Center-based Child Care and Early Education Providers: Counts and Characteristics

The purpose of this book of tables is to present nationally representative estimates of center-based providers serving children age 5 and under, not yet in kindergarten. Many of these centers also serve school-age children up to age 13.  The data in this book of tables describe centers’ enrollment and services to all children under age 13.  Using data from the 2019 and 2024 National Survey of Early Care and Education (NSECE), the book of tables describes counts and percentages of centers, staff working at centers, and children enrolled at centers, by characteristics of providers, such as center auspice, public funding, hours of operation, and ages of children served. 

Section 1: Counts of Centers, Enrolled Children and Staff

• In 2024, the total number of centers serving at least one child age 5 and under, not yet in kindergarten, was 117,000, with 9 million children ages 0-13 enrolled. In 2019, 121,000 centers had 9.8 million children ages 0-13 enrolled.
• The share and count of enrolled children at these centers who were school age declined to 1.85 million (20.4%) in 2024 from 2.54 million (25.9%) in 2019.
• The counts of children enrolled at these centers were similar for children under 3, and 3 through 5 years old in 2024 (2.36 million and 4.78 million, respectively) and in 2019 (2.16 million and 4.99 million, respectively). Out of all children 0-13 enrolled at these centers, the share who were under age 3 increased to 26.1% in 2024 from 22.1% in 2019. 

Section 2: Counts of Centers and Enrolled Children by Selected Center Characteristics

• Center auspice can be classified as for-profit, not-for-profit, run by a government agency or something else. In addition, for-profit centers may be independent or part of a franchise or chain, while non-profit or government-run centers may be independent or have a sponsor that provides some administrative oversight and possibly funding. In 2024, two in five centers serving at least one child age 5 and under, not yet in kindergarten, were for-profit (32.6% independent, 6.0% franchise/chain); two in five centers were not-for-profit (27.8% independent, 12.4% sponsored); and one in six centers were run by a government agency (4.9% independent, 13.8% sponsored). These shares increased for for-profit franchise chains (4.1% in 2019), and government-run sponsored (9.6% in 2019), but decreased for not-for-profit sponsored (17.3%).
• Total enrollment of children under 13 in not-for-profit centers serving at least one child age 5 and under, not yet in kindergarten, declined by about one million children in 2024 (2.61 million independent and 1.23 million sponsored) compared to 2019 (3.17 million independent and 1.75 million sponsored).

Section 3: Center Enrollment and Vacancies

• In 2024, about half (50.8% - 57.1%) of centers serving each child age 0-4 years reported having at least one vacancy for that age. These shares were similar in 2019 (47.3%-55.1%). 
• Defining capacity utilization as enrollment as a percentage of enrollment plus vacancies, capacity utilization across the U.S. was lower in 2024 than in 2019 for all child ages 0 to 4 years. For example, utilization for 2 year-olds fell to 86.2% in 2024 from 88.9% in 2019.

Section 4: Counts of Centers by Receipt of Public Funding

• The share of all centers serving at least one child age 5 and under, not yet in kindergarten, and receiving any funding from each of three child care and early education (CCEE) public funding streams was similar in 2024 and in 2019: 
  • from the federal Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) child care subsidies program (50.2% and 47.3%, respectively), 
  • from Head Start (24.9% and 25.4%, respectively), and 
  • from public pre-K, whether state or local (42.4% and 41.6%, respectively). 

This book of tables draws from data collected in the 2019 and 2024 NSECE Center-based Provider Surveys. In the NSECE, a center-based provider delivers CCEE services to at least one child age five and under, not yet in kindergarten, at a single location. Center-based providers were identified from a national provider sampling frame built from state or national administrative lists such as state licensing lists, Head Start program records, or lists of public pre-K programs obtained from each state. These providers included regulated, licensed, and other private providers as well, such as for-profit and faith-based centers. Respondents to these nationally-representative surveys were directors or other instructional leaders of center-based CCEE providers to children age five and under, not yet in kindergarten. For this book of tables, 2019 data are from approximately 6,900 centers. Tabulations of the 2024 data are for approximately 7,300 centers, including 6,142 centers with survey interviews and 1,141 centers associated with public school districts for which publicly available administrative data were used in lieu of survey interviews.

C Lancaster, T Nwanne, A Haas, R Datta (2026). NSECE Book of Tables Center-based Child Care and Early Education Providers: Counts and Characteristics. Report No. 2026-019, Washington DC: Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Available at: https://acf.gov/opre/project/national-survey-early-care-and-education

This product was finalized and published after March 2026, reflecting ACF's updated approach in which some research portfolios were realigned to be embedded in the ACF offices that manage the programs. Consistent with this approach, this product was reviewed and approved by leadership of the Office of Child Care

Chartbook: Center-based Early Care and Education Providers in 2012 and 2019: Counts and Characteristics Center-based Early Care and Education Providers in 2012 and 2019: Counts and Characteristics (hhs.gov) (PDF)