STEM for Kids franchise: cost, fees & unit track record
Opening a STEM for Kids franchise takes $79,300 – $109,550 all-in, per its franchise disclosure filings (data as of 2026-05). The initial franchise fee is $28,000 – $29,500. Ongoing, franchisees pay a royalty of 7% on sales plus an ad-fund contribution of up to 2%. To qualify, STEM for Kids asks for $20,000 in liquid cash and a $125,000 net worth. Anything the filings do not state is marked "Not disclosed" below — never estimated.
STEM for Kids franchise costs and fees
| Verification mark | Cost item | Low | High | Range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Initial franchise feeOne-time, paid to the franchisor at signing | $28,000 | $29,500 | $28,000 to $29,500 | |
| Initial investment (all-in)FDD Item 7-derived range: build-out, equipment, opening costs | $79,300 | $109,550 | $79,300 to $109,550 | |
| Net worth requiredFranchisor's stated qualification minimum | $125,000 | $125,000 | $125,000 | |
| Liquid cash requiredFranchisor's stated qualification minimum | $20,000 | $20,000 | $20,000 | |
| Cash to open (all-in range) | $79,300 | $109,550 | $79,300 to $109,550 |
| RoyaltyOngoing, % of sales | 7% |
|---|---|
| Ad fundOngoing, % of sales | Up to 2% |
| Initial termLength of the first franchise agreement | 7 years |
See the full STEM for Kids cost breakdown — what's in that number and what isn't
How STEM for Kids's cost compares
A dollar figure means more with a yardstick. Here is where STEM for Kids's disclosed cost sits against the Professional Services category:
- Minimum startup cost of $79,300 — about in line with the Professional Services median of $84,700.
- Initial franchise fee of $28,000 — about 29% below the Professional Services median of $39,700.
Category medians are computed from the Professional Services brands in our data that disclosed each figure — a benchmark for scale, not a quality judgment. See all Professional Services franchises
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How STEM for Kids's units have held up
Openings and closures from FDD Item 20-style unit history, 2016–2017: began the window at 0 units; 12 units opened, 0 closed, ending at 12 units.
Not enough history to compute a survival figure — we need at least three years of unit data, and we don't extrapolate.
What about earnings?
We don't publish per-brand earnings figures — for STEM for Kids or anyone else. The only primary source is Item 19 of the brand's own franchise disclosure document (FDD), and no law requires a franchisor to publish one, so the "average owner income" numbers circulating elsewhere are usually unsourced or survivorship-biased. Ask STEM for Kids for its current FDD and read Item 19 yourself — and if there is no Item 19, that silence is information too.
What this data can't tell you
Everything on this page comes from disclosure filings — fees, ranges, and unit counts. Four questions that matter just as much are not in any filing we can source, so we say so instead of guessing:
- The hours and the labor
- No dataset field says whether STEM for Kids is a manage-from-a-laptop business or a 60-hour week in disguise. Item 15 of the FDD states whether you're obligated to run the business personally, and Item 11 lists what the franchisor actually does for you — then ask current owners what their week looks like (validation calls), not the sales team.
- How hands-on the ownership really is
- "Semi-absentee" is a pitch, not a filing field. Treat any hands-off claim as unverified until it's consistent with Item 15 and with what multiple current franchisees tell you — what absentee ownership actually means.
- Your territory — whether it's protected, and whether it's open
- Two territory questions sit outside our data. Whether STEM for Kids grants a protected or exclusive area is set in Item 12 of the FDD and varies brand to brand — some grant none, and the carve-outs (online sales, national accounts) matter as much as the map. And filing data can't say what's open in your market this month; only STEM for Kids can confirm current availability. Ask both before you inquire, and get the answer in writing.
- What owners earn
- Covered honestly above: our dataset has no earnings fields, the only primary source is the brand's own Item 19, and here is how to read that evidence.
About the STEM for Kids franchise
STEM for Kids is a professional services franchisor with 12 units at the end of 2017 (FDD Item 20-style unit history). Between 2016 and 2017, it began the window at 0 units; its filings record 12 unit openings and 0 closures, ending at 12 units. Its parent company is SFK Franchising Inc.. The filings indicate financing options are available; terms come from the franchisor, not from us.
No franchise-related lawsuits reported in the disclosure data we hold (FDD Item 3, as of 2026-05) — an absence in our sources, not a guarantee; confirm against the brand's current FDD.
From the franchisor's materials
The Franchisee will own and operate a business system that provides educational activities, namely classes, camps, workshops, conferences and programs in the field of math, science, technology and engineering under the registered trademark STEM for Kids. Franchisor, SFK FRANCHISING INC., provides services to Franchisees including assistance with training, operations, staffing, advertising and marketing, purchasing and promotional techniques.
STEM for Kids franchise: quick answers
- How much does a STEM for Kids franchise cost?
- $79,300 – $109,550 all-in to open, per STEM for Kids's franchise disclosure filings (data as of 2026-05).
- How many STEM for Kids units are there?
- 12 units at the end of 2017 (FDD Item 20-style unit history).