2026 FDD Issued Apr 15, 2026 Minnesota Commerce (CARDS) Previous source check Oct 16, 2026
School of Rock Franchise Cost (2026)
School of Rock’s 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) lists an initial franchise fee of $59,900 (Item 5). Item 7 prints an estimated total investment of $378,050 – $756,100, but the printed total and the listed expense lines do not reconcile, so a cleared cost range is not available. Read the printed lines and the unresolved difference.
Read the source-review hold before using these figures.
- Total investment
- $378K – $756KPrinted Item 7 total; does not reconcile
- Franchise fee
- $59.9KItem 5 source and terms
- Royalty
- 8% of Gross SalesItem 6 conditions and fee bases apply
- Brand fund
- 3% of Gross SalesItem 6 conditions and fee bases apply
What stands out about School of Rock
The printed low investment total differs from the sum of its expense rows. That discrepancy remains a source-review hold; it is not resolved by replacing one expense with an inferred balancing value. The source estimate also assumes leased premises and excludes a real-estate purchase.
The sales disclosure separates franchised schools from company-owned schools. The company operating-income table is a different sample and cannot be treated as franchised owner income. Its exclusions also matter when comparing the reported school sales with costs a new operator expects to incur.
What are the initial franchise fees and financial requirements for School of Rock?
Item 5 lists an initial franchise fee of $59,900 for School of Rock. Check the cited Item 5 for payment timing, discounts and format-specific terms.
Item 5 (PDF page 20) sets the initial franchise fee at $59,900, payable in full no later than signing the franchise agreement and non-refundable. Eligible U.S. military veterans, or entities majority-owned by them, may receive a $5,000 discount on their first agreement; the program may be changed or cancelled. A discretionary incentive may waive the initial fee for selected existing franchisees with top-tier financial performance opening a second school in their existing territory. If a Development Agreement is offered, its non-refundable fee is $29,950 per school and is credited toward the initial franchise fee on a pro rata basis.
Source: School of Rock 2026 FDD, Item 5, PDF p. 20.
This record lists no minimum net worth or liquid-capital requirement for School of Rock, because no sourced figure has been recorded. Ask the franchisor for its current financial qualifications in writing.
How much does it cost to open a School of Rock franchise? (Item 7)
Source: School of Rock 2026 FDD, Item 7, PDF p. 26.
The printed totals or listed expenses below do not reconcile. These are the amounts the FDD prints, not a source-cleared investment range. Read the source note before using any budget figure.
| Expense Category | Low ($) | High ($) |
|---|---|---|
| Initial franchise fee | $59,900 | $59,900 |
| Initial Rent Outlays | $8,500 | $24,800 |
| Leasehold Improvements | $195,000 | $417,000 |
| Furnishings and Finishings | $14,000 | $26,000 |
| Equipment | $26,000 | $40,000 |
| Security and Cameras | $6,500 | $20,000 |
| Signage | $8,000 | $15,000 |
| Supplies | $2,000 | $3,000 |
| Pre-Opening Training | $2,300 | $3,700 |
| Advertising | $10,000 | $12,000 |
| Opening Inventory | $3,000 | $4,000 |
| Computer/ Software | $4,000 | $9,000 |
| Permits & Licenses | $3,200 | $7,200 |
| Architectural Fees | $11,700 | $14,000 |
| Prepaid Insurance Premiums | $750 | $2,000 |
| Utility Costs & Deposits | $700 | $1,500 |
| Miscellaneous Opening Expenses | $6,500 | $12,000 |
| Additional Funds for 3 Months | $25,000 | $85,000 |
| Printed Item 7 total (FDD printed amount, PDF p. 27) | $378,050 | $756,100 |
For comparison, the median high-end investment among 7 education & tutoring records without a source-review hold is $288,400.
Unresolved printed-source discrepancy: Item 7 on PDF pages 26-27 prints a low total of $378,050 and a high total of $756,100. Its listed low expense rows add to $387,050, $9,000 above the printed low total. The printed total and every listed row are retained; no balancing row is invented. This record remains on hold. The source lists leasehold improvements of $195,000-$417,000, equipment of $26,000-$40,000 and three-month additional funds of $25,000-$85,000. Real-estate purchase costs are not estimated.
What ongoing royalties and fees does School of Rock charge? (Item 6)
Source: School of Rock 2026 FDD, Item 6, PDF p. 21.
Item 6 of School of Rock’s 2026 FDD lists the charges below. Recurring charges and charges triggered by a transfer, renewal or other event have different conditions. Read each fee’s basis and notes before comparing rates.
How to read an Item 6 fee table.
| Fee Type | Amount / Rate | Payment Frequency | Notes & Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Royalty | 8% of Gross Sales | Every period | Monthly, due on the 10th for the previous month. (Item 6, PDF p. 21) |
| Brand Fund Fee | 3% of Gross Sales | Every period | Monthly contribution, due on the 10th for the previous month. (Item 6, PDF p. 21) |
| Advertising Cooperative | Varies | When it applies | Up to 3% of Gross Sales if the school voluntarily joins a cooperative; payments count toward required local advertising. The FDD says no cooperatives currently exist. (Item 6, PDF p. 21) |
| Initial Training Program for Subsequent Trainees | Varies | When it applies | Current charges are $600 per owner, $400 per general manager, and $300 per music director; caps are $1,200, $800, and $600 respectively. Row continues on PDF page 22. (Item 6, PDF p. 21) |
| Interest | Varies | When it applies | On overdue amounts, the lesser of 18% per year or the maximum rate allowed by law. (Item 6, PDF p. 22) |
| Insurance | Varies | When it applies | Required insurance cost and, if the franchisor obtains coverage after a default, its procurement expense. (Item 6, PDF p. 22) |
| Inspection/Audit | Varies | When it applies | Audit costs, underpaid amounts and interest if any income or sales were unreported or understated; no 2% threshold is stated. (Item 6, PDF p. 22) |
| Non-Compliance Fee | Varies | When it applies | Currently $800 per violation plus remedy costs; may increase to $2,000 per violation plus costs. (Item 6, PDF p. 23) |
| Transfer Fee | Varies | When it applies | For a transfer below 50% ownership, greater of $2,500 or the transferred share multiplied by one-third of the then-current initial fee. For larger transfers, one-third of that fee. Certain transfers to an owner-formed entity carry no charge. (Item 6, PDF p. 23) |
| Successor Franchise Fee | Varies | When it applies | One-third of the then-current initial franchise fee at renewal. (Item 6, PDF p. 23) |
| Technology Fee | $260 per month | Every period | Current monthly base charge includes four email/intranet licenses. Additional licenses currently cost $16.25 each monthly; other technology charges can vary, as detailed on PDF page 24. (Item 6, PDF p. 23) |
| PRO Licensing Fee | $92 per month | Every period | Current monthly performance-rights organization licensing charge; may change with licensing costs. (Item 6, PDF p. 24) |
| Method App Fee | Varies | Every period | Currently $6.21 monthly per curriculum-eligible student; may change within the stated cap. (Item 6, PDF p. 24) |
| Indemnification | Varies | When it applies | Liabilities and defense costs arising from operation of the school. (Item 6, PDF p. 24) |
| Collection Costs and Attorneys Fees | Varies | When it applies | Collection, legal, court and arbitration costs related to enforcing obligations or defending claims. (Item 6, PDF p. 25) |
| Performance of Obligations After Default | Varies | When it applies | Actual costs incurred if the franchisor performs an obligation after owner default. (Item 6, PDF p. 25) |
| Step-In Rights Fee | Varies | When it applies | 3% of Gross Sales during franchisor management after default, plus direct out-of-pocket costs. (Item 6, PDF p. 25) |
| Liquidated Damages | Varies | When it applies | Formula based on average weekly royalties and brand-fund fees over the prior 52 weeks, multiplied by the lesser of 88 weeks or remaining contract weeks after closure or default. (Item 6, PDF p. 25) |
Explore annual fees and payback assumptions
This fee schedule cannot be reduced to the calculator’s simple sales-based formula. Enter your own assumptions and check them against the Item 6 terms.
School of Rock startup investment and modeled fees over 10 years
A source check placed this record on review hold. Automatic fee estimates are withheld until the outstanding issues are resolved. The earlier source-check date does not clear this hold. Technology charges include variable additional licenses, and the Method App fee depends on eligible students. Conditional cooperative charges and contractual default fees cannot be modeled as a flat percentage of sales. See the fee amounts and definitions in Item 6 above. Open the calculator with your own assumptions.
Item 20: School of Rock franchised outlet history
Source: School of Rock 2026 FDD, Item 20, PDF p. 67.
Item 20 Table 3 reports 276 franchised outlets at the end of 2025. The company-owned table reports a further 47 outlets.
| Year | Franchised at Start | Opened | Reported Exits | At End | Franchise Exit Rate (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 211 | 25 | 2 | 234 | — |
| 2024 | 234 | 24 | 4 | 254 | — |
| 2025 | 254 | 27 | 5 | 276 | — |
Calculated outlet totals, net growth and exit rates are withheld because this record has not cleared the current Item 20 source checks. The table retains the outlet counts printed in Item 20. Read the unresolved source issues.
Reported exits include terminations, non-renewals, franchisor reacquisitions and other cessations. A reacquired outlet may continue operating. How we calculate the exit rate. How to read the Item 20 outlet tables.
9 units changed owners in 2025.
How much do School of Rock franchise owners make? (Item 19)
Source: School of Rock 2026 FDD, Item 19, PDF p. 61.
Item 19 of the 2026 FDD reports average annual total sales for franchised schools in 2025 of $683,344 (2025, 243 franchised schools open all 12 months in 2025). School of Rock’s Item 19 reports sales but no profit, costs or owner pay. Rent, payroll, supplies, loan payments and Item 6 fees come out of sales before an owner is paid, so these figures cannot show what an owner earns.
Read the source-review hold before using this figure.
See every School of Rock Item 19 figure, with its period and sample.
Payback calculator (enter your own assumptions) Check any inputs against this record’s Item 7 startup costs and Item 6 fee rules.
How to interpret School of Rock’s Item 19 figures and sample limits.
How long is the School of Rock franchise agreement term?
Source: School of Rock 2026 FDD, Item 17, PDF p. 55.
The standard School of Rock franchise agreement runs 10 years, with renewal terms of 5 years.
How long does it take to open a School of Rock franchise? (Item 11)
Source: School of Rock 2026 FDD, Item 11, PDF p. 40.
Item 11 of the 2026 FDD states the time from signing the franchise agreement to opening: 11 to 15 months.
Comparing other franchise records
An unresolved startup-total conflict prevents matching this record to other brands by investment amount. Browse the franchise directory and read the format and source qualifications on each record.
Compare other education & tutoring franchises
Sources
School of Rock Franchising LLC Franchise Disclosure Document, issued April 15, 2026, as filed with the Minnesota Commerce (CARDS). Read the source FDD PDF. How to get this FDD yourself.
- Item 5: cited PDF p. 20
- Item 6: cited PDF p. 21
- Item 7: cited PDF p. 26
- Item 19: cited PDF p. 60
- Item 20: cited PDF p. 67
- Agreement term (Item 17): cited PDF p. 55
Page references for School of Rock use the PDF viewer's digital page count, not printed page headers. Some viewers download the document instead of opening the referenced page.
If the state document viewer does not open, use Minnesota Commerce's public filing instructions to look up the filing by franchisor name and document date.
Document & verification changelog
- October 30, 2026: Record updated.
- October 30, 2026: Source review hold recorded. Unresolved corrections are listed in this source section.
- October 16, 2026: Previous source check recorded. The later source review hold below supersedes its clearance.
- October 16, 2026: Initial cost profile published from the 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document (issued April 15, 2026).