The Kumon franchise cost is $101,630 to $233,780 to open under the FDD issued March 27, 2026, then a flat $42.75 per student per subject each month, falling to $38 once the Temporary License Period ends.
Key takeaways
- Kumon bills royalties per enrolled student, not as a share of sales: $30 when a student registers, then $42.75 a month per full-payment student in each subject during the Temporary License Period and $38 after it (Kumon FDD issued March 27, 2026, Item 6).
- Both monthly rates rose 5.6% on January 1, 2026, from $40.50 and $36 in the FDD issued March 28, 2025, as amended July 1, 2025, and Kumon may change them again on one year’s notice with no contractual cap (Item 6, Note 2).
- Item 7 moved from $73,123 to $165,360 in the July 2025 filing to $101,630 to $233,780 in March 2026, mainly because the rent line now counts three months instead of one and build-out, payroll and working-capital lines rose (Item 7, both FDDs).
- The printed Item 7 already subtracts $23,300 to $28,500 that Kumon pays toward furniture, the exterior sign, carpet and paint, and rent; without those contributions the same lines total $124,930 to $262,280 (Item 7, Notes 2 and 3).
- Ownership is personal: Items 1, 11 and 15 require Math and Reading proficiency tests, a two-semester Instructor Development Program, full-time work and your presence at every student session.
- Kumon makes no Item 19 earnings representation; Item 20 counts 1,705 franchised centers at December 31, 2025, after 28 terminations and non-renewals during the year (Items 19 and 20).
How does Kumon charge royalties if not as a percentage of sales?
Kumon bills royalties by head count. Item 6 of the March 27, 2026 FDD sets three charges: a $30 Initial Enrollment Royalty for each newly enrolled student, a monthly royalty for each full-payment student in each subject, and a half rate for students Kumon classifies as partially exempt or prorated. Tuition you charge parents is not part of the formula.
Most franchise systems take a percentage instead. Across 239 FDDs with a percentage royalty filed in Minnesota and issued in 2025 or 2026, the median was 6% of sales, as our franchise royalty rate study of 259 disclosure documents shows. Kumon’s royalty is a dollar amount per Subject-Franchise, the FDD’s term for the Math program and the Reading program, which are licensed and priced separately.
| Charge | Amount (2026 FDD) | How it applies | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Enrollment Royalty | $30 per newly enrolled student, each reporting month | Charged per registration; not charged when an enrolled student adds a second subject | Item 6, FDD 2026 |
| Monthly royalty during TLP, full-payment student | $42.75 per student, per subject | Debited by electronic funds transfer, currently on the 17th | Item 6, FDD 2026 |
| Monthly royalty during TLP, partially exempt or prorated | $21.38 per student, per subject | Kumon alone grants partial status, never for a student’s first month | Item 6; Franchise Agreement s.5.4 |
| Monthly royalty after TLP, full-paying student | $38 per student, per subject | Starts the next full reporting month after the TLP is completed | Item 6, FDD 2026 |
| Monthly royalty after TLP, partially exempt or prorated | $19 per student, per subject | Half the standard rate | Item 6, FDD 2026 |
| Your own children enrolled at your Center | $0 monthly royalty | The enrollment royalty is still owed | Franchise Agreement s.5.4 |
| New Center Marketing Fee | $300 a month from the 7th month ($3,600 a year) | Remitted to Kumon’s designated digital advertising supplier | Item 6, Note 10 |
| Liability insurance program (optional) | $5.80 per Math student per year; $0.58 per Math student per month from July 1, 2026 | Or buy your own $1,000,000 per occurrence, $2,000,000 aggregate policy | Item 6, Note 4 |
| Shipping of Kumon Materials | $50 or actual cost, whichever is less, for the initial monthly order | Worksheets and tests themselves are covered by the royalty | Item 6, Note 6; Item 8 |
Re-enrollment rules decide how often the $30 charge repeats. A student who drops out and returns within one reporting month pays no new enrollment royalty; after one month away the student registers again and the $30 applies. A student enrolled in both subjects who is absent from both for more than one month must re-enroll (Item 6, Remarks column).
What does one enrolled student cost in Kumon fees each month?
One full-payment student in one subject costs $42.75 a month in royalty during the Temporary License Period and $38 after it, plus the one-time $30 Initial Enrollment Royalty. A student taking both Math and Reading counts twice for the monthly royalty but triggers the $30 only once. The table multiplies Item 6 rates only and assumes no tuition or enrollment level.
| Situation | Royalty per month | Royalty over 12 months | Arithmetic |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 student, 1 subject, during TLP | $42.75 | $513.00 | $42.75 x 12 |
| 1 student, Math and Reading, during TLP | $85.50 | $1,026.00 | ($42.75 x 2) x 12 |
| 1 student, 1 subject, after TLP | $38.00 | $456.00 | $38 x 12 |
| 1 student, Math and Reading, after TLP | $76.00 | $912.00 | ($38 x 2) x 12 |
| 1 partially exempt student, 1 subject, after TLP | $19.00 | $228.00 | $19 x 12 |
| Saving per subject once the TLP ends | $4.75 | $57.00 | ($42.75 minus $38) x 12 |
| New registration, either period | $30 once | n/a | Item 6 Initial Enrollment Royalty |
Because the charge is fixed per head, the royalty takes a smaller slice of a high tuition and a larger slice of a discounted one. Kumon caps the registration fee you may charge parents at $80, and Item 1 says it sets no tuition limit today but may impose one on 60 days’ notice. Those two rules, together with the price you set, decide what share of each tuition payment the royalty absorbs.
Two penalties are also counted per student. If an audit finds underreported enrollment and Kumon chooses not to terminate, you pay the higher TLP rate for 3 years (Item 6, Note 2). Late or inaccurate monthly reports cost $200 the first month, $500 the second and $1,000 the third, rising $1,000 for each month after that; reports are due by 11:59 PM local time on the 3rd of the following month.
When does the $42.75 royalty drop to $38, and what sends it back up?
The $38 rate starts in the first full reporting month after you meet every Temporary License Period requirement for a subject at the same moment. Item 6, Note 2 lists them, and the enrollment test is the steep one: 600 cumulative Math enrollments and 400 cumulative Reading enrollments, each with at least 10% on Kumon Connect, Kumon’s online worksheet platform.
- Selected Worksheet study completed and the Instructor Achievement Test passed in both Math and Reading.
- Cumulative enrollment of 600 or more Math students and 400 or more Reading students, at least 10% of each using Kumon Connect.
- 12 Professional Development Credits earned in the 12 months immediately before TLP completion.
- Additional training finished when you apply to be fully licensed in each Subject-Franchise.
- Compliance with the Franchise Agreement, the Kumon Method and Center management standards for the entire TLP.
- Timely, accurate monthly reports and all payments to Kumon current.
- A formal evaluation, only if Kumon asks for one.
Requirements cannot be met at different times and added up later, and Kumon may modify, add or delete them. After the TLP, missing the Ongoing Training and Performance Requirements sends you back to the higher royalty for at least one calendar year (Franchise Agreement section 2.3). Kumon branch meetings, its annual Instructor Conference and Online Learning Modules count toward those requirements.
How did the rates change between the 2025 and 2026 filings?
Every monthly rate rose 5.6% on January 1, 2026; the $30 enrollment royalty did not change. The July 2025 filing announced the step in advance, stating that the TLP rates “will increase to $42.75 and $21.38” and the post-TLP rates “to $38 and $19” on that date. Because Kumon may change these rates on one year’s notice, the Item 6 royalty row is the first line to compare in each new FDD.
| Rate | FDD of March 28, 2025 (amended July 1, 2025) | FDD of March 27, 2026 | Change | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TLP, full-payment | $40.50 | $42.75 | +5.6% | Item 6, both FDDs |
| TLP, partially exempt or prorated | $20.25 | $21.38 | +5.6% | Item 6, both FDDs |
| After TLP, full-paying | $36 | $38 | +5.6% | Item 6, both FDDs |
| After TLP, partially exempt or prorated | $18 | $19 | +5.6% | Item 6, both FDDs |
| Initial Enrollment Royalty | $30 | $30 | 0% | Item 6, both FDDs |
Each monthly royalty rate rose 5.6% on January 1, 2026. Source: Kumon FDDs of July 1, 2025 and March 27, 2026, Item 6.
The 2026 FDD’s state-required Special Risks page repeats the point: Kumon may change royalty rates or due dates on at least one year’s notice, and you may terminate the Franchise Agreement if you are unwilling to pay an increased royalty. Item 6, Note 2 adds that there is no contractual limit on the size of a change.
Why does Kumon’s Item 7 start at $101,630 when most franchises start higher?
Item 7 explains three reasons. Fees paid to Kumon total $6,500 to $7,500, against a $49,500 median initial fee in our 259-FDD study. The Center is a retail unit of at least 1,000 square feet furnished with tables and stools. And Kumon pays for, or reimburses, furniture, one exterior sign, carpet and paint, and part of the rent, which the printed range already subtracts.
| Item 7 line (2026) | Printed range | Range without Kumon’s contribution | What Kumon pays | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Leasehold improvements | $40,000 to $90,000 | $45,500 to $95,500 | Carpet, window blinds and paint, currently up to $5,500 | Item 7, Note 2 |
| Rent (three months) | $9,000 to $27,000 | $12,000 to $30,000 | 50% of rent, up to $1,000 a month, for the first 12 months | Item 7, Note 2 |
| Furniture, equipment, signage and supplies | $9,000 to $11,000 | $23,800 to $31,000 | Furniture and fixtures ($10,000); one exterior sign ($4,800 to $10,000) | Item 7, Note 3 |
| Total initial investment | $101,630 to $233,780 | $124,930 to $262,280 | $23,300 to $28,500 inside Item 7 | Our arithmetic from Notes 2 and 3 |
Kumon’s furniture, sign, finish and rent contributions total $23,300 to $28,500 inside Item 7 (sign $4,800 to $10,000). Source: Kumon FDD issued March 27, 2026, Item 7, Notes 2 and 3.
The support is written for new Centers. A buyer taking over an existing Center gets no furniture, no carpet or paint reimbursement and no new sign unless the old one is non-compliant or the Center relocates. The rent subsidy reaches a purchased Center only if it has run two-day sessions and you adopt the four-session weekly schedule; across 12 months it is worth at most $12,000. Kumon owns the sign and removes it at your expense when the relationship ends (Item 7, Note 3).
Some costs sit outside the range. If local zoning treats the Center as a school, separate restrooms, water fountains and panic-bar exits are not in Kumon’s estimate (Item 11). Property and casualty cover, estimated at $1,800 to $2,800 a year, is optional, while workers’ compensation is required (Item 7, Note 5). Kumon finances nothing (Items 7 and 10). Kumon’s SBA code, S0962, recorded 46 franchise-coded SBA loans from fiscal 2020 to June 30, 2026, according to SBA 7(a) and 504 FOIA loan data, as tallied in our kids education franchise statistics report. Lender eligibility runs through the SBA Franchise Directory tracker.
Which Item 7 lines grew between the July 2025 and March 2026 filings?
The total rose $28,507 at the low end (39.0%) and $68,420 at the high end (41.4%). Rent moved most: the 2025 table counted one month at $3,000 to $7,000, the 2026 table counts three months at $9,000 to $27,000. Leasehold improvements, payroll, working capital and a new $2,500 pre-opening marketing payment explain most of the remaining increase. We summed every line in both tables and both printed totals match.
| Item 7 line | 2025 FDD | 2026 FDD | Paid to | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Training Agreement deposit | $1,000 | $1,000 | Kumon | Item 7, both FDDs |
| Initial franchise fee, net of deposit | $1,000 | $1,000 to $2,000 (higher with EFL) | Kumon | Item 7, both FDDs |
| Initial purchase of materials | $2,000 | $2,000 | Kumon | Item 7, both FDDs |
| Pre-opening marketing | No line | $2,500 | Kumon, remitted to vendors | Item 7, 2026 FDD |
| Architect design | $0 to $10,000 | $0 to $15,000 | Architect | Item 7, both FDDs |
| Leasehold improvements | $30,000 to $60,000 | $40,000 to $90,000 | Contractor | Item 7, both FDDs |
| Security deposit | $0 to $26,500 | $0 to $30,000 | Landlord | Item 7, both FDDs |
| Rent | $3,000 to $7,000 (1 month) | $9,000 to $27,000 (3 months) | Landlord | Item 7, both FDDs |
| Furniture, equipment, signage, supplies | $5,000 to $15,000 | $9,000 to $11,000 | Vendors | Item 7, both FDDs |
| Notebook computers and tablets | $500 to $2,000 | $2,000 to $4,000 | Vendors | Item 7, both FDDs |
| Professional fees | $1,000 to $3,000 | $1,000 to $5,000 | Accountant, lawyer | Item 7, both FDDs |
| Liability insurance | $480 to $580 | $580 | Kumon or insurance agent | Item 7, both FDDs |
| Business license, name registration | $100 to $200 | $100 to $200 | Municipality, state | Item 7, both FDDs |
| Kumon Lead Management System | $200 to $550 | $0 to $100 | Kumon’s vendor | Item 7, both FDDs |
| Recommended Reading List | $2,600 | $3,000 to $3,700 | Vendors | Item 7, both FDDs |
| Fingerprinting, criminal background check | $18 to $60 | $50 to $100 | Treasury of the United States | Item 7, both FDDs |
| Payroll for assistants (3 months) | $10,725 to $12,870 | $11,000 to $14,000 | Assistants | Item 7, both FDDs |
| SAM Prevention Training | No line | $400 to $600 | Vendors | Item 7, 2026 FDD |
| Additional funds (3 months) | $15,500 to $21,000 | $19,000 to $25,000 | Vendors, utilities | Item 7, both FDDs |
| Total | $73,123 to $165,360 | $101,630 to $233,780 | Item 7, both FDDs |
The rent line tripled because the 2026 Item 7 counts three months of rent instead of one. Source: Kumon FDDs, Item 7, July 2025 and March 2026.
Two 2026 lines are new obligations rather than new estimates. SAM Prevention Training, certification in sexual assault and molestation prevention, must cover you and every employee for as long as the Center operates (Item 7, Note 10). The Recommended Reading List of about 378 books, levels 7A to L, must be bought in full, and Kumon may add titles you then have to buy (Item 7, Note 7).
Who qualifies to run a Kumon Center under Items 1, 11 and 15?
The FDD screens the person before the money. Item 1 requires an application, a background check, an interview and Math and Reading proficiency tests; a candidate who falls short cannot restart for at least six months from the re-test. Item 15 then requires the franchisee to instruct students personally, attend every student session and work full time, with written approval needed for any other job.
| Rule | What the 2026 FDD says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Proficiency | Mathematics and Reading Proficiency Tests; a 6-month wait after a failed re-test | Item 1 |
| Background | FBI fingerprint card FD-258, $50 processing fee; repeated for renewal, a second Center or a takeover; periodic checks may begin at the 2nd anniversary | Items 1 and 7 |
| Training | Instructor Development Program of 2 semesters and 4 courses; the first semester takes about 4 months | Items 1 and 11 |
| Business plan | Drafted before Course 101 and due in Course 201; Kumon’s review is not an endorsement of your figures | Item 11, Note 1 |
| Personal operation | Instruct personally, be at the Center during all student sessions and devote full time | Item 15 |
| Entity ownership | The Corporation Instructor owns at least 51% and controls the entity; every owner signs a Personal Guarantee; no franchises to new partnerships | Item 15 |
| Assistants | Criminal background check for assistants 18 or older; they instruct only under your supervision | Item 15 |
| Center hours | First Franchise Agreement: 4 sessions and 14 hours a week, no session under 3 hours; renewals: 2 days a week, 4 hours each | Item 11 |
| Site | Retail storefront, shopping center or mall; at least 1,000 square feet; lease of at least 5 years; room for an exterior sign | Items 7 and 11 |
The 2026 FDD prints no degree, net worth or liquid capital minimum. Those figures come from a Kumon franchise benefits page that lists a bachelor’s degree, $70,000 of liquid capital, $150,000 of net worth, U.S. citizenship or a green card and 6 to 8 hours a business day. That page carries 2020 award labels, so ask Kumon’s Center Network Development Department in Rutherford, New Jersey, whether the capital figures still apply.
The full-time rule shapes cost as much as any fee. An absence without approved arrangements lets Kumon run the Center and charge 10% of the average tuition of the 5 nearest Kumon Centers for each enrolled student, on top of royalties (Item 6, Note 9). Semi-absentee ownership is not an option under Item 15.
How long does it take to go from application to the lower royalty?
Item 11 puts the Training Agreement to opening at six to ten months, and the Center must open within six months of signing the Franchise Agreement or receiving your program certificate, whichever comes first. Training continues after opening: Course 301 needs three months of operation and at least 10 subjects enrolled, Course 401 follows about six months later, and the $38 rate waits on 600 Math and 400 Reading cumulative enrollments.
- Before training: application, background check and interview (Item 1).
- Before training: Math and Reading proficiency tests; a fail means a 6-month wait (Item 1).
- Start: sign the Training Agreement and pay the $1,000 deposit (Items 5 and 7).
- 4 to 12 weeks after the Training Agreement: Course 101, 4 days of classroom training (Item 11).
- About 4 weeks later: Course 201, 4 days, then on-the-job training listed as 40 hours over one week and 2 days in an existing Kumon Center (Item 11).
- Discovery Day: sign the Franchise Agreement and pay the $2,000 fee and $2,000 materials fee, with the deposit credited (Items 5 and 11).
- Within 6 months: open the Center; the royalty starts at $42.75 per subject (Items 6 and 11).
- 3 or more months after opening: Course 301, 3 days, with at least 10 subjects enrolled (Item 11).
- About 6 months later: Course 401, 4 days of classroom training (Item 11).
- TLP met: 600 Math and 400 Reading enrollments, and the royalty falls to $38 (Item 6).
Self-study adds up alongside the courses: 61 hours of curriculum study between Course 201 and Discovery Day for a new Center, or 94 hours for a takeover, plus 19 hours of online modules (Item 11 training table). The exterior sign takes about 60 to 90 days from order to installation, and software certification lapses if you have not opened within six months of passing it.
What do the outlet counts and the missing Item 19 tell a buyer?
Kumon makes no financial performance representation, so the FDD gives no figure for Center sales or owner income, and the FTC buyer guide says any such claim must appear in Item 19. Item 20 shows a slow-growing system with few exits: franchised Centers rose from 1,618 at the start of 2023 to 1,705 at the end of 2025, and terminations plus non-renewals stayed near 2% a year.
| Year | Start | Opened | Terminated | Not renewed | Reacquired | Ceased, other | End | Exits as % of start | Transfers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 1,618 | 52 | 30 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1,637 | 2.0% | 64 |
| 2024 | 1,637 | 65 | 20 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 1,671 | 1.9% | 82 |
| 2025 | 1,671 | 62 | 23 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1,705 | 1.7% | 64 |
Those rates sit below the median of 220 systems in our franchise closure rate index, where the typical brand lost 4.7% of franchised outlets in its latest year and 9.8% changed hands or left once transfers are counted. Kumon’s 2025 figure on the same basis is 92 of 1,671, or 5.5%. Kumon also sold 12 of its 18 company-owned Centers to franchisees in 2025, leaving 5, and projects 69 franchised openings in 2026 (Item 20, Tables 4 and 5).
For income questions the FDD points elsewhere. If you buy an existing Center, Kumon may give you that Center’s actual records (Item 19). Exhibits C and D list current franchisees and those who left in 2025, and the International Association of Kumon Franchisees asked to be named in Item 20. Owner results turn on enrollment, the tuition you set, the per-student royalty, the $300 monthly marketing fee, rent and assistant payroll. Our analysis of Item 19 disclosure across franchise systems covers what to ask when a brand publishes none.
Which Kumon cost claims online no longer match the filings?
Most figures in circulation come from older FDDs or Kumon’s own campaign pages. The table checks five claims we read in October 2026 against the March 27, 2026 FDD. Most were accurate for the filing year they describe; the problem is that those filings have been replaced, and the 2026 Item 7 range starts $28,507 higher than the 2025 one.
| Claim | Where it appears | What the 2026 FDD says |
|---|---|---|
| Total investment “$64,458 to $139,890” and a “$500” Training Agreement deposit | Kumon finances page, copyright 2021 | $101,630 to $233,780; $1,000 deposit (Items 5 and 7) |
| “$74,428 to $156,590” and “up to $36,000 in incentives” | Kumon franchise benefits page, 2020 award labels | $101,630 to $233,780; contributions inside Item 7 of $23,300 to $28,500, plus the rent subsidy beyond month 3 |
| “Roughly $73,000 to $165,000 all-in” | A Kumon versus Mathnasium comparison blog dated October 15, 2026 | That is the 2025 range ($73,123 to $165,360); 2026 is $101,630 to $233,780 |
| Franchise fee “about $1,000 to $2,000” | The same comparison blog | $2,000, or $3,000 with English as a Foreign Language; the $1,000 deposit is credited (Item 5) |
| Royalty “$15 – $38.25/student/m” | A franchise directory page marked “Information based on 2024 FDD” | $30 enrollment royalty; $42.75 during TLP; $38 after, each per subject (Item 6) |
Is a Kumon Center a fit for you? A decision table by situation
The FDD rules out some buyers before cost matters. If you cannot teach full time in person, need an exclusive territory or want franchisor financing, Items 10, 12 and 15 answer no. If those fit, the decisive numbers are the $42.75 and $38 royalties, the 600 and 400 enrollment thresholds and the five-year term with 270 days’ notice to leave early.
| If | Then | FDD basis |
|---|---|---|
| You want to keep another job or hire a manager to run the Center | Kumon does not fit: full-time personal instruction is required | Item 15 |
| You fail the Math or Reading proficiency test | Wait at least 6 months from the re-test, then restart the application | Item 1 |
| You want a protected area | None is granted; other Kumon Centers may open near you | Item 12 |
| You need franchisor financing | Kumon offers none; line up a lender before the Franchise Agreement | Items 7 and 10 |
| You are buying an existing Center | No furniture, carpet or sign support; 94 curriculum hours instead of 61; the seller must have owned it 2 years; final approval usually about 8 months after tentative approval; the price sits outside Item 7 | Items 7, 11 and 17 |
| You want to add English as a Foreign Language | The franchise fee rises to $3,000 and an EFL Addendum applies | Item 5 |
| You may leave before the 5-year term ends | Give 270 days’ written notice or pay 3 times your average monthly royalty | Item 17 |
| You plan to price above nearby Centers | Allowed today, but Kumon may set tuition limits on 60 days’ notice; registration fee capped at $80 | Item 1 |
No Kumon Center has a protected radius, and our study of franchise territory rights shows how that compares with other systems. A consultant who has read Kumon’s Item 6 can set the $38 per-subject royalty beside percentage royalties at other tutoring brands; what a franchise consultant does and how they are paid explains that service. This page is general information, not legal, financial or investment advice; have a franchise lawyer read the Training Agreement and Franchise Agreement before you sign either.
How we compiled this
We read two Kumon North America, Inc. disclosure documents from Minnesota’s CARDS database, issued March 27, 2026 and March 28, 2025 (amended July 1, 2025), and summed every Item 7 line in both. We also read two Kumon campaign pages, the FTC buyer guide, 16 CFR 436.5 and three third-party cost pages in October 2026. Kumon’s current U.S. franchise site refused our automated request, so its live figures are not reflected. We excluded every income or revenue estimate because Kumon makes no Item 19 representation. For the 23 Items in context, see our guide to the franchise disclosure document, and for lower-cost alternatives, our list of franchises under $100,000.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to open a Kumon franchise?
Item 7 of Kumon’s March 27, 2026 FDD puts the total at $101,630 to $233,780, including $6,500 to $7,500 paid to Kumon. That range already subtracts $23,300 to $28,500 Kumon pays toward furniture, the exterior sign, carpet and paint, and three months of rent subsidy for a new Center. The July 2025 filing showed $73,123 to $165,360.
What is the Kumon franchise fee?
The Initial Franchise Fee is $2,000, or $3,000 if Kumon approves English as a Foreign Language at your Center (Item 5). You pay a $1,000 Training Agreement deposit first and Kumon credits it toward the fee when you sign the Franchise Agreement. A separate $2,000 materials fee and $2,500 pre-opening marketing payment also go to Kumon.
How much is the Kumon royalty per student?
Under Item 6 of the 2026 FDD, you pay $30 when a new student enrolls, then $42.75 a month per full-payment student in each subject during the Temporary License Period and $38 after it. Partially exempt or prorated students cost half: $21.38 and $19. A student in Math and Reading counts twice for the monthly royalty.
How much does a Kumon franchise owner make?
Kumon’s 2026 FDD makes no Item 19 financial performance representation, so it publishes no sales or owner income figures. Results depend on enrollment, the tuition you set, the per-student royalty of $42.75 or $38 per subject, the $300 monthly marketing fee from month 7, rent and assistant payroll. Ask current franchisees listed in Exhibit C.
Do you need a teaching degree to own a Kumon Center?
No teaching degree appears in the 2026 FDD. Item 1 requires passing Mathematics and Reading Proficiency Tests, a background check with FBI fingerprinting and an interview, then the two-semester Instructor Development Program. A Kumon recruitment page with 2020 award labels asks for a bachelor’s degree, $70,000 of liquid capital and $150,000 of net worth.
Does Kumon offer financing?
No. Item 10 of the March 27, 2026 FDD says Kumon offers no direct or indirect financing and guarantees no note or lease. Kumon does carry SBA franchise code S0962, which recorded 46 franchise-coded SBA 7(a) and 504 loans from fiscal 2020 to June 30, 2026, according to SBA loan data.
Sources
- Kumon North America, Inc. Franchise Disclosure Document, issued March 27, 2026, Items 1, 5 to 12, 15, 17, 19 to 21 and Attachment 2, Minnesota CARDS document 35725-202603-05 (accessed October 27, 2026).
- Kumon North America, Inc. Franchise Disclosure Document, issued March 28, 2025, as amended July 1, 2025, Items 6 and 7, Minnesota CARDS document 34446-202507-03 (accessed October 27, 2026).
- 16 CFR 436.5, Disclosure items, Legal Information Institute (accessed October 27, 2026).
- A Consumer’s Guide to Buying a Franchise, Federal Trade Commission (accessed October 27, 2026).
- Finances of a Kumon franchise, Kumon North America, Inc., copyright 2021 (accessed October 27, 2026).
- Kumon franchise benefits, Kumon North America, Inc. (accessed October 27, 2026).
- 7(a) and 504 FOIA loan data, files as of June 30, 2026, U.S. Small Business Administration (accessed October 14, 2026 for our report).