Daycare Startup Cost Calculator
Estimate total startup costs for a home-based or center-based daycare including facility, equipment, and licensing.
Inputs
Results
Total Startup Cost
$142,400.00
≈ 9 used cars
How to Use This Calculator
- Enter licensed capacity and select facility type (home-based or center-based).
- Set square footage per child and renovation budget percentage.
- Review Facility Cost, Equipment Cost, Licensing Cost, and Total Startup Cost.
- Use total startup cost to plan your initial funding needs and loan application.
How the result changes with Licensed Capacity
| Licensed Capacity | Total Startup Cost |
|---|---|
| 51 | $240,680.00 |
| 176 | $825,680.00 |
| 325 | $1,523,000.00 |
| 450 | $2,108,000.00 |
What each input means
- Licensed Capacity
- Maximum number of children the facility will serve
- Type (1=Home, 2=Center)
- Home-based has lower startup costs; center-based requires commercial space
- Sq Ft Per Child
- Indoor square footage per child. Most states require 35-50 sq ft minimum.
- Renovation Budget (%)
- Percentage of base facility cost allocated to renovations and buildout
How this is calculated
Worked example, using the default values
- Identify Input Parameters4 parametersLicensed Capacity = 30, Type (1=Home, 2=Center) = 2, Sq Ft Per Child = 50, Renovation Budget (%) = 20 = 4 input(s) provided
- Calculate Total Startup CostTotal Startup Cost142400 = $142,400
- Calculate Facility CostFacility Cost63000 = $63,000
- Calculate Equipment CostEquipment Cost75000 = $75,000
Engine last updated . Checked against 2 independently-derived tests — how we verify calculators.
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