Parents across the country are searching for reliable childcare solutions, which is why the daycare franchise industry has grown steadily over the past decade. But while daycares can be profitable, a growing number of entrepreneurs are discovering a far more sustainable, impactful, and financially secure opportunity: opening an ABA therapy business.
If you’re comparing investment options, here’s why an ABA therapy center offers significantly stronger long-term benefits than a traditional daycare franchise.
While families need child supervision, the demand for Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy is on an entirely different scale.
Autism rates continue to rise
Families face months- to years-long waitlists for therapy
Most cities do not have enough ABA providers
Insurance requires and funds ABA treatment
Because ABA therapy is considered medically necessary, parents don’t choose it based on convenience — they must obtain it. This creates a stable, recession-proof demand that daycare centers can’t replicate.
Daycare franchises rely on weekly tuition payments. When a child is sick, families travel, or economic conditions shift, enrollment decreases — and so does revenue.
ABA therapy businesses operate differently:
Treatment is funded by private insurance and Medicaid
Approved therapy plans guarantee consistent, ongoing billable hours
Revenue is tied to medically-necessary services, not convenience
This means ABA clinics often enjoy higher profit margins, more predictable cash flow, and fewer seasonal dips compared to daycares.
Opening a daycare franchise lets you serve your community, but opening an ABA clinic lets you change families’ lives.
ABA centers help children develop:
Communication skills
Social skills
Life-skills
Independence
The impact is measurable, meaningful, and life-changing. For many entrepreneurs — especially autism parents — this is the investment that aligns passion with profit. It’s a business with purpose.
Daycare franchises have been around for decades. In most cities, providers are everywhere — home daycares, church daycares, national brands, and corporate centers.
ABA therapy is still in its early growth stage.
Few cities have enough providers
Many areas have no ABA clinics at all
Regulations require specialized training, creating a high barrier to entry
Families are actively seeking new providers
Less competition means faster filling of caseloads, stronger community presence, and long-term market dominance.
The daycare industry is heavily regulated — but mostly for safety. Quality varies widely, and differentiation is difficult.
ABA therapy centers must meet:
Healthcare-level compliance standards
Strict clinical oversight from BCBAs
Regular audits
Insurance documentation requirements
This creates a higher-quality environment that is easier to scale, franchise, and standardize. Successful ABA clinics develop strong reputations, while daycares often struggle to distinguish themselves.
Daycare workers are often underpaid and turnover is high. Recruiting can be tough.
ABA therapy, however, attracts:
Behavior technicians
Registered Behavior Technicians (RBTs)
Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs)
Professionals seeking career growth in healthcare
Offering competitive salaries, clinical supervision, and a mission-driven workplace makes staffing easier and more stable.
While each model varies, most ABA centers generate significantly more revenue per client than a daycare seat.
Why?
ABA sessions are billable healthcare hours
Therapy is delivered one-on-one
Treatment plans authorize 20–40 hours per week
Insurance reimbursement rates are high
A full-capacity ABA clinic can out-earn a full daycare center — with fewer children, less noise, and a more controlled environment.
A daycare franchise can be successful, but it faces challenges:
Market saturation
Economic downturns
Competing prices
Staffing shortages
An ABA clinic, on the other hand, benefits from:
Medically driven demand
Insurance-funded revenue
Community partnerships
Growing awareness of autism
Ability to expand into social groups, parent training, or life-skills programs
For entrepreneurs looking to build a multi-unit operation, ABA therapy often provides a clearer path to scalability.
If you’re deciding where to invest, consider what offers the most:
Impact
Stability
Profitability
Community value
A daycare franchise can offer steady income. But an ABA therapy business offers life-changing work, strong financial returns, and the chance to serve families who truly need support.
For mission-driven entrepreneurs looking to combine purpose and profit, the choice is clear:
Invest in ABA therapy — the future of family-centered care.
Nichole Daher is an American entrepreneur, book author, autism advocate, and founder of Success On The Spectrum (SOS)-the first autism treatment franchise in the United States-known for its parent viewing rooms and quality-driven ABA services. She currently serves as CEO of SOS Franchising, where she provides support, resources, and opportunities for entrepreneurs to open their own Success On The Spectrum autism centers.
