How much does preschool cost in Raleigh? A 2026 guide
Full-time childcare in Raleigh runs $850–$1,200/month; church-run half-day programs run $140–$300/month. Here's what drives the price—with real published rates.
In Raleigh, full-time childcare commonly runs $850–$1,200 a month, while church-run half-day and morning programs typically run $140–$300 a month depending on how many days a week you enroll, usually plus a registration fee of roughly $100–$175. At Victory Academy, every rate is published—starting at $217 a month for two mornings a week.
Those are the real numbers. Here's what sits behind them.
What drives the cost of preschool?
Three things set the price more than anything else: hours per week, your child's age, and how many days you enroll.
- Hours per week. A 7AM–6PM full-day center is selling you roughly nine hours of care a day; a morning program like ours sells three (9AM–12PM). That difference—not quality—is most of the gap between $1,000 a month and $200.
- Your child's age. Infant care costs more everywhere, because babies need more adults in the room. Expect infant rates at the top of any program's range and pre-K rates at the bottom.
- Days per week. Most part-time programs price by schedule—two, three, or five days—and discount the fuller schedules. At Victory Academy that's 2 mornings (Tuesday/Thursday), 3 mornings (Monday/Wednesday/Friday), or all 5, with 5% off for siblings.
How does half-day compare to full-day on price?
A half-day schedule costs a fraction of full-day because you only pay for the mornings you use. Full-time care at $850–$1,200 a month works out to roughly $40–$55 per weekday; a morning program in the $140–$300 range works out to roughly $15–$35 per morning. If you don't need nine hours of coverage—you work part-time, work from home, or are home with your children—full-day means paying for hours you never use. We wrote up how to choose between the two in detail.
What does a registration fee cover?
Registration fees—typically $100–$175 in the Raleigh area—hold your child's spot and cover the start-up costs of enrollment: paperwork, classroom supplies, and materials for the year. They're normal; just make sure you know the number before you fall in love with a program. At Victory Academy, the one-time registration fee equals one month of care, and it's listed with everything else on the tuition page.
Why don't most preschools publish their prices?
Most preschools make you tour, call, or fill out a form before they'll tell you a number—usually because rates vary by age and schedule, and partly because a phone call is a sales opportunity. We think that's backwards. Price is the first question most parents have, and you shouldn't have to book a visit to answer it. That's why every Victory Academy rate, for every age and every schedule, is public on our tuition page.
Are there free preschool options in Raleigh?
Yes, for eligible families. NC Pre-K provides free pre-kindergarten for income-eligible 4-year-olds, and Head Start serves eligible families with young children. Both are worthwhile programs serving real needs—and they're a different product than a paid part-time program. If you want a choose-your-days morning schedule, care starting at six weeks, or a faith-based classroom, that's what programs like ours provide.
One more note on funding: Victory Academy is privately run and doesn't participate in North Carolina's child care subsidy or voucher programs. Families using a voucher will need a participating full-day center.
How do I compare programs on cost honestly?
Do the per-morning math. Take the monthly rate, divide by the number of mornings in a month, and compare programs on the same footing—a cheap-sounding monthly rate for two days can cost more per morning than a fuller schedule. Then add the registration fee, ask what happens to rates as your child moves up an age group, and ask about sibling discounts if you have more than one little one. Our FAQ covers the questions we hear most.
See the actual numbers
Every Victory Academy rate—by age, by schedule—is on our tuition page. We're a ministry of Victory Church, a non-denominational church at 2821 S. Wilmington St. in Raleigh, serving children six weeks through four years, weekday mornings 9AM–12PM. If the numbers work, come see a morning in person—tours are free, take about twenty minutes, and there's no commitment.