National Childcare Costs Database

The federal government provides states with funding to offer financial assistance to low-income families to pay for childcare. This funding is provided through the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) childcare subsidy program. Subsidy payment rates are determined by states, but payment rates are required to be informed by childcare market prices. States are encouraged, but not required, to set payment rates at the 75th percentile of the market price. To obtain market prices, states are required to conduct a Market Rate Survey (MRS) no more than two years prior to the submission of states’ Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) Plan. The CCDF Plan serves as the mandatory state application to receive Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) funds. The National Database of Childcare Prices fills an important gap in data and was first approved for collection by the Office of Management and Budget in August 2019 and made available to the public in September 2022.

The latest form for National Childcare Costs Database expires 2027-01-31 and is listed under ICR 202402-1290-001.