6715 176th Street E, Puyallup, WA
2026 Cost Guide for Puyallup & Spanaway
The Short Answer: About $1,200 to $1,600 a Month at a Center
Puyallup and Spanaway are both in Pierce County, and the best public numbers are published at the county level. According to the most recent county profile from Child Care Aware of Washington (2023 costs, published March 2024), the median monthly cost of full-time care at a Pierce County child care center is about $1,600 for an infant, $1,400 for a toddler, and $1,213 for a preschooler. Licensed family child care homes run lower, with medians of about $1,138, $1,083, and $975.
See the Numbers
Pierce County Child Care Costs by Age
Monthly cost of full-time licensed care in Pierce County. The median is the middle of the market. The 75th percentile is the price that three out of four providers charge at or below.
| Age group | Center, median | Center, 75th percentile | Family home, median | Family home, 75th percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Infant | $1,600 | $1,776 | $1,138 | $1,408 |
| Toddler | $1,400 | $1,524 | $1,083 | $1,400 |
| Preschool | $1,213 | $1,390 | $975 | $1,223 |
Source: Child Care Aware of Washington, Pierce County profile (March 2024, reporting 2023 costs). These are the latest published county figures. Prices generally rise each year, so expect 2026 quotes to be somewhat higher and ask each provider for current tuition.
What that adds up to in a year
At the county median, full-time center care comes to roughly $19,200 a year for an infant, $16,800 for a toddler, and $14,600 for a preschooler. A family home at the median is roughly $13,700, $13,000, and $11,700.
Daycare cost in Spanaway
Spanaway is in Pierce County too, so the same medians apply: about $1,600 a month for an infant in a center, $1,400 for a toddler, and $1,213 for a preschooler, with family homes lower. Our Spanaway campus is the closest of our three to Joint Base Lewis-McChord, so military families there should also check whether they qualify for military fee assistance, which lowers what they pay out of pocket.
Is Puyallup different from the rest of Pierce County?
Public surveys do not break prices out by city, so there is no official Puyallup-only or Spanaway-only figure. The county median is the most reliable benchmark for both. Expect quotes on either side of it depending on the provider.
Center, Family Home, or Nanny?
The three main kinds of care are priced differently because they are staffed differently.
Child Care Center
About $1,213 to $1,600 a month at the Pierce County median. Children are grouped in classrooms by age with several teachers, so care continues when one teacher is out sick. Centers are licensed by the state and usually keep longer, fixed weekday hours.
Licensed Family Home
About $975 to $1,138 a month at the median. Care is in the provider's home with a small mixed-age group. It is usually the least expensive licensed option. Ask what happens when the provider is ill or on vacation, since there may be no backup.
Nanny
Washington's minimum wage is $17.13 an hour in 2026, so 40 hours a week costs at least about $2,970 a month before employer taxes. You get one-on-one care at home and you set the schedule. The cost per child drops when siblings share a nanny.
What Makes One Quote Higher Than Another
Two centers a mile apart can quote different prices for the same child. These are the usual reasons, and the questions to ask so you are comparing the same thing.
Your Child's Age
Age is the biggest factor. In a licensed center, Washington allows no more than four infants (under 12 months) per adult, seven toddlers (12 to 29 months) per adult, and ten preschoolers (30 months and older) per adult. Infant rooms need the most staff, so they cost the most, and the price usually steps down at each room change.
What Tuition Includes
Some providers include meals, snacks, formula, and curriculum in tuition. Others charge for them separately or ask you to pack food every day. A lower monthly price can end up costing more once you add groceries and extras, so ask for a list of what is and is not covered.
Hours and Schedule
Full-time, full-day care costs more than a part-day preschool program, but it also covers a full work day. Check the opening and closing times against your commute, and ask about late pick-up fees and holiday closures.
One-Time and Annual Fees
Ask about registration fees, deposits, supply fees, and whether you pay for days your child is absent. These vary widely between providers and are easy to miss when you only compare the monthly rate.
Help Paying for Child Care in Pierce County
Many families do not pay the full price. These are the main programs available to Puyallup and Spanaway parents.
Working Connections Child Care (WCCC)
Washington's child care subsidy for families whose household income is below 60 percent of the State Median Income when they apply, and who are working, in school, or in another approved activity. If you are approved, you pay a monthly copay and the state pays your provider. As of October 1, 2026, the copay is $0, $65, $90, $165, or $215 a month depending on income. For example, the state lists a $65 copay for a family of four with countable income between $2,322 and $4,179 a month. Apply at washingtonconnection.org or call 844-626-8687, and see the DCYF Working Connections page for the current income table.
Military fee assistance
Families connected to Joint Base Lewis-McChord may qualify for fee assistance through Child Care Aware of America when on-base care is not available. Our military child care page explains how it works with a community provider.
ECEAP and Head Start
These are free preschool programs for eligible three- and four-year-olds from lower-income families. They are separate programs with their own sites and schedules, and you apply through the program rather than through a child care center.
Tax credits and Dependent Care FSA
The federal Child and Dependent Care Credit and an employer Dependent Care FSA can each offset part of what you pay. The rules change from year to year, so check with a tax professional or your employer's benefits office.
What Is Included in Care at Lil' Patriots Academy
We do not publish tuition here because rates depend on your child's age. Call the campus nearest you or ask on a tour for a current quote. When you compare it with other quotes, these are included at all three of our campuses:
- Breakfast, lunch, and morning and afternoon snacks, prepared on site
- Infant formula and baby food purées
- The HighScope curriculum, including preschool for full-time families
- Daily updates and photos through the Brightwheel app
- Coded entry for each family and perimeter cameras
- Full weekday hours, Monday through Friday, 6:30am to 6:00pm
Daycare Cost: Common Questions
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Puyallup is in Pierce County, where the median monthly cost at a child care center is about $1,600 for an infant, $1,400 for a toddler and $1,213 for a preschooler, according to Child Care Aware of Washington (2023 costs, the latest published). Licensed family child care homes have a median of about $1,138 for an infant, $1,083 for a toddler and $975 for a preschooler. Individual centers can be above or below these figures.
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Spanaway is also in Pierce County, so the same county medians (2023 costs, the latest published) are the best public benchmark: about $1,600 a month for infant care in a center, $1,400 for a toddler and $1,213 for a preschooler. Families near Joint Base Lewis-McChord may also qualify for military fee assistance, which lowers what they pay.
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Staffing. Washington requires licensed centers to have one adult for every four infants, compared with one adult for every ten preschoolers. More teachers per child means a higher cost per child, so the price usually drops as your child moves up to the toddler and preschool rooms.
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Yes. Working Connections Child Care is Washington's subsidy program for families whose household income is below 60 percent of the State Median Income when they apply and who are working, in school or in an approved activity. Approved families pay a monthly copay that ranges from $0 to $215 depending on income (as of October 1, 2026), and the state pays the provider. Military families may qualify for fee assistance through Child Care Aware of America.
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Usually not for one child. Washington's minimum wage is $17.13 an hour in 2026, so a full-time nanny at 40 hours a week costs at least about $2,970 a month before employer taxes, well above the county median for center care. A nanny can cost less per child when two or more children share the same caregiver.
Want a Current Quote for Your Child's Age?
Tour the campus nearest you and we will walk you through tuition, what it includes, and any assistance you may qualify for.
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