Los Angeles is the second-largest daycare market in the country, but it does not look like New York City. Care is distributed across a 4,750-square-mile basin, freeway commute time is the constraint that drives most enrollment decisions, and the strongest programs are often in places that do not advertise: small church-affiliated centers, university-run labs, and the well-run California Department of Social Services-licensed family child care homes that dot every neighborhood.
This roundup is editorial. We have not been paid by any of the centers listed below. The picks are organized by region of Los Angeles County and grouped by what each one does best, with cost ranges, waitlist signals, and the questions that separate a strong infant or toddler program from a glossy disappointment. For the full city overview, including the California state preschool program and Head Start, see our Los Angeles daycare guide.
In this guide
A center earns a spot on our list when it meets most of the following. None of these are exotic; they are the markers that separate consistent care from marketing.
For the broader evaluation framework we use anywhere in the country, see our how to evaluate daycare safety guide and our printable comparison checklist.
Los Angeles sits in the upper third of US daycare costs nationally, lower than New York City and San Francisco but well above the national median.
| Setting and age | Monthly range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Infant, Westside group center | $2,400 to $3,400 | Santa Monica and Beverly Hills at the top |
| Infant, San Fernando Valley group center | $1,700 to $2,400 | Generally 20 to 30 percent lower than Westside |
| Toddler, LA group center | $1,800 to $2,800 | Depends heavily on neighborhood |
| Preschool, LA group center | $1,500 to $2,400 | California State Preschool offsets if eligible |
| Family child care home, countywide | $1,100 to $1,800 | Often Spanish-speaking, often the strongest infant care in LA |
These ranges reflect US Department of Labor National Database of Childcare Prices (2023 release) data combined with operator submissions to DaycareSquare. For a deeper breakdown by region of the country, see our daycare cost by region analysis. For comparison across all 50 states, see daycare cost by state.
UCLA runs several on-campus centers serving UCLA-affiliated families. Both Krieger and University Village preschool programs are NAEYC-accredited with low ratios and a reflective-practice teaching staff. Limited spots for non-UCLA families. Among the best lab-school programs in the country.
Church-affiliated preschools dominate the Westside scene and several have decades-long reputations for warm, play-based teaching. Tuition tends to run lower than independent secular preschools in the same neighborhoods. For families weighing faith-affiliated programs, see our faith-based daycare options guide.
Several nonprofit networks operate sliding-scale early-childhood centers across the Westside that accept California Alternative Payment vouchers and serve mixed-income families. Often the best balance of quality and affordability on this side of the basin.
USC operates on-campus child development programs that serve faculty, staff, and student families. Strong staff continuity and a research-informed teaching approach. Wait times are real; apply early.
The Eastside has a healthy co-op nursery scene where parents work in the classroom one day a month and the tuition is meaningfully lower. Strong community feel. See our co-op daycare explained for the model.
One of the longer-running Jewish early-childhood programs in central LA, with a Reggio Emilia-influenced approach. Welcomes interfaith and non-affiliated families. See our Jewish preschool explained for what to expect.
YMCA of Metropolitan Los Angeles runs several early-childhood programs in the Valley with reasonable tuition and NAEYC accreditation at some sites. A predictable, well-regulated option for working families.
The Valley's two best-known Jewish early-childhood programs, both well-regarded for warm teachers and strong music and movement programming. Welcoming to non-Jewish families.
The Cal State Northridge child development centers serve student-parent families primarily but accept community families as space allows. NAEYC accreditation and a research-informed approach at affordable tuition.
Crystal Stairs is the largest child care resource and referral agency in California and operates centers and a strong family child care home referral network serving South LA families. For families navigating subsidies, our child care subsidy by state guide explains the eligibility math.
One of several community-college child development centers in greater LA that serve student-parent families primarily and offer rare-for-the-area NAEYC-accredited infant care at reasonable tuition.
The major national chains operate dozens of LA County locations between them. Quality varies room by room and director by director, but they are a real option for families who want a vetted brand and a relatively standardized program. Tour the specific location, not the brand.
Two practical notes. First, the best Westside centers (UCLA, USC, the long-running Brentwood and Santa Monica preschools) fill their infant rooms 9 to 14 months in advance. Apply during the second trimester, not after the baby arrives. For a citywide timeline, see our when to start a daycare waitlist guide.
Second, the California State Preschool Program (CSPP) offers tuition-free or low-cost preschool for 3 and 4 year olds in qualifying families. Many LA centers operate mixed-funding rooms where some seats are state-subsidized. Ask whether any of the rooms you are touring participate. Eligibility is based on income and family situation.
For families considering enrollment in California versus relocating, our daycare costs more than my mortgage piece is the reality-check most parents need.
Los Angeles families have three real categories to choose between, and the right choice depends on age, schedule, and budget. The categories are not better or worse on average; they are different in predictable ways.
Independent and faith-affiliated centers tend to win on consistency of teaching philosophy, lower lead-teacher turnover (when tuition supports competitive wages), and depth of community. Tuition runs at the top of the range, and waitlists for the Westside independents are real. Strongest fit for families who want a single, stable program from infancy through pre-K.
National chains (Bright Horizons, KinderCare, Goddard, Primrose, Children's Lighthouse) tend to win on flexibility, longer hours, geographic coverage, and a predictable curriculum across multiple sites. Quality varies by location, but the brands carry real operational discipline. Strongest fit for working families who need extended hours, who travel, or who relocated to LA without local networks. See our franchise vs independent daycare guide for the longer comparison.
Licensed family child care homes (small homes caring for up to 8 or 14 children depending on the license type) are an often-overlooked option in LA, where the network is deep and many caregivers have decades of experience. Tuition is meaningfully lower than center care and the ratios are usually tighter. Strongest fit for infants and young toddlers, and for families who value a home setting over a classroom. See our center vs home daycare for what to expect.
Two things shifted recently. First, California's universal Transitional Kindergarten rollout has continued to absorb 4 year olds out of private preschool into LAUSD and other district TK rooms, which has freed up some seats at private centers but also shortened the typical private-preschool run by a year. Second, post-pandemic return-to-office pressure at LA's major employers has increased demand for full-day infant and toddler care, with the longest waitlists at Westside and Eastside premium centers. The tradeoff for families: longer waits at the top centers, but more open seats in family child care homes and mid-tier chains.
A useful LA tour spans more than the front lobby. The director will hand you a folder; the room and the lead teachers will tell you most of what you need to know. We recommend asking a consistent set of questions at every center so you are comparing answers, not impressions.
For more on what makes a strong tour, see our daycare tour questions guide and daycare red flags roundup.
California and Los Angeles County together offer one of the country's deepest subsidy and tuition-assistance benches, though the application path is fragmented across state, county, and city programs.
Many LA-area working families live and work across county lines. The Westside (Santa Monica, West LA, Culver City) sits at the top end on tuition with the deepest independent-preschool bench. The Valley (Sherman Oaks, Studio City, Burbank, Pasadena), the South Bay (Manhattan Beach, Hermosa, Redondo, Torrance), and Long Beach all have meaningfully more daycare supply at 15 to 30 percent lower tuition. For a wider state view, see our California state daycare guide.
The best daycare in Los Angeles for your family is rarely the most famous one. It is the one where the ratio is real, the lead teacher has been in the room for several years, the commute fits the rest of your week, and the director answers your tour questions without dodging. Tour at least three; apply early for any public Pre-K or subsidy program you may qualify for; ask the questions in our comparison checklist; and remember that Los Angeles's independent and community-based programs are often genuinely strong options that newcomers overlook.
For the broader cost picture, our Los Angeles city guide is the place to start. For city-by-city comparisons, see our roundups for San Francisco and New York City.
One honest caveat. No editorial roundup can substitute for a tour. DaycareSquare lists every licensed program; this article highlights well-known and consistently strong operators across the Los Angeles metro, but the specific room, the specific lead teacher, and the specific time of year matter more than the brand on the door.
Costs, neighborhoods, subsidies, and the full daycare picture across the metro.
Read the guide → Free toolPlug in your ZIP, child age, and care type. Net out-of-pocket estimate after credits.
Try the calculator → Sibling guideEditorial picks for San Francisco centers, with cost ranges and tour tips.
Read the roundup →Get our free daycare starter kit — the 27-question tour checklist, a cost-comparison worksheet, and what to ask about waitlists. One email, no spam.
Or jump in: tour questions · cost calculator · comparison checklist