Verify licensing, capacity, and inspection history first
Licensed capacity, staff-to-child ratios, and a clean inspection record define what the business can earn and whether it keeps its doors open. Review violations before anything else.
Similar businesses sell at 1.4x to 6.5x SDE. Compare live listings and connect with sellers.

A long-established, fully licensed childcare center in a desirable Summit County, Ohio community is offered for sale due to the founder’s retirement after 37 continuous years of operation. The Center has built a remarkable multi-generational following — parents who attended as children are now enrolling their own kids — with average length of enrollment near five years and a tenured staff team carrying 8 to 30 years of service. Licensed for 50 children (60+ during summer school-age sessions), the Center is operating near capacity year-round, maintains an active waitlist for infant care, and acquires new families almost entirely through word-of-mouth referrals — essentially zero marketing spend. The state-approved Creative Curriculum, Step Up to Quality participation, and a spotless inspection history with the Ohio Department of Children and Youth provide a strong compliance foundation, while a “home-like” setting in a converted residential property gives the Center a clear competitive edge over institutional competitors. The complementary real estate is available for purchase alongside the business, with seller financing entertained for qualified buyers — an ideal acquisition for an owner-operator, regional childcare consolidator, or first-time buyer seeking an established cash-flowing operation with built-in growth headroom in tuition, infant-room capacity, and on-site expansion potential.
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This business operates as an accredited international medical education platform offering structured pathways from pre-medical studies through a full Doctor of Medicine program, with academic instruction delivered at an offshore campus and clinical training conducted through affiliated hospitals in the United States. It serves a diverse, global student population and generates revenue through a recurring tuition-based model supported by multiple program entry points and ongoing student progression. Operations are supported by recognized accreditation standards, established academic infrastructure, and a network of clinical partnerships, creating meaningful barriers to entry. The platform is positioned to benefit from sustained demand for medical education driven by global physician shortages, while also offering opportunities to enhance performance through enrollment growth, program expansion, and optimization of pricing and student financing initiatives.
National transaction benchmarks for education and child care business businesses.
Under $500K
$500K to $2M
Over $2M
A variety of factors can cause businesses to trade outside this range, including earnings quality, operational transferability, key-person risk, growth trajectory, and geography, so a listing priced above or below the typical multiple usually reflects real differences in the underlying business.
Cofounder & CEO
Key diligence, valuation, financing, and transition considerations for buyers evaluating education and child care business acquisitions.
Licensed capacity, staff-to-child ratios, and a clean inspection record define what the business can earn and whether it keeps its doors open. Review violations before anything else.
Qualified teachers and directors are both required and hard to replace; losing staff can push you below licensed ratios and force closures.
Recurring tuition and a waitlist are the value; get enrollment trends by program and watch revenue-per-child against market benchmarks.
In many centers the owner is the licensed director and the face to parents. Know whether a qualified director stays or must be hired.
Playgrounds, classrooms, and safety build-outs are capital-heavy and regulated; confirm the space supports licensed capacity without expensive remediation.
Background-check compliance, incident history, and coverage are non-negotiable here. Confirm standing and adequacy before you commit.
Answers to common buyer questions for this market.