How much is daycare a week?

In Illinois, plan on roughly $265 a week for an infant and about $200 a week for a preschooler, based on the Economic Policy Institute's annual cost data. Chicago-area centers usually run above those averages, downstate below.

That's the direct answer. Here's what sits behind the number, and what can shrink it.

Why the weekly number changes with age

Staffing is most of what tuition pays for, and Illinois licensing requires far more teachers per infant than per preschooler. So the week gets cheaper as your child gets older: infants at the top, toddlers in the middle, preschool and school-age care at the bottom. The full annual breakdown is in our Illinois daycare cost guide.

What a weekly rate usually includes

At most licensed centers the weekly rate covers care, curriculum, and daily activities. Where centers differ is the extras: registration fees, supply fees, meals, and late-pickup charges. When you compare two weekly rates, ask each center the same question: "What will my actual first month cost, all in?" The cheaper weekly rate isn't always the cheaper center.

The honest part

Averages hide range. A home daycare might charge well under $200 a week; a premium center in Cook County can pass $350 for infants. And we'd rather quote you our real current rates than publish a table that goes stale, so call (708) 843-3358 and we'll give you the number for your child's age in one conversation.

How families cut the weekly cost

Three levers, biggest first. CCAP, Illinois' child care assistance program, pays your provider directly if you work, attend school, or are in job training and meet income limits; many families end up paying a small monthly copay instead of a weekly bill. Our complete CCAP guide walks through it. Second, the federal child and dependent care credit gives some of the cost back at tax time. Third, if your employer offers a dependent care FSA, you can pay part of the bill with pre-tax dollars. We accept CCAP for every program at our South Holland center; here's how tuition support works.