Affordability – Childcare
Support that our family at Stanford provides
On- or off-site assistance:
1. Childcare Assistance Grant Program: up to $5k per year
2. Family Grant Program: up to $10k per year
On-site assistance:
3. Tuition Assistance Program (TAP): tiered income-based tuition reduction
4. Tuition Reduction Program (TRP): 5% reduction for all postdoc families
Programs 1-3 require an income threshold of <$150k to qualify.
Additional support is needed for childcare
We computed different scenarios*:
Scenario #1: Postdoc w/ one child (<24 months), $71,650 income (minimum starting salary)
- Monthly take home salary: $4,270 (single), $4,658 (married)
- Least expensive Stanford childcare center: $2,770 per month
- Final cost after Stanford assistance:
- = 2,770 – 416.67 (Grant) – 454 (TAP) – 138.5 (TRP) = $1,760.83
- Total income % spent on childcare: 41.24% (single), 37.8% (married)
- Remaining income: $2,509.17 (single), $2,897.17 (married)
Scenario #2: Postdoc w/ one child (<24 months), $71,650 + partner = $150k
- Monthly take home salary: $8,134 (single), $8,872 (married)
- Least expensive Stanford childcare center: $2,770 per month
- Final cost after Stanford assistance = 2,770 – 138.5 (TRP) = $2,631.50
- Total income % spent on childcare: 32.35% (single), 29.66% (married)
- Remaining income: $5,502.5 (single), $6,240.5 (married)
What if the family has more than one child?
*Take home salary calculator (SmartAsset), U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Are childcare costs off campus less expensive?*
Average cost of childcare at a licensed Child Care Center:
- Infant: $26,450 per year (Monthly: $2204.16)
- Preschool: $21,900 per year (Monthly: $1825)
Average cost of in-home childcare:
- One child: $41,280 per year (Monthly: $3440)
- With the Stanford Child Care Grant of $416.67 a month, off-site childcare costs are expected to range from $1408.33 (preschool) or $1787.49 (infant).
- Recall that in Scenario #1, on-site childcare was $1760.83 for an infant.
*2022 Research Study by the Joint Venture Silicon Valley Institute for Regional Studies for Santa Clara County, CA
Recommendations to support postdocs with children
1. Increase income thresholds for all programs that support postdoc childcare: 
*Child Care Subsidy Grant Program, Faculty Child Care Assistance Program
- Childcare Assistance Grant Program
- Family Grant Program
- Tuition Assistance Program (Add Tier 4)
2. Increase Tuition Reduction Program from 5% to 10%
3. Increase the Family Grant Program from $10k to $15k
