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Preschool & pre-K

Preschools & Pre-K in Texas

Preschool and pre-K programs across Texas take children from about 3 until kindergarten. Full-time preschool-age care at a center costs a median of $133 a week in the middle Texas county (2022).

preschools and pre-K programs listed
13,150
towns
801
towns have their own preschools and pre-K page
476
of all Texas daycares
92%

Map of Texas: 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 Texas

Preschool-age care at a center, per week, in the middle Texas county (2022)
$133
The median of 254 county medians, from $103 in the lowest county to $209 in the highest.
Preschool tuition posted on daycare websites in Texas, per week (2026)
$200
The median of 248 daycares that post a full-time rate; half post between $150 and $245. Posted rates run above the 2022 survey: they are newer, and mostly from centers.
of preschool websites mention part-time or half-day places
11%
Of the 5,056 websites we read for preschools in Texas, 11% mention part-time places and 11% 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.

Texas

Largest towns for preschools and pre-K in Texas

Houston1,379 preschoolsSan Antonio699 preschoolsAustin527 preschoolsDallas394 preschoolsFort Worth386 preschoolsEl Paso325 preschoolsKaty280 preschoolsArlington192 preschoolsSpring179 preschoolsKilleen153 preschoolsPlano149 preschoolsLubbock142 preschools

Programs

Programs in Texas

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 daycares14,306
Take infants10,340
Child care centers9,595
Accept subsidy5,958
In-home daycares4,711
Christian & church daycares1,317
Montessori schools733
Preschools & pre-K13,150
24-hour daycare159
Night daycare1,367
Early morning daycare6,146
Weekend daycare1,190
Part-time daycare543
Drop-in daycare230
After-school care12,562
Bilingual daycare380
Head Start565

The Texas state record

Texas Health and Human Services, Child Care Regulation licenses daycares in Texas.

License list
The state's public list of licensed child care
Ages served
The ages on each license
Inspections
Every visit the state publishes back to 2021
Cited rules
The inspector's finding, in the state's own words, with the risk level
Corrections
Correction dates as the state records them
Search the Texas state records

Before you enroll

Choosing a preschool or pre-K in Texas

  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.

Texas

Cost, inspections and ratios in Texas

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

A to Z

All 801 Texas towns with preschools and pre-K, A to Z

A41 towns
B67 towns
C74 towns
D28 towns
E29 towns
F36 towns
G35 towns
H51 towns
I9 towns
J14 towns
K24 towns
L55 towns
M53 towns
N20 towns
O11 towns
P45 towns
Q3 towns
R40 towns
S77 towns
T29 towns
U2 towns
V13 towns
W41 towns
Y3 towns
Z1 town

Nearby

Nearby states

Louisiana2,490 preschoolsOklahoma2,489 preschoolsArkansas1,478 preschoolsNew Mexico157 preschools

Questions

Questions about preschools and pre-K in Texas

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

13,150 preschools and pre-K programs are listed in 801 Texas towns. A daycare without this tag may still run a preschool room; ask.

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

Houston, with 1,379 listed. Next are San Antonio (699) and Austin (527).

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 Texas?

Texas Health and Human Services, Child Care Regulation licenses daycares in Texas. It publishes its inspections and the rules it cited, and we copy them onto each listing.