Many families all over the U.S. are actively seeking quality childcare for their little ones. The demand for daycare franchises is especially high as more and more parents return to the workforce and want to ensure their children are in good hands throughout the day, making owning a daycare franchise one of the most lucrative opportunities today.
In this blog, you’ll learn how to select the perfect daycare franchise based on your needs as a potential franchisee, with a list of some of the top daycare franchise opportunities available in the U.S.
The Current State of Daycare Franchises
If you’re looking to own a franchise of any kind, the childcare industry offers some of the best opportunities as it continues to grow.
According to recent data from IBISWorld, the daycare industry is expected to grow to a whopping $71.7 billion in 2025, with the overall demand for daycare services increasing year over year.
Parents often turn to daycare services because of their ability to provide a structured environment that can give children decent early childhood education while keeping them safe.
As more parents can afford them, the demand for daycare services, including those from daycare franchise businesses, will continue to rise, especially for families in dual-income households and single parents who struggle to balance work with childcare.
Parents also want to leave their children in the hands of daycare franchises that can help with a child’s overall development, extending beyond basic care and education.
So, if you’re thinking of getting into the daycare industry as a prospective franchise owner, it literally pays to find the best daycare franchise in your area.
Let’s get into some of the best daycare franchise opportunities for effective franchise development.
Top 8 U.S. Daycare Franchises
Want to find the best daycare franchise to own? The following is a breakdown of some of the top daycare franchise opportunities available today:
1. The Goddard School
Established: 1983, franchise in 1988 in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania
Number of Locations: Over 500
Located In: 37 states and Washington, D.C.
Daycare Franchise Cost:
- Initial Franchise Cost and Support Fees: $263,500 to $295,000
- School Opening Costs: $539,000-$739,000
- Post-Opening Costs: $100,000-$275,000
Differentiating Factors:
As one of the most popular and most profitable daycare franchise opportunities, The Goddard School offers numerous unique benefits that make it ideal for many franchisees.
Since its establishment in 1983 and development as a franchise in 1988, The Goddard School has developed a strong reputation as a leading provider of early childhood education, with plenty of brand recognition behind it to attract new parents.
It also operates on a proven business model with minimal risk, helping first-time franchisees get off on the right foot.
Additionally, The Goddard School has a strong focus on community building, and it offers plenty of support to its franchisees, including help with site selection, professional development, training, operations, and marketing.
2. Primrose Schools
Established: 1982, franchise in 1988 in Atlanta, Georgia
Number of Locations: Over 500
Located In: 33 states
Daycare Franchise Cost:
- $743,000 to $8,595,000, depending on location and other factors
Differentiating Factors:
This daycare franchise for sale offers one of the best business opportunities for franchisees. This school’s educational system focuses on Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM) with a proprietary Balanced Learning® approach that allows children to learn through both play and teacher guidance.
Franchisees get ample support when starting a franchise, including help with site selection, along with operational, training, and marketing guidance.
Ultimately, if you want to own a daycare franchise with a high standard of education, Primrose Schools is one of the best options available while enabling real growth.
3. Tutor Time
Established: 1988 in Boca Raton, Florida
Number of Locations: Nearly 200
Located In: 20+ states
Daycare Franchise Cost:
- $382 to $2,700,000
- $110,000 franchise fee for a 15-year renewable agreement
Differentiating Factors:
Operating on its unique LifeSmart™ curriculum, Tutor Time aims to boost children’s creativity and imagination while helping them develop their skills. Each child benefits from a tailored version of its adaptable program for individualized learning.
Tutor Time also adheres to some of the highest quality and safety standards, and it uses technology integrations to connect families using live video streaming and real-time app updates.
Franchisees are able to get their franchises off the ground with Tutor Time’s recognizable branding and support for everything from training and marketing to state licensing assistance and operational guidance.
4. Kids ‘R’ Kids Learning Academies
Established: 1985 in Duluth, Georgia
Number of Locations: Over 170
Located In: 16 states
Daycare Franchise Cost:
- $4,000,000 to $5,000,000
Differentiating Factors:
This daycare franchise has more than 30 years of experience backing it, with a proven business model that can help its franchisees succeed in the long term.
The franchise’s proprietary STEAM AHEAD™ program focuses on STEAM learning balanced with play, and it uses ABCMouse.com, digital smart boards, tablets, and other tech and programs to get its students involved.
Dedicated support and solid brand recognition can give franchisees everything they need to excel with a franchise, including help with site selection, real estate brokerage, start-up processes, training, and ongoing operations support with a regional team.
5. Kiddie Academy
Established: 1981 in Baltimore County, Maryland
Number of Locations: More than 300
Located In: 33 states and Washington, D.C.
Daycare Franchise Cost:
- $405,000 to $7,255,000
Differentiating Factors:
Kiddie Academy’s daycare franchises use a Life Essentials® curriculum that helps children learn and develop through everyday experiences and educational materials, covering many subjects such as social skills, literacy, math, and science.
The company has over 30 years of experience with minimal risk and helps franchises pave a clear path to long-term success. The franchise also places an emphasis on community development and can make it easy for franchises to establish their location in their respective region.
Also, franchisees benefit from help with training, licensing assistance, operations, and more to help with initial launch and development.
6. Adventure Kids Playcare
Established: 2004 in Southlake, Texas
Number of Locations: 16
Located In: Currently located in Texas and Washington with future locations in New Jersey and Florida
Daycare Franchise Cost:
- General cost: 659,000 to $1,197,000
- Franchise fee: $29,500
Differentiating Factors:
What sets this daycare franchise for sale apart is its “on-demand” drop-in nature, where parents can simply drop their children off as needed throughout the day for temporary care. It offers uniquely flexible hours, with centers open 6 to 7 days per week until 10 p.m. on weeknights and 12 a.m. on Friday and Saturday evenings.
To help franchisees, you get assistance with everything needed to launch a successful daycare franchise, including onboarding, training, operations, technology, marketing, and curricula.
7. Lightbridge Academy
Established: 1997 in Iselin, New Jersey
Number of Locations: Over 150, many of which are in development
Located In: 15 states
Daycare Franchise Cost:
- $1,067,000 to $4,885,000
Differentiating Factors:
Lightbridge Academy works with its Circle of Care philosophy, which aims to connect children, families, employees, and the surrounding community for effective integration. It also uses a Seedlings Early Childhood Curriculum to meet each child’s needs based on in-depth educational research, helping children develop their natural strengths.
Franchisees can build strong relationships with the families they support and become an integral part of the community, with an emphasis on personalized education.
All franchisees also get the help they need to flourish with each location, including assistance with operations, marketing, training, and state licensing.
8. Creative World School
Established: 1970 in Independence, Missouri
Number of Locations: Over 30
Located In: 5 states, including Florida, Georgia, Missouri, Indiana, Virginia, and Texas
Daycare Franchise Cost:
- General cost: $2,500,000 to $4,500,000
- Franchise fee: $80,000
Differentiating Factors:
Children really get a good hands-on learning experience with Creative World School’s Exploratorium™, which is a central atrium where children can engage in STEAM learning through hands-on play and educational experiences.
Attendees can develop problem-solving and critical thinking skills with this school’s curriculum, which encourages exploration and creativity. The program also works to foster collaboration between parents, children, and employees and imbue a sense of community.
With more than 50 years of experience, this franchise has been around long enough to establish a strong foundation for its franchisees, with a widely recognized brand known for quality education and care.
Factors to Consider When Choosing a Daycare Franchise Opportunity
When seeking the best daycare franchise, there are certain factors to look for on your journey. Owning a daycare franchise requires a lot of work, and you’ll want to ensure you find the right opportunity for you based on your unique needs.
The following are some key considerations to influence your decision when looking for a daycare franchise for sale.
Brand Reputation and Track Record
One of the first items to look for is brand reputation. As the above daycare franchises advertise, good franchises will have a long history of success, with a solid reputation among parents and staff alike.
Look for a franchise that advertises top-quality childcare and education, along with ample support for franchisees just getting started.
Your Available Budget and Overall Daycare Franchise Cost
Also, take into consideration your allotted budget and the investment requirements for each franchise. The most profitable daycare franchises may come with steep initial costs, but brand recognition and plenty of support can go a long way in helping you maximize your revenue.
A good daycare franchise will always make it clear what you can expect to pay for a franchise, from overall estimated investments to franchise costs and royalty fees.
Available Training and Support
As mentioned, a lot of work goes into developing franchises in the daycare industry. To facilitate long-term success, it’s essential to get plenty of training and support from franchise owners.
Good franchisors will provide you with up to hundreds of hours of initial and ongoing training, help select the ideal location for your franchises, and assist with marketing, licensing, and other matters that apply to opening up your location.
Daycare centers using innovative learning technology should also provide you with all the equipment you’ll need to fully integrate the school’s educational programs and curricula.
Community Involvement
Every franchise should build a sense of community, especially those in the daycare industry where trust is essential. Parents want to know their children are getting the best education and care whenever they turn to a daycare center, and your location should be no exception.
Seek a franchise that works to embed itself fully into the community, connecting families and staff for optimal collaboration and support. Some facilities will actually implement technology that fosters this connectivity, including real-time updates and live video streaming.
Get the Most From Your Daycare Franchise
Once you’ve chosen the best daycare franchise based on your goals, Ignite Visibility can help it thrive. We can help with just about every aspect of franchise development, including franchise marketing, email, SEO, and much more.
We have worked with thousands of franchises to help them grow and reach their full potential. This enabled them to achieve long-term sustainability and expansion.
Specifically, Ignite Visibility can help you:
- Put together a comprehensive franchise marketing strategy. This would be based on your needs, from local SEO and PPC to social media and content marketing
- Help geo-target every location to establish a strong local presence
- Encourage consistent engagement among your audiences to turn your location into the most profitable daycare franchise in your area
- And more!
Like this plan?
Get in touch with us, and we’ll help you get started on your next endeavor.
