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Preschool & pre-K

Preschools & Pre-K in Michigan

Preschool and pre-K programs across Michigan take children from about 3 until kindergarten. Full-time preschool-age care at a center costs a median of $135 a week in the middle Michigan county (2022).

preschools and pre-K programs listed
956
towns
360
towns have their own preschools and pre-K page
102
of all Michigan daycares
12%

Map of Michigan: 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 Michigan

Preschool-age care at a center, per week, in the middle Michigan county (2022)
$135
The median of 83 county medians, from $96 in the lowest county to $224 in the highest.
Preschool tuition posted on daycare websites in Michigan, per week (2026)
$256
The median of 30 daycares that post a full-time rate; half post between $102 and $300. Posted rates run above the 2022 survey: they are newer, and mostly from centers.
of preschool websites mention part-time or half-day places
35%
Of the 427 websites we read for preschools in Michigan, 35% mention part-time places and 34% 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.

Michigan

Largest towns for preschools and pre-K in Michigan

Grand Rapids33 preschoolsDetroit28 preschoolsAnn Arbor24 preschoolsSaginaw20 preschoolsTroy20 preschoolsHolland17 preschoolsFarmington Hills14 preschoolsMidland12 preschoolsTraverse City12 preschoolsKalamazoo11 preschoolsYpsilanti11 preschoolsLansing9 preschools

Programs

Programs in Michigan

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 daycares7,685
Take infants376
Child care centers4,534
Accept subsidy123
In-home daycares3,151
Christian & church daycares409
Montessori schools161
Preschools & pre-K956
Early morning daycare534
Part-time daycare208
Drop-in daycare56
Bilingual daycare14
Head Start427

The Michigan state record

Michigan Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential, Child Care Licensing Bureau licenses daycares in Michigan.

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
On the state's own site; each listing links to it
Search the Michigan state records

Before you enroll

Choosing a preschool or pre-K in Michigan

  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.

Michigan

Cost, inspections and ratios in Michigan

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

A to Z

All 360 Michigan towns with preschools and pre-K, A to Z

A12 towns
B31 towns
C30 towns
D16 towns
E13 towns
F21 towns
G19 towns
H21 towns
I6 towns
J4 towns
K7 towns
L15 towns
M33 towns
N15 towns
O12 towns
P15 towns
Q1 town
R17 towns
S33 towns
T9 towns
U3 towns
V2 towns
W22 towns
Y2 towns
Z1 town

Nearby

Nearby states

Wisconsin4,400 preschoolsIndiana2,461 preschoolsOhio922 preschools

Questions

Questions about preschools and pre-K in Michigan

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

956 preschools and pre-K programs are listed in 360 Michigan towns. A daycare without this tag may still run a preschool room; ask.

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

Grand Rapids, with 33 listed. Next are Detroit (28) and Ann Arbor (24).

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 Michigan?

Michigan Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential, Child Care Licensing Bureau licenses daycares in Michigan. It publishes inspections on its own site; use the state search linked on this page.