Free calculator
Daycare Valuation Calculator
Enter your revenue and profit for an indicative range. Enrollment against your licensed capacity is the number buyers look at first.
Your numbers
The numbers
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How this valuation is worked out
Established centers are priced on EBITDA at roughly 3 to 5.5 times. Small owner-run or home-based centers are priced on SDE at about 2 to 3.5 times. Owned real estate is valued separately from the operating business.
A worked example
A center licensed for 90 children, enrolling 78, with $228K of SDE. At 2.5–3× that is $570K–$684K, plus the building if you own it. A non-owner director staying on and a real waitlist move it higher.
Multiple ranges reviewed September 2026, based on offers buyers in our network are making today. They are a guide, not a quote — see how the process works.
What moves your number
- Enrollment as a percentage of licensed capacity, and any waitlist
- Director retention and teacher turnover
- Licensing and inspection history with the state
- Whether the building is owned or on a long, assignable lease
Want the full picture? How to Sell a Daycare or Childcare Center
Common questions
Why does capacity matter so much?
It is the ceiling on revenue. Buyers compare your enrollment to that ceiling to see how much room is left.
Does subsidy revenue hurt the price?
Not by itself. Buyers look at how reliably the state pays and whether rates have kept pace with costs.
Does owning the building help?
It usually does — it removes lease-transfer risk, and it is valued on top of the business.