Best Daycares in Santa Maria, CA — Independent Quality Ratings
Of Santa Maria's 29 daycares, 29 (100%) hold a 4 or 5 star rating from Childery, above California's statewide rate of 93%. Locally, providers average 5.0 stars on Process inputs (state QRIS, NAEYC and other accreditation, federal Head Start CLASS scores) and 4.6 stars on Structural inputs (state regulatory baseline plus provider-level licensing data), compared with California averages of 4.9 on Process and 4.4 on Structural.
The local market includes 28 centers.
Listed alphabetically below are some of the highest-rated providers in Santa Maria. Childery ranks providers using publicly auditable inputs: state QRIS scores, NAEYC-aligned ratios and group sizes, and federal CCDBG training coverage. See the California methodology page for the full breakdown.
Rating Distribution in Santa Maria
Mean rating across all displayed daycares in Santa Maria: 4.6 (Sample of 29).
Process rating across all displayed daycares in Santa Maria: 5.0 (Sample of 1).
Structural rating across all displayed daycares in Santa Maria: 4.6 (Sample of 29).
Search daycares in Santa Maria
Browse by ZIP
Some of the Best Daycares in Santa Maria
Other cities in California
Frequently Asked Questions
- How many licensed daycares are in Santa Maria?
- There are 29 licensed child care providers in Santa Maria.
- What percentage of Santa Maria daycares have high quality ratings?
- 100% of Santa Maria daycares hold 4 or 5 stars on Childery's composite rating, compared to 93% statewide in California.
- What types of childcare are available in Santa Maria?
- 28 center-based providers operate in Santa Maria.
- How do Santa Maria daycares score on teaching quality compared to the rest of California?
- Santa Maria daycares average 5.0 out of 5 stars on Childery's Process score (teaching quality, QRIS ratings, and accreditations), compared to a California statewide average of 4.9.
- Is there financial help for childcare in California?
- California offers childcare subsidies and assistance programs for income-eligible families. See income limits, waitlist status, and how to apply.Childcare subsidies in California
All 29 Daycares in Santa Maria
- Cac - Adam Center
- Cac - Alvin Center
- Cac - Alvin Infant and Toddler Center
- Cac - J. C. Washington Center
- Cac - Little Village Center
- Cac - Little Village Infant Center
- Cac - Los Adobes Center
- Cac - Los Padres Center
- Cac - Meridan Center
- Cac - Sierra Madre Center
- Cac - Westgate Center
- Capslo - Pasitos Migrant and Seasonal Head Start
- Central Coast Children's Center
- Central Coast Children's Center
- Central Coast Children's Center
- Children's Resource and Referral Wings Preschool
- Columbia Children's Center, Inc.
- Creative Beginnings Ii