Mobile Menu

Day Care in the US - Market Research Report (2014-2029)

Lucy Tang Lucy Tang New York, United States Last Updated: September 2024 NAICS 62441

Revenue

$71.8bn

2024

$71.8bn

Past 5-Year Growth

Profit

$X.Xbn

Employees

1m

Businesses

568k

Wages

$XX.Xbn

Day Care in the US industry analysis

Child day care services have changed in the past five years, primarily driven by heightened health and safety protocols and wage issues. Centers have ramped up their cleaning regimens and implemented social distancing measures to ensure children's safety. These adjustments also necessitated more investment in staff training. Though financially strained by these additional costs, centers have recognized the need to offer higher wages to attract and retain qualified staff. This shift towards better compensation reflects an effort to improve conditions in a profession historically marred by low pay. The demand for reliable child care has surged post-pandemic, prompting many centers to upgrade their offerings in response to higher parental expectations. From an economic perspective, the industry's revenue experienced a CAGR of 0.8%, with a singular 0.5% drop in 2024 and is expected to reach $71.8 billion.

Trends and Insights

  • Rising wages are straining day care budgets. Higher wages to attract staff are pushing costs up, making it challenging for smaller centers to stay afloat. Many are hiking tuition fees, which could hit family budgets and enrollment numbers.
  • Demand for center-based child day care is skyrocketing. With remote work declining, parents need reliable care, leading to higher service prices and scarce slots due to strict staffing ratios.
  • High-population states have a day care gap. States like California, Texas and Florida don't have enough child care centers to match their population sizes, presenting a golden opportunity for new operators.
  • To stand out in a competitive market, day care providers must differentiate by offering a unique value proposition. This can involve specialized programs or services, like language immersion, focus on STEM education, eco-friendly practices or specific age-group specialization.

Access hundreds of analysis and data

  • Market estimates from 2014-2029
  • Critical performance data and rankings
  • Detailed analysis of competitive forces and the external environment
  • PDF report or online database with Word, Excel and PowerPoint export options
  • 100% money back guarantee

Industry Statistics and Trends

Market size and recent performance (2014-2029)

Industry revenue has grown at a CAGR of 0.8 % over the past five years, to reach an estimated $71.8bn in 2024.

Trends and Insights

Health and safety protocols have become a priority

  • The pandemic has heightened awareness and enforcement of health and safety protocols in day care settings. Centers now adhere to stricter cleaning regimens, social distancing measures and health screenings to mitigate the risk of virus transmission.
  • Additional trends and insights available with purchase
Day Care in the US
Revenue (2014-2029)
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry outlook (2024-2029)

Market size is projected to grow over the next five years.

Trends and Insights

Recovering economy is expected to spur child care demand

  • A recovering economy will lead to higher disposable incomes, making child care more affordable for many families who previously struggled with fees. This financial uplift will allow parents to allocate more resources towards child care.

Biggest companies in the Day Care in the US

Company
Market Share (%)
2024
Revenue ($m)
2024
Profit ($m)
2024
Profit Margin (%)
2024
Learning Care Group, Inc.
2,521.7
285.1
11.3
Kindercare Learning Centers Inc.
787.6
89.0
11.3

To view the market share and analysis for all 2 top companies in this industry, view purchase options.

Products & Services Segmentation

Day Care in the US
Products & Services
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry revenue is measured across several distinct product and services lines, including In-home day care, Center-based day care and Pre-primary grade instructional programs. In-home day care is the largest segment of the Day Care in the US.

Trends and Insights

Demand for center-based child day care surges amid work-from-home relaxations

  • Day care centers provide structured child care services, accommodating more children per establishment. They offer supervised care and educational activities, ensuring children's safety and development during parents' work hours.
  • More insights available in the full report

Table of Contents

About this industry

Industry definition

Industry operators provide day care services for infants and young children, primarily those under the age of five. Industry operators may also run preschool programs that prepare three and four years old children for kindergarten.

What's included in this industry?

Providing child and infant day careProviding preschool programs

Companies

Learning Care Group, Inc.Kindercare Learning Centers Inc.

Purchase this report to view all 2 major companies in this industry.

Related Terms

EMPLOYER-SPONSOREDOCCUPANCY RATECHILD-TO-STAFF RATIO

Industry Code

NAICS 2017

NAICS 62441 - Day Care in the US

Performance

Get an indication of the industry's health through historical, current and forward-looking trends in the performance indicators that make or break businesses.

Analyst insights

Rising wages are straining day care budgets. Higher wages to attract staff are pushing costs up, making it challenging for smaller centers to stay afloat. Many are hiking tui...

In this chapter (4)

  • Current Performance
  • Outlook
  • Volatility
  • Life Cycle

Key metrics

  • Annual Revenue, Recent Growth, Forecast, Revenue Volatility
  • Number of Employees, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Employee
  • Number of Businesses, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Business
  • Total Profit, Profit Margin, Profit per Business

Charts

  • Revenue, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Employees, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Businesses, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Profit, including historical (2014-2024)
  • Industry Volatility vs. Revenue Growth
  • Industry Life Cycle

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in supply, demand and current events that are driving current industry performance
  • Expected trends, economic factors and ongoing events that drive the industry's outlook
  • Key success factors for businesses to overcome volatility
  • How contribution to GDP, industry saturation, innovation, consolidation, and technology and systems influence the industry's life cycle phase.

Products and Markets

Learn about an industry's products and services, markets and trends in international trade.

Analyst insight

Demand for center-based child day care is skyrocketing. With remote work declining, parents need reliable care, leading to higher service prices and scarce slots due to stric...

In this chapter

  • Products & Services
  • Major Markets

Key metrics

  • Largest market segment and value in 2024
  • Product innovation level

Charts

  • Products & services segmentation in 2024
  • Major market segmentation in 2024

Detailed analysis

  • Trends impacting the recent performance of the industry's various segments
  • Innovations in the industry's product or service offering, specialization or delivery method
  • Key factors that successful businesses consider in their offerings
  • Buying segments and key trends influencing demand for industry products and services

Geographic Breakdown

Discover where business activity is most concentrated in an industry and the factors driving these trends to find opportunities and conduct regional benchmarking.

Analyst insights

High-population states have a day care gap. States like California, Texas and Florida don't have enough child care centers to match their population sizes, presenting a golde...

In this chapter (1)

  • Business Locations

Charts

  • Share of revenue, establishment, wages and employment in each state
  • Share of population compared to establishments in each region in 2024

Tables

  • Number and share of establishments in each state in 2024
  • Number and share of revenue each state accounts for in 2024
  • Number and share of wages each state accounts for in 2024
  • Number and share of employees in each state in 2024

Detailed analysis

  • Geographic spread of the industry across North America, and trends associated with changes in the business landscape
  • Key success factors for businesses to use location to their advantage

Competitive Forces

Get data and insights on what's driving competition in an industry and the challenges industry operators and new entrants may face, with analysis built around Porter's Five Forces framework.

Analyst insights

To stand out in a competitive market, day care providers must differentiate by offering a unique value proposition. This can involve specialized programs or services, like la...

In this chapter (4)

  • Concentration
  • Barriers to Entry
  • Substitutes
  • Buyer & Supplier Analysis

Key metrics

  • Industry concentration level
  • Industry competition level and trend
  • Barriers to entry level and trend
  • Substitutes level and trend
  • Buyer power level and trend
  • Supplier power level and trend

Charts

  • Market share concentration among the top 4 suppliers from 2019-2024
  • Supply chain including upstream supplying industries and downstream buying industries, flow chart

Detailed analysis

  • Factors impacting the industry’s level of concentration, such as business distribution, new entrants, or merger and acquisition activity.
  • Key success factors for businesses to manage the competitive environment of the industry.
  • Challenges that potential industry entrants face such as legal, start-up costs, differentiation, labor/capital intensity and capital expenses.
  • Key success factors for potential entrants to overcome barriers to entry.
  • Competitive threats from potential substitutes for the industry’s own products and services.
  • Key success factors for how successful businesses can compete with substitutes.
  • Advantages that buyers have to keep favorable purchasing conditions.
  • Advantages that suppliers have to maintain favorable selling conditions.
  • Key success factors for how businesses can navigate buyer and supplier power.

Companies

Learn about the performance of the top companies in the industry.

Analyst insights

Demand for day care services is driven by the local population, particularly families with young children. The localized nature of demand limits the potential scale of operat...

In this chapter

  • Market Share Concentration
  • Companies
  • Company Spotlights

Charts

  • Industry market share by company in 2020 through 2024
  • Major companies in the industry, including market share, revenue, profit and profit margin in 2024
  • Overview of Learning Care Group, Inc.'s performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2018 through 2024
  • Overview of Kindercare Learning Centers Inc.'s performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2018 through 2024

Detailed analysis

  • Description and key data for Learning Care Group, Inc., and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description and key data for Kindercare Learning Centers Inc., and factors influencing its performance in the industry

External Environment

Understand the demographic, economic and regulatory factors that shape how businesses in an industry perform.   

Analyst insights

Many regulatory bodies set staff and training standards, including minimum educational qualifications, specialized child development and safety training. This ensures day car...

In this chapter

  • External Drivers
  • Regulation & Policy
  • Assistance

Key metrics

  • Regulation & policy level and trend
  • Assistance level and trend

Charts

  • Regulation & Policy historical data and forecast (2014-2029) 
  • Assistance historical data and forecast (2014-2029) 

Detailed analysis

  • Demographic and macroeconomic factors influencing the industry, including Regulation & Policy and Assistance
  • Major types of regulations, regulatory bodies, industry standards or specific regulations impacting requirements for industry operators
  • Key governmental and non-governmental groups or policies that may provide some relief for industry operators.

Financial Benchmarks

View average costs for industry operators and compare financial data against an industry's financial benchmarks over time. 

Analyst insights

Maximizing enrollment and effectively utilizing day care center capacity is crucial for profitability. Operating at or near total capacity allows centers to generate more rev...

In this chapter

  • Cost Structure
  • Financial Ratios
  • Key Ratios

Key metrics

  • Profit margin, and how it compares to the sector-wide margin
  • Average wages, and how it compares to the sector-wide average wage
  • Largest cost component as a percentage of revenue
  • Industry average ratios for days' receivables, industry coverage and debt-to-net-worth ratio

Charts

  • Average industry operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2024
  • Average sector operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2024
  • Investment vs. share of economy

Data tables

  • Industry Multiples (2017-2022)
  • Industry Tax Structure (2017-2022)
  • Income Statement (2017-2022)
  • Balance Sheet (2017-2022)
  • Liquidity Ratios (2017-2022)
  • Coverage Ratios (2017-2022)
  • Leverage Ratios  (2017-2022)
  • Operating Ratios (2017-2022)
  • Cash Flow & Debt Service Ratios (2014-2029)
  • Revenue per Employee (2014-2029)
  • Revenue per Enterprise (2014-2029)
  • Employees per Establishment (2014-2029)
  • Employees per Enterprise (2014-2029)
  • Average Wage (2014-2029)
  • Wages/Revenue (2014-2029)
  • Establishments per Enterprise (2014-2029)
  • IVA/Revenue (2014-2029)
  • Imports/Demand (2014-2029)
  • Exports/Revenue (2014-2029)

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in the cost component for industry operators and their impact on industry costs and profitability 

Key Statistics

Industry Data

Data Tables

Including values and annual change:

  • Revenue (2014-2029)
  • IVA (2014-2029)
  • Establishments (2014-2029)
  • Enterprises (2014-2029)
  • Employment (2014-2029)
  • Exports (2014-2029)
  • Imports (2014-2029)
  • Wages (2014-2029)

Top Questions Answered

Unlock comprehensive answers and precise data upon purchase. View purchase options.

What is the market size of the Day Care in the US industry in United States in 2024?

The market size of the Day Care in the US industry in United States is $71.8bn in 2024.

How many businesses are there in the Day Care in the US industry in 2024?

There are 568k businesses in the Day Care in the US industry in United States, which has declined at a CAGR of 1.9 % between 2019 and 2024.

Has the Day Care in the US industry in United States grown or declined over the past 5 years?

The market size of the Day Care in the US industry in United States has been growing at a CAGR of 0.8 % between 2019 and 2024.

What is the forecast growth of the Day Care in the US industry in United States over the next 5 years?

Over the next five years, the Day Care in the US industry in United States is expected to grow.

What are the biggest companies in the Day Care in the US market in United States?

The biggest companies operating in the Day Care market in United States are Learning Care Group, Inc. and Kindercare Learning Centers Inc.

What does the Day Care in the US in United States include?

Providing child and infant day care and Providing preschool programs are part of the Day Care in the US industry.

Which companies have the highest market share in the Day Care in the US in United States?

The company holding the most market share in United States is Learning Care Group, Inc..

How competitive is the Day Care in the US industry in United States?

The level of competition is high and decreasing in the Day Care in the US industry in United States.

Related Industries

Widen your competitive advantage with related industries

Competitors

  • Maids, Nannies & Gardeners in the US

Complementors

  • Language Instruction in the US
  • Public Schools in the US
  • Private Schools in the US

International industries

  • Day Care in Canada
  • Child Care Services in Australia
  • Child Care Services in New Zealand
  • Child Day-Care Centres in the UK

View all industries in United States

Methodology

How are IBISWorld reports created?

IBISWorld has been a leading provider of trusted industry research for over 50 years to the most successful companies worldwide. With offices in Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and China, we are proud to have local teams of analysts that conduct research, data analysis and forecasting to produce data-driven industry reports.

Our analysts start with official, verified and publicly available sources of data to build the most accurate picture of each industry. Analysts then leverage their expertise and knowledge of the local markets to synthesize trends into digestible content for IBISWorld readers. Finally, each report is reviewed by one of IBISWorld’s editors, who provide quality assurance to ensure accuracy and readability.

IBISWorld relies on human-verified data and human-written analysis to compile each standard industry report. We do not use generative AI tools to write insights, although members can choose to leverage AI-based tools within the platform to generate additional analysis formats.

What data sources do IBISWorld analysts use?

Each industry report incorporates data and research from government databases, industry-specific sources, industry contacts, and our own proprietary database of statistics and analysis to provide balanced, independent and accurate insights.

Key data sources in the US include: 

  • US Census Bureau
  • US Bureau of Labor Statistics
  • US International Trade Commission

Analysts also use industry specific sources to complement catch-all sources, although their perspective may focus on a particular organization or representative body, rather than a clear overview of all industry operations. However, when balanced against other perspectives, industry-specific sources provide insights into industry trends.

These sources include:

  • Industry and trade associations
  • Industry federations or regulators
  • Major industry players annual or quarterly filings

Finally, IBISWorld’s global data scientists maintain a proprietary database of macroeconomic and demand drivers, which our analysts use to help inform industry data and trends. They also maintain a database of statistics and analysis on thousands of industries, which has been built over our more than 50-year history and offers comprehensive insights into long-term trends.

How does IBISWorld forecast its data?

IBISWorld’s analysts and data scientists use the sources above to create forecasts for our proprietary datasets and industry statistics. Depending on the dataset, they may use regression analysis, multivariate analysis, time-series analysis or exponential smoothing techniques to project future data for the industry or driver. Additionally, analysts will leverage their local knowledge of industry operating and regulatory conditions to impart their best judgment on the forecast model.

IBISWorld prides itself on being a trusted, independent source of data, with over 50 years of experience building and maintaining rich datasets and forecasting tools. We are proud to be the keystone source of industry information for thousands of companies across the world.

Learn more about our methodology and data sourcing on the Help Center.