Dependent-care FSA
Employer plans may allow up to $5,000 per year in pre-tax contributions for eligible care (lower limit if married filing separately).
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2025 pricesInfant rank #19
2025 pricesInfant rank #19Delaware Childcare Cost 2025
Infant center: $16,220/yr (15.7% of median income). Preschool: $12,168/yr.
By Sammy S. · Founder · AuthorUpdated for 2025
$16,220
Infant / yr
$12,168
Preschool / yr
15.7%
% income
$28,388
Two-child / yr
Delaware center-based childcare costs
Infant (annual)
$16,220
Infant (monthly)
$1,352
Preschool 4-yr (annual)
$12,168
Two-child total
$28,388
Infant center care ranks #19 nationally (highest = #1) and exceeds the $14,802 US average. Infant care is 15.7% of median family income—above the 7% HHS affordability benchmark. Two children in center care would consume about 27.5% of median income.
Federal dependent-care benefits (overview)
These programs may reduce out-of-pocket cost or taxes but do not change the market averages above. State credits and subsidies vary.
Child & Dependent Care Tax Credit
Federal credit may apply to a portion of work-related care expenses. Rules depend on income and qualifying expenses. Illustration only—see our child tax credit calculator for related context.
Key takeaways — Delaware childcare costs
- Delaware center-based infant care averages $16,220/yr ($1,352/mo)—national infant price rank #19 (#1 = highest).
- Infant care is 15.7% of median family income in Delaware, above the 7% HHS affordability benchmark.
- Preschool (4-year-old) center care averages $12,168/yr (rank #20). Two-child center total: $28,388/yr (27.5% of median income).
- Versus the US average infant cost ($14,802), Delaware is $1,418 above the mean.
- Bordering states range from $13,354 to $18,946 in infant center tuition—compare before assuming DE is always cheapest.
- Dependent-care FSA (up to $5,000/yr) and the federal child care credit may help after tax—not the market averages on this page.
Delaware vs neighboring states
Center-based infant annual cost for jurisdictions that share a border with Delaware. Delaware infant care: $16,220 (15.7% of median income).
| State | Infant / yr | % income | vs DE | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delaware | $16,220 | 15.7% | — | This page |
 Maryland | $18,946 | 15.6% | +$2,726 | vs DE |
 New Jersey | $18,155 | 13% | +$1,935 | vs DE |
 Pennsylvania | $13,354 | 13.3% | −$2,866 | vs DE |
Delaware monthly equivalents
Annual totals divided by 12 (rounded). Providers may bill weekly or require deposits.
Infant center (monthly equiv.)
$1,352
per month (equiv.)
Preschool 4-yr center (monthly equiv.)
$1,014
per month (equiv.)
Two-child center (monthly equiv.)
$2,366
per month (equiv.)
How to read this page
Delaware childcare cost overview (2025)
Delaware shows $16,220 per year for center-based infant care and $12,168 for a 4-year-old in center preschool, using the same 2025 compiled table as the nationwide hub.
Median family income in Delaware is $103,160 in this dataset. Infant tuition therefore consumes 15.7% of that benchmark—affordability rank #17 (#1 = least affordable relative to income).
Open a compare page for dollar gaps with neighbors or destination states, or return to the hub to see where Delaware sits on the full 51-jurisdiction list.
Affordability in Delaware: income burden vs price rank
Price rank #19 and affordability rank #17 can differ. A state with moderate tuition can still strain budgets if local wages lag, or feel lighter if incomes are high.
HHS uses 7% of income as an affordability ceiling. Delaware exceeds that threshold for one infant center slot at 15.7%. Adding preschool for a second child raises the burden to about 27.5%.
State pre-K, subsidies, and employer benefits are not subtracted from these averages. Check your state child-care agency and local CCAoA fact sheet for net copays.
Planning tuition and tax benefits in Delaware
Budget monthly cash flow using $1,352/mo infant and $1,014/mo preschool equivalents, then add registration fees, supplies, and summer gaps your center charges.
If your employer offers a dependent-care FSA, enrolling before the plan year can set aside up to $5,000 pre-tax for eligible care. Unused FSA dollars may forfeit—size contributions against realistic tuition.
The Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit uses different rules than the Child Tax Credit. Use our child tax credit calculator for related federal credit context; confirm CDCTC eligibility with IRS Publication 503 or a tax preparer.
Who this Delaware childcare page helps
Useful if…
- •Families living in or moving to Delaware estimating center tuition.
- •Commuters comparing Delaware with a neighboring state’s childcare markets.
- •Benefits coordinators pairing local tuition data with FSA enrollment windows.
- •Parents stacking gross tuition against median-income benchmarks before subsidy applications.
Use official tools if…
- •You need a subsidy copay or Head Start eligibility letter.
- •You use family child care, nanny share, or part-day schedules only.
- •You need tuition from one named provider, not a statewide average.
- •You need legal or divorce-specific cost allocation advice.
Delaware childcare planning checklist
Quick steps before treating statewide averages as your exact tuition quote.
- 1Confirm Delaware infant $16,220/yr and rank #19.
- 2Compare 15.7% of median income to the 7% HHS cap.
- 3Add preschool $12,168/yr if a 4-year-old will be in center care.
- 4Sum two-child total $28,388/yr when ages are staggered.
- 5Review the neighbor table for cross-border tuition gaps.
- 6Get quotes from local centers; averages hide county and quality tiers.
- 7Enroll FSA and model CDCTC after gross tuition, not before.
States with similar infant center costs
Illinois
Nevada
Rhode Island
Arizona
Wisconsin
OhioCompare Delaware with another state
Compare any two states
Center-based infant and preschool costs with income burden.
Delaware childcare cost FAQs
Delaware averages $16,220 per year ($1,352/month) for center-based infant care—rank #19 nationally (highest cost = #1).
Center-based care for a 4-year-old in Delaware averages $12,168 per year ($1,014/month), rank #20 among states and DC.
Infant center care is 15.7% of median family income in Delaware. HHS affordability is 7%; this exceeds that benchmark for one infant slot.
Combined center costs total $28,388 per year—about 27.5% of median family income for both children.
Residents of Delaware can use the same federal dependent-care FSA (up to $5,000/yr) and Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit rules as taxpayers nationwide. Some states add credits or subsidy programs—check your state revenue or child-care agency.
Delaware ranks #17 for infant care burden (share of income), where #1 is least affordable relative to median family income.
No. Figures are center-based averages only. Family child care homes, nannies, and part-day care differ. Use Child Care Aware state fact sheets for local provider types.
2025 price-year estimates from Child Care Aware / EPI lineage; page updated 2026-07-31. Confirm quotes with local centers before budgeting.
Maryland $18,946/yr (+$2,726 vs DE, 15.6% income); New Jersey $18,155/yr (+$1,935 vs DE, 13% income); Pennsylvania $13,354/yr ($-2,866 vs DE, 13.3% income). Use compare links for side-by-side totals.
About $1,352/month if annual $16,220 is spread evenly over 12 months. Centers may bill weekly or require deposits.
For one infant center slot, Delaware is 15.7% of median family income—above the 7% benchmark in this dataset.
Infant plus preschool center slots total $28,388/yr—about 27.5% of median family income and $2,366/mo if divided evenly.
Infant price rank is #19; affordability (share of income) rank is #17. High wages can make expensive states feel relatively lighter, and vice versa.