Mathnasium vs Sylvan Learning franchise USA 2026: which one wins on real numbers?
Sylvan Learning is the lighter bet on entry — $118K vs $127K (about $10K less). Mathnasium runs the bigger network at 1043 vs 433 outlets. Mathnasium takes less off the top (10% royalty vs 11%).
01 What actually matters
Numbers that separate them on a 5-year horizon — not the franchise-development pitch.
Mathnasium charges 10% royalty on revenue — recurring, uncapped, and deducted before your own margin is calculated. Factor it into every pro-forma.
Mathnasium is expanding fastest here — 45 outlets per year since founding in 2003. High-velocity brands signal momentum but also mean new territory for individual franchisees gets handed out quickly; lock in your preferred area early.
On pure entry capital, Sylvan Learning is 1.1× cheaper than Mathnasium — $118K vs $127K. That gap compounds over a 5-year horizon because build-out, equipment, opening inventory and the additional funds in FDD Item 7 all scale with format size.
02 The numbers, visualised
Primary format per brand, from FDD Item 7. A brand's smaller express or non-traditional formats can cost materially less.
Initial investment (FDD Item 7)
Total initial investment, low end of each brand's FDD Item 7 range for its primary format. Several US brands also run smaller express, non-traditional or conversion formats at materially lower investment — check the brand page for the full Item 7 table.
Network scale — total outlets
Total US outlets from FDD Item 20. Bigger networks mean more brand recognition and supplier scale; smaller ones mean less intra-brand competition in your trade area.
Customer ratings
Which brand's outlets are rated higher by customers, aggregated across locations. Exact star rating and review volume are in Brand Health.
Direction only — the underlying rating & review count are Pro data.
03 Side-by-side
Straight from each brand’s FDD. Green badge marks the more favourable value for a typical first-time operator.
| Metric | Mathnasium | Sylvan Learning |
|---|---|---|
| Initial investment (Item 7) | $127K | $118K ↓ Lower |
| Royalty (Item 6) | 10% ↓ Lower | 11% |
| Gross margin | — | — |
| Min space (sq ft) | 1200 | 1000 ↓ Smaller |
| Total US outlets (Item 20) | 1043 ↑ Bigger | 433 |
| Franchise fee (Item 5) | $49K | $47K ↓ Lower |
| Additional funds | — | — |
Not sure if Mathnasium or Sylvan Learning actually fits *you*?
BrandFit asks 6 visual questions about your operator profile, capital, and location — then ranks all 182 brands by predicted success-fit for your situation. See where these brands really stand for someone like you.
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04 Explore these brands in depth
Same data plus the full FDD breakdown, fee load, contract fairness and SBA lending picture — free on every brand page.
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05 Frequently asked
Wrapped in FAQPage JSON-LD for SERP rich-result eligibility.
Are these Education & Training franchises still awarding territory in my state?
FDD Item 20 lists every outlet by state, plus openings, closures, transfers and terminations for the last three years — the fastest way to see whether a brand is still expanding near you or has gone quiet. Mathnasium runs the largest network here at 1043 outlets. Note that fourteen states — California, New York, Illinois, Virginia, Washington and others — require franchise registration, so a brand may simply be unregistered in yours.
What is the best Education & Training franchise in the US in 2026?
Among the 2 brands FRANticc compares, the top options by network size are Mathnasium, Sylvan Learning (Mathnasium: 1043 stores, Sylvan Learning: 433 stores). The lowest investment entry is Sylvan Learning from $118K. "Best" depends on your capital, your market and how hands-on you plan to be — this page gives you the data for all three dimensions.
What is the cheapest Education & Training franchise in the US?
The lowest-investment option here is Sylvan Learning starting from $118K. Remember this is the LOW end of the brand's FDD Item 7 initial-investment range — Item 7's high end is the number to plan against, and it sits before the working capital you burn until the unit turns over.
What are the hidden costs in Education & Training franchises?
FDD Item 7 is the honest list, and it runs well past the headline number: initial franchise fee (Item 5), leasehold improvements and build-out, equipment and signage, opening inventory, insurance, training travel, grand-opening advertising, and three months of additional funds. On top of that sit the recurring Item 6 fees — royalty, national ad fund, technology, and often a local-marketing minimum. FRANticc separates the one-time spend from the recurring load on every brand page so you see the real exposure.