Prices, 2022 (median full-time weekly price). Posted rates: tuition that daycares publish on their own websites, 2026, full-time rates only, one rate per daycare.

Alabama

Largest towns for preschools and pre-K in Alabama

Birmingham208 preschoolsMontgomery173 preschoolsMobile159 preschoolsHuntsville98 preschoolsBessemer57 preschoolsDothan56 preschoolsTuscaloosa45 preschoolsDecatur44 preschoolsMadison34 preschoolsOpelika29 preschoolsAnniston27 preschoolsDaphne26 preschools

Programs

Programs in Alabama

Counts come from the state record and what each daycare says it offers. A daycare without a tag may still offer the program; ask.

ProgramListed
All daycares2,286
Take infants1,773
Child care centers1,833
Accept subsidy37
In-home daycares453
Christian & church daycares528
Montessori schools27
Preschools & pre-K2,148
Night daycare345
Early morning daycare1,449
Part-time daycare61
Drop-in daycare19
After-school care1,565
Head Start175

The Alabama state record

Alabama Department of Human Resources, Child Care Services Division licenses daycares in Alabama.

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
Search the Alabama state records

Before you enroll

Choosing a preschool or pre-K in Alabama

  1. 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. 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. 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. 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.

Alabama

Cost, inspections and ratios in Alabama

Daycare cost in AlabamaWeekly prices by age and countyStaff-to-child ratios in AlabamaHow many children each adult may care forDaycare tour checklistQuestions to ask when you visit

A to Z

All 310 Alabama towns with preschools and pre-K, A to Z

A24 towns
B24 towns
C26 towns
D12 towns
E14 towns
F15 towns
G16 towns
H27 towns
I2 towns
J5 towns
K1 town
L17 towns
M22 towns
N7 towns
O9 towns
P14 towns
R12 towns
S28 towns
T17 towns
U1 town
V7 towns
W9 towns
Y1 town

Nearby

Nearby states

Florida8,034 preschoolsGeorgia4,702 preschoolsTennessee2,962 preschoolsMississippi137 preschools

Questions

Questions about preschools and pre-K in Alabama

How many preschools and pre-K programs are in Alabama?

2,148 preschools and pre-K programs are listed in 310 Alabama towns. A daycare without this tag may still run a preschool room; ask.

Which Alabama town has the most preschools and pre-K programs?

Birmingham, with 208 listed. Next are Montgomery (173) and Mobile (159).

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 Alabama?

Alabama Department of Human Resources, Child Care Services Division licenses daycares in Alabama. It publishes inspections on its own site; use the state search linked on this page.