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Childcare Franchises

63 childcare franchise brands with investment costs, SBA loan data, and FPI performance scores.

63 BrandsAvg. Investment: $579,382 to $2.3M3,198 SBA Loans11 FDDs Available

Childcare franchise costs and SBA lending at a glance

Opening a childcare franchise typically means a median low end of $350K and a median high end of $1.7M across the 50 listed brands with investment ranges in their franchise disclosure documents. Public SBA 7(a) and 504 loan records show 3,198 loans totaling $4.9B, with an average loan size of $1.5M, across 63 brands. We list 63 childcare franchise brands, and the loan figures are current through December 31, 2025 while investment figures come from the available franchise disclosure documents.

Initial investment, franchise fee and royalty come from franchise disclosure documents on file; SBA loan counts and the average SBA loan come from public SBA 7(a) and 504 loan records through December 31, 2025.

Childcare Franchise Brands

This table shows the 25 brands with the most SBA loans in the category; select a header to sort the table.

The Goddard School$704K to $8.5M$135K7%687$1.8M45365
Kiddie Academy$3.8M to $6M$135K7%567$1.4M37864
Primrose Schools$743K to $8.6M$80K7%554$2.3M38970
The Learning Experience$2.1M to $5.6M$60K7%364$705K29379
Kids R Kids$595K to $5MNot Disclosed6%326$1.6M19951
Childrens Lighthouse$940K to $1.2M$85K7%111$2.1M7361
Tutor Time$98K to $751K$55KNot Disclosed108$281K8027
Lightbridge Academy$590K to $3.1M$50K7%50$1.5M4371
Roly Poly$101K to $220K$23K5%41$104K3727
Montessori Kids Universe$782K to $1.7M$75K7%40$746K1963
Creative World School$153K to $3.5M$55K7%36$1.5M2653
Pinnacle Montessori Academy$198K to $4.8M$70K6%30$2.3M2264
Building Kidz School$447K to $2.6M$60K7%18$1.1M1459
Rainbow Academy$271K to $2.3M$9,500Not Disclosed14$1.4M1145
Casa De Corazon$681K to $2.4M$70K7%13$1.3M1063
Legacy Academy$134K to $2M$75K5%13$882K1325
Safari Kid FranchisingNot Disclosed$70KNot Disclosed13$1.4M959
The Prep$350K to $4.7MNot DisclosedNot Disclosed13$2.6M959
Montessori School Franchising$562K to $1.1M$65K7%12$475K1250
Ivy Kids Early Learning Center$1.8M to $5M$60KNot Disclosed11$3.9M1056
Ducklings Early Learning Center$756K to $1.7M$108K6%10$587K646
Kid City Usa$89K to $1M$60KNot Disclosed10$529K1051
College Nannies Sitters And T$70K to $474K$80K5%9$238K847
Creative World SchoolsNot Disclosed$75KNot Disclosed9$1.7M739
Balanced Family Academy$100K to $3.1M$50K4%8$1.3M549

Initial investment, franchise fee and royalty come from franchise disclosure documents on file; SBA loan counts and the average SBA loan come from public SBA 7(a) and 504 loan records through December 31, 2025.

All Childcare Franchise Brands

Sorted by SBA loan volume

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Frequently Asked Questions About Childcare Franchises

How much does a childcare franchise cost?

Across the 50 listed brands with investment ranges in their franchise disclosure documents, the median low end is $350K and the median high end is $1.7M. Costs can include facility build out, equipment, curriculum materials, and staffing during ramp up. The actual investment depends on the brand, facility size, and location.

What does SBA financing look like for a childcare franchise?

Public SBA 7(a) and 504 loan records show 3,198 loans totaling $4.9B for the brands in this category. The average loan size is $1.5M, based on total dollars divided by the number of loans. The records run through December 31, 2025 and show The Goddard School with 687 loans, followed by Kiddie Academy with 567 and Primrose Schools with 554.

What licenses does a childcare franchise need?

A childcare franchise must meet state and local licensing requirements. These can cover staff to child ratios, facility standards, health and safety codes, background checks, and staff qualifications. Franchise systems typically guide owners through the licensing process.

Are childcare franchises recession resistant?

Childcare services tend to maintain demand across economic cycles because working parents need reliable care. Performance still varies by brand and market. SBA lending data can help you review financial trends for each childcare franchise.

What franchise fees and royalties are typical for childcare brands?

Among brands that disclose an initial franchise fee, the median fee is $60K. Among brands that disclose a royalty rate, the median royalty is 6%. Review each brand's franchise disclosure document for its specific fee and royalty terms.

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About Childcare Franchises on PeerSense

Explore childcare and daycare franchise opportunities. Compare investment costs, SBA loan data, and brand performance for child day care franchise systems.

PeerSense tracks 63 childcare franchise brands with real SBA lending data, Franchise Performance Index (FPI) scores, and investment details sourced from Franchise Disclosure Documents. Unlike other franchise directories, our data comes from actual loan performance, not franchise marketing materials.

Each franchise profile includes SBA loan volume and trends, default rates, lender diversity, geographic distribution, and FDD sourced investment ranges. Use this data to compare childcare franchise opportunities, identify top performing brands, and find SBA lenders who actively fund this category.

Ready to research a specific childcare franchise? Click any brand above to view its full profile, or browse the full franchise directory with 6,300+ brands across all categories.

Page Review

Reviewed by Edward L. Freeman, Founder and Managing Director, PeerSense

  • PeerSense is a capital advisory firm that places commercial financing with direct capital sources; it does not lend, fund, or approve loans, and the capital source sets final terms.
  • Edward L. Freeman founded PeerSense in January 2020.
  • He is a Registered Franchise Consultant with Business Alliance, Inc., a credential issued in March 2022, and worked as a franchise consultant there from March 2022 to May 2023.
  • His recorded experience includes a $22 million SBA construction loan, with about $16 million funded on the deal.
  • In the 12 months through September 30, 2026, PeerSense tracked 912 publicly announced financings with a disclosed size of $361.32 billion. PeerSense Capital Data Report · Methodology page

Last reviewed LinkedIn profileAbout Edward Freeman