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Preschool & pre-K

Preschools & Pre-K in Arizona

Preschool and pre-K programs across Arizona take children from about 3 until kindergarten. Full-time preschool-age care at a center costs a median of $162 a week in the middle Arizona county (2022).

preschools and pre-K programs listed
808
towns
85
towns have their own preschools and pre-K page
37
of all Arizona daycares
32%

Map of Arizona: 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 Arizona

Preschool-age care at a center, per week, in the middle Arizona county (2022)
$162
The median of 15 county medians, from $155 in the lowest county to $210 in the highest.
Preschool tuition posted on daycare websites in Arizona, per week (2026)
$183
The median of 38 daycares that post a full-time rate; half post between $130 and $246. Posted rates run above the 2022 survey: they are newer, and mostly from centers.
of preschool websites mention part-time or half-day places
31%
Of the 443 websites we read for preschools in Arizona, 31% mention part-time places and 22% 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.

Arizona

Largest towns for preschools and pre-K in Arizona

Tucson153 preschoolsPhoenix136 preschoolsMesa61 preschoolsGilbert50 preschoolsChandler48 preschoolsScottsdale33 preschoolsGlendale30 preschoolsTempe23 preschoolsYuma23 preschoolsPeoria15 preschoolsFlagstaff13 preschoolsCasa Grande12 preschools

Programs

Programs in Arizona

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 daycares2,529
Take infants293
Child care centers2,251
Accept subsidy124
In-home daycares278
Christian & church daycares202
Montessori schools117
Preschools & pre-K808
Early morning daycare468
Part-time daycare184
Drop-in daycare31
Bilingual daycare41
Head Start283

The Arizona state record

Arizona Department of Health Services, Bureau of Child Care Licensing licenses daycares in Arizona.

License list
The state's public list of licensed child care
Ages served
On some licenses only; elsewhere shown where the daycare gives them
Inspections
Every visit the state publishes back to 2023
Cited rules
The inspector's finding, in the state's own words
Search the Arizona state records

Before you enroll

Choosing a preschool or pre-K in Arizona

  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.

Arizona

Cost, inspections and ratios in Arizona

Daycare cost in ArizonaWeekly prices by age and countyWhat Arizona inspectors citeThe rules cited most, and what they meanStaff-to-child ratios in ArizonaHow many children each adult may care forTour checklist for ArizonaQuestions to ask when you visit

A to Z

All 85 Arizona towns with preschools and pre-K, A to Z

A3 towns
B4 towns
C10 towns
D2 towns
E1 town
F5 towns
G7 towns
H3 towns
J1 town
K3 towns
L4 towns
M4 towns
N1 town
O1 town
P9 towns
Q1 town
R2 towns
S12 towns
T5 towns
V1 town
W5 towns
Y1 town

Nearby

Nearby states

California3,768 preschoolsColorado2,103 preschoolsUtah230 preschoolsNevada165 preschoolsNew Mexico157 preschools

Questions

Questions about preschools and pre-K in Arizona

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

808 preschools and pre-K programs are listed in 85 Arizona towns. A daycare without this tag may still run a preschool room; ask.

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

Tucson, with 153 listed. Next are Phoenix (136) and Mesa (61).

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 Arizona?

Arizona Department of Health Services, Bureau of Child Care Licensing licenses daycares in Arizona. It publishes its inspections and the rules it cited, and we copy them onto each listing.