Martial arts schools in Illinois — dojos, MMA gyms, Brazilian jiu-jitsu academies — are valued at 2x to 4x SDE with higher multiples for franchise concepts (ATA, Tiger Rock, Gracie) and lower multiples for owner-instructor-dependent independents. Tuition contract revenue is the primary value driver.
Student Count and Contracts
Active student enrollment under multi-month tuition contracts is the core asset of a martial arts school. Buyers evaluate active count, average monthly tuition, contract length, and attrition. A school with 200 students on 12-month auto-pay contracts is worth far more than one with 200 students on month-to-month memberships, even if monthly revenue is identical.
Instructor Certification and Brand
The selling owner's rank, lineage, and personal reputation matter differently depending on the discipline. For BJJ academies affiliated with a recognized lineage or for karate schools in branded systems, the instructor's credentials transfer value. For independent schools, the brand needs to be built on the school's name and culture rather than the individual instructor.
Summer camps, after-school programs, and birthday party revenue provide ancillary income that adds stability to the core tuition revenue and makes the business more attractive to a broader buyer pool.