Statistics show that despite the recent decrease in the number of children enrolled in full-day pre-primary schools, the share of children enrolled in full-day pre-primary school programs remains relatively higher than the percentage of children enrolled in part-day pre-primary school programs in the United States as of 2013. Many parents work long hours or struggle between two jobs to afford child care, therefore they prefer full-day programs. A connection can also be made between the parent or guardian’s level of education and the type of enrollment (full-day or part-day) they chose for their children. The highest share of children enrolled in full-day pre-primary school programs in the U.S. was associated to parents or guardians with the highest levels of education . Parents with higher levels of education usually have jobs which require greater amounts of working hours and effort and are therefore deprived of time to care for their children.
Kindergarten and Child Care - Statistics & Facts
Statistics show that despite the recent decrease in the number of children enrolled in full-day pre-primary schools, the share of children enrolled in full-day pre-primary school programs remains relatively higher than the percentage of children enrolled in part-day pre-primary school programs in the United States as of 2013. Many parents work long hours or struggle between two jobs to afford child care, therefore they prefer full-day programs. A connection can also be made between the parent or guardian’s level of education and the type of enrollment (full-day or part-day) they chose for their children. The highest share of children enrolled in full-day pre-primary school programs in the U.S. was associated to parents or guardians with the highest levels of education . Parents with higher levels of education usually have jobs which require greater amounts of working hours and effort and are therefore deprived of time to care for their children.
Key insights
- Number of children enrolled in pre-primary school institutions
- 7.87m

Detailed statistics
Pre-primary school enrollment numbers in the U.S. 1970-2021
- Number of enrolled children in public kindergartens
- 3.58m

Detailed statistics
Enrollment in public and private kindergartens in the U.S. 1980-2021
- Number of enrolled children in private kindergartens
- 481,000

Detailed statistics
Enrollment in public and private kindergartens in the U.S. 1980-2021
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Overview
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- Basic Statistic Pre-primary school enrollment numbers, by attendance type U.S. 1980-2018
- Basic Statistic Percentage of pre-school enrollment in the U.S. 2022, by age and type
- Premium Statistic State spending per U.S. child enrolled in pre-K 2022, by state
- Premium Statistic Net cost of childcare as a share of net household income for couples 2021, by country
- Premium Statistic Cost of childcare as a share of income for single parents 2021, by country
Overview
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Basic Statistic
Pre-primary school enrollment numbers, by attendance type U.S. 1980-2018
Pre-primary school enrollment numbers, by attendance type U.S. 1980-2018
Kindergarten and nursery school enrollment numbers in the United States from 1980 to 2018, by type of attendance (in 1,000s)
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Basic Statistic
Percentage of pre-school enrollment in the U.S. 2022, by age and type
Percentage of pre-school enrollment in the U.S. 2022, by age and type
Percentage of pre-school enrollment in the United States in 2022, by age group and type of program
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Premium Statistic
State spending per U.S. child enrolled in pre-K 2022, by state
State spending per U.S. child enrolled in pre-K 2022, by state
State spending per child (aged 3-4 years) enrolled in pre-kindergarten programs in the United States in 2022, by state (in U.S. dollars)
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Premium Statistic
Net cost of childcare as a share of net household income for couples 2021, by country
Net cost of childcare as a share of net household income for couples 2021, by country
Net cost of childcare as a share of net household income for couples in selected countries worldwide in 2021
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Premium Statistic
Cost of childcare as a share of income for single parents 2021, by country
Cost of childcare as a share of income for single parents 2021, by country
Net cost of childcare as a share of net household income for single parents in selected countries worldwide in 2021
Enrollment
6
- Basic Statistic Pre-primary school enrollment numbers in the U.S. 1970-2021
- Basic Statistic Enrollment in public and private kindergartens in the U.S. 1980-2021
- Basic Statistic Share of children enrolled for full-day pre-primary programs U.S. 1980-2018
- Basic Statistic Public and private school enrollment of 3-4 year olds U.S. 1980-2018
- Premium Statistic Share of 3-5 year olds enrolled in school, by state U.S. 2021
- Basic Statistic Share of child care arrangements for children ages three to five in the U.S. 2019
Enrollment
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Basic Statistic
Pre-primary school enrollment numbers in the U.S. 1970-2021
Pre-primary school enrollment numbers in the U.S. 1970-2021
Pre-primary school enrollment (kindergarten, nursery) for children aged 3-5 years from 1970 to 2021 (in millions)
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Basic Statistic
Enrollment in public and private kindergartens in the U.S. 1980-2021
Enrollment in public and private kindergartens in the U.S. 1980-2021
Enrollment in public and private kindergartens in the United States from 1980 to 2021 (in 1,000s)
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Basic Statistic
Share of children enrolled for full-day pre-primary programs U.S. 1980-2018
Share of children enrolled for full-day pre-primary programs U.S. 1980-2018
Share of children enrolled for a full-day kindergarten or nursery school program in the United States from 1980 to 2018
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Basic Statistic
Public and private school enrollment of 3-4 year olds U.S. 1980-2018
Public and private school enrollment of 3-4 year olds U.S. 1980-2018
Number of 3 to 4 year old children enrolled in public and private schools in the United States from 1980 to 2018 (in 1,000s)
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Premium Statistic
Share of 3-5 year olds enrolled in school, by state U.S. 2021
Share of 3-5 year olds enrolled in school, by state U.S. 2021
Percent of 3 to 5 year old children enrolled in school in the United States in 2021, by state
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Basic Statistic
Share of child care arrangements for children ages three to five in the U.S. 2019
Share of child care arrangements for children ages three to five in the U.S. 2019
Distribution of child care arrangements for children ages three to five in the United States in 2019
Demographic data
5
- Basic Statistic U.S. enrollment in pre-primary programs, by gender and attendance type 2018
- Basic Statistic U.S. enrollment in pre-primary school programs, by race and attendance type 2021
- Basic Statistic U.S. enrollment in pre-primary programs, by parents at home and attendance 2018
- Basic Statistic U.S. enrollment in pre-primary programs, by parents education level 2018
- Basic Statistic Total number of U.S. children enrolled in state pre-K, by state 2022
Demographic data
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Basic Statistic
U.S. enrollment in pre-primary programs, by gender and attendance type 2018
U.S. enrollment in pre-primary programs, by gender and attendance type 2018
Share of children enrolled in full-day or part-day pre-primary school programs in the United States in 2018, by gender
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Basic Statistic
U.S. enrollment in pre-primary school programs, by race and attendance type 2021
U.S. enrollment in pre-primary school programs, by race and attendance type 2021
Share of children enrolled in full-day or part-day pre-primary school programs in the United States as of October 2021, by race
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Basic Statistic
U.S. enrollment in pre-primary programs, by parents at home and attendance 2018
U.S. enrollment in pre-primary programs, by parents at home and attendance 2018
Share of children enrolled in full-day or part-day pre-primary school programs in the United States in 2018, by number of parents in household
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Basic Statistic
U.S. enrollment in pre-primary programs, by parents education level 2018
U.S. enrollment in pre-primary programs, by parents education level 2018
Share of children enrolled in full-day or part-day pre-primary school programs in the United States in 2018, by parent/guardian's level of education
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Basic Statistic
Total number of U.S. children enrolled in state pre-K, by state 2022
Total number of U.S. children enrolled in state pre-K, by state 2022
Total number of 3-and 4-year-old children enrolled in state pre-kindergarten programs in the United States in 2022, by state
Costs
4
- Basic Statistic Full-time care cost for an infant in a child care center in the U.S. by state 2020
- Basic Statistic Annual cost for a school-age child in full-time center care in the U.S. by state 2019
- Basic Statistic U.S. state ranking of least-affordable child care for an infant in a center 2019
- Basic Statistic U.S. state ranking of least-affordable child care for a school-aged child 2019
Costs
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Basic Statistic
Full-time care cost for an infant in a child care center in the U.S. by state 2020
Full-time care cost for an infant in a child care center in the U.S. by state 2020
Average annual cost of full-time care for an infant in a child care center in the United States in 2020, by state
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Basic Statistic
Annual cost for a school-age child in full-time center care in the U.S. by state 2019
Annual cost for a school-age child in full-time center care in the U.S. by state 2019
Average annual cost for a school-age child in full-time center care in the United States in 2019, by state (in U.S. dollars)
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Basic Statistic
U.S. state ranking of least-affordable child care for an infant in a center 2019
U.S. state ranking of least-affordable child care for an infant in a center 2019
State ranking of least-affordable child care for an infant in a center in the United States in 2019, as a share of median income
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Basic Statistic
U.S. state ranking of least-affordable child care for a school-aged child 2019
U.S. state ranking of least-affordable child care for a school-aged child 2019
State ranking of least-affordable child care for a school-aged child in a center in the United States in 2019, as a share of median income
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