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Preschool & pre-K

Preschools & Pre-K in Illinois

Preschool and pre-K programs across Illinois take children from about 3 until kindergarten. Full-time preschool-age care at a center costs a median of $172 a week in the middle Illinois county (2022).

preschools and pre-K programs listed
8,381
towns
778
towns have their own preschools and pre-K page
411
of all Illinois daycares
99%

Map of Illinois: 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 Illinois

Preschool-age care at a center, per week, in the middle Illinois county (2022)
$172
The median of 63 county medians, from $92 in the lowest county to $316 in the highest.
Preschool tuition posted on daycare websites in Illinois, per week (2026)
$231
The median of 72 daycares that post a full-time rate; half post between $142 and $332. Posted rates run above the 2022 survey: they are newer, and mostly from centers.
of preschool websites mention part-time or half-day places
24%
Of the 1,507 websites we read for preschools in Illinois, 24% mention part-time places and 25% 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.

Illinois

Largest towns for preschools and pre-K in Illinois

Chicago2,302 preschoolsWaukegan201 preschoolsRockford187 preschoolsChampaign128 preschoolsSpringfield126 preschoolsAurora90 preschoolsCicero78 preschoolsBelleville77 preschoolsNaperville75 preschoolsCalumet City70 preschoolsPeoria68 preschoolsQuincy68 preschools

Programs

Programs in Illinois

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 daycares8,493
Take infants7,433
Child care centers2,842
Accept subsidy188
In-home daycares5,651
Christian & church daycares203
Montessori schools182
Preschools & pre-K8,381
Early morning daycare1,142
Part-time daycare356
Drop-in daycare35
After-school care8,304
Bilingual daycare108
Head Start390

The Illinois state record

Illinois Department of Early Childhood licenses daycares in Illinois.

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 Illinois state records

Before you enroll

Choosing a preschool or pre-K in Illinois

  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.

Illinois

Cost, inspections and ratios in Illinois

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

A to Z

All 778 Illinois towns with preschools and pre-K, A to Z

A40 towns
B51 towns
C81 towns
D33 towns
E32 towns
F27 towns
G45 towns
H36 towns
I6 towns
J7 towns
K10 towns
L39 towns
M74 towns
N26 towns
O24 towns
P45 towns
Q1 town
R39 towns
S70 towns
T20 towns
U4 towns
V11 towns
W55 towns
Y1 town
Z1 town

Nearby

Nearby states

Wisconsin4,400 preschoolsIndiana2,461 preschoolsMissouri2,217 preschoolsKentucky1,682 preschoolsIowa345 preschools

Questions

Questions about preschools and pre-K in Illinois

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

8,381 preschools and pre-K programs are listed in 778 Illinois towns. A daycare without this tag may still run a preschool room; ask.

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

Chicago, with 2,302 listed. Next are Waukegan (201) and Rockford (187).

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 Illinois?

Illinois Department of Early Childhood licenses daycares in Illinois. It publishes inspections on its own site; use the state search linked on this page.