Avg Infant (Center)
$15,925 /yr
Across 8 Alaska counties
Statewide childcare costs · DOL NDCP 2022
Childcare costs in Alaska
According to PlainChildcare's state ranking (DOL NDCP county averages), Alaska ranks #40 of 45 jurisdictions by average center-based infant care price (cheapest = #1).
Data updated 2026-09-24
- $15,925
- Avg infant (center)
- +66%
- Vs. national avg
- #40 of 45
- Corpus placement
NDCP state market brief
Alaska statewide sticker posture
- PRICE STEEP vs national NDCP mean
- AVG $15,925 Center infant avg
- SPREAD $16,361 County min–max gap
- RANK #40 of 45 National state rank
- COUNT 8 Reporting counties
- MIN $8,052 Cheapest county
- MAX $24,413 Priciest county
- PHOTO Washington Nearest avg peer
Avg-infant peers
Avg Toddler (Center)
$14,453 /yr
Center-based weighted average
Avg Preschool (Center)
$13,479 /yr
Center-based weighted average
Infant cost spread
$8,052 – $24,413
Lowest to highest county
Alaska center-based childcare averages by age
Annual cost averaged across all reporting counties. Source: DOL Women's Bureau NDCP 2022.
Where Alaska ranks on infant-care cost
Average center-based infant care, every U.S. state with reported prices
$15,925 more affordable than 11% of 45 US states
Each bar is a $2.5K-wide band; taller bars hold more US states. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Department of Labor, National Database of Childcare Prices · 2026-09-24
Alaska infant care vs. HHS 7%-of-income affordability ceiling 99.5%
HHS 7% threshold
Bar shows Alaska infant care as a share of an $80,000 reference household income. The dark marker shows the HHS 7% threshold, anything past it is officially "unaffordable" by federal definition.
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Cheapest Childcare
Counties with the lowest infant care costs in Alaska, starting at $8,052/yr
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Most Expensive Childcare
Counties with the highest infant care costs in Alaska, up to $24,413/yr
Childcare Landscape Across Alaska
Across Alaska's 8 counties with NDCP price coverage, center-based infant care averages $15,925/year (STEEP vs the national mean), toddler $14,453/year, preschool $13,479/year. Costs step down gradually with age here, tracking the typical national pattern where lower infant staffing ratios drive early-years pricing higher. County stickers run $8,052 to $24,413 (Δ $16,361/yr). Licensing ratios and background checks are uniform statewide; density and subsidy acceptance are not - use the county table and Read-with drills below, not a clone licensing essay.
Counties
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does Alaska rank on childcare costs nationally?
Alaska's average center-based infant care ($15,925/yr) is cheaper than only 11% of the 45 U.S. states with reported NDCP prices (national rank #40 of 45, cheapest = #1).
Is childcare more or less expensive in Alaska than the national average?
Alaska's average infant care price runs 66% above the national NDCP average ($9,592/yr) - a STEEP band in this site's sticker scale.
Does childcare cost vary a lot within Alaska?
Yes - Alaska's 8 reporting counties range from $8,052 to $24,413/yr for infant care, a $16,361 spread.
How does childcare cost change by child age in Alaska?
Costs step down gradually with age here, tracking the typical national pattern where lower infant staffing ratios drive early-years pricing higher.
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Women's Bureau, National Database of Childcare Prices (NDCP). Costs shown are annual estimates
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
PlainChildcare is rendered directly from the U.S. Department of Labor Women's Bureau National Database of Childcare Prices and Census ACS income data, no number is typed in by an editor. State averages and county ranks are computed from the NDCP price tables joined to ACS median household income. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of September 2026. Primary sources: DOL Women's Bureau NDCP and U.S. Census Bureau ACS.