85.8%
Avg. Occupancy
Owning a Goddard School offers meaningful impact and strong financial potential. Our franchisees come from diverse business backgrounds. From corporate leaders and experienced multi-unit owners to courageous individuals who have served our country.
Schools & Growing
Avg. Occupancy
Years of Experience
Avg. EBITDA
*Based on mature schools opened for 18 months or more as of 2024. EBITDA is defined as gross revenue less all expenses directly related to operating the school excluding interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization. You should refer to Item 19 of Goddard Franchisor, LLC’s 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document for more information regarding the reported earnings of Goddard School franchises. Your individual results may differ. There is no assurance that you will earn as much as the amounts reported by Goddard School franchisees.
Against the backdrop of a stellar brand reputation, proven business model, and expertly crafted curriculum that caters to today’s child, Goddard franchisees have both the freedom and flexibility to make their School just the right fit for their local families. Far from one-size-fits-all, the Goddard approach to franchising celebrates the concept of being in business for yourself—but not by yourself.
Find the best location for your school with expert guidance. Receive recommendations based on demand, demographics, and growth potential.
Get done-for-you assessments for new markets. Get matched with local real estate brokers and developers who specialize in securing locations that meet Goddard’s size, accessibility, and neighborhood criteria.
Get comprehensive training for running your Goddard School franchise. Learn how to implement the curriculum, engage with families, and manage daily operations. Available in-person & online.
Receive guidelines for recruiting and managing your faculty and staff. See how to elevate the Goddard School brand.
Get a fully developed school website and targeted digital marketing to boost awareness. Includes paid campaigns for your location on social media, search engines, and video streaming websites.
Get premade images, inserts, signage, ads, etc. Use our marketing tools to send emails & pre-schedule social media posts.
In order to begin your franchise journey, you must meet certain financial requirements. The amounts for liquidity and net worth will vary depending on your location, transaction and asset types. We offer financing support, including introductions to approved nationwide lender relationships. Many franchisees also team up with investors or co-owners to help support the investment needed to open a Goddard School.
Initial Franchise Fee
Minimum Liquidity
Minimum Net Worth
The exact amount needed to set up a franchise can vary depending on your chosen location and other factors. These investments encompass various expenses such as franchise fees, marketing costs, finding an appropriate location, initiating operations, and ongoing expenses post-launch. Please refer to Item 7 of Goddard Franchisor, LLC's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document for more detailed information on these costs.
Initial Franchise Cost & Support Fees: $263,500 - $295,000
The initial costs consist of the franchise fee, training fee, and initial marketing fee, along with additional components like the site development assistance fee and other administrative costs. Addressing these initial costs associated with the preschool franchise helps establish a reputable early childhood education venture within the selected community.
School Opening Costs: $589,000-$793,000
The cost to open a daycare franchise includes furniture, equipment, curricular materials, marketing materials, computer systems, security systems and other miscellaneous expenses. You’ll also need a lease deposit and the exact amount depends primarily upon building size, location, configuration, financing, and other details outlined in our Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD).
Post-Opening Costs: $100,000-$275,000
Post-opening costs consist of expenses such as payroll, and rent. These ongoing financial considerations ensure the maintenance of your preschool's educational excellence and its role as a nurturing space for both students and staff.
Initial Franchise Cost & Support Fees: $263,500 - $295,000
The initial costs consist of the franchise fee, training fee, and initial marketing fee, along with additional components like the site development assistance fee and other administrative costs. Addressing these initial costs associated with the preschool franchise helps establish a reputable early childhood education venture within the selected community.
School Opening Costs: $1,119,000 - $4,013,000
The cost to open a daycare franchise includes key investments such as furniture, equipment, curriculum materials, marketing assets, technology systems, security features, and other essential startup expenses. You’ll also need to account for a lease deposit, along with funding for building construction and site development.
Post-Opening Costs: $100,000 - $275,000
Post-opening costs consist of expenses such as payroll, and rent. These ongoing financial considerations ensure the maintenance of your preschool's educational excellence and its role as a nurturing space for both students and staff.
Initial Franchise Cost & Support Fees: $263,500 - $295,000
The initial costs consist of the franchise fee, training fee, and initial marketing fee, along with additional components like the site development assistance fee and other administrative costs. Addressing these initial costs associated with the preschool franchise helps establish a reputable early childhood education venture within the selected community.
School Opening Costs: $4,869,000 - $7,998,000
Opening a daycare franchise includes costs for furniture, equipment, curriculum, marketing, computer and security systems, and other essentials. You’ll also need to invest in land, building construction, and site work. Exact costs vary based on factors like building size, location, design, and financing.
Post-Opening Costs: $100,000 - $275,000
After opening, you’ll have ongoing costs like payroll and building loan payments. These expenses are essential to maintaining high educational standards and creating a supportive environment for students and staff.
As a franchisee, you'll also be responsible for paying monthly fees to Goddard. These fees give you access to The Goddard School's brand name, logo, systems, curriculum, marketing resources, and school design, along with ongoing training and support.
Royalty Fee
Marketing Fee
Proprietary Curriculum Fee
“Our ticket to a better life is through early childhood development.”
- Jyoti & Gagan Verma, Multi-Unit Franchise Owners
“Owning a Goddard School has been very rewarding and allowed me to make a lasting difference in the lives of hundreds of families, including my own.”
- Leisa Byars, Multi-Unit Franchise Owner
“Goddard's proven model empowers franchisees to achieve excellence while making a lasting impact on children and families.”
- Matt Speranza, Multi-Unit Franchise Owner
“Goddard gives me the infrastructure, tools, and support to run highly sought-after quality early childhood education schools while giving back to families across our communities.”
- Dipti Singh, Multi-Unit Franchise Owner
We’ve gathered answers to some of the most common questions prospective franchise owners ask. Explore the FAQs below to get a clearer picture of what it means to join the Goddard network.
In 2024, schools open for 18 months or longer had an average EBITDA of $521,987. This amount is based on mature schools opened for 18 months or more as of 2024. EBITDA is defined as gross revenue less all expenses directly related to operating the school excluding interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization. You should refer to Item 19 of Goddard Franchisor, LLC’s 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document for more information regarding the reported earnings of Goddard School franchises. Your individual results may differ. There is no assurance that you will earn as much as the amounts reported by Goddard School franchisees.
Franchising offers many advantages of business ownership with the support of a proven brand, established systems, and ongoing guidance—reducing risk and accelerating growth.
Investing in early childhood education adds another layer of value: it's a recession-resilient, $71 billion industry projected to grow to $91 billion by 2030. With rising demand for high-quality childcare, it’s a smart, scalable investment that also makes a meaningful impact on families and communities.
Startup costs vary based on location and whether you lease, build, or buy an existing school. For example, build-to-suit lease costs range from $952,500 to $1.36 million, while purchasing land and building a school ranges from $5.23 million to $8.57 million.
These estimates include franchise fees, marketing, site development, initial operations, and ongoing expenses post-opening. We also offer financing support and lender introductions. The average cash injection for a borrower is between 10-15% of the total project costs. Many franchisees also choose to partner with investors to help fund their school. Please also refer to Item 7 of Goddard Franchisor, LLC's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document for more detailed information on these costs.
SBA loans are government-backed loans that offer favorable terms for small business owners. The Goddard School works with a network of nationwide lenders and helps franchisees navigate the SBA process. With a low default rate and a top-tier FUND score of 930 for three consecutive years, Goddard is a strong candidate for SBA financing.
Yes, you either need to be a U.S. citizen or have already obtained your green card in order to become a Goddard School franchisee.