Avg Infant (Center)
$14,631 /yr
Across 24 Maryland counties
Statewide childcare costs · DOL NDCP 2022
Childcare costs in Maryland
According to PlainChildcare's state ranking (DOL NDCP county averages), Maryland ranks #35 of 45 jurisdictions by average center-based infant care price (cheapest = #1).
Data updated 2026-09-24
- $14,631
- Avg infant (center)
- +53%
- Vs. national avg
- #35 of 45
- Corpus placement
NDCP state market brief
Maryland statewide sticker posture
- PRICE STEEP vs national NDCP mean
- AVG $14,631 Center infant avg
- SPREAD $10,685 County min–max gap
- RANK #35 of 45 National state rank
- COUNT 24 Reporting counties
- MIN $10,848 Cheapest county
- MAX $21,533 Priciest county
- PHOTO New Nearest avg peer
Avg-infant peers
Avg Toddler (Center)
$10,631 /yr
Center-based weighted average
Avg Preschool (Center)
$10,631 /yr
Center-based weighted average
Infant cost spread
$10,848 – $21,533
Lowest to highest county
Maryland center-based childcare averages by age
Annual cost averaged across all reporting counties. Source: DOL Women's Bureau NDCP 2022.
Where Maryland ranks on infant-care cost
Average center-based infant care, every U.S. state with reported prices
$14,631 more affordable than 22% 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
Maryland infant care vs. HHS 7%-of-income affordability ceiling 91.4%
HHS 7% threshold
Bar shows Maryland 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 Maryland, starting at $10,848/yr
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Most Expensive Childcare
Counties with the highest infant care costs in Maryland, up to $21,533/yr
Childcare Landscape Across Maryland
Across Maryland's 24 counties with NDCP price coverage, center-based infant care averages $14,631/year (STEEP vs the national mean), toddler $10,631/year, preschool $10,631/year. Unusually, Maryland's toddler rate runs at or below its preschool rate, a reversal of the pattern most states show where cost eases as children age. County stickers run $10,848 to $21,533 (Δ $10,685/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
| County | Infant /yr | Toddler /yr | Preschool /yr | % of income |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allegany County | $12,369 | $8,349 | $8,349 | 22.4% |
| Anne Arundel County | $17,024 | $12,001 | $12,001 | 14.7% |
| Baltimore City | $13,001 | $11,246 | $11,246 | 22.3% |
| Baltimore County | $17,955 | $13,290 | $13,290 | 20.4% |
| Calvert County | $16,816 | $11,853 | $11,853 | 13.1% |
| Caroline County | $11,280 | $8,169 | $8,169 | 17.3% |
| Carroll County | $16,816 | $11,853 | $11,853 | 15.1% |
| Cecil County | $13,231 | $9,116 | $9,116 | 15.2% |
| Charles County | $16,816 | $11,853 | $11,853 | 14.4% |
| Dorchester County | $10,848 | $7,856 | $7,856 | 18.9% |
| Frederick County | $16,897 | $12,642 | $12,642 | 14.6% |
| Garrett County | $12,838 | $8,676 | $8,676 | 19.9% |
| Harford County | $16,897 | $12,642 | $12,642 | 15.9% |
| Howard County | $21,533 | $17,457 | $17,457 | 15.3% |
| Kent County | $11,280 | $8,169 | $8,169 | 15.7% |
| Montgomery County | $21,533 | $17,457 | $17,457 | 17.1% |
| Prince George's County | $17,024 | $12,001 | $12,001 | 17.4% |
| Queen Anne's County | $13,231 | $9,116 | $9,116 | 12.2% |
| Somerset County | $10,848 | $7,856 | $7,856 | 20.8% |
| St. Mary's County | $13,231 | $9,116 | $9,116 | 11.6% |
| Talbot County | $13,231 | $9,116 | $9,116 | 16.2% |
| Washington County | $13,231 | $9,116 | $9,116 | 18.1% |
| Wicomico County | $10,848 | $7,856 | $7,856 | 15.6% |
| Worcester County | $12,369 | $8,349 | $8,349 | 16.1% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does Maryland rank on childcare costs nationally?
Maryland's average center-based infant care ($14,631/yr) is cheaper than only 22% of the 45 U.S. states with reported NDCP prices (national rank #35 of 45, cheapest = #1).
Is childcare more or less expensive in Maryland than the national average?
Maryland's average infant care price runs 53% above the national NDCP average ($9,592/yr) - a STEEP band in this site's sticker scale.
Does childcare cost vary a lot within Maryland?
Yes - Maryland's 24 reporting counties range from $10,848 to $21,533/yr for infant care, a $10,685 spread.
How does childcare cost change by child age in Maryland?
Unusually, Maryland's toddler rate runs at or below its preschool rate, a reversal of the pattern most states show where cost eases as children age.
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.