Franchise Costs: Detailed Estimates of Kumon Franchise Costs (2020 FDD)

Updated September 27, 2020.

Detailed Estimates of Kumon Franchise Costs Based on Item 7 (Estimated Initial Investment) of Kumon’s 2020 Franchise Disclosure Document

1.  Training Agreement Deposit Fee:  $500

• If you are applying for your first Kumon Center franchise, the Deposit Fee is $500 for an Instructor Development Program Kit. Kumon will apply the Deposit Fee towards your Initial Franchise Fee if you successfully complete the Instructor Development Program and sign a Franchise Agreement.

2.  Expenses While Training:  $5,150 to $8,880

• Kumon’s Instructor Development Program consists of preliminary homework assignments, training in a Center that Kumon has designated, training in a Kumon Regional Office, on-line training, study of Kumon’s Worksheets and curriculum, and two semesters of classroom training at Kumon University in Ridgefield Park, New Jersey.

• If you successfully complete the first semester of the Instructor Development Program and are awarded a franchise, you will be required to attend two additional classroom training courses, one in a Kumon Regional Office and one at Kumon University in Ridgefield Park, New Jersey.

3.  Initial Franchise Fee:  $1,000 less the $500 Deposit Fee if you are obtaining your first Kumon Center franchise

4.  Initial Purchase of Materials:  $1,000

• The fee for your purchase of the materials you will need to operate your Center, such as instruction answer books, student achievement tests, student placement tests, and promotional posters, is $1,000.

5.  Architect Design:  $0 to $10,000

6.  Leasehold Improvements:  $31,500 to $60,000

• Kumon will reimburse you for the cost of initial carpet, window blinds and shades, and paint for your Center in an amount Kumon determines, currently up to $5,500. The amount provided in the chart above accounts for this reimbursement of $5,500 to you. Without this reimbursement, your costs would be $35,000 to $65,500.

7.  Security Deposit, If Required:  $0 to $15,000

8.  Rent:  $2,500 to $5,000

• The estimate includes the first month’s rent. You must operate your Center in retail facilities such as a storefront, shopping center, or mall.

• Kumon will not accept a location where the lease term is less than five years, the space is less than 1,000 square feet, or you are unable to affix one of its exterior signs.

• Kumon will not permit any activity other than the operation of a Kumon Math and Reading Center for any site it approves.

• If you are signing your first Franchise Agreement with Kumon for a new Kumon Center or for an operational Kumon Center that you are purchasing, which has been open for instruction sessions two days per week, and you agree to comply with Kumon’s four instructional sessions per week operating requirement, Kumon will subsidize your Center’s rent payment by providing you a payment of 50% of your monthly rent payment per month for the first 12 months of your Center’s lease, with a maximum subsidy of $1,000 per month. The amount provided in the chart does not account for this subsidy to you.

9.  Furniture, Equipment, Primary Sign, and Supplies:  $3,400 to $12,000

• At no cost to you, prior to the opening of your Center, Kumon will select and have delivered to your Center the furniture and fixtures needed to open and initially operate your Center. If paid by you, the cost of these items would be $8,900. The items that Kumon will provide will include what it deems to be a sufficient number of tables, stools, cabinets, shelves, and chairs.

• You may wish to purchase additional items of furniture and fixtures for your Center, the cost of which Kumon estimates to be between $0 and $5,500.

• The company will approve in advance and you will purchase the carpet and paint to be used at your Center meeting the specifications contained in the Operations Manual.

• You must pay for one exterior sign for the facade of your commercial space. Upon installation, Kumon shall reimburse you for the cost of fabrication and installation of the sign. The cost of sign fabrication is currently estimated by Kumon to be between $4,700 and $7,000. The amount provided above accounts for this reimbursement of $4,700 to $7,000 to you. Kumon will own the sign.

• You may install additional signs at your Center. If you do, the signs must comply with the specifications contained in the Operations Manual. You will own any additional signs that you install.

10.  Notebook Computer at Kumon Center:  $400 to $2,000

• You must obtain a notebook computer for use at your Center. Your computer must be at your Center at all times when your Center is open. Your notebook computer must have the minimum specifications set forth in Kumon’s Operations Manual.

• You must use Kumon’s proprietary software, applicable to your Center, which will assist in various aspects of operating your Center.

11.  Professional Fees:  $1,000 to $3,000

12.  Liability Insurance:  $480

• This figure is the current annual rate if you purchase the package policy liability insurance, inclusive of sexual misconduct liability coverage, that Kumon makes available through its insurance carrier, based on an assumed Center enrollment of 100 math students.

• Many franchisees also obtain other types of insurance coverage for their Centers, such as property and casualty coverage, although Kumon currently requires only liability coverage. Kumon estimates that the annual cost of property and casualty coverage would range from $1,000 to $2,500.

• Should you elect not to participate in the insurance package offered by Kumon, you must also purchase sexual misconduct liability insurance for yourself and your employees.

• Almost every state requires you to purchase workers’ compensation insurance for employees of your Center.

13.  Business License, Name Registration:  $100 to $200

14.  Kumon Lead Management Telephone System:  $480 to $600

• Your Kumon Center must utilize the Kumon Lead Management Telephone System. This system utilizes Voice Over Internet telephone technology. To utilize this System, your Center must have its own telephone number and dedicated Voice Over Internet Protocol telephone line used exclusively for Center business.

• You must purchase this System from Kumon’s designated vendor. The cost for the purchase and installation of the System currently is between $480 and $600.

• Kumon will reimburse you for the cost of installation of the System. The amount provided above does not account for this subsidy.

15.  Recommended Reading List:  $2,550

• You must purchase the books included on the Kumon Recommended Reading List. The list consists of approximately 378 books in Levels 7A-L, chosen with the purpose of enhancing the student’s joy of reading, to be assigned by the Instructor for use at home as needed on an individual basis.

16.  Fingerprinting, Criminal Background Check:  $18 to $60

• You must have your fingerprints taken on Form FD-258, the fingerprinting card used by the FBI to conduct a criminal background check.

17.  Payroll Cost for Assistants:  $7,350 to $8,820

• You may need to hire assistants as the number of students enrolled at your Center increases.

18.  New Center Marketing:  $4,000 to $8,000

• Within the first 3 months your Center is open (6 months if you take over operation of an existing Kumon Center), you must spend a minimum of $4,000 to promote, market, and advertise your Center.

• Provided you spend at least the required minimum ($4,000), Kumon will reimburse you 50% of the amount that you spend on pre-approved Center promotion, advertising, and marketing during the first 3 months of the operation of your Center (6 months if you take over the operation of an existing Kumon Center), up to the maximum amount set forth in the Operations Manual.

• Currently, provided you spend at least the required minimum ($4,000), Kumon will reimburse you for $2,000 of such costs. The amount provided above does not account for this reimbursement of $2,000 to you.

19.  Additional Funds (3 Months):  $13,500 to $18,000

• This is an estimate of the additional funds you will need during the initial period of operation, which Kumon defines as 3 months from the opening of the Center.

20.  Total:  $74,428 to $156,590

• In compiling these estimates, Kumon relied on its and its predecessors’ more than 34 years of experience in operating and franchising Kumon Centers in the U.S.