Daycares in Santa Maria, California
Data Freshness & Provenance
Inspection coverage
256 of 286 tracked providers have inspection history
Active providers
261 providers appear active in this market
Last refreshed
April 3, 2026
Latest inspection
March 5, 2026
Provenance
California licensing records, inspections, and DaycareCheck scoring
City Snapshot
Santa Maria currently has 286 tracked providers. 256 have inspection history, 261 appear active, and 84% of the market holds an A or B grade. The latest inspection in the dataset is March 5, 2026.
Updated April 3, 2026 from California licensing records, inspections, and DaycareCheck scoring.
BAUTISTA FAMILY CHILD CARE AKA LITTLE WONDERS
SANTA MARIA, CA 93458
AYALA FAMILY CHILD CARE
SANTA MARIA, CA 93454
MOTA GARCIA FCC AKA ESTRELLAS FOGAZ CHILD CARE
SANTA MARIA, CA 93458
CAC - LITTLE VILLAGE CENTER
219 W. CHAPEL
PENA FCC AKA JAVI AND ALI FAMILY CHILD CARE
SANTA MARIA, CA 93458
ALONSO FAMILY CHILD CARE
SANTA MARIA, CA 93458
CAC - LOS PADRES CENTER
530 E. ENOS DR.
ESPARZA FCC AKA JUST FOR KIDS
SANTA MARIA, CA 93458
HOUSER FCC AKA LITTLE LIZZY'S DAYCARE
SANTA MARIA, CA 93454
LESVENAN FCC AKA CADENCE FOR KIDS
SANTA MARIA, CA 93455
CAC - WESTGATE CENTER
1240 W. BETHEL LN. #1A
RUBALCAVA FAMILY CHILD CARE
SANTA MARIA, CA 93454
PENK FCC AKA LITTLE SHINING STARS
SANTA MARIA, CA 93455
ADAMS FAMILY CHILD CARE
SANTA MARIA, CA 93454
PONCE FAMILY CHILD CARE
SANTA MARIA, CA 93454
DEJESUS DEONILDE FCC AKA CUIDADO DE MIS CORAZONES
SANTA MARIA, CA 93458
RAMOS FCC AKA LITTLE SPONGES DAYCARE
SANTA MARIA, CA 93454
FERNANDEZ FAMILY CHILD CARE HOME
SANTA MARIA, CA 93454
LOPEZ FAMILY CHILD CARE
SANTA MARIA, CA 93458
BEAS FCC AKA LITTLE BEE'S PRESCHOOL
SANTA MARIA, CA 93455
Home Daycares in Santa Maria
Browse 236 home-based providers.
Childcare Cost Calculator
Compare costs in your area by age group and care type.
How to Choose a Safe Daycare
A parent's guide to evaluating childcare.
What the daycare market looks like in Santa Maria
Santa Maria currently has 286 daycares in our directory. 84% of the market earns an A or B safety grade. Use this page to compare inspection history, provider mix, and local cost context before you start touring.
84%
A or B safety grades
50
Center-based providers
7
Accredited or Head Start providers
$4/mo
Infant center cost in SANTA BARBARA
Market Notes
The current top-scoring provider in this city is CAC - LITTLE VILLAGE CENTER with a A grade and a 100.0 score.
Common provider types in Santa Maria include FAMILY DAY CARE HOME, DAY CARE CENTER, INFANT CENTER.
The average provider in this market has 1.5 recorded violations, while 174 providers currently show none in the data we track.
Local cost and care context
SANTA BARBARA accounts for the largest share of providers we track in Santa Maria, so its pricing is the best local benchmark on this page.
Infant Center
$4/mo
Preschool Center
$4/mo
Toddler Home Daycare
$4/mo
California regulation snapshot
Inspection frequency
At least once every five years for centers with a clean compliance record. Random and unannounced visits occur throughout the licensing period. Complaint-driven inspections happen at any time.
Background checks
All staff, volunteers, and household members age 18 and older must clear a criminal background check through the California Department of Justice and the FBI. This includes fingerprint-based Live Scan checks. Subsequent arrest notifications are monitored continuously.
Parent rights
Parents have the right to visit their child's facility unannounced during operating hours. Licensing inspection reports and substantiated complaint records are public and available through the CCLD website.
How to use this page
Safety grades are derived from official state inspection records, not reviews or sponsored placement.
Repeated and severe violations weigh more heavily than isolated paperwork issues.
Filters are best used after you understand the full city baseline on the default ranking view.
Frequently asked questions about daycare in Santa Maria
How does DaycareCheck rank daycares in Santa Maria?
We rank providers in Santa Maria using official state inspection records. Health, safety, staffing, and compliance findings are converted into a composite score, and severe or repeated violations hurt more than isolated minor issues.
What should parents compare first when choosing daycare in Santa Maria?
239 of the 286 providers in this market currently hold an A or B safety grade, but grade alone is not enough. Start with higher-scoring providers, then compare the full inspection timeline, repeated violations, staffing patterns, and whether the program type actually fits your child and schedule.
Are there home daycare or Head Start options in Santa Maria?
Santa Maria currently shows 236 home-based providers and 7 Head Start sites in the directory. California rules still apply: At least once every five years for centers with a clean compliance record. Random and unannounced visits occur throughout the licensing period. Complaint-driven inspections happen at any time.