Memphis's daycare market runs cheaper than most peer Southeast metros but the bench is uneven across the metro. The strongest options cluster in East Memphis, Germantown, and Collierville, with a deep network of church-affiliated preschools in the Midtown / Cooper-Young corridor and growing chain coverage across Cordova and Bartlett. The TN STARS quality rating system pairs with a meaningful state subsidy, anchored by Tennessee's Voluntary Pre-K program, which delivers a free school-year preschool seat to income-eligible 4 year olds through Shelby County Schools and partner providers. The infant and toddler picture is tighter than the 4 year old picture: tuition has climbed steadily across the most-requested Tennessee neighborhoods, and infant rooms in East Memphis, Germantown, and Collierville regularly run 6 to 10 month waitlists.
This roundup is editorial. We have not been paid by any of the centers listed below. The picks are organized by region of metro Memphis and grouped by what each program does best, with cost ranges, waitlist signals, and the questions that separate a strong Memphis infant or toddler program from a glossy disappointment. For the full city overview, including subsidy eligibility and the Tennessee Child Care Certificate Program, see our Memphis daycare guide.
In this guide
DaycareSquare's editorial team evaluates Memphis programs against a consistent rubric. We read public inspection reports, cross-reference licensing histories, talk with operators, and listen to current families. A center earns a spot on our list when it meets most of the following.
For the broader framework we use anywhere in the country, see our how to evaluate daycare safety guide and our printable comparison checklist.
Memphis is a mid-cost daycare market by national standards but spans a wide range. East Memphis, Germantown, and Collierville run meaningfully higher than South Memphis and Frayser.
| Setting and age | Monthly range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Infant, in-town Memphis center | $1,050 to $1,500 | East Memphis, Germantown, and Collierville at the top |
| Infant, suburban Memphis-area center | $800 to $1,200 | South Memphis, Frayser, and Whitehaven lower |
| Toddler, Memphis-area group center | $850 to $1,300 | Drops as ratios loosen |
| Preschool 3s, Memphis-area group center | $750 to $1,150 | Before Pre-K kicks in at age 4 |
| 4 year old, public Pre-K + wraparound | $500 to $900 | Public Pre-K school-year hours are free or sliding-scale; you pay wraparound |
| Family child care home, citywide | $550 to $950 | Often the strongest infant pricing |
These ranges reflect US Department of Labor National Database of Childcare Prices (2023 release) data combined with state and local rate surveys and operator submissions to DaycareSquare. For comparison across all 50 states, see daycare cost by state, and for the citywide picture, see Memphis daycare cost.
East Memphis anchors the deepest independent and church-affiliated preschool bench in metro Memphis. Walkable, long-tenured programs at the upper-middle of the metro tuition range.
Midtown's daycare options are concentrated in church-affiliated preschools and a handful of independent programs. Strong community feel and moderate tuition.
The eastern suburbs anchor the deepest chain and independent preschool bench in metro Memphis. Strong public schools, newer construction, and tuition at the upper-middle of the metro range.
The northeast suburbs have growing chain coverage tied to master-planned community growth. Moderate tuition and steady demand.
South Memphis and Frayser have a deeper licensed family child care home network and meaningfully lower tuition than the eastern suburbs. Several long-running Head Start sites anchor the community.
Ten programs we would tour first across metro Memphis. The list spans independents, church-affiliated programs, national franchises, nonprofit providers, and public Pre-K. The right choice depends on age, schedule, and budget.
PDS is one of the longest-running independent boys' lower schools in the South, with a co-ed early-childhood program.
Hutchison is Memphis's longest-running all-girls independent school, with a co-ed early-childhood program; consistently oversubscribed.
MUS does not run a Pre-K but its feeder lower schools, including PDS and Lausanne, anchor the East Memphis independent bench.
Lausanne is the metro's longest-running co-ed independent school, with a strong international-focused early-childhood program.
St. Mary's anchors the all-girls church-affiliated independent track in East Memphis.
Strong Collierville franchise serving the eastern suburbs. Consistent curriculum and upper-middle Memphis tuition.
Established Germantown franchise serving the deepest chain corridor in metro Memphis.
Employer-sponsored center serving St. Jude team members. Eligibility limited to St. Jude employees; check with HR.
Porter-Leath is one of the longest-running nonprofit early childhood providers in Tennessee, with multiple Memphis locations, a sliding-scale tuition program, and a strong Head Start partnership.
Free Tennessee Voluntary Pre-K delivered at participating Shelby County Schools elementary campuses for income-eligible 4 year olds.
National chains have a deep footprint in metro Memphis, particularly in the master-planned and growth corridors.
Tennessee's Child Care Certificate Program is an income-tested voucher administered through the Department of Human Services and tied to a work, education, or training requirement. Vouchers are accepted at most Shelby County licensed centers and family child care homes. Reimbursement rates are tiered to TN STARS quality ratings. Separately, Tennessee's Voluntary Pre-K (VPK) program funds free school-year Pre-K seats for income-eligible 4 year olds at Shelby County Schools campuses and partner providers.
Tennessee raised Child Care Certificate reimbursement rates for the 2024-2025 fiscal year, with the largest increases at 2-star and 3-star TN STARS programs. Continued growth in Collierville and northern Mississippi has tightened chain-school enrollment across the eastern metro.
Memphis families have three real categories to choose between, and the right choice depends on age, schedule, and budget. The categories are not better or worse on average; they are different in predictable ways.
Independent and church-affiliated programs are strongest in the historic in-town neighborhoods and inner-ring suburbs. Strongest fit for families who want a teaching philosophy with depth and continuity.
National chains (Primrose, Goddard, KinderCare, The Learning Experience) have the deepest footprint in Memphis's master-planned and growth corridors. Strongest fit for families in these neighborhoods where independent options are thinner.
Licensed family child care homes are deeply embedded in Memphis's residential neighborhoods. Tuition runs meaningfully below center care and the ratios are usually tighter. Strongest fit for infants and young toddlers. See our center vs home daycare guide for what to expect.
A useful Memphis tour spans more than the front lobby. The director will hand you a folder; the room and the lead teachers will tell you most of what you need to know. We recommend asking a consistent set of questions at every center so you are comparing answers, not impressions.
For more on what makes a strong tour, see our daycare tour questions guide and daycare red flags roundup.
Many Memphis-area working families live in Germantown, Collierville, Bartlett, and Arlington for the public schools and deeper independent and chain bench. DeSoto County, Mississippi (Olive Branch, Southaven, Hernando) has a strong family child care home network at lower tuition. Crittenden County, Arkansas (West Memphis, Marion) has the metro's lowest tuition. For a wider state view, see our Tennessee state daycare guide.
Infant care in Memphis ranges from $800 to $1,200 per month in suburban centers to $1,050 to $1,500 per month at premium in-town and high-cost neighborhood programs. Toddler tuition runs $850 to $1,300 and 3 year old preschool runs $750 to $1,150. See the full cost table above for additional age bands.
Tennessee's TN STARS is the state's three-star quality rating system; 2-star or 3-star is a meaningful signal, and NAEYC accreditation pairs with 3-star. Higher-rated programs typically receive higher state subsidy reimbursement and are required to meet stronger curriculum, ratio, and staffing standards.
Most strong Memphis centers fill their infant rooms 6 to 10 months in advance. We recommend applying during the second trimester at the latest, and earlier for the most-requested independent and church-affiliated programs. See our when to start a daycare waitlist guide for the citywide timeline.
Tennessee's primary child care subsidy is the Tennessee Child Care Certificate Program. Eligibility is typically income-tested and tied to a work, education, or training requirement. See the subsidies section above for the full list of programs.
Yes. Memphis daycares are licensed and inspected by the Tennessee Department of Human Services (DHS) Child Care Services. Inspection reports are public and we recommend reading the most recent report for any center you tour. Our how to evaluate daycare safety guide walks through what to look for.
The best daycare in Memphis for your family is rarely the most famous one. It is the one where the ratio is real, the lead teacher has been in the room for several years, the commute fits the rest of your week, and the director answers your tour questions without dodging. Tour at least three; plan your Pre-K pathway once your child turns 3; ask the questions in our comparison checklist; and remember that Memphis's church-preschool and independent networks are genuinely strong options that many newcomers overlook.
For more on the broader cost picture, our pillar guide on Memphis daycare is the place to start, with the cost subpage at Memphis daycare cost. For city-by-city comparisons, see our roundups for Nashville, Atlanta, and New Orleans.
One honest caveat. No editorial roundup can substitute for a tour. DaycareSquare lists every licensed program; this article highlights well-known and consistently strong operators across the Memphis metro, but the specific room, the specific lead teacher, and the specific time of year matter more than the brand on the door.
Costs, neighborhoods, subsidies, and the full daycare picture across the metro.
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