To sell a childcare center: get a confidential valuation, clean up your books and confirm whether your State childcare license, staff ratios and certifications transfers cleanly to a new owner, approach one qualified buyer under an NDA instead of listing publicly, agree terms and sign an LOI, then complete diligence and close. A direct sale to an operator-buyer avoids the 8 to 12 percent broker commission and keeps the process private.
The step-by-step process
- 1. Get a confidential valuation. Before anything else, learn what a childcare center like yours is worth. On $500K - $5M per center of revenue that usually means $150K - $1.2M of normalized earnings against a 4-7x EBITDA multiple.
- 2. Prepare your books and records. Clean and reconcile three years of financials and tax returns, build an add-back schedule, and confirm whether your State childcare license, staff ratios and certifications transfers cleanly to a new owner. Clean records are what let a buyer trust the numbers and close without re-trading.
- 3. Reach the right buyer confidentially. Rather than list publicly and alert your childcare center's staff and competitors, approach one qualified operator-buyer under an NDA. Private equity platforms and strategic consolidators (KinderCare, Learning Care Group, Primrose, PE roll-ups) are the loud buyers, but they screen hard, move slowly, and re-trade at diligence.
- 4. Agree terms and sign an LOI. Negotiate price and structure and sign a letter of intent that sets terms and an exclusivity window for diligence.
- 5. Complete diligence and close. The buyer verifies financials, contracts, and licensing; a direct sale typically closes in 30 to 75 days. Your staff and customers learn on your timeline.
What buyers check when you sell a childcare center
Buyers of childcare centers underwrite the things that make the earnings transferable. Expect diligence on your normalized earnings and add-backs, customer concentration, current State childcare license, staff ratios and certifications and whether it transfers, and how much the business depends on you personally. Licensing barrier, recurring tuition, waitlists, real estate works in your favor here; owner dependence and messy books work against you.
| Factor | WETYR (operator-buyer) | PE platform | Individual buyer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Typical offer basis | 4-7x EBITDA | Highest headline number | Financing-dependent |
| Time to close | 30 to 75 days | 6 to 12 months | 3 to 9 months |
| Stays confidential | Yes, no public listing | Committee and advisors see it | Usually broker-marketed |
| Fees to you | $0, we buy as principal | Broker 8 to 12% if listed | Broker 8 to 12% |
| Re-trade risk at diligence | Low | High | Medium to high |
| Who runs it after close | WETYR operates it | Installs their own team | New owner learns the business |
How long it takes and what it is worth
A direct, confidential sale of a childcare center typically closes in 30 to 75 days; a brokered or marketed process usually runs 6 to 12 months. On value, childcare centers generally sell for 4-7x EBITDA; multi-site higher. Dual-income demand, recurring tuition, PE and strategic consolidation
Get a confidential valuation
Tell us a little about your childcare center. We reply with an indicative value range and whether we are a direct fit, within one business day. No obligation, no listing, nothing public.
Selling a childcare center: FAQ
What is a childcare center worth?
Most childcare centers trade at 4-7x EBITDA; multi-site higher. The number that matters is your normalized owner earnings (SDE or EBITDA after adding back one-time and owner-specific costs), multiplied by a range set by size, recurring revenue, licensing, and how dependent the business is on you. On roughly $500K - $5M per center of revenue we typically see $150K - $1.2M of earnings. Send the numbers and we will give you an indicative range within a day.
How long does it take to sell a childcare center?
A direct sale to WETYR can close in 30 to 75 days because there is no listing, no broker marketing cycle, and no auction. A brokered or PE-marketed process usually runs 6 to 12 months and puts your confidential financials in front of dozens of strangers. Location does not change the mechanics; readiness of your books does.
Do I have to list my business publicly to sell it?
No. That is the single biggest fear owners raise, and the reason many never start. WETYR buys directly and privately. Your staff, customers, and competitors do not find out unless and until you decide to tell them. Nothing goes on BizBuySell, no sign goes up, no teaser circulates.
What does WETYR charge to sell my childcare center?
When we buy directly, you pay us nothing; we are the principal, not a broker taking 8 to 12 percent of your proceeds. When we advise on a sale to a third party, fees are agreed up front and disclosed in writing. Either way you know the economics before anything moves.
What makes a childcare center sell for a higher multiple?
Licensing barrier, recurring tuition, waitlists, real estate. Concretely: recurring or contracted revenue, a team that runs the day-to-day without you, clean books, and current licensing (State childcare license, staff ratios and certifications). We tell you honestly which levers are worth pulling before a sale and which are not worth the delay.
Sell your childcare center confidentially
A 30-minute call with the operator who would buy it, not a broker who lists it.