The survey, done every month since 2021, found that the number of child care providers struggling economically is rising.

The data shows child care costs range from 8% to 19% of a median family’s income per child. That’s anywhere from $5,357 to $17,171 per year when adjusted for inflation.

As students head back to school, many parents struggle to pay for child care for preschoolers, or for older children once school is done for the day.

Child care workers typically earned $13.71 an hour, or $28,520 a year, in 2022, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Employment remains lower than it was prior to the pandemic.

Hundreds of child care providers in 27 states and Washington, D.C., went on strike Monday to remind policymakers how essential they are, not only to families but to the nation’s economy.