Economic Snapshot
Child care is out of reach for working families earning the minimum wage: Annual child-care costs as a share of full-time, full-year minimum-wage earnings, by state
| State | Minimum wage | Full-time minimum wage salary | Annual infant care cost | Hours a minimum-wage earner must work to pay for infant care | Share of minimum wage salary needed to pay for infant care | Month until which a minimum-wage earner must work each year to pay for infant care | Annual 4-year-old care cost | Hours a minimum-wage earner must work to pay for 4-year-old care | Share of minimum wage salary needed to pay for 4-year-old care | Month until which a minimum-wage earner must work each year to pay for 4-year-old care |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $7.25 | $15,080 | $5,664 | 781 | 37.6% | May | $5,993 | 827 | 39.7% | May |
| Alaska | $8.75 | $18,200 | $10,497 | 1200 | 57.7% | July | $8,458 | 967 | 46.5% | June |
| Arizona | $8.05 | $16,744 | $9,359 | 1163 | 55.9% | July | $7,489 | 930 | 44.7% | June |
| Arkansas | $7.50 | $15,600 | $6,058 | 808 | 38.8% | May | $5,048 | 673 | 32.4% | April |
| California | $9.00 | $18,720 | $11,873 | 1319 | 63.4% | August | $8,270 | 919 | 44.2% | June |
| Colorado | $8.23 | $17,118 | $13,420 | 1631 | 78.4% | October | $10,079 | 1225 | 58.9% | August |
| Connecticut | $9.15 | $19,032 | $13,520 | 1478 | 71.0% | September | $11,238 | 1228 | 59.0% | August |
| Delaware | $8.25 | $17,160 | $9,249 | 1121 | 53.9% | July | $7,360 | 892 | 42.9% | May |
| Washington D.C. | $10.50 | $21,840 | $22,411 | 2134 | 102.6% | January of following year | $17,669 | 1683 | 80.9% | October |
| Florida | $8.05 | $16,744 | $8,553 | 1062 | 51.1% | July | $6,787 | 843 | 40.5% | May |
| Georgia | $7.25 | $15,080 | $7,173 | 989 | 47.6% | June | $6,072 | 838 | 40.3% | May |
| Hawaii | $7.75 | $16,120 | $11,996 | 1548 | 74.4% | September | $9,003 | 1162 | 55.8% | July |
| Idaho | $7.25 | $15,080 | $6,620 | 913 | 43.9% | June | $6,514 | 899 | 43.2% | May |
| Illinois | $8.25 | $17,160 | $12,833 | 1556 | 74.8% | September | $9,496 | 1151 | 55.3% | July |
| Indiana | $7.25 | $15,080 | $8,456 | 1166 | 56.1% | July | $6,584 | 908 | 43.7% | June |
| Iowa | $7.25 | $15,080 | $9,379 | 1294 | 62.2% | August | $8,071 | 1113 | 53.5% | July |
| Kansas | $7.25 | $15,080 | $11,014 | 1519 | 73.0% | September | $7,776 | 1072 | 51.6% | July |
| Kentucky | $7.25 | $15,080 | $6,325 | 872 | 41.9% | May | $6,097 | 841 | 40.4% | May |
| Louisiana | $7.25 | $15,080 | $5,774 | 796 | 38.3% | May | $4,985 | 688 | 33.1% | April |
| Maine | $7.50 | $15,600 | $9,557 | 1274 | 61.3% | August | $8,495 | 1133 | 54.5% | July |
| Maryland | $8.25 | $17,160 | $14,190 | 1720 | 82.7% | October | $9,690 | 1175 | 56.5% | July |
| Massachusetts | $9.00 | $18,720 | $16,898 | 1878 | 90.3% | November | $12,580 | 1398 | 67.2% | August |
| Michigan | $8.15 | $16,952 | $9,929 | 1218 | 58.6% | July | $8,124 | 997 | 47.9% | June |
| Minnesota | $9.00 | $18,720 | $14,288 | 1588 | 76.3% | September | $11,040 | 1227 | 59.0% | August |
| Mississippi | $7.25 | $15,080 | $5,612 | 774 | 37.2% | May | $4,901 | 676 | 32.5% | April |
| Missouri | $7.65 | $15,912 | $8,920 | 1166 | 56.1% | July | $6,202 | 811 | 39.0% | May |
| Montana | $8.05 | $16,744 | $9,045 | 1124 | 54.0% | July | $7,970 | 990 | 47.6% | June |
| Nebraska | $8.00 | $16,640 | $9,292 | 1161 | 55.8% | July | $7,964 | 996 | 47.9% | June |
| Nevada | $8.25 | $17,160 | $10,308 | 1249 | 60.1% | August | $8,381 | 1016 | 48.8% | June |
| New Hampshire | $7.25 | $15,080 | $12,152 | 1676 | 80.6% | October | $9,826 | 1355 | 65.2% | August |
| New Jersey | $8.38 | $17,430 | $11,777 | 1405 | 67.6% | August | $9,747 | 1163 | 55.9% | July |
| New Mexico | $7.50 | $15,600 | $7,682 | 1024 | 49.2% | June | $7,013 | 935 | 45.0% | June |
| New York | $8.75 | $18,200 | $14,814 | 1693 | 81.4% | October | $12,539 | 1433 | 68.9% | September |
| North Carolina | $7.25 | $15,080 | $9,299 | 1283 | 61.7% | August | $7,628 | 1052 | 50.6% | June |
| North Dakota | $7.25 | $15,080 | $8,037 | 1109 | 53.3% | July | $7,298 | 1007 | 48.4% | June |
| Ohio | $8.10 | $16,848 | $7,935 | 980 | 47.1% | June | $6,624 | 818 | 39.3% | May |
| Oklahoma | $7.25 | $15,080 | $7,904 | 1090 | 52.4% | July | $5,882 | 811 | 39.0% | May |
| Oregon | $9.25 | $19,240 | $11,312 | 1223 | 58.8% | July | $8,797 | 951 | 45.7% | June |
| Pennsylvania | $7.25 | $15,080 | $10,691 | 1475 | 70.9% | September | $8,911 | 1229 | 59.1% | August |
| Rhode Island | $9.00 | $18,720 | $12,929 | 1437 | 69.1% | September | $10,619 | 1180 | 56.7% | July |
| South Carolina | $7.25 | $15,080 | $6,506 | 897 | 43.1% | May | $5,499 | 758 | 36.5% | May |
| South Dakota | $8.50 | $17,680 | $5,688 | 669 | 32.2% | April | $5,431 | 639 | 30.7% | April |
| Tennessee | $7.25 | $15,080 | $5,980 | 825 | 39.7% | May | $4,610 | 636 | 30.6% | April |
| Texas | $7.25 | $15,080 | $8,801 | 1214 | 58.4% | July | $6,783 | 936 | 45.0% | June |
| Utah | $7.25 | $15,080 | $8,222 | 1134 | 54.5% | July | $6,237 | 860 | 41.4% | May |
| Vermont | $9.15 | $19,032 | $10,316 | 1127 | 54.2% | July | $10,280 | 1124 | 54.0% | July |
| Virginia | $7.25 | $15,080 | $10,239 | 1412 | 67.9% | August | $7,858 | 1084 | 52.1% | July |
| Washington | $9.47 | $19,698 | $12,592 | 1330 | 63.9% | August | $9,502 | 1003 | 48.2% | June |
| West Virginia | $8.00 | $16,640 | $7,964 | 996 | 47.9% | June | $6,902 | 863 | 41.5% | May |
| Wisconsin | $7.25 | $15,080 | $11,581 | 1597 | 76.8% | September | $9,498 | 1310 | 63.0% | August |
| Wyoming | $7.25 | $15,080 | $9,428 | 1300 | 62.5% | August | $8,081 | 1115 | 53.6% | July |
Note: Earnings are calculated using state minimum wages and assuming the parent works 40 hours per week, 52 weeks per year. * State minimum wages as of September 1, 2015.
Source: EPI analysis of EPI Family Budget Calculator (Gould, Cooke, and Kimball 2015) and Minimum Wage Tracker (EPI 2015)
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