Sending a child to a Tennessee public university costs less than paying for infant daycare, according to the latest State of the Child report.
The eye-opening reality highlights the financial strain facing families across the state.
The report reveals that center-based infant care now costs more than in-state tuition at any of Tennessee’s public universities. The average daycare cost is $13,926, while in-state tuition ranges from $8,616 at Tennessee State University to $13,812 at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville.
“What the report uncovers is not new for any family in Tennessee or, honestly, any childcare provider,” said Melanie Shinbaum from the Nashville Early Education Coalition (NEEC)…