Child care costs rise, while providers are underpaid
Child care prices in Wisconsin are increasing, yet they are often less than what it costs to provide care for children. At the same time, teachers are making less than what’s recommended.
These are all findings from Wisconsin’s latest Child Care Market Survey Results, which the state Department of Children and Families released Wednesday. The report, which is required to receive federal funding for the state’s child care subsidy program, draws on multiple data points from 2023 to better understand the state’s child care landscape.
Here are some key insights:
DCF’s Market Rate Survey breaks down care costs by location, type of care and children’s ages. The department surveys two types of child care providers: licensed family child care providers, who typically run their child care businesses out of their homes and can care for up to 8 children, and licensed group, or center-based, providers. These centers can care for more children than family providers.
