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Best Daycares in Costa Mesa

Top 20 licensed childcare facilities ranked by compliance record, parent reviews, and capacity.

57 licensed facilities
0 top rated
100% clean record

Typical tuition

Average monthly cost in Orange County

2022 median
$1,705
/ month
infant
$1,220
/ month
toddler
$1,099
/ month
preschool

Median cost at licensed child care centers. Licensed family child care homes typically cost 20-30% less (infant care around $795/month).

Costa Mesa offers a solid selection of licensed providers with 57 licensed facilities, including 10 Child Care Centers and 4 Family Child Care Homes. We ranked the top 20 based on their official compliance record and parent reviews to help you find the best fit for your family.

The daycare landscape in Costa Mesa, Orange County is strong — 100% of the top-ranked facilities have a clean inspection record with no citations. Our top pick, Back Bay Montessori, holds an Excellent facility score.

When it comes to cost, licensed child care centers in Costa Mesa, Orange County charge a median of $1,634 per month for infant care and $1,136 for preschool. These are county-level estimates — individual facilities may vary. Family child care homes are typically more affordable, with infant care averaging around $1,276 per month.

Each facility listed below links to a detailed profile page where you can review inspection history, complaint records, capacity, and contact information. We update our rankings regularly as new licensing data becomes available.

Top 20 Daycares in Costa Mesa

1

Back Bay Montessori

Excellent

Child Care Center · Costa Mesa

Capacity: 67
2

Catalyst Kids-lindbergh

Excellent

Child Care - Infant Center · Costa Mesa

Capacity: 24
3

Catalyst Kids-woodland Primary

Excellent

Child Care Center · Costa Mesa

Capacity: 20
4

Catalyst Kids-woodland Primary

Excellent

School Age Child Care Center · Costa Mesa

Capacity: 70
5

Cathy Liebel

Excellent

Family Child Care Home · Costa Mesa

Capacity: 14
6

Central Orange Coast Ymca - Davis

Excellent

School Age Child Care Center · Costa Mesa

Capacity: 75
7

Childs-pace

Excellent

School Age Child Care Center · Costa Mesa

Capacity: 35
8

Childs-pace Foundation Inc., the

Excellent

Child Care Center · Costa Mesa

Capacity: 19
9

Coastal Children's Learning Center

Excellent

Child Care Center · Costa Mesa

Capacity: 39
10

Deborah Ann Kadrie

Excellent

Family Child Care Home · Costa Mesa

Capacity: 14
11

Frontiers Academy

Excellent

Child Care Center · Costa Mesa

Capacity: 50
12

Harry & Grace Steele Childrens Ctr-orange Coast Co

Excellent

Child Care - Infant Center · Costa Mesa

Capacity: 42
13

Heritage Montessori School

Excellent

Child Care Center · Costa Mesa

Capacity: 90
14

Int'l Christian Montessori Academy of Costa Mesa

Excellent

Child Care Center · Costa Mesa

Capacity: 41
15

Int'l Christian Montessori Academy of Newport

Excellent

Child Care Center · Costa Mesa

Capacity: 76
16

Irma Fisher

Excellent

Family Child Care Home · Costa Mesa

Capacity: 14
17

Isabel Augustine

Excellent

Family Child Care Home · Costa Mesa

Capacity: 14
18

Kiddie Academy of Costa Mesa

Excellent

Child Care - Infant Center · Costa Mesa

Capacity: 19
19

Kids Kastle Preschool

Excellent

Child Care Center · Costa Mesa

Capacity: 60
20

Lil' Lighthouse Preschool

Excellent

Child Care Center · Costa Mesa

Capacity: 75
View all 57 facilities in Costa Mesa

Frequently Asked Questions

How many licensed daycares are in Costa Mesa?
There are 57 licensed daycare facilities in Costa Mesa, California, including family child care homes and child care centers.
What types of daycare are available in Costa Mesa?
Costa Mesa has 10 Child Care Center, 3 Child Care - Infant Center, 3 School Age Child Care Center, 4 Family Child Care Home. Use the search filters to narrow by type.
How are daycares in Costa Mesa rated?
Each facility is rated based on state inspection data, including Type A and Type B citations. 100% of facilities in Costa Mesa have no citations on record.
How much does daycare cost in Costa Mesa?
Based on typical county pricing data, licensed child care centers in Costa Mesa charge approximately $1,634/month for infants, $1,196/month for toddlers, and $1,136/month for preschool-age children. Licensed family child care homes are typically 20–30% less, with infant care around $1,276/month. Exact pricing varies by facility.

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