Kids STEM Studio franchise
2025 filing · April 22, 2025Shares sales figures
Kids STEM Studio at a glance
Science, technology, engineering and math classes, camps and parties for children. At the end of 2024 there were 4 Kids STEM Studio locations in the US, 1 franchised and 3 company-owned, so most are run by the company itself.
The business
- Industry
- Education
- Franchisor
- KSS Franchising LLC
- The company that sells the franchises
- Franchisor based in
- Chicago, Illinois
- Typical size
- 1,200–2,500 sq ft
What you pay
- Cost to open
- $81K–$112K
- A studio-based franchise
- Franchise fee
- $30,000
- Reduced fees for existing franchisees and some others
- Royalty
- 7%
- 7% of gross revenue, paid monthly; after the first four months, the greater of 7% or $500 a month. A brand fund of up to 2% is not charged now
- Brand fund
- None now
- Up to 2% of gross revenue, not charged at present
- Renewal fee
- $3,000
- When the agreement ends and you sign again
- Agreement length
- 5 years
- Territory
- Protected
- Protected territory
- Franchisor financing
- None offered
Where it is
- US locations, 2024
- 4
- Franchised and company-owned
- Franchised
- 1
- Company-owned
- 3
- Change in 3 years
- 0
- Franchised locations, 2022–2024
- States
- 1
- Most in Illinois
From KSS Franchising LLC’s 2025 filing; SBA status from the SBA Franchise Directory, October 28, 2026.
Where it ranks
Kids STEM Studio among all franchises with the same figure.
| Figure | Kids STEM Studio | Among all franchises |
|---|---|---|
| Cost to open, midpointHalfway between the low and high estimate | $96,425 | Costs less than 88% of franchises |
| Franchise feePaid once, when you sign | $30,000 | Lower than 72% of franchises |
| RoyaltyShare of sales paid to the franchisor | 7% | Higher than 70% of brands with a set rate |
| US locationsFranchised and company-owned | 4 | Fewer than 74% of franchises |
How much a Kids STEM Studio franchise costs
Opening a studio-based franchise costs an estimated $81,300 to $111,550. 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 ($30,000) and leasehold improvements ($10,000 to $20,000). Here is every line of the estimate as filed:
| What it pays for | Range | Low | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Franchise Fee | $30,000 | ||
| Travel and Living Costs while Training | $1,000 | ||
| Security Deposit and Rent (1st 3 months) | $7,500 | $10,500 | |
| Leasehold Improvements | $10,000 | $20,000 | |
| Furniture, Fixtures and Equipment | $5,000 | $7,000 | |
| Office Equipment and Supplies | $1,200 | $2,500 | |
| Opening Inventory and Supplies | $200 | $400 | |
| Computers and Technology for Students | $7,500 | $9,500 | |
| Professional Services | $200 | $1,000 | |
| Licenses, Permits, Registrations | $500 | $750 | |
| Insurance | $200 | $400 | |
| On-Site Opening Assistance | $0 | $1,500 | |
| Grand Opening Marketing | $1,500 | $4,000 | |
| Signage | $6,000 | ||
| Additional Funds (for 3 months of operation) Note | $10,500 | $15,000 | |
| Total | $81,300 | $111,550 | |
Source: KSS Franchising LLC, 2025 filing, page 15
Kids STEM Studio franchise fee
The franchise fee is $30,000, reduced fees for existing franchisees and some others. You pay it when you sign the franchise agreement.
Source: KSS Franchising LLC, 2025 filing, page 10
Royalty and ongoing fees
| Royalty | 7% of gross revenue, paid monthly; after the first four months, the greater of 7% or $500 a month. A brand fund of up to 2% is not charged now. |
|---|---|
| Brand or marketing fund | Up to 2% of gross revenue, not charged at present. |
| Transfer Fee | $5,000 |
| Renewal Fee | $3,000 |
| Local Advertising | $600 per quarter |
The typical franchise royalty is 6% of sales, plus 2% for marketing. See franchise fees and royalties to compare.
Source: KSS Franchising LLC, 2025 filing, page 11
Other fees as filed, from pages 11–12. The filing lists every fee, including late fees and audit costs.
Sales and earnings
Shares figures Kids STEM Studio publishes sales or earnings figures for its locations. The full tables, with notes on which locations are counted, are in its filing.
Source: KSS Franchising LLC, 2025 filing, page 39
Growth and closures
Share of franchised locations, 2024 / 2022–2024. Typical means the median: half of brands are above it, half below.
| Measure | Kids STEM Studio | Typical education brand | Typical franchise |
|---|---|---|---|
| GrowthNet change in franchised locations | 0% / 0% | +3.7% / +24% | +1.2% / +10% |
| ClosuresTerminated, not renewed or stopped operating | 0% / 0% | 2.5% / 16% | 3.9% / 16% |
| Bought backLocations the franchisor took back | 0% / 0% | 0% / 0% | 0% / 0% |
Typical education brand is the median of the 88 brands in education franchises with three years of counts.
How Kids STEM Studio compares
Of the 221 education franchises on this site, Kids STEM Studio is the 69th cheapest to open and the 149th largest by number of locations.
| Figure | Kids STEM Studio | Typical education brand | Typical franchise |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost to open, low end | $81K | $120K | $222K |
| Cost to open, high end | $112K | $228K | $477K |
| Franchise fee | $30K | $42K | $40K |
| Royalty | 7% | 7% | 6% |
| US locations | 4 | 15 | 21 |
| Shares earnings figures | Yes | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 1 (0) | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 2023 | 1 (0) | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 2024 | 1 (0) | 3 | 0 | 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: KSS Franchising LLC, 2025 filing, page 41
Where Kids STEM Studio locations are
At the end of 2024, Kids STEM Studio had franchised locations in 1 state. The most are in Illinois.
- Illinois1
| State | Franchised |
|---|---|
| Illinois | 1 |
Source: KSS Franchising LLC, 2025 filing, page 41
Who owns Kids STEM Studio?
Kids STEM Studio franchises are sold by KSS Franchising LLC. Its filing names no parent company.
From KSS Franchising LLC’s 2025 filing, page 8.
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: KSS Franchising LLC, 2025 filing, litigation on page 10, bankruptcy on page 10
Kids STEM Studio filings
The figures on this page come from KSS Franchising LLC’s 2025 filing, issued April 22, 2025, on record with the NASAA Electronic Filing Depository.
| Filing | Issued | Registry | On this page |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 filing | April 22, 2025 | NASAA depository | Costs, fees and locations, 2022–2024 |
Each link opens the filing as a PDF. See the newest filings across all brands.
