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Preschool & pre-K

Preschools & Pre-K in New Jersey

Preschool and pre-K programs across New Jersey take children from about 3 until kindergarten. Full-time preschool-age care at a center costs a median of $296 a week in the middle New Jersey county (2022).

preschools and pre-K programs listed
3,329
towns
534
towns have their own preschools and pre-K page
317
of all New Jersey daycares
82%

Map of New Jersey: 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 New Jersey

Preschool-age care at a center, per week, in the middle New Jersey county (2022)
$296
The median of 21 county medians, from $274 in the lowest county to $320 in the highest.
Preschool tuition posted on daycare websites in New Jersey, per week (2026)
$296
The median of 32 daycares that post a full-time rate; half post between $244 and $403. Posted rates run above the 2022 survey: they are newer, and mostly from centers.
of preschool websites mention part-time or half-day places
23%
Of the 1,598 websites we read for preschools in New Jersey, 23% mention part-time places and 24% 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.

New Jersey

Largest towns for preschools and pre-K in New Jersey

Jersey City159 preschoolsNewark99 preschoolsUnion City54 preschoolsPaterson52 preschoolsEast Orange46 preschoolsHoboken45 preschoolsIrvington42 preschoolsClifton39 preschoolsTrenton38 preschoolsElizabeth36 preschoolsLakewood35 preschoolsBayonne34 preschools

Programs

Programs in New Jersey

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 daycares4,080
Take infants1,925
Child care centers4,080
Accept subsidy142
In-home daycaresNone listed
Christian & church daycares198
Montessori schools165
Preschools & pre-K3,329
Early morning daycare506
Part-time daycare369
Drop-in daycare68
After-school care4,080
Bilingual daycare84
Head Start161

The New Jersey state record

New Jersey Department of Children and Families, Office of Licensing licenses daycares in New Jersey.

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 New Jersey state records

Before you enroll

Choosing a preschool or pre-K in New Jersey

  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.

New Jersey

Cost, inspections and ratios in New Jersey

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

A to Z

All 534 New Jersey towns with preschools and pre-K, A to Z

A15 towns
B42 towns
C34 towns
D10 towns
E25 towns
F23 towns
G18 towns
H39 towns
I3 towns
J4 towns
K7 towns
L34 towns
M58 towns
N22 towns
O15 towns
P44 towns
R28 towns
S40 towns
T12 towns
U6 towns
V7 towns
W47 towns
Y1 town

Nearby

Nearby states

New York4,338 preschoolsPennsylvania1,317 preschoolsDelaware1,065 preschools

Questions

Questions about preschools and pre-K in New Jersey

How many preschools and pre-K programs are in New Jersey?

3,329 preschools and pre-K programs are listed in 534 New Jersey towns. A daycare without this tag may still run a preschool room; ask.

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

Jersey City, with 159 listed. Next are Newark (99) and Union City (54).

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 New Jersey?

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