Best Education Franchises 2026: Costs, Profits & Real FDD Data

Quick Summary: This guide covers the 13 education franchises that disclose real franchisee earnings in Item 19 of their FDD — spanning childcare, tutoring, and enrichment. Investment ranges from about $41K for a home-based tutoring territory to roughly $8.9M for a full-scale childcare facility.

• Every brand here makes a Financial Performance Representation — we feature only brands that disclose earnings data, because transparency is the whole point.
• Investment range: $40,975 (Club Z! home-based tutoring) to $8,908,000 (Goddard School purpose-built childcare).
• Royalty fees run from 7% (most childcare and several enrichment brands) to 11% (Sylvan Learning), plus layered and tiered structures at Mathnasium and Club Z!.
• Childcare brands report average gross revenues around $2.2M–$2.5M for mature locations; tutoring and enrichment typically range from roughly $75K to $800K.
• Enrichment and mobile models are the most accessible entry point, with several brands under $110K total investment.

How to Use This Guide

Most education franchise guides list brands, describe their programs, and move on. This one is built on data — and on a deliberate filter. We feature only the education brands that make a Financial Performance Representation in Item 19 of their FDD: the franchisors willing to put real franchisee earnings on the record. Drawing on the most recent Franchise Disclosure Documents filed with the state of Wisconsin (primarily 2026 registration-year filings), this guide reports what franchisees actually earned, not what a brand projects you might.

Thirteen brands clear that bar, across three very different business models: childcare, tutoring, and enrichment. Brands that decline to disclose earnings — however well-known — aren't included here, because without an FPR you have no official basis to estimate what you might make.

Use this guide to understand which brands generate the most revenue, how investment levels and royalty structures vary between childcare, tutoring, and enrichment models, and which type of education franchise fits your capital and lifestyle goals. A few brands present their Item 19 results in detailed quartile or expense tables that are best reviewed in the original document; where that is the case, we describe what the brand discloses and point you to the FDD.

Education Franchise Comparison: 2025/2026 FDD Data

All investment and fee data is drawn directly from the most recent Franchise Disclosure Documents. Item 19 highlights reflect reported gross sales or revenues for the most recent full fiscal year, unless otherwise noted.

† Club Z!'s initial franchise fee scales with protected territory population: $19,750 (100,000), $27,250 (150,000), or $39,750 (250,000). See Item 5 of the FDD.

†† Mathnasium charges 10% of monthly Gross Receipts (minimum $1,500/month), plus a $650/month base royalty. See Item 6 of the FDD. Mathnasium's figures are from its 2025 FDD (fiscal-year 2024); the other brands' figures are from 2026 FDDs.

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What the FDDs Actually Show: Item 19 Deep Dive

The Franchise Disclosure Document's Item 19 is the most important section most franchise buyers never read carefully. It's where a franchisor voluntarily discloses how its existing franchisees have actually performed — and because that disclosure is optional, we built this guide entirely around the brands that choose to make one. Every brand below puts real earnings data on the record. Here's what their numbers show.

Childcare & Early Learning: The High-Investment, High-Revenue Model

Childcare franchises represent the largest investment and the highest revenues in the education space. These are real estate-intensive businesses: you're building or leasing a facility designed to serve hundreds of children, with licensing requirements, staffing ratios, and regulatory oversight that shape every aspect of operations.

Kiddie Academy's 2026 FDD is one of the most detailed in this category. Across 293 mature academies (those operating long enough to reach stabilized enrollment), the average Gross Revenue was $2,193,815 and the median was $2,075,740. The top quarter of 73 academies averaged $3,203,602 in Gross Revenue, with a median of $2,932,736. Labor is the largest cost line — the mature-academy average was $1,019,835, with occupancy at $370,668 and miscellaneous expenses at $268,982 — leaving an average Gross Profit of $534,330 (median $479,211), or roughly a quarter of revenue. If you're weighing childcare, study this expense structure as closely as the revenue: the margin, not the top line, is what funds your debt and your salary.

The Learning Experience's 2026 FDD covers franchise centers by maturity, and the trend is steady: mature franchise centers averaged $2,034,763 across 197 centers in fiscal 2023, $2,163,703 across 232 centers in 2024, and $2,186,393 across 266 centers in 2025 (median $2,168,511). Its company-operated centers ran higher still, averaging $2,710,790 across 17 locations in 2025. The multi-year view is the useful part here — it shows a maturing system holding above $2M per center.

Celebree School's 2026 FDD is one of the most complete profitability disclosures in the category, breaking out full expenses and EBITDAR by operator type. Its 26 mature company-operated schools averaged net revenue of $2,261,682 with EBITDAR of $823,285 — 36.4% of net revenue — while its 18 mature franchised schools averaged $2,190,264 in net revenue with EBITDAR of $673,023 (30.7%). For a buyer, Celebree's disclosure is a rare chance to see operating profitability, not just revenue, before you sign.

Goddard School's 2026 FDD reports the highest average revenue in our childcare set: across 620 mature schools, average Gross Revenue was $2,507,631 (median $2,329,913), with average EBITDAR of $876,198, or 34.9% of revenue. Goddard's EBITDAR framing is genuinely useful in a sector where facility costs vary enormously by market — it lets you compare operating performance before rent.

The investment required to enter childcare is substantial and varies widely by real-estate model. Goddard School ranges from about $1,003,500 for a build-out where the landlord constructs improvements to $8,908,000 if you purchase land and build. Kiddie Academy runs $590,000–$1,010,000 if you lease and $4,935,000–$8,530,000 if you purchase and build. Celebree starts around $1,023,550, and The Learning Experience's turnkey model runs $805,799–$1,563,499. Match the model to your capital and financing plan before you fall in love with the revenue figures.

Tutoring & Test Prep: Lower Investment, Recurring Revenue

Tutoring franchises offer a fundamentally different economic model than childcare. The physical footprint is smaller, staff-to-student ratios are more favorable, and many models allow for home-based or hybrid operations. The tradeoff: revenue per location is typically lower, and student retention requires ongoing marketing effort.

Sylvan Learning's 2026 FDD provides a clear quartile breakdown for fiscal 2025. The top quartile of centers (102 units) averaged $795,074 in gross sales, with the highest individual center reaching $3,497,188. The second quartile averaged $355,018, the third $234,085, and the bottom quartile $120,331. Sylvan's total investment runs $117,600–$288,400, and its 11% royalty is the highest pure percentage in this guide — a structure that rewards strong operators but takes a real bite during ramp-up.

Club Z! operates a home-based tutoring model with the lowest total investment here: $40,975 to $57,425. Its 2026 FDD reports active-student counts rather than dollar revenue, and it segments those counts by how many hours a week the franchisee works, across 319 franchises — so there's no single system-wide median to quote. Among the highest-engagement operators (35+ hours a week), the median was 47 students. Because the disclosure is built around hours worked, model your own expected hours and local tuition rather than relying on a single figure. The initial fee scales with territory population, from $19,750 to $39,750.

Mathnasium's 2025 FDD reports average and median Gross Receipts broken down by quartile. Of 999 centers in operation as of December 31, 2024, 853 made up the reporting base; those centers averaged $367,545 in Gross Receipts (median $316,794), with the top quartile averaging $655,284. Mathnasium's investment runs $188,516–$249,096 under a multi-center development agreement (a single first center is $113,016–$150,096), and its royalty layers 10% of monthly Gross Receipts (minimum $1,500/month) with a $650/month base — a structure worth modeling carefully, as the effective rate is highest for smaller centers.

Huntington Learning Centers charges a 9.5% royalty with a $42,000 initial franchise fee. Its 2026 FDD covers 232 mature centers (open all of fiscal 2025), which averaged $609,454 in revenue (median $533,106). The top tier — 30 outlets earning over $1 million — averaged $1,337,289 (median $1,164,749), and the top quartile of 58 centers averaged $1,115,433. Total investment runs $191,992–$340,632. Huntington's spread between the median and the seven-figure tier is a reminder that location and operator quality drive a wide range of outcomes.

Enrichment & STEM/Arts: Accessible Entry, Growing Demand

Enrichment franchises — covering coding, engineering, music, art, and hands-on science — are the most diverse subcategory and often the most accessible in terms of investment. Many operate mobile or classroom-based models without requiring a dedicated retail location.

Code Ninjas' 2026 FDD provides one of the most detailed Item 19 breakdowns in this guide. Across 224 Center-format locations, the overall average gross sales were $237,614 with a median of $217,479. The top 25% of centers (56 locations) averaged $383,267 (with a high of $730,612), while the bottom 25% (56 locations) averaged $121,884. Its smaller Studio format (6 locations) averaged $209,647. The FDD notes that 49% of Centers met or exceeded the average — a reasonably balanced distribution for a coding-focused concept. Total investment for a Learning Center is $174,250–$265,750, with an 8.25% royalty.

School of Rock's 2026 FDD shows its 243 franchised schools averaged $683,344 in total sales during fiscal 2025, with a median of $658,980; the highest franchised school reported $1,820,477 and the lowest $149,336. Its 46 company-owned schools performed at a premium, averaging $973,321 (median $920,319). School of Rock also discloses a profit-and-loss statement for its company-owned schools — one of the few full cost-structure disclosures in enrichment, and worth reading alongside the $378,050–$756,100 investment range.

Snapology offers only a mobile model, and its 2026 FDD reports results for full-time mobile businesses by quartile. The subset that matches the current offering — a protected area of 50,000 children or fewer, 29 businesses — averaged $77,917 in gross sales (median $51,447, high $602,333). Protected-area size, measured in the number of children up to age 14, is a key driver of performance, so weigh territory demographics heavily. Total investment is $74,950–$105,600, with a 7% royalty.

Bricks 4 Kidz's 2026 FDD reports gross revenue for its mobile franchises for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025: the system averaged $101,813 (median $72,503), with a high of $518,827; the top 25% averaged $242,104 and the top 10% averaged $338,482. At a $25,000 initial fee and 7% royalty — with a Creativity Center build-out of $77,150–$110,550 (or a mobile model from $34,200) — it's one of the most affordable entry points in this guide.

Kidcreate Studio offers the longest historical view here, reporting affiliate-owned Gross Sales from 2015 through 2025 alongside franchised data for 2024 and 2025. Rather than a single average, the FDD discloses a franchised system average unit volume of $248,399 for 2025 across its reporting group. Its Two-in-One Studio format combines in-studio classes with mobile programs; total investment is $165,235–$472,540, with a $69,500 initial fee and an 8% royalty.

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Which Type of Education Franchise Is Right for You?

Childcare & Early Learning

Best for: Well-capitalized buyers who want a large-scale, recurring-revenue business with deep community roots and long customer lifecycles (children typically enroll for 3–5 years).

Kiddie Academy's mature academies averaging $2.19M in Gross Revenue and top-quarter operators at $3.2M illustrate the upside, and Goddard's 620 mature schools averaging $2.51M show the same pattern at scale. But these are roughly $1M–$8.9M investments that require significant build-out time, staffing infrastructure, and regulatory compliance. Expect a multi-year ramp to stabilization.

Tutoring & Test Prep

Best for: Operators who want a services-based business with moderate investment, recurring tuition revenue, and flexible scaling potential. The model rewards local marketing skill and community relationships.

Sylvan's top-quartile average of $795K shows the upside for strong operators, while its mid-quartile figures around $234K–$355K represent more typical trajectories. Club Z!'s home-based model ($41K–$57K total investment) is ideal for owner-operators who want to minimize overhead while building a client base, and Mathnasium's quartile data ($367K system average) sets realistic expectations for a center-based concept.

Enrichment & STEM/Arts

Best for: Buyers who want a differentiated business in a growing market segment, with moderate investment and multiple revenue streams (classes, camps, parties, after-school programs).

Code Ninjas centers averaging $238K (median $217K) set realistic expectations for coding-focused enrichment, while School of Rock's franchised schools at $683K average represent the higher end — and the fact that its company-owned schools average $973K suggests room for optimization. Mobile-first models like Snapology and Bricks 4 Kidz offer the lowest barriers to entry in the enrichment space.

The Royalty Fee Trap: What the FDDs Reveal

Royalty structures in education franchises are more varied than in most industries, and comparing them requires looking beyond the headline percentage.

In childcare, the structures are relatively consistent: Kiddie Academy, Celebree School, The Learning Experience, and Goddard School all charge a 7% royalty, layered with separate brand-fund or marketing contributions disclosed in Item 6.

In tutoring, the range is wider. Club Z! charges 8%. Huntington is at 9.5%. Mathnasium layers a 10% royalty (minimum $1,500/month) with a $650/month base royalty — meaning a center doing $15,000/month in Gross Receipts pays $2,150/month in royalties alone, an effective rate of over 14%. Sylvan Learning at 11% has the highest pure percentage in this guide.

In enrichment, most brands cluster between 7% and 8.25%: Bricks 4 Kidz and Snapology at 7%, School of Rock and Kidcreate Studio at 8%, and Code Ninjas at 8.25% (with a higher 12.25% rate on its smaller Studio format). These are relatively standard structures.

The total fee burden is what matters. Add the royalty to marketing-fund contributions (1–3% at most brands), technology fees, and any other ongoing payments disclosed in Item 6. A brand with a 7% royalty plus a 2% marketing fund and a $300/month tech fee may cost more in practice than a brand with an 8% royalty and no additional fees. Always build your pro forma on the all-in fee load, not the headline rate.

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How Much Does an Education Franchise Cost?

Under $110,000

Home-based and mobile-model franchises. Club Z! ($40,975–$57,425) is the most affordable option in this guide. Snapology ($74,950–$105,600) and Bricks 4 Kidz ($77,150–$110,550 for a Creativity Center, or from $34,200 for a mobile model) are accessible enrichment entry points that don't require a dedicated retail location.

$110,000–$350,000

Center-based tutoring and coding franchises. Sylvan Learning ($117,600–$288,400), Mathnasium ($188,516–$249,096), Kidcreate Studio ($165,235–$472,540), Code Ninjas ($174,250–$265,750), and Huntington Learning Centers ($191,992–$340,632) fall in this range. These typically require a retail or commercial lease with classroom build-out, furniture, and technology.

$350,000–$1,500,000

Larger studios and smaller childcare operations. School of Rock ($378,050–$756,100) requires studio build-out including soundproofing and instruments. The Learning Experience ($805,799–$1,563,499) and Celebree School ($1,023,550–$1,404,100) approach the higher end of this tier, as does Kiddie Academy when leased ($590,000–$1,010,000).

$1,000,000+

Full-service childcare facilities. Goddard School ($1.0M–$8.9M depending on whether you lease or build) and Kiddie Academy's purchase-and-build path ($4,935,000–$8,530,000) require purpose-built or extensively renovated facilities, typically involving commercial real estate, construction, licensing, and SBA or conventional financing.

What Drives Profitability: Lessons from the FDD Data

Maturity is the strongest predictor. Kiddie Academy's data makes this explicit: mature academies averaged $2.19M in Gross Revenue, with top-quarter operators at $3.2M. The Learning Experience's year-over-year data shows a system holding above $2M per mature center from 2023 through 2025. Education businesses take time to build enrollment, reputation, and staff quality. Model your expectations around a 2–4 year ramp, not year-one projections.

Revenue model matters more than brand. Childcare generates $2M+ per location because it serves dozens or hundreds of children daily on a full-time basis. Tutoring and enrichment serve fewer students per hour at lower price points. Code Ninjas' $238K average, School of Rock's $683K, and Kiddie Academy's $2.19M aren't quality differences — they reflect fundamentally different business models with different capital requirements, staffing needs, and lifestyle implications.

Expense structure varies dramatically. Kiddie Academy's disclosure is instructive: labor near 46% of revenue, occupancy around 17%, and miscellaneous around 12% leave an average gross profit of roughly a quarter of revenue. Celebree's EBITDAR of 30.7% (franchised) to 36.4% (company-operated) tells a similar story. Childcare is labor-intensive by regulation, since staff-to-child ratios are mandated; tutoring and enrichment typically have more favorable labor economics because instructors serve larger groups.

Territory size drives enrichment performance. Snapology's data ties performance directly to protected-area size, measured in children up to age 14. Larger territories produce more revenue — but also require more marketing investment and operational logistics to serve.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most profitable education franchise?

By average gross revenue, childcare brands lead: Goddard School's mature schools average $2,507,631, Kiddie Academy's mature academies average $2,193,815, and The Learning Experience averages $2,186,393 across 266 mature centers. But these require roughly $1M–$8.9M in investment. Among lower-investment options, School of Rock's franchised schools average $683,344 and Sylvan Learning's top quartile averages $795,074.

How much does it cost to open an education franchise?

It depends on the model. A home-based tutoring franchise like Club Z! can be started for $40,975–$57,425. Center-based tutoring and coding franchises typically require $115K–$350K. Full-service childcare facilities like Goddard School and Kiddie Academy can reach $8.5M–$8.9M when you purchase land and build, usually with SBA or conventional financing.

Can you run an education franchise semi-absentee?

Tutoring franchises like Club Z! and some enrichment models can work with a semi-absentee operator once systems are established. Childcare franchises generally require active involvement due to licensing requirements, staffing complexity, and regulatory oversight. Enrichment franchises vary — mobile models like Bricks 4 Kidz and Snapology are more manageable semi-absentee than studio-based models like School of Rock.

What does Item 19 of the education franchise FDD show?

Item 19 is where franchisors voluntarily disclose how existing franchisees have performed financially. Every brand in this guide makes a Financial Performance Representation — we feature only brands that do. Most report average and median gross revenues broken down by quartile, tenure, or location type; a few (Kiddie Academy, Celebree School, Goddard School, and School of Rock) go further and disclose expense breakdowns, EBITDAR, or full operating profit data.

How long does it take to break even on an education franchise?

For center-based tutoring ($115K–$350K investment), industry data suggests 12–24 months to reach breakeven. Childcare facilities take longer due to enrollment ramp-up periods — the distinction brands like Kiddie Academy draw between "mature" and non-mature academies implies a stabilization period of several years. Home-based models like Club Z! have the fastest path to breakeven given their minimal overhead.

Why does this guide only include certain education franchises?

We feature only brands that make a Financial Performance Representation in Item 19 of their FDD — the brands willing to disclose how their franchisees actually perform. We believe earnings transparency is essential to an informed investment decision, so brands that decline to publish performance data aren't included here. For any brand you're considering, always request and read the full current FDD, and ask existing franchisees about their results directly.

Key Questions to Ask Before Signing

What is the average time to enrollment stabilization in your system? Compare the answer to what Kiddie Academy's Item 19 data shows about mature versus non-mature academy performance. Childcare enrollment ramp-up can take 2–4 years.

What is the actual total fee burden as a percentage of gross revenue? Add royalty + marketing fund + technology fees + any other Item 6 fees. Mathnasium's layered structure (10% royalty + $650/month base, with a $1,500/month minimum) can exceed 14% of Gross Receipts for smaller centers.

How is your territory defined and protected? Some brands define territories by geography, others by population of children in a specific age range (Snapology uses children up to age 14). Understanding what you're buying is critical, especially in suburban markets where competing franchisees of the same brand may be nearby.

For childcare: what are the licensing requirements and timeline in my state? State-by-state licensing, staff-to-child ratios, and facility requirements vary enormously and directly affect your build-out timeline and operating costs.

For enrichment: what percentage of revenue comes from recurring programs vs. one-time events? Camps, birthday parties, and special events can be significant revenue drivers — but recurring after-school programs and classes provide more predictable cash flow. Ask existing franchisees how their revenue breaks down.

Finding Your Best Education Franchise Match

Childcare, tutoring, and enrichment are fundamentally different businesses that happen to share an industry label. The right choice depends on your available capital, risk tolerance, operational style, and long-term goals. A $50K tutoring territory and a $7M childcare build-out are both "education franchises" — but they require entirely different skills, timelines, and financial planning.

Because every brand in this guide discloses real Item 19 performance data, you can compare them on the same footing. Use these figures to narrow your options, then read the full current FDD for any brand you're seriously considering. Our franchise advisors can help you assess which opportunity fits your budget and goals at no cost to you.

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