How Much Does Daycare Cost in Colorado Springs? 2026 Price Guide
I almost fell off my chair when I saw my first daycare bill. We'd budgeted $800 a month. The actual number was closer to $1,400.
Daycare in Colorado Springs is expensive, and the prices don't show up anywhere in one place. So I pulled together what parents here actually pay, and there's a free option most people don't know exists.
What daycare costs here, by type
| Type of care | Monthly cost |
|---|---|
| In-home daycare (licensed provider) | $700–$900 |
| Child care center (toddler) | $1,100–$1,500 |
| Child care center (infant) | $1,300–$1,700 |
| Preschool (half-day) | $600–$900 |
| Nanny (full-time) | $2,800–$4,000 |
Infants cost more because state law requires a lower child-to-teacher ratio for babies. A toddler room can have 8 kids per adult, but an infant room maxes out at 4 or 5. Fewer kids per teacher means higher tuition.
The free preschool most parents miss
Colorado has a program called Universal Preschool (UPK) that gives every 4-year-old 15 free hours a week of preschool — and many 3-year-olds qualify too. The state pays the provider directly. You don't even have to be low-income.
This is real money. Fifteen free hours a week is roughly half of a full-time preschool schedule, which knocks $300-500 off your monthly bill. Some families pair UPK with a paid afternoon program so they only pay for the extra hours.
Here's the catch: you have to apply through the state's UPK portal during the enrollment window (usually opens in January for the following school year). Miss the window and you're waitlisted or shut out entirely.
Waitlists are the real problem
The price isn't the hardest part in Colorado Springs — it's getting a spot. Infant rooms at the good centers have waitlists of 6-12 months. I know families who got on a waitlist the day they saw the positive pregnancy test, and they still barely made it.
If you're pregnant or have a newborn, start touring centers now. Get on 3-4 waitlists. Most have a small fee ($25-100) to hold your spot. Pay it. The $300 you spend on waitlist fees is nothing compared to the stress of having no care when maternity leave ends.
Ways to actually save money
Military families: If you're active duty or a military spouse, you likely qualify for Child Care Aware, which subsidizes a big chunk of your bill. Several Colorado Springs centers (including the top-rated ones) participate. Fort Carson and the Air Force Academy both offer on-base care too, usually cheaper than civilian centers.
CCCAP: The Colorado Child Care Assistance Program helps lower-income families pay for care. Income limits are higher than you'd think — a family of four earning up to about $70,000 can qualify for partial help. It's worth applying even if you think you make too much.
Employer benefits: Ask HR if your employer offers a dependent care FSA. You can set aside up to $5,000 a year pre-tax for childcare, which saves roughly $1,000-1,500 in taxes depending on your bracket.
In-home vs center: Licensed in-home providers run $300-600 less per month than centers. The tradeoff is fewer resources and less backup if the provider is sick. For an infant, though, the smaller setting can be a real advantage.
What to check before you commit
The Colorado Shines rating. Every licensed program gets a Level 1-5 rating. Level 5 is rare — only a handful of centers in the Springs have it. A Level 3-4 is solid. Below that, ask why.
Staff turnover. Ask how long the teachers have been there. If the infant room has had three different teachers this year, walk away. Little kids need consistency more than they need a fancy curriculum.
The real schedule. "Open 6:30-6" often means "you'll pay extra if you pick up after 5." Ask for the fee schedule in writing before you sign anything.