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Preschool & pre-K

Preschools & Pre-K in Minnesota

Preschool and pre-K programs across Minnesota take children from about 3 until kindergarten. Full-time preschool-age care at a center costs a median of $182 a week in the middle Minnesota county (2022).

preschools and pre-K programs listed
674
towns
201
towns have their own preschools and pre-K page
74
of all Minnesota daycares
9%

Map of Minnesota: 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 Minnesota

Preschool-age care at a center, per week, in the middle Minnesota county (2022)
$182
The median of 87 county medians, from $139 in the lowest county to $337 in the highest.
Preschool tuition posted on daycare websites in Minnesota, per week (2026)
$245
The median of 53 daycares that post a full-time rate; half post between $138 and $359. Posted rates run above the 2022 survey: they are newer, and mostly from centers.
of preschool websites mention part-time or half-day places
37%
Of the 432 websites we read for preschools in Minnesota, 37% mention part-time places and 33% 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.

Minnesota

Largest towns for preschools and pre-K in Minnesota

Saint Paul43 preschoolsMinneapolis41 preschoolsRochester21 preschoolsPlymouth16 preschoolsDuluth15 preschoolsEdina15 preschoolsWoodbury15 preschoolsEagan14 preschoolsLakeville13 preschoolsBloomington10 preschoolsMaple Grove10 preschoolsApple Valley9 preschools

Programs

Programs in Minnesota

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 daycares7,811
Take infants484
Child care centers2,391
Accept subsidy181
In-home daycares5,420
Christian & church daycares274
Montessori schools148
Preschools & pre-K674
Early morning daycare505
Part-time daycare231
Drop-in daycare47
Bilingual daycare66
Head Start181

The Minnesota state record

Minnesota Department of Children, Youth, and Families licenses daycares in Minnesota.

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 Minnesota state records

Before you enroll

Choosing a preschool or pre-K in Minnesota

  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.

Minnesota

Cost, inspections and ratios in Minnesota

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

A to Z

All 201 Minnesota towns with preschools and pre-K, A to Z

A11 towns
B19 towns
C19 towns
D3 towns
E8 towns
F8 towns
G6 towns
H7 towns
I3 towns
J2 towns
K1 town
L13 towns
M20 towns
N9 towns
O5 towns
P9 towns
R12 towns
S28 towns
T3 towns
V3 towns
W11 towns
Z1 town

Nearby

Nearby states

Wisconsin4,400 preschoolsIowa345 preschoolsNorth Dakota62 preschoolsSouth Dakota46 preschools

Questions

Questions about preschools and pre-K in Minnesota

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

674 preschools and pre-K programs are listed in 201 Minnesota towns. A daycare without this tag may still run a preschool room; ask.

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

Saint Paul, with 43 listed. Next are Minneapolis (41) and Rochester (21).

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 Minnesota?

Minnesota Department of Children, Youth, and Families licenses daycares in Minnesota. It publishes inspections on its own site; use the state search linked on this page.