Daycare Rate Converter
Enter any rate — hourly, daily, weekly, monthly or yearly — and see it in every other period, using your real schedule.
The rate you know
Results update as you type. Nothing is saved or sent anywhere.
| Per hour | — |
| Per day | — |
| Per week | — |
| Per month | — |
| Per year | — |
Why providers convert rates
Parents, employers and subsidy programs all talk about child care prices in different units. One family asks your daily rate because their employer reimburses by the day. Your state subsidy agency publishes a maximum per day or per hour. A parent comparing you with a center divides your weekly rate by ten hours and announces you are "only" charging five dollars an hour. This converter puts every version side by side, using your hours — because a $250 week at 10 hours a day over 5 days is a very different rate from the same $250 at 8 hours a day.
Two habits help. First, quote and contract in one unit (most home providers use the week) and convert only for comparison — mixing units in a contract invites disputes. Second, when a subsidy maximum looks low, convert it to the week before deciding: a daily cap that sounds small sometimes adds up respectably, and sometimes the gap is real. Our articles on average home daycare rates and part-time daycare rates show how providers around the country set each kind of rate.
Rate conversion questions
How do I turn a weekly rate into a monthly rate?
Multiply the weekly rate by 52, then divide by 12. A $250 weekly rate is $13,000 a year, which is $1,083.33 a month. Multiplying a weekly rate by 4 understates it — there are about 4.33 weeks in a month.
Why does the hourly figure look so low?
Because home daycare days are long. $250 a week over five 10-hour days is $5.00 an hour — while covering food, supplies, insurance and your home. This is exactly why cost-based pricing matters; our Tuition Rate Calculator builds your rate up from your real costs.
Should I charge by the hour instead of the week?
Most full-time home providers charge by the week or month, because their costs (and their licensed spot) are committed whether or not a child attends. Hourly pricing fits drop-in or part-time care better. Whatever you choose, write the unit and the rules in your contract.
Disclaimer: This calculator gives planning estimates based on the figures you enter. It is not tax, legal or financial advice. Confirm important numbers with the official source or a qualified professional.