The Goddard School franchise
The Goddard School is a private preschool chain offering play-based early education and care for children from six weeks to 10 years old. Schools are large purpose-built buildings, and franchisees typically hire an education director to run the classroom side. At the end of 2025 there were 665 The Goddard School locations in the US, all franchised.
- Cost to open
- $1M–$1.5M
- Franchise fee
- $135,000
- Royalty
- 7%
- Locations, 2025
- 665+67 in 3 yrs
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Company snapshot
- Franchising since
- 1988
- First location
- 1983
- Franchisor based in
- King of Prussia, Pennsylvania
- Territory
- No exclusive territory
- Financing
- Introductions to lenders
From Goddard Franchisor LLC’s 2026 filing.
How much a The Goddard School franchise costs
Opening a leased school where the landlord builds the improvements costs an estimated $1,003,500 to $1,503,000. That covers the franchise fee and everything else needed to open, through the first months of working capital.
| Leased building that needs improvements | $1,736,500 to $5,032,000 |
|---|---|
| Buy the land and build the school | $5,493,500 to $8,908,000 |
Source: Goddard Franchisor LLC, 2026 filing, page 44
The Goddard School franchise fee
The franchise fee is $135,000, charged as an initial license fee ($60,000 for existing franchisees adding a school). You pay it when you sign the franchise agreement.
Source: Goddard Franchisor LLC, 2026 filing, page 22
Royalty and ongoing fees
| Royalty | 7% of gross receipts, paid monthly. |
|---|---|
| Brand or marketing fund | 4% of gross receipts to the TGS Marketing Fund, paid monthly. |
Source: Goddard Franchisor LLC, 2026 filing, page 29
Sales and earnings
Shares figures The Goddard School publishes sales or earnings figures for its locations: it reports 2025 gross revenue and EBITDA for mature and new schools. The full tables, with notes on which locations are counted, are in its filing.
Source: Goddard Franchisor LLC, 2026 filing, page 102
Locations opened and closed
| Year | Franchised | Company-owned | Closed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 627 (+29) | 0 | 1 |
| 2024 | 642 (+15) | 0 | 3 |
| 2025 | 665 (+23) | 0 | 1 |
Closed or left counts terminations, non-renewals, locations bought back by the franchisor and locations that stopped operating.
Source: Goddard Franchisor LLC, 2026 filing, page 140
How The Goddard School compares
Of the 4 daycare franchises on this site, The Goddard School is the 3rd cheapest to open and the largest by number of locations.
| Measure | The Goddard School | Typical daycare |
|---|---|---|
| Cost to open, low end | $1M | $905K |
| Royalty | 7% | 7% |
| Closed or left per year | 0.3% | 0.4% |
| Change in franchised locations, 3 yrs | +11.2% | +17.2% |
| Shares earnings figures | Yes | 4 of 4 |
Typical is the median across the 4 brands in daycare franchises.
Other daycare franchises
The Goddard School franchise questions
Does The Goddard School help with financing?
Not directly. The Goddard School points buyers to outside lenders it works with, but the loan is between you and the lender.
Do The Goddard School franchisees get a protected territory?
No. The Goddard School grants the right to run one location but no exclusive area, so another The Goddard School can open nearby.
Is The Goddard School growing or shrinking?
Over the last 3 years 72 franchised locations opened and 5 closed or left, a net change of +11.2%. About 0.3% of locations closed or left each year. That is below the 0.4% typical for daycare franchises.
How does The Goddard School compare with other daycare franchises?
Of the 4 daycare franchises here, The Goddard School is the 3rd cheapest to open (low end $1M against a $905K median) and the largest by number of locations. Its 7% royalty is in line with the 7% median.
Does The Goddard School say how much franchisees make?
Yes: it reports 2025 gross revenue and EBITDA for mature and new schools. Your results can differ; the filing explains which locations are counted.
Where is The Goddard School based?
Goddard Franchisor LLC is based in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania and the brand has sold franchises since 1988; the first location opened in 1983.