Baby care is more expensive than in-state college tuition in Tennessee
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios
Child care costs continued to climb statewide in 2025, with a new report finding an average year of daycare for a baby is now more expensive than tuition at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville.
Why it matters: Child care is the largest expense many families face, often eclipsing housing.
By the numbers: The median rate for infant care in Tennessee during the last fiscal year was $13,926, according to the 2025 State of the Child report released last week by the Tennessee Commission on Children and Youth.
- That's higher than in-state tuition at every public university in the state.
Case in point: The annual in-state tuition rate at UT last year was $13,812.
Between the lines: Highly rated daycare centers are more expensive than the average.
What they're saying: "Child care costs continue to be out of reach for many families, particularly single-income households," the report states.
The big picture: There isn't data on the percentage of Tennessee kids in daycare, but another recent analysis found 61% of kids 5 and younger had all available parents in the workforce.
Yes, but: Skyrocketing prices can force parents to ratchet back their working hours or leave the labor force entirely.
- In Tennessee, where many employers struggle to find qualified workers to fill open jobs, maintaining affordability could come hand-in-hand with building a strong workforce.
State of play: Elected officials at every level and across the political spectrum have acknowledged child care affordability as an urgent problem, including Gov. Bill Lee and Mayor Freddie O'Connell.
Threat level: A WSMV analysis of data from the State of the Child report found that, on average, Tennessee families with kids spend about 17% of their income on child care.
- The state report found that more than 19% of Tennessee children live in poverty. That is slightly lower than the previous year's rate, but still well above the national figure.
The bottom line: For many families, paying the price for care isn't an option.
- "We're constantly juggling, trying to figure out what can wait and what absolutely has to be paid right away," an unnamed Tennessee parent quoted in the report said.
- "It's exhausting to live like this. We're not asking for luxury, we just want to be able to meet our basic needs without constant fear."