Mathnasium Deep Dive
Mathnasium Deep Dive
Overview
What it does
Mathnasium is a math-only learning center that helps kids build deep understanding and confidence in math. Unlike traditional tutoring, it’s proactive—not just cramming before a test. It uses a custom assessment to spot where kids need help, then creates a long-term learning plan.
Who it helps
Mathnasium serves elementary through high school students. Many parents come in worried their child is falling behind. Mathnasium identifies the root problems (e.g. decimals, fractions, dividing odd numbers) and builds confidence over time. Students stay on average 10 months, with many staying years.
Facts:
Established: 2002
First Unit Franchised: 2003
Franchised Units: 1106
Company Owned Units: 3
Cash Investment: $112,750 to $150,000
Total Investment: $112,860 to $149,155
Minimum Net Worth: $112,000
Franchise Fee: $49,000
Royalty: 10% plus a $500 base monthly
Ad: 2% plus $250 monthly marketing fee
Unit Economics
The revenue model
Subscription-based monthly billing
Franchisees choose pricing (usually around $300–$400/month)
Students attend multiple times per week, like a gym membership
Average unit revenue: $360K, with operating margins in the 30% range (full tables below)
No cost of goods sold (everything is digital and printed)
Churn and retention
Average student stays ~10 months
Strong word-of-mouth and retention strategies: games, prizes, events like Pi Day
Kids enjoy coming back—“I love going to Mathnasium” is a frequent parent quote
Marketing
National, regional, and local campaigns handled by corporate
Strong digital presence: search, social, and TV ads (targeted to parents)
Franchisee focuses on community outreach—schools, churches, Scouts, etc.
Radius software gives ready-to-use campaigns and tools
Inside the center: referral programs, fun events to boost retention
Training and Support
Throughout the life of a franchise agreement, support will be there whenever the franchisee needs it. In fact, as soon as you complete your initial training, you’ll be assigned a Start-up Specialist (SUS) who will assist you through your location’s grand opening making sure you have all that you need for a successful launch. Then, once your math franchise is up and running, the franchisee be assigned a Field Business Consultant (FBC) who will regularly visit your location and provide expert advice for how to grow and maintain their business.
The franchisee will also have the advantage of regional training twice a year and an annual convention every July with Mathnasium franchisees from around the world. These conventions are invaluable opportunities to connect with your peers and share successes and tips.
70+ hours of online training
8 half-days of live instruction
3 days of in-center training before opening
Dedicated Franchise Support Specialist (FSS) and field team
On-site visits twice a year
Dedicated real estate support—site selection, negotiation, buildout
Free training for center directors (a major help when scaling)
Day in the Life
The Franchisee can be a Center Director or hire a Center Director. Duties of the Center Director – Takes overall responsibility for the running of the center, managing the floor and the staff, dealing with parents and handling basic business administration. Many franchisees choose to initially fulfil this role themselves, whilst others will employ a Center Director and just handle the more advanced business requirements (financial management etc). The choice is yours and your training will be adapted to suit your proposed level of involvement.
Open only 15 hours/week for instruction
Owners start hands-on but can keep a job during startup
Key roles: hiring and leading a team, local outreach, and parent relationships
Many owners later promote a director and scale to multiple centers
Franchisees can step back with time, but absentee ownership is discouraged
Ideal Candidate
Must Haves:
Commitment to focus, full time, on their center/business, as an owner operator, or at minimum, heavily, involved with a committed Center Director. The center is only open 15 hours a week so you can keep your job.
Live within reasonable proximity of the available territory, or desire to move to it.
Ability to legally operate a business in the US for at least 5 years
Passion for kids and education
Community-oriented and coachable
Willing to follow the system and be hands-on at first
Financially sound (~$150K total investment needed)
Long-term mindset: building a steady income and possibly multiple units
Nice to Have:
Ability to adapt and learn a franchise model (Not overly entrepreneurial, rebel type)
Looking for an active new career
Experience in Education or a Learning Environment
Motivated and passionate to make a difference, improve the lives of children / families
Good people skills, personable Seeking relatively low investment and start-up costs
Ability to develop a team and infrastructure
Determined to be their own boss and grow a business
Eager to join the growing, multibillion-dollar education industry Aspiring to make a significant difference in their local community
Dedicated to improving math education and building students’ confidence Love of Math
Financials Reported in the 2024 FDD
Average Revenue per center is higher for franchisees with multiple units:
Other Information:
Leadership
Owned by Roark Capital, a top private equity firm with many franchise brands
Leadership includes veterans from Papa John’s, Wharton, Jackson Hewitt
Focus on long-term success and high franchisee satisfaction
No litigation history—franchisees and franchisor rarely conflict
What makes it special
No workbooks, memorization, or homework
Focus on understanding and confidence, not just grades
Proprietary curriculum and teaching method
4:1 student-to-instructor ratio
No pressure sales—free assessments with no contract
Students can attend in-person or online (Mathnasium@home)
High parent satisfaction (80% enroll after the first visit)
Key takeaways
Only ~200 U.S. territories remain; limited availability in key markets
Many multi-unit owners buy 5–60 centers; PE groups have also entered
Protected territories = no internal competition
Radius software handles curriculum, marketing, tracking, and payroll
Franchisees can sell easily—corporate will help for free
No hidden fees, no high COGS, no complex staffing—lean and proven model
My Analysis
This is a good fit for three kinds of people.
The person who loves kids and/or education and wants something proven. A single unit can keep you busy and is a great “second career” for an educator who doesn’t want a business that consumes their life. They will get the rewarding experience from when they were a teacher without the bureaucracy and headaches that comes from being part of a school system.
Someone who wants to keep their job and dip their toes into entrepreneurship. With over 1,000 units, there isn’t much to figure out anymore. As long as you can dedicate the time needed to training and staffing, this is a business you can grow with a full time job. As long as you have realistic expectations about how many centers are needed to replace your income, this can be a great transition plan to get out of corporate America after opening a few locations.
An empire builder who wants a proven business. Mathnasium is a massive system that has proven it can be scalable. They have private equity in the both franchisee and franchisor side of the business meaning it can grow rapidly to deliver the kinds of returns PE looks for. You can get in with a new location and start acquiring existing locations as they become available.
This is not for someone looking to do a large amount of revenue in one location or who isn’t great at customer service. Also, this is a passion play to an extent. Parents don’t want to take their children to a center filled with people who don’t care- there are enough competitors out there to not choose you. If you really don’t care about educating children, that will percolate down to your tutors and you won’t be successful.
Overall, this is an A+ franchise due to its size, margins, and leadership team.
