On this page you can find more information to help you understand how to budget for child care expenses while attending or working at UW-Madison.
All fees and tuition costs are estimates for educational purposes only. Please contact child care providers for the most up-to-date information on their fees and tuition.
Average Cost of Child Care Per Semester
AGE OF CHILD
FULL-TIME
PART-TIME
0-2 Years
$8,580
$4,290
2-4 Years
$5,700
$2,850
5-12 Years
$400-2000
N/A
Fees & Waitlists
Registration Fees
Most child care centers require a $25-50 one-time registration fee per child.
Waitlist Fees
Some child care center waitlists are free, but some may require you to put down a $25 month deposit or more. It is recommended that families with young children get on multiple waitlists to increase their chance of securing child care.
-
- Average Waitlist Length for Infant Care (0-18 months) is 6 months to two years.
- Average Waitlist Length for Preschool Care (18 months-4 years-old) is 4 months to one year.
Back-up Hourly Care
You may want to budget a monthly cost for occasional back-up care for when your regular child care provider is closed due to illness, professional development, or vacation.
The average hourly cost for back-up care is between $13-15 per hour.
Additional Fees
Questions to ask your child care provider:
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- What is the annual registration fee?
- Is there a material or supply fee for books or classroom materials?
- Is there a charge for meals or snacks?
- Are there field trip fees?
- Are there any other additional fees?