(Washington, D-C/ Iowa Capital Dispatch) – The cost of child care now exceeds the price of college tuition in 38 states and the District of Columbia, according to a new analysis conducted by the Economic Policy Institute. The left-leaning think tank, based in Washington, D.C., used 2023 federal and nonprofit data to compare the monthly cost of infant child care to that of tuition at public colleges.

The tally increased five states since the pandemic began. EPI’s last analysis relied on 2020 data, which showed child care costs outstripped college costs in 33 states and Washington, D.C., said EPI spokesperson Nick Kauzlarich. Child care in  Iowa comes close, but does not exceed the cost for in-state tuition at a four-year public university, according to the report.

The organization released a state-by-state guide showing the escalating cost of child care. Average costs range from $521 per month in Mississippi to as much as $1,893 per month in Washington, D.C., for households with one 4-year-old child, EPI found. The analysis also found child care costs have exceeded rent prices in 17 states and the District of Columbia.

EPI leaders said child care is unaffordable for working families across the country, but especially for low-wage workers, including those who provide child care.