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Nursery Schools in the US - Market Research Report (2014-2029)

Gabriel Seiler Gabriel Seiler New York, United States Last Updated: September 2024 NAICS OD6035

Revenue

$17.0bn

2024

$17.0bn

Past 5-Year Growth

Profit

$X.Xbn

Employees

388k

Businesses

161k

Wages

$X.Xbn

Nursery Schools in the US industry analysis

Nursery schools' biggest challenge at the moment has been dubbed the "childcare cliff." As crucial American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding ended and additional appropriations were cut out of legislation, nursery schools inherited the cost of maintaining attractive salaries in an environment where inflation pushed workers' living expenses through the roof. Nursery schools are forced to cut staff and limit capacity or impose tuition hikes. Some nursery schools successfully passed some costs on as over half of US families lack meaningful access to licensed care, giving them little influence over nursery school prices. Still, underwhelming enrollment has exacerbated a labor shortage and weighed on profit as nursery schools struggle to offer enticing wages.

Trends and Insights

  • Nursery schools have hit the childcare cliff. The end of ARPA funding and cancellation of additional assistance have placed the burden of paying costly salaries on nursery schools, pushing profit into the red for schools serving middle-income families.
  • Government programs like Head Start and the Child Care Development Fund (CCDF) support the bulk of nursery schools' revenue. Private programs make up the remainder of their revenue.
  • Nursery schools' distribution reflects population distribution. Despite the differences in state funding and income differentials, the most populous states have the most nursery schools.
  • State regulations and funding impact local concentration. State-funded universal pre-K programs undermine enrollment in privately funded nursery schools.

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  • Market estimates from 2014-2029
  • Critical performance data and rankings
  • Detailed analysis of competitive forces and the external environment
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Industry Statistics and Trends

Market size and recent performance (2014-2029)

Industry revenue has grown at a CAGR of 1.0 % over the past five years, to reach an estimated $17.0bn in 2024.

Trends and Insights

Tuition rates are climbing as nursery schools hit the childcare cliff

  • American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) backing ended in September 2023, and nursery schools that previously relied on government aid were left to fend for themselves. Many have called this rapid dropoff in essential support the "childcare cliff."
  • Additional trends and insights available with purchase
Nursery Schools in the US
Revenue (2014-2029)
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry outlook (2024-2029)

Market size is projected to grow over the next five years.

Trends and Insights

Closures will perpetuate accessibility issues, sparking renewed government support

  • As nursery schools contend with the end of federal funding, many can't raise wages high enough to attract caretakers and overcome the ongoing labor shortage. Nursery schools will continue to close as they struggle to offer competitive salaries in an environment where even the most entry-level jobs in other fields pay significantly more.

Biggest companies in the Nursery Schools in the US

Company
Market Share (%)
2024
Revenue ($short_0)
2024
Profit ($short_0)
2024
Profit Margin (%)
2024

There are no companies that hold a large enough market share in the Nursery Schools in the US industry for IBISWorld to include in this product.

Products & Services Segmentation

Nursery Schools in the US
Products & Services
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry revenue is measured across several distinct product and services lines, including Publicly funded programs, Privately funded programs and Federally funded programs . Publicly funded programs is the largest segment of the Nursery Schools in the US.

Trends and Insights

Privately funded programs make up over half the industry's revenue

  • Privately funded nursery school programs are those operated by private individuals, organizations, or companies. Tuition fees paid by parents fund these programs.
  • More insights available in the full report

Table of Contents

About this industry

Industry definition

This industry provides preschool education services and daycare for children aged three and four. Establishments in this industry are private, but they may receive funding from state and federal grants or charitable donations. This industry excludes babysitting or infant care services.

What's included in this industry?

Privately funded preschool educationState-funded preschool educationFederally funded preschool education

Companies

Purchase this report to view all major companies in this industry.

Related Terms

EARLY LEARNINGNONPROFITCOGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT

Industry Code

NAICS 2017

NAICS 62441 - Nursery Schools in the US

Performance

Get an indication of the industry's health through historical, current and forward-looking trends in the performance indicators that make or break businesses.

Analyst insights

Nursery schools have hit the childcare cliff. The end of ARPA funding and cancellation of additional assistance have placed the burden of paying costly salaries on nursery sc...

In this chapter (4)

  • Current Performance
  • Outlook
  • Volatility
  • Life Cycle

Key metrics

  • Annual Revenue, Recent Growth, Forecast, Revenue Volatility
  • Number of Employees, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Employee
  • Number of Businesses, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Business
  • Total Profit, Profit Margin, Profit per Business

Charts

  • Revenue, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Employees, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Businesses, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Profit, including historical (2014-2024)
  • Industry Volatility vs. Revenue Growth
  • Industry Life Cycle

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in supply, demand and current events that are driving current industry performance
  • Expected trends, economic factors and ongoing events that drive the industry's outlook
  • Key success factors for businesses to overcome volatility
  • How contribution to GDP, industry saturation, innovation, consolidation, and technology and systems influence the industry's life cycle phase.

Products and Markets

Learn about an industry's products and services, markets and trends in international trade.

Analyst insight

Government programs like Head Start and the Child Care Development Fund (CCDF) support the bulk of nursery schools' revenue. Private programs make up the remainder of their r...

In this chapter

  • Products & Services
  • Major Markets

Key metrics

  • Largest market segment and value in 2024
  • Product innovation level

Charts

  • Products & services segmentation in 2024
  • Major market segmentation in 2024

Detailed analysis

  • Trends impacting the recent performance of the industry's various segments
  • Innovations in the industry's product or service offering, specialization or delivery method
  • Key factors that successful businesses consider in their offerings
  • Buying segments and key trends influencing demand for industry products and services

Geographic Breakdown

Discover where business activity is most concentrated in an industry and the factors driving these trends to find opportunities and conduct regional benchmarking.

Analyst insights

Nursery schools' distribution reflects population distribution. Despite the differences in state funding and income differentials, the most populous states have the most nurs...

In this chapter (1)

  • Business Locations

Charts

  • Share of revenue, establishment, wages and employment in each state
  • Share of population compared to establishments in each region in 2024

Tables

  • Number and share of establishments in each state in 2024
  • Number and share of revenue each state accounts for in 2024
  • Number and share of wages each state accounts for in 2024
  • Number and share of employees in each state in 2024

Detailed analysis

  • Geographic spread of the industry across North America, and trends associated with changes in the business landscape
  • Key success factors for businesses to use location to their advantage

Competitive Forces

Get data and insights on what's driving competition in an industry and the challenges industry operators and new entrants may face, with analysis built around Porter's Five Forces framework.

Analyst insights

State regulations and funding impact local concentration. State-funded universal pre-K programs undermine enrollment in privately funded nursery schools.

In this chapter (4)

  • Concentration
  • Barriers to Entry
  • Substitutes
  • Buyer & Supplier Analysis

Key metrics

  • Industry concentration level
  • Industry competition level and trend
  • Barriers to entry level and trend
  • Substitutes level and trend
  • Buyer power level and trend
  • Supplier power level and trend

Charts

  • Market share concentration among the top 4 suppliers from 2019-2024
  • Supply chain including upstream supplying industries and downstream buying industries, flow chart

Detailed analysis

  • Factors impacting the industry’s level of concentration, such as business distribution, new entrants, or merger and acquisition activity.
  • Key success factors for businesses to manage the competitive environment of the industry.
  • Challenges that potential industry entrants face such as legal, start-up costs, differentiation, labor/capital intensity and capital expenses.
  • Key success factors for potential entrants to overcome barriers to entry.
  • Competitive threats from potential substitutes for the industry’s own products and services.
  • Key success factors for how successful businesses can compete with substitutes.
  • Advantages that buyers have to keep favorable purchasing conditions.
  • Advantages that suppliers have to maintain favorable selling conditions.
  • Key success factors for how businesses can navigate buyer and supplier power.

Companies

Learn about the performance of the top companies in the industry.

Analyst insights

Nursery schooling remains heavily fragmented. No companies maintain at least a 5.0% market share nationally, as the labor-intense nature of caring for toddlers limits the abi...

In this chapter

  • Market Share Concentration
  • Companies
  • Company Spotlights

Charts

  • Industry market share by company in 2020 through 2024
  • Major companies in the industry, including market share, revenue, profit and profit margin in 2024

Detailed analysis

    External Environment

    Understand the demographic, economic and regulatory factors that shape how businesses in an industry perform.   

    Analyst insights

    High unemployment cuts demand for nursery care. Parents without work obligations have time to watch their own kids as well as the kids of their friends, family and neighbors....

    In this chapter

    • External Drivers
    • Regulation & Policy
    • Assistance

    Key metrics

    • Regulation & policy level and trend
    • Assistance level and trend

    Charts

    • Regulation & Policy historical data and forecast (2014-2029) 
    • Assistance historical data and forecast (2014-2029) 

    Detailed analysis

    • Demographic and macroeconomic factors influencing the industry, including Regulation & Policy and Assistance
    • Major types of regulations, regulatory bodies, industry standards or specific regulations impacting requirements for industry operators
    • Key governmental and non-governmental groups or policies that may provide some relief for industry operators.

    Financial Benchmarks

    View average costs for industry operators and compare financial data against an industry's financial benchmarks over time. 

    Analyst insights

    Nursery schools in wealthier communities can pass down higher costs and preserve profit. In more affluent neighborhoods or regions with a higher average income, strong demand...

    In this chapter

    • Cost Structure
    • Financial Ratios
    • Key Ratios

    Key metrics

    • Profit margin, and how it compares to the sector-wide margin
    • Average wages, and how it compares to the sector-wide average wage
    • Largest cost component as a percentage of revenue
    • Industry average ratios for days' receivables, industry coverage and debt-to-net-worth ratio

    Charts

    • Average industry operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2024
    • Average sector operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2024
    • Investment vs. share of economy

    Data tables

    • Industry Multiples (2017-2022)
    • Industry Tax Structure (2017-2022)
    • Income Statement (2017-2022)
    • Balance Sheet (2017-2022)
    • Liquidity Ratios (2017-2022)
    • Coverage Ratios (2017-2022)
    • Leverage Ratios  (2017-2022)
    • Operating Ratios (2017-2022)
    • Cash Flow & Debt Service Ratios (2014-2029)
    • Revenue per Employee (2014-2029)
    • Revenue per Enterprise (2014-2029)
    • Employees per Establishment (2014-2029)
    • Employees per Enterprise (2014-2029)
    • Average Wage (2014-2029)
    • Wages/Revenue (2014-2029)
    • Establishments per Enterprise (2014-2029)
    • IVA/Revenue (2014-2029)
    • Imports/Demand (2014-2029)
    • Exports/Revenue (2014-2029)

    Detailed analysis

    • Trends in the cost component for industry operators and their impact on industry costs and profitability 

    Key Statistics

    Industry Data

    Data Tables

    Including values and annual change:

    • Revenue (2014-2029)
    • IVA (2014-2029)
    • Establishments (2014-2029)
    • Enterprises (2014-2029)
    • Employment (2014-2029)
    • Exports (2014-2029)
    • Imports (2014-2029)
    • Wages (2014-2029)

    Top Questions Answered

    Unlock comprehensive answers and precise data upon purchase. View purchase options.

    What is the market size of the Nursery Schools in the US industry in United States in 2024?

    The market size of the Nursery Schools in the US industry in United States is $17.0bn in 2024.

    How many businesses are there in the Nursery Schools in the US industry in 2024?

    There are 161k businesses in the Nursery Schools in the US industry in United States, which has declined at a CAGR of 1.9 % between 2019 and 2024.

    Has the Nursery Schools in the US industry in United States grown or declined over the past 5 years?

    The market size of the Nursery Schools in the US industry in United States has been growing at a CAGR of 1.0 % between 2019 and 2024.

    What is the forecast growth of the Nursery Schools in the US industry in United States over the next 5 years?

    Over the next five years, the Nursery Schools in the US industry in United States is expected to grow.

    What does the Nursery Schools in the US in United States include?

    Privately funded preschool education and State-funded preschool education are part of the Nursery Schools in the US industry.

    How competitive is the Nursery Schools in the US industry in United States?

    The level of competition is high and steady in the Nursery Schools in the US industry in United States.

    Related Industries

    Widen you competitive advantage with related industries

    Competitors

    • Day Care in the US
    • Public Schools in the US
    • Private Schools in the US
    • Early Childhood Learning Centers in the US

    Complementors

    • Toy, Doll & Game Manufacturing in the US
    • Children's & Infants' Clothing Stores in the US
    • Hobby & Toy Stores in the US
    • Education Consultants in the US
    • Educational Software in the US

    International industries

    • Day Care in Canada
    • Child Care Services in Australia
    • Child Care Services in New Zealand
    • Child Day-Care Centres in the UK
    • Kindertagesstätten

    View all industries in United States

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    Key data sources in the US include: 

    • US Census Bureau
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    • US International Trade Commission

    Analysts also use industry specific sources to complement catch-all sources, although their perspective may focus on a particular organization or representative body, rather than a clear overview of all industry operations. However, when balanced against other perspectives, industry-specific sources provide insights into industry trends.

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    • Industry federations or regulators
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