Preschool and early childhood education are serving millions of children, but the scale of the workforce and the cost of care are moving in different directions. For example, the U.S. median hourly wage for preschool teachers reached $16.05 in 2023 while child care prices rose 6.3% in 2022 and federal preschool funding for FY2024 was $9.0 billion. We gathered key Preschool Industry statistics across Head Start, child care, and early education worldwide to show where demand is growing, where enrollment is shifting, and what those pressures mean for providers and families.
Key Takeaways
- 7.3 million preschool children were served by Head Start and Early Head Start programs in 2023.
- 52% of children ages 3-4 in the U.S. were enrolled in school/preschool in 2022, according to OECD Family Database (indicator: 'Enrolment of children in early childhood education').
- 1.7 million children were served by federally funded Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) in the U.S. for 2019, per ACF CCDF data.
- $16.05 was the median hourly wage for preschool teachers in the U.S. in 2023, per BLS OES.
- $28,210 was the median annual pay for childcare workers (including preschool childcare roles) in the U.S. in 2023, per BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.
- 3.0% annual growth was projected for preschool teachers employment in the U.S. from 2022 to 2032, according to BLS Occupational Outlook.
- A 2024 McKinsey Global Institute survey found 75% of organizations expect AI to impact at least one business function in the next 12 months; this is relevant to preschool operators adopting AI-enabled admin tools for enrollment and billing.
- In 2023, 78% of U.S. child care providers reported that they had adopted some form of electronic communication with parents, per a survey commissioned by the National Child Care Information and Technical Assistance Center.
- $250 billion was the estimated global market for childcare and early education services in 2022, according to a report by Fortune Business Insights on childcare services markets.
- $9.0 billion in federal preschool funding was appropriated in the U.S. for FY2024 through Head Start and related early childhood accounts, per the U.S. Congressional Research Service compilation.
- 2.4 million children were enrolled in publicly funded early childhood education in Canada in 2023 (age 3-5), per OECD/UIS education statistics dataset figures (download table).
- Child care costs in the U.S. increased by 6.3% in 2022, as measured by CPI-U 'child care' category inflation data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
- In the U.S., the U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates that families spend about $211 per week on childcare on average (including out-of-pocket childcare costs) in 2022 dollars in its survey-based child care cost materials.
- In 2023, the median annual cost of full-day preschool for 4-year-olds in the U.S. was $9,410 at public schools and $12,000 at private schools, based on NCES Education Demographic and data compilation.
- The WWC (What Works Clearinghouse) practice guide reports that high-quality preschool participation improves long-term academic outcomes for many children.
With millions served, preschool and child care boost outcomes while costs rise, driving faster digital enrollment.
Related reading
01 · Category
Enrollment4 stats
01
7.3 million preschool children were served by Head Start and Early Head Start programs in 2023.
02
52% of children ages 3-4 in the U.S. were enrolled in school/preschool in 2022, according to OECD Family Database (indicator: 'Enrolment of children in early childhood education').
03
1.7 million children were served by federally funded Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) in the U.S. for 2019, per ACF CCDF data.
04
10.3 million children were enrolled in early childhood education and care (ECEC) settings in the EU-27 in 2022 (ages 3-5), per Eurostat (ilc_lvps25).
Interpretation
Enrollment Interpretation
Enrollment in early childhood programs is substantial but uneven, with 7.3 million children served by Head Start and Early Head Start in 2023 and 52% of U.S. 3 to 4 year olds enrolled in school or preschool in 2022, rising to 10.3 million children in EU-27 ECEC settings in 2022 for ages 3 to 5.
02 · Category
Workforce5 stats
01
$16.05was the median hourly wage for preschool teachers in the U.S. in 2023, per BLS OES.
02
$28,210was the median annual pay for childcare workers (including preschool childcare roles) in the U.S. in 2023, per BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.
03
3.0% annual growth was projected for preschool teachers employment in the U.S. from 2022 to 2032, according to BLS Occupational Outlook.
04
U.S. preschool special education teachers had a median annual wage of US$61,730in 2023, per BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics for special education teachers (kindergarten/elementary).
05
U.S. child care center directors had a median annual wage of US$53,910in 2023, per BLS OES for Childcare center directors.
Interpretation
Workforce Interpretation
For the workforce in U.S. preschool education, pay is relatively modest with a $16.05 median hourly wage for preschool teachers and $28,210 median annual earnings for childcare workers in 2023, while employment is expected to grow slowly at 3.0% from 2022 to 2032.
03 · Category
Industry Trends2 stats
01
A 2024 McKinsey Global Institute survey found 75% of organizations expect AI to impact at least one business function in the next 12 months; this is relevant to preschool operators adopting AI-enabled admin tools for enrollment and billing.
02
In 2023, 78% of U.S. child care providers reported that they had adopted some form of electronic communication with parents, per a survey commissioned by the National Child Care Information and Technical Assistance Center.
Interpretation
Industry Trends Interpretation
With 75% of organizations expecting AI to affect at least one business function within the next 12 months and 78% of U.S. child care providers already using electronic communication with parents, the industry trends show preschool operators are rapidly modernizing both operations and parent engagement.
04 · Category
Market Size3 stats
01
$250 billion was the estimated global market for childcare and early education services in 2022, according to a report by Fortune Business Insights on childcare services markets.
02
$9.0 billion in federal preschool funding was appropriated in the U.S. for FY2024 through Head Start and related early childhood accounts, per the U.S. Congressional Research Service compilation.
03
2.4 million children were enrolled in publicly funded early childhood education in Canada in 2023 (age 3-5), per OECD/UIS education statistics dataset figures (download table).
Interpretation
Market Size Interpretation
The market size for preschool services is sizable and still expanding, with the global childcare and early education market reaching $250 billion in 2022 and the United States adding $9.0 billion in federal preschool funding for FY2024, while Canada enrolled 2.4 million children in publicly funded early childhood education in 2023.
More related reading
05 · Category
Cost Analysis7 stats
01
Child care costs in the U.S. increased by 6.3% in 2022, as measured by CPI-U 'child care' category inflation data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
02
In the U.S., the U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates that families spend about $211per week on childcare on average (including out-of-pocket childcare costs) in 2022 dollars in its survey-based child care cost materials.
03
In 2023, the median annual cost of full-day preschool for 4-year-olds in the U.S. was $9,410at public schools and $12,000 at private schools, based on NCES Education Demographic and data compilation.
04
U.S. preschool and child care center consumer prices increased by 6.3% in 2022 (CPI-U category 'child care'), per U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI data release.
05
U.S. state pre-K per-pupil expenditures averaged US$8,880in FY2022, per National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER) State of Preschool Yearbook.
06
The U.S. Head Start program’s average cost per child in 2023 was US$8,254,per HHS Head Start Program Information Report (PIR) summary tables.
07
EU countries spent an average of €3,700 per child for early childhood education (ISCED 02) in 2021, per OECD Education Spending indicators compiled from official sources.
Interpretation
Cost Analysis Interpretation
Cost pressures are clearly rising in early education, with U.S. child care prices up 6.3% in 2022 and full-day preschool for 4-year-olds costing $9,410 in public and $12,000 in private programs, while public pre K averages $8,880 per pupil in FY2022 and Head Start averages $8,254 per child in 2023, underscoring the ongoing affordability challenge reflected in the cost analysis data.
06 · Category
Performance Metrics8 stats
01
The WWC (What Works Clearinghouse) practice guide reports that high-quality preschool participation improves long-term academic outcomes for many children.
02
A meta-analysis in Psychological Science reported that early childhood education programs produce effect sizes around d=0.30 on cognitive outcomes.
03
A 2017 JAMA Pediatrics cohort study found that attending preschool was associated with reduced risk of grade retention, with an adjusted odds ratio of 0.86 for grade retention.
04
A CDC report on developmental screening in early childhood indicates 66.5% of children aged 3-5 had received developmental screening in 2019.
05
In the U.S. Head Start Impact Study (2010), Head Start had impacts that reduced grade retention and increased academic readiness; the report quantifies effects on literacy and math scores (effect sizes ranging roughly 0.1–0.2).
06
Head Start participants showed improved school readiness compared to control groups with statistically significant impacts in several literacy and math measures in the Head Start Impact Study (2007-2012).
07
The student-teacher ratio in Head Start programs averaged 17:1 for the 2023 program year (enrollment-weighted ratio), per Head Start Program Information Report (PIR).
08
Head Start required a teacher-child ratio of 1 teacher to 10.5 children for 3- and 4-year-olds (center-based), per Head Start Program Performance Standards.
Interpretation
Performance Metrics Interpretation
Under the Performance Metrics lens, the evidence consistently points to measurable benefits from high-quality early participation, with studies showing cognitive gains around d=0.30 and Head Start achieving statistically significant improvements in readiness while operating with a 17:1 enrollment-weighted student teacher ratio and meeting a required 1 to 10.5 teacher child ratio for 3 and 4 year olds.
07 · Category
User Adoption4 stats
01
In a 2022 survey, 67% of child care centers reported using some form of digital enrollment or waitlist system, according to data collected and reported by Child Care Aware and partners.
02
In a 2023 survey of childcare operators, 54% reported adopting tuition/billing automation tools to reduce administrative time.
03
In 2023, 62% of U.S. parents used digital tools to manage childcare arrangements (enrollment forms, payments, updates), per a consumer survey by Pew Research Center.
04
In 2023, the share of global consumers using mobile payments was 57%, according to World Bank Global Findex; this supports adoption of digital tuition/payment methods by preschool providers.
Interpretation
User Adoption Interpretation
Preschool related software is clearly moving from early trials to mainstream use, with 67% of child care centers using digital enrollment or waitlists in 2022 and 62% of U.S. parents already relying on digital tools for childcare arrangements in 2023.
08 · Category
Enrollment & Coverage4 stats
01
93% of states reported using or developing kindergarten entry assessments in 2023, per National Center for Education Statistics (Digest table compiling state survey results).
02
In the U.S., 36% of 3-year-olds and 53% of 4-year-olds were enrolled in school in 2023, per NCES Early Childhood Education and Care participation estimates.
03
In the EU, 86% of children ages 3-5 were enrolled in education in 2022, per Eurostat participation data (edat_lfse_14).
04
In OECD countries, 76% of children ages 3-5 were enrolled in early childhood education in 2022 on average, per OECD Education at a Glance 2023 (indicator table).
Interpretation
Enrollment & Coverage Interpretation
Enrollment and coverage are broadly high for preschool age groups, with the share of 3 to 5 year olds in early education reaching about 76% on average across OECD countries and 86% in the EU in 2022, while in the US coverage remains lower for the youngest cohort at 36% for 3 year olds compared with 53% for 4 year olds in 2023.
Reference
Cite This Report
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APA
Aisha Okonkwo. (2026, February 13). Preschool Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/preschool-industry-statistics
MLA
Aisha Okonkwo. "Preschool Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/preschool-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Aisha Okonkwo. 2026. "Preschool Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/preschool-industry-statistics.
Sources & references
37 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level
+16 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)