Study: NC parents spend more per year on daycare than on in-state college tuition

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — North Carolina parents spend more money per year on day care than on their child's in-state college tuition, one study suggests.

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According to a study by the Economic Policy Institute, infant care costs $9,480 a year and in-state tuition for a four-year public college in North Carolina costs about $7,354 -- meaning infant care costs over $2,000 more per year.

Child care for a 4-year-old reportedly costs $8,113, or $676 a month.

The report also looked at how child care fits into a family’s budget.

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, child care is affordable if it costs no more than 7% of a family’s income. The study said infant care takes up about 17.8 percent of a median family's income in North Carolina.

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North Carolina is one of 33 states, along with Washington D.C., where day care is more expensive than college.

Read the full study here.

Cox Media Group