Day care and preschool inflation, 1990–2026

Prices are 298.70% higher than in 1990, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Day Care And Preschool Inflation Calculator

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Prices for Day Care And Preschool, 1990-2026 ($20)

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for day care and preschool are 298.70% higher in 2026 versus 1990 (a $59.74 difference in value).

Between 1990 and 2026, Day care and preschool experienced an average inflation rate of 3.92% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, day care and preschool costing $20 in the year 1990 would cost $79.74 in 2026 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 2.63% during this same period, inflation for day care and preschool was higher.

Price Inflation for Day care and preschool since 1990

Consumer Price Index, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Years with the largest changes in pricing: 2023 (5.64%), 2000 (5.47%), and 2006 (5.45%).

The official rate is based on an average household's spending, so your own inflation rate is probably different. The personal inflation calculator works it out from your budget.

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Buying power of $20.00 since 1990

Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Day care and preschool, over time, for $20 beginning in 1990. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:

YearUSD ValueInflation Rate
1990$20.00-
1991$20.643.19%
1992$21.664.97%
1993$22.724.85%
1994$23.915.27%
1995$24.914.16%
1996$25.883.91%
1997$26.873.82%
1998$28.184.87%
1999$29.635.15%
2000$31.255.47%
2001$32.835.04%
2002$34.505.11%
2003$36.074.53%
2004$37.433.77%
2005$39.074.40%
2006$41.205.45%
2007$42.984.31%
2008$44.934.54%
2009$46.573.65%
2010$48.093.27%
2011$49.412.76%
2012$50.632.46%
2013$51.882.47%
2014$52.972.11%
2015$55.083.97%
2016$56.622.80%
2017$58.082.57%
2018$59.011.61%
2019$60.652.79%
2020$62.382.84%
2021$63.551.88%
2022$66.063.95%
2023$69.795.64%
2024$73.525.35%
2025$77.435.32%
2026$79.742.99%*

* Not final. See inflation summary for latest details.
** Extended periods of 0% inflation usually indicate incomplete underlying data. This can manifest as a sharp increase in inflation later on.

Raw Consumer Price Index data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics for Day care and preschool:

Year1990199119921993199419951996199719981999200020012002200320042005200620072008200920102011201220132014201520162017201820192020202120222023202420252026
CPI100.000103.192108.317113.575119.558124.533129.400134.342140.883148.142156.250164.125172.517180.325187.125195.350206.000214.877224.635232.828240.432247.064253.141259.406264.874275.381283.099290.379295.048303.268311.887317.746330.305348.926367.585387.129398.702

Adjust day care and preschool prices for inflation

Start with the inflation rate formula:

CPI in 2026 / CPI in 1990* 1990 USD value = 2026 USD value

Then plug in historical CPI values from above. The CPI for Day care and preschool was 100.000 in the year 1990 and 398.702 in 2026:

398.702 / 100.000* $20 = $79.74

Therefore, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, $20 in 1990 has the same "purchasing power" as $79.74 in 2026 (in the CPI category of Day care and preschool).

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics began tracking the Consumer Price Index for Day care and preschool in 1990. In addition to day care and preschool, the index produces monthly data on changes in prices paid by urban consumers for a variety of goods and services.