Tutu School franchise unit economics
Tutu School franchisees run children's ballet schools from leased storefronts that sell ballet and movement classes, camps and parties, with some retail sales.
Tutu School franchise at a glance
Its 2026 FDD reports annual revenue for the 52 franchised schools open three full years, revenue by third, monthly revenue from January 2025 to March 2026, opening-year revenue for three groups of new schools and revenue for four corporate schools.
Tutu School’s 52 franchised schools open three full years averaged $283,159 of gross revenue in 2025, with a median of $267,542, according to Item 19 of Tutu School’s 2026 FDD, issued 20 April 2026. The 52 in that group are 49%* of Tutu School’s 107 franchised schools. Fees paid to Tutu School come to about 7.4%* of sales.
- A Tutu School franchise costs $124,000 to $272,000 to open, including the $49,500 initial franchise fee.
- Tutu School charges a 5% royalty on programming sales, 4% on retail sales and a 2% national marketing and technology fee on programming sales, which it may raise to 3%.
- Tutu School also requires franchisees to spend 5% of programming sales on approved local marketing.
- Tutu School’s top third of 17 mature schools averaged $456,944 in 2025, and the bottom third of 18 averaged $129,904.
- Tutu School locations that opened in 2025 averaged $11,284 in their first full month, against $3,699 for schools that opened in 2023.
- Tutu School had 111 schools in the United States at the end of 2025, 107 franchised and 4 company-owned, and Item 20 shows no terminations, non-renewals, reacquisitions or closures in 2023, 2024 or 2025.
- The franchisor, Tutu School Franchises, LLC of Chicago, has offered franchises since 2012.
These figures come from Tutu School's 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document, as the brand reported them, and were read by Averan Advisors.
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Talk to Averan → Averan Tutu School Conversion Package →- The 52 mature franchised schools averaged $283,159 in 2025, up 7.7% on $262,979 in 2024. The median was $267,542, up 0.7%. Revenue ranged from $60,574 to $738,497, and 25 schools (48%) were at or above the average.
- Average monthly revenue was higher than a year earlier in 14 of the 15 months from January 2025 to March 2026. April 2025 was the exception at -0.7%. The year-on-year change was +0.3% in January 2025 and +16.2% in March 2026.
- Each year’s new schools averaged more in their first full month than the year before. First-month averages were $3,699 for the 17 schools opened in 2023, $8,473 for the 23 opened in 2024 and $11,284 for the 15 opened in 2025. First-year totals were $95,010, $147,932 and $180,797, the last from 6 schools.
- The bottom third’s average rose 9.9% in 2025, the top third’s 8.3% and the middle third’s 5.6%. The bottom third of 18 schools averaged $129,904 in 2025 and the top third of 17 averaged $456,944, 3.52* times as much.
- Item 20 shows 53* franchised openings from 2023 to 2025 and no terminations, non-renewals, reacquisitions or closures. Franchised schools went from 54 at the start of 2023 to 107 at the end of 2025. At the end of 2025, 27 franchise agreements were signed for schools not yet open.
Revenue
How much does a Tutu School franchise make?
| Year | High | Average | Median | Low | Schools | At or above average |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $738,497 | $283,159 | $267,542 | $60,574 | 52 | 25 (48%) |
| Change | +3.8% | +7.7% | +0.7% | +7.9% | ||
| 2024 | $711,640 | $262,979 | $265,760 | $56,160 | 52 | 26 (printed as 60%) |
Source: Tutu School 2026 FDD, Item 19. Gross revenue includes services and merchandise and excludes sales tax and refunds. The FDD prints the 2024 count as “26 (60%)”; 26 of 52 is 50%*.
Item 19 reports gross revenue for the 52 franchised schools that were open three full years at December 31, 2025. It leaves out the 14 schools opened in 2025, the 23 opened in 2024, the 16 opened in 2023 and two schools that relocated in 2023 and 2025. At the end of 2025 there were 107 franchised and 4 corporate schools in operation.
The 52 schools averaged $283,159 in 2025 and $262,979 in 2024. The median was $267,542 in 2025, so the average sits $15,617* above the median. The highest school reported $738,497 and the lowest $60,574.
Item 19 reports revenue figures and no cost figures. It publishes no profit, wage, rent or cost figures, so this page reports no margin.
The same 52 schools averaged $283,162* across the twelve monthly averages for 2025. That is $3* from the printed annual average. The monthly average was highest in March 2025 at $28,105 and lowest in July 2025 at $19,276. March 2026 was $32,660, up 16.2% on March 2025.
The lowest school in each month of the monthly table billed between $3,358 and $5,902. The highest school in each month billed between $47,983 and $86,092.
The four corporate schools reported $433,680, $313,889, $264,054 and $227,074 in 2025. Their average is $309,674*, or 9.4%* above the 52 franchised schools’ average. One of them opened in October 2023 and rose 55.1% in 2025.
New schools
Revenue for new schools by year opened
| Opened | Month 1 | Month 6 | Month 12 | Year 1 total | Year 2 total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $3,699 (17) | $8,657 (17) | $11,240 (17) | $95,010 (17) | $81,936 (17) |
| 2024 | $8,473 (23) | $12,305 (23) | $17,268 (23) | $147,932 (23) | $243,152 (8) |
| 2025 | $11,284 (15) | $14,646 (13) | $18,295 (6) | $180,797 (6) | Not yet reached |
Source: Tutu School 2026 FDD, Item 19. Month 1 is the first full month of operation. The 2023 and 2025 groups each include one school that closed and reopened at a new location.
The first-month average for schools opened in 2025 was $11,284, against $8,473 for 2024 openings and $3,699 for 2023 openings. The 2025 figure is 3.05* times the 2023 figure. The month-12 averages were $11,240, $17,268 and $18,295.
Later months come from fewer schools. The 2025 group’s month-12 and year-one figures cover 6 of its 15 schools, and the 2024 group’s year-two total covers 8 of its 23 schools.
The 2024 group’s year-two average was $243,152 across 8 schools. Its year-one average was $147,932 across all 23.
The 2023 group’s year-one and year-two averages do not agree with the medians and lows printed beside them. For year two the FDD prints an average of $81,936, a median of $134,670 and a low of $77,058 across 17 schools. With at least 9 of 17 schools at or above the median and the rest at or above the low, the average must be more than $107,558*. For year one, an average of $95,010 with a median of $152,641 and a low of $47,393 implies an average of more than $103,112*.
Item 19 also reports calendar-year revenue for the same 17 schools. They averaged $122,765 in 2024 and $176,187 in 2025, a rise of 43.5%. The 23 schools opened in 2024 averaged $183,339 in 2025.
Revenue by third
Revenue by third, 2024 and 2025
| Group | Schools | Average 2025 | Average 2024 | Change | Median 2025 | Low 2025 | High 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Top third | 17 | $456,944 | $421,860 | +8.3% | $430,724 | $357,519 | $738,497 |
| Middle third | 17 | $275,721 | $261,041 | +5.6% | $274,056 | $201,692 | $348,181 |
| Bottom third | 18 | $129,904 | $118,175 | +9.9% | $122,876 | $60,574 | $191,078 |
| All 52 | 52 | $283,159 | $262,979 | +7.7% | $267,542 | $60,574 | $738,497 |
Source: Tutu School 2026 FDD, Item 19.
The top third of 17 schools averaged $456,944 in 2025 and the bottom third of 18 averaged $129,904. The difference is $327,040* a year, or $27,253* a month. The middle third averaged $275,721.
The bottom third’s average rose the most in 2025, by 9.9%. The top third’s rose 8.3% and the middle third’s 5.6%.
The lowest school in the top third reported $357,519, and the highest in the bottom third $191,078. The middle third ran from $201,692 to $348,181.
Weighting the three thirds by their school counts gives $284,492* for 2025 and $264,163* for 2024. Both are above the printed all-schools averages of $283,159 and $262,979, by $1,333* and $1,184*. The FDD does not explain the difference.
Brand charges
Brand charges
| Charge | Amount | Paid to |
|---|---|---|
| Royalty, programming | 5% of gross programming sales | Franchisor |
| Royalty, retail | 4% of gross retail sales | Franchisor |
| National marketing and technology fee | 2% of gross programming sales, may rise to 3% | Franchisor |
| Local marketing spend | 5% of gross programming sales, spent on approved local marketing | Franchisee’s own spend |
| ActiveCampaign web platform | $95 a month from 2026; increases limited to 10% a year | Franchisor |
| Applicant tracking system | $40 a month, currently optional | Franchisor |
| Additional training | $350–$500 a person a day | Franchisor |
| Summit or conference | $275–$495 a person; one owner a team registered through the fund | Franchisor |
| Royalty, fund fee and platform at $283,159 | $20,961* a year, 7.40%* of revenue | Franchisor |
Source: Tutu School 2026 FDD, Items 5 and 6. The total treats all revenue as programming revenue because Item 19 does not split programming from retail, and uses 2026 rates: 7% of $283,159 plus $1,140* a year of platform fees. Adding the 5% local marketing spend gives 12.40%*.
The royalty is 5% of programming sales and 4% of retail sales. Item 6 states that class revenue is programming revenue and that retail items such as tutus and tights bear the 4% rate and no national marketing and technology fee.
The national marketing and technology fee rose to 2% of programming sales in January 2026. Item 6 states that the franchisor expects it to reach 3% in steps by 2028.
Item 6 sets no minimum royalty or minimum fee. It does require a minimum $8,000 grand opening marketing spend. Item 5 places that spend from 60 days before to one month after opening; the Item 6 table places it from 30 days before to 60 days after.
The initial franchise fee is $49,500. Item 5 lists $40,000 for eligible long-time employees of Tutu School locations and a 15% discount for existing owners adding schools. The initial fees collected in 2025 ranged from $25,000 to $48,000. An area development agreement adds $10,000 for each additional school, credited toward that school’s initial fee.
The territory is not exclusive. Item 12 states that no other school will be permitted in the designated area, which may be as small as one city block or, in suburban and rural areas, as much as a 15-minute drive. The franchisor keeps the right to sell Tutu School products through other channels, including the internet, inside the area.
Cost to open
Cost to open
| Item | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Initial franchise fee | $49,500 | $49,500 |
| Premises investments and improvements | $20,000 | $80,000 |
| First month’s rent and security deposits | $3,000 | $24,000 |
| Signs | $2,000 | $12,000 |
| Furniture, fixtures and equipment | $4,000 | $12,000 |
| Décor package | $8,500 | $8,500 |
| Opening supply inventory | $6,000 | $12,000 |
| Opening local advertising | $8,000 | $12,000 |
| Wages | $3,000 | $12,000 |
| Additional funds, first 3 months | $12,000 | $30,000 |
| Other lines (licenses and deposits, insurance, training travel, professional fees) | $8,000 | $20,000 |
| Total | $124,000 | $272,000 |
Source: Tutu School 2026 FDD, Item 7. The “other lines” row is Averan’s sum of four Item 7 lines: business licenses, permits and deposits ($500–$2,000), insurance ($2,500–$5,000), costs to attend training ($2,000–$5,000) and professional expenses ($3,000–$8,000).
Item 7 puts the cost to open one school at $124,000 to $272,000. The cover page states that $59,800 to $73,800 of that is paid to the franchisor or an affiliate.
The premises estimate assumes finished retail space of about 700 to 1,200 square feet. It covers wood laminate floors, carpet, a sound system, the required décor and paint. Item 7 states that a space needing walls moved or extensive built-in fixtures will cost more.
The initial franchise fee is 39.9%* of the low total and 18.2%* of the high total.
Item 11 requires a site within six months of signing and opening within 12 months. It states that in most areas a school can open three to twelve months after signing.
An area development agreement for two schools costs $134,000 to $282,000 to open the first school. That includes the $10,000 development fee for the second school.
Locations
Locations, 2023 to 2025
| Year | Franchised, start | Opened | Terminated, non-renewed, reacquired or ceased | Franchised, end | Company-owned, end | Total, end | Transfers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 54 | 16 | 0 | 70 | 4 | 74 | 2 |
| 2024 | 70 | 23 | 0 | 93 | 4 | 97 | 2 |
| 2025 | 93 | 14 | 0 | 107 | 4 | 111 | 1 |
Source: Tutu School 2026 FDD, Item 20, Tables 1 to 4. The tables exclude international units: one opened in Vancouver, Canada, in 2023 and one in Salisbury, United Kingdom, in 2024.
Franchised schools went from 54 at the start of 2023 to 107 at the end of 2025. Item 20 shows 16, 23 and 14 openings in the three years and no terminations, non-renewals, reacquisitions or closures for other reasons.
The four company-owned schools are run by the affiliate Tutu School LLC. Two are in California and two in Illinois.
California had 44 of the 107 franchised schools at the end of 2025. New York had 10, and Texas and Washington 7 each.
At the end of 2025, 27 franchise agreements were signed for schools not yet open. The franchisor projects 26 franchised openings in the next year, including 7 in California and 4 in Texas, and no company-owned openings.
Questions we get asked
Questions owners ask
How much does it cost to open a Tutu School franchise?
Item 7 of the 2026 FDD estimates $124,000 to $272,000 for one school, including the $49,500 initial franchise fee. Premises improvements are $20,000 to $80,000 for finished retail space of about 700 to 1,200 square feet.
How much does a Tutu School franchise make?
Item 19 reports that the 52 franchised schools open three full years averaged $283,159 of gross revenue in 2025, with a median of $267,542. The top third of 17 averaged $456,944 and the bottom third of 18 averaged $129,904. Item 19 publishes no profit figure.
What fees does Tutu School charge?
The royalty is 5% of programming sales and 4% of retail sales. The national marketing and technology fee is 2% of programming sales and may rise to 3%. Franchisees must also spend 5% of programming sales on local marketing and pay $95 a month for the ActiveCampaign web platform.
How many Tutu School locations are there?
Item 20 lists 111 schools in the United States at the end of 2025: 107 franchised and 4 company-owned. Franchised schools grew from 54 at the start of 2023, and 27 more agreements were signed for schools not yet open.
How quickly do new Tutu School locations build revenue?
Schools that opened in 2025 averaged $11,284 in their first full month and $18,295 in month 12, the latter from 6 schools. Schools that opened in 2024 averaged $147,932 in their first year across 23 schools.
Does a Tutu School franchise get an exclusive territory?
No. Item 12 states that the franchisee does not receive an exclusive territory, although no other school will be permitted inside the designated area. The franchisor may sell Tutu School products in the area through other channels.
Questions worth putting to Tutu School
These are questions the filing leaves open. An owner or a buyer can put them to the franchisor directly.
- Is the revenue in Item 19 gross sales or collected revenue, and how many locations sit below the average?
- Which factors does Tutu School see in its highest-selling locations, such as territory, years open and staffing?
- How long does a new location take to reach the average you publish, and what does the build-up look like month by month?
- At what level of sales do the minimum charges stop applying and the percentage take over?
- How many Tutu School locations closed, were sold, or changed hands last year, and why?
Run your own numbers.
The Franchise Numbers Check runs the same checks on your own numbers. It scores where you stand and compares you with Item 19 of your brand’s FDD. It works out what one location earns and spends, and builds a 13-week cash forecast. It also checks whether you are ready to open another one. It is free and it runs in your browser.
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Questions owners ask next
The figures above raise these, and each one is answered on its own page.
- At what level of sales does a minimum fee stop costing me more than the percentage?It works out the sales level where a minimum fee stops applying.
- How much cash do I fund before a new location covers its own costs?It builds a 13-week forecast for the months before break-even.
- What does this location earn on the money I put into it?It works out the payback period and cash-on-cash return for one unit.
- How much of Item 19 can I rely on?It explains what an Item 19 financial performance representation tells you and what it leaves out.
Where these figures come from
Every figure here comes from Tutu School Franchises, LLC’s 2026 FDD and is unaudited by us. We are unaffiliated with the brand. Calculations of our own are labeled where they appear. The figures describe past performance at other businesses and are not a projection of yours. This page is an educational summary. It is not an offer to sell a franchise, and it is not financial, legal or tax advice. Tutu School is a trademark of its owner. How Averan reads a Franchise Disclosure Document.
These figures come from the brand's disclosure. They are not a forecast, an offer to sell a franchise or advice. Source: Tutu School Franchises, LLC, 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document, issued 20 April 2026.