New Study Shows Child Care Costs Are More Than In-State College Tuition in Florida
New numbers from Care.com reveal that child care costs in Florida are surpassing in-state college tuition fees. The data indicates that most parents spend a staggering 24% of their household income on child care, with half of those surveyed shelling out over $18,000 in 2023 alone.
Brittney McDaniel, a full-time working mother of three, finds that paying for child care consumes a significant portion of her teacher salary. She laments, It’s more than 20% of what I make monthly, so it’s quite a bit. McDaniel illustrates just how burdensome the costs can be, explaining, It’s like paying a car note every month just to pay for after school alone. And prior to them being older, for before and after school, I was paying about $800 a month.
Care.com’s report states that the average parent in Florida pays $321 per week for child care. Even with the support of her husband’s full-time job, McDaniel believes that she wouldn’t be able to afford full-time daycare.
To put it in perspective, if parents spend approximately $300 a week on child care, the annual cost reaches an average of $17,000. This exceeds the in-state tuition fees of $6,590 for a year at the University of North Florida (UNF) or the $6,380 an in-state student pays for a year at the University of Florida (UF).
Inflation emerges as the leading cause behind the soaring costs of child care. Cynthia Smith, who runs a daycare and private school in Jacksonville’s Northside, highlights the challenge of competing with giants like Walmart and Amazon to provide her employees with a livable wage. Smith explains, We have to pay them a certain amount of money to come in here and work. We have to be able to compete with the price of everything that’s been inflated. Groceries, rent, and things of that nature. With that being the case, this is also a business, so the price of child care has to increase.
To afford quality childcare, families are making significant sacrifices that impact their livelihoods. These sacrifices include working multiple jobs (28%), reducing work hours (27%), moving closer to family (25%), going into debt (19%), and even leaving the workforce (17%).
McDaniel urges change, emphasizing the need for more affordable options for the middle class. She points out the difficult choice parents are forced to make, saying, We have to either pay for daycare or choose not to work.
As child care costs continue to rise, tackling this issue becomes imperative. It is a matter that concerns the middle class and may profoundly impact parents’ abilities to work and provide for their families. Ensuring access to affordable, quality child care is crucial for the well-being of both families and the economy.
