Advantage College Planning franchise
2024 filing · April 11, 2024Growing
Advantage College Planning at a glance
An educational consulting business guiding students through career planning, college selection, applications and financial aid. At the end of 2023 there were 5 Advantage College Planning locations in the US, 4 franchised and 1 company-owned.
The business
- Franchisor
- Advantage College Planning Franchising, Inc
- The company that sells the franchises
- Franchising since
- 2020
- 4 years of selling franchises
- Franchisor based in
- Apex, North Carolina
What you pay
- Cost to open
- $71K–$101K
- Fee, build-out and opening working capital
- Franchise fee
- $40K–$50K
- By territory population: $40,000 up to 499,999 people, $45,000 up to 999,999, $50,000 above
- Royalty
- 7%
- The greater of 7% of gross revenues or a yearly minimum per full-time consultant (none in year 1, rising to $11,000 from year 4), paid monthly, plus 1% to the brand fund
- Brand fund
- 1%
- 1% of gross revenue, paid monthly; it can rise to 2%
- Agreement length
- 10 years
- Franchisor financing
- None offered
Where it is
- US locations, 2023
- 5
- Franchised and company-owned
- Franchised
- 4
- Company-owned
- 1
- Change in 3 years
- +4
- Franchised locations, 2021–2023
- States
- 5
- Most in California, Florida and Maine
From Advantage College Planning Franchising, Inc’s 2024 filing; SBA status from the SBA Franchise Directory, October 28, 2026.
Where it ranks
Advantage College Planning among all franchises with the same figure.
| Figure | Advantage College Planning | Among all franchises |
|---|---|---|
| Cost to open, midpointHalfway between the low and high estimate | $85,645 | Costs less than 91% of franchises |
| Franchise feePaid once, when you sign | $40,000 | Lower than 46% of franchises |
| RoyaltyShare of sales paid to the franchisor | 7% | Higher than 70% of brands with a set rate |
| US locationsFranchised and company-owned | 5 | Fewer than 71% of franchises |
How much a Advantage College Planning franchise costs
Opening one Advantage College Planning costs an estimated $70,515 to $100,775. That covers the franchise fee and everything else needed to open, through the first months of working capital. It is one of the low-cost franchises.
The biggest costs are initial franchise fee ($40,000 to $50,000) and additional funds – 3 months (working capital) ($15,200 to $19,800). Here is every line of the estimate as filed:
| What it pays for | Range | Low | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Franchise Fee | $40,000 | $50,000 | |
| Construction, Leasehold Improvements, Furniture and Fixtures | $650 | $3,950 | |
| Equipment | $600 | $1,300 | |
| Signage (interior and exterior) | $0 | $200 | |
| Technology Fee | $1,050 | $1,350 | |
| Computer Hardware and Software | $1,965 | $3,975 | |
| Opening Inventory | $0 | ||
| Rent Deposits | $900 | $4,500 | |
| Utility Deposits | $0 | $200 | |
| Insurance Deposits and Premiums | $800 | $1,500 | |
| Pre-opening Travel Expense | $700 | $3,200 | |
| Grand Opening Advertising | $3,000 | ||
| Professional Fees and Associations | $3,600 | $5,100 | |
| Business Permits and Licenses | $100 | $500 | |
| Printing, Stationery and Office Supplies | $1,800 | $2,000 | |
| Assessments | $150 | $200 | |
| Additional funds – 3 Months (Working Capital) | $15,200 | $19,800 | |
| Total | $70,515 | $100,775 | |
Source: Advantage College Planning Franchising, Inc, 2024 filing, page 17
Advantage College Planning franchise fee
The franchise fee is $40,000 to $50,000, by territory population: $40,000 up to 499,999 people, $45,000 up to 999,999, $50,000 above. You pay it when you sign the franchise agreement.
Source: Advantage College Planning Franchising, Inc, 2024 filing, page 8
Royalty and ongoing fees
| Royalty | The greater of 7% of gross revenues or a yearly minimum per full-time consultant (none in year 1, rising to $11,000 from year 4), paid monthly, plus 1% to the brand fund. |
|---|---|
| Brand or marketing fund | 1% of gross revenue, paid monthly; it can rise to 2%. |
| Technology Fee | Currently $150 per month, plus $100 per month per user |
| Local Advertising, Marketing and Promotional Expenditures | Minimum of $1,500 per year |
The typical franchise royalty is 6% of sales, plus 2% for marketing. See franchise fees and royalties to compare.
Source: Advantage College Planning Franchising, Inc, 2024 filing, pages 8 and 9
Other fees as filed, from page 10. The filing lists every fee, including late fees and audit costs.
Sales and earnings
No figures Advantage College Planning does not share sales or profit figures for its locations. Talking to current and former franchise owners is the usual way to learn what a location earns.
Source: Advantage College Planning Franchising, Inc, 2024 filing, page 45
How Advantage College Planning compares
Of the 221 education franchises on this site, Advantage College Planning is the 50th cheapest to open and the 141st largest by number of locations.
| Figure | Advantage College Planning | Typical education brand | Typical franchise |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost to open, low end | $71K | $120K | $222K |
| Cost to open, high end | $101K | $228K | $477K |
| Franchise fee | $40K | $42K | $40K |
| Royalty | 7% | 7% | 6% |
| Brand fund | 1% | 2% | 2% |
| US locations | 5 | 15 | 21 |
| Closed or left per year | 0% | 3.7% | – |
| Shares earnings figures | No | 148 of 221 | 2,147 of 3,352 |
Typical is the median across the 221 brands in education franchises; typical franchise, across every brand here.
Locations opened and closed
| Year | Franchised | Company-owned | Opened | Closed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 0 (0) | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2022 | 2 (+2) | 1 | +2 | 0 |
| 2023 | 4 (+2) | 1 | +2 | 0 |
Closed or left counts terminations, non-renewals, locations bought back by the franchisor and locations that stopped operating.
See which brands grew most in the fastest-growing franchises rankings.
More in the guides: franchise failure rates.
Source: Advantage College Planning Franchising, Inc, 2024 filing, page 45
Where Advantage College Planning locations are
At the end of 2023, Advantage College Planning had locations in 5 states. The most are in California, Florida and Maine.
- California1
- Florida1
- Maine1
- New York1
- North Carolina1
| State | Franchised | Company-owned | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Florida | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Maine | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| New York | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| North Carolina | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Source: Advantage College Planning Franchising, Inc, 2024 filing, page 46
Who owns Advantage College Planning?
Advantage College Planning franchises are sold by Advantage College Planning Franchising, Inc.
From Advantage College Planning Franchising, Inc’s 2024 filing.
Lawsuits and bankruptcy
| Lawsuits and regulatory actions | None. The filing says no litigation has to be disclosed. |
|---|---|
| Bankruptcy | None. The filing says no bankruptcy has to be disclosed. |
Franchisors must disclose lawsuits and bankruptcies involving the company, its parents and affiliates, and its executives. Many cases are routine disputes with franchisees over fees or contracts; read the descriptions in the filing and ask current owners about anything that worries you.
Source: Advantage College Planning Franchising, Inc, 2024 filing, litigation on page 8, bankruptcy on page 8
Advantage College Planning filings
The figures on this page come from Advantage College Planning Franchising, Inc’s 2024 filing, issued April 11, 2024, on record with the NASAA Electronic Filing Depository.
| Filing | Issued | Registry | On this page |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 filing | April 11, 2024 | NASAA depository | Costs, fees and locations, 2021–2023 |
Each link opens the filing as a PDF. See the newest filings across all brands.
Other education franchises
All education franchises
Advantage College Planning is also on these lists: business services franchises.