Avg Infant (Center)
$15,732 /yr
Across 21 New Jersey counties
Statewide childcare costs · DOL NDCP 2022
Childcare costs in New Jersey
According to PlainChildcare's state ranking (DOL NDCP county averages), New Jersey ranks #39 of 45 jurisdictions by average center-based infant care price (cheapest = #1).
Data updated 2026-07-05
- $15,732
- Avg infant (center)
- +64%
- Vs. national avg
- #39 of 45
- Corpus placement
NDCP state market brief
New Jersey statewide sticker posture
- PRICE STEEP vs national NDCP mean
- AVG $15,732 Center infant avg
- SPREAD $2,336 County min–max gap
- RANK #39 of 45 National state rank
- COUNT 21 Reporting counties
- MIN $14,648 Cheapest county
- MAX $16,984 Priciest county
- PHOTO Alaska Nearest avg peer
Avg-infant peers
Avg Toddler (Center)
$15,377 /yr
Center-based weighted average
Avg Preschool (Center)
$15,377 /yr
Center-based weighted average
Infant cost spread
$14,648 – $16,984
Lowest to highest county
New Jersey center-based childcare averages by age
Annual cost averaged across all reporting counties. Source: DOL Women's Bureau NDCP 2022.
Where New Jersey ranks on infant-care cost
Average center-based infant care, every U.S. state with reported prices
$15,732 more affordable than 13% 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 · 2026-07-05
New Jersey infant care vs. HHS 7%-of-income affordability ceiling 98.3%
HHS 7% threshold
Bar shows New Jersey 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 New Jersey, starting at $14,648/yr
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Most Expensive Childcare
Counties with the highest infant care costs in New Jersey, up to $16,984/yr
Childcare Landscape Across New Jersey
Across New Jersey's 21 counties with NDCP price coverage, center-based infant care averages $15,732/year (STEEP vs the national mean), toddler $15,377/year, preschool $15,377/year. Unusually, New Jersey'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 $14,648 to $16,984 (Δ $2,336/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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atlantic County | $14,907 | $14,459 | $14,459 | 20.4% |
| Bergen County | $16,521 | $16,124 | $16,124 | 13.9% |
| Burlington County | $15,770 | $15,893 | $15,893 | 15.4% |
| Camden County | $14,648 | $14,320 | $14,320 | 17.9% |
| Cape May County | $14,697 | $14,624 | $14,624 | 17.5% |
| Cumberland County | $14,891 | $14,392 | $14,392 | 23.9% |
| Essex County | $15,390 | $14,944 | $14,944 | 20.9% |
| Gloucester County | $15,789 | $15,303 | $15,303 | 15.8% |
| Hudson County | $16,758 | $16,206 | $16,206 | 19.3% |
| Hunterdon County | $15,791 | $15,690 | $15,690 | 11.8% |
| Mercer County | $15,294 | $14,896 | $14,896 | 16.5% |
| Middlesex County | $16,325 | $16,085 | $16,085 | 15.5% |
| Monmouth County | $16,352 | $15,973 | $15,973 | 13.8% |
| Morris County | $16,984 | $16,638 | $16,638 | 13.0% |
| Ocean County | $16,314 | $15,755 | $15,755 | 19.8% |
| Passaic County | $15,994 | $15,589 | $15,589 | 18.9% |
| Salem County | $14,789 | $14,245 | $14,245 | 20.2% |
| Somerset County | $16,928 | $16,592 | $16,592 | 12.8% |
| Sussex County | $15,834 | $15,360 | $15,360 | 14.3% |
| Union County | $15,543 | $15,396 | $15,396 | 16.4% |
| Warren County | $14,870 | $14,441 | $14,441 | 16.1% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does New Jersey rank on childcare costs nationally?
New Jersey's average center-based infant care ($15,732/yr) is cheaper than only 13% of the 45 U.S. states with reported NDCP prices (national rank #39 of 45, cheapest = #1).
Is childcare more or less expensive in New Jersey than the national average?
New Jersey's average infant care price runs 64% above the national NDCP average ($9,592/yr) - a STEEP band in this site's sticker scale.
Does childcare cost vary a lot within New Jersey?
Yes - New Jersey's 21 reporting counties range from $14,648 to $16,984/yr for infant care, a $2,336 spread.
How does childcare cost change by child age in New Jersey?
Unusually, New Jersey'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 July 2026. Primary sources: DOL Women's Bureau NDCP and U.S. Census Bureau ACS.