The Market Rate Survey was undertaken to determine the prices that licensed, registered, and permitted child care providers charge parents for child care throughout New York State. The data was then used as the basis for establishing market-related payment rates for the New York State Child Care Block Grant (NYSCCBG) assistance program for low-income families (commonly referred to as “the market rates”). Section 410-x(4) of the Social Services Law provides that the amount of payments for child care services under the NYSCCBG must be the “actual cost of care” up to the applicable market related payment rate. Title 18 of the Official Compilation of Codes, Rules, and Regulations of the State of New York (NYCRR) Section 415.1(m) defines “actual cost of care” as “the rate usually charged by the child care provider for non-subsidized child care services.” It should be noted that the rates reported by child care providers on the Market Rate Survey are the prices that parents are charged for care (i.e., the cost to the parent), not the cost to the program to provide such care. (author abstract)