Harrisburg, Pa., March 11, 2026 — Pennsylvania is one of the most overregulated states for childcare. And despite more than $50 million in additional state funding since 2023, too many families continue to find childcare unaffordable, according to new analysis from the Commonwealth Foundation.
The report finds:
- Pennsylvania is the third-most regulated state for childcare, according to the Archbridge Institute’s “2026 State Childcare Regulations Index.”
- Pennsylvania is in the middle of the pack for the least affordable center-based childcare across several age groups: 27th for infants, 22nd for toddlers, and 26th for four-year-olds.
- However, for school-age care, the state scores a concerning ninth-most expensive, driven by an unusually low child-to-staff ratio.
- Only three states are more restrictive on group sizes, and only seven have stricter child-to-staff ratios than Pennsylvania.
- Pennsylvania is one of just three states that require day-care teachers or classroom supervisors to complete additional training or education.
Elizabeth Stelle, vice president of policy for the Commonwealth Foundation, issued the following statement in response:
“Childcare in Pennsylvania remains too expensive, and that is no surprise given the commonwealth remains one of the most overregulated states for childcare in the nation.
“When families pay more for childcare than college, the system is broken.
“Pennsylvania families and day-care providers need more freedom to create nurturing environments that are accessible to working families.
“In contrast, onerous red tape—such as post-secondary credentials, restrictive child-to-staff ratios, and maximum group sizes—increases costs and drives parents away from high-quality care settings.
“By targeting the costly and overburdensome regulations that unnecessarily drive up the costs of care, lawmakers can make quality childcare more affordable throughout the commonwealth.”
Read the full report here.
For media inquiries or questions, please contact Giana DePaul at gmd@commonwealthfoundation.org or (215) 859-0384.
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The Commonwealth Foundation transforms free-market ideas into public policies, empowering all Pennsylvanians to thrive.
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