Education & Training Services Industry Profile

The US education and training services industry includes about 45,000 companies and many more self-employed individuals with combined annual revenue of more than $30 billion. Major companies include Kaplan (a subsidiary of the Washington Post Co.); Career Education Corporation (CEC); ITT Educational Services; and Sylvan Learning (part of Educate). The industry is fragmented: on average, the 50 largest companies represent 30 percent of total revenue.

Global education and training services companies are increasingly looking to emerging economies for new growth opportunities. Fast-growing developing nations such as China and India often rely on education and training services to help support their growth. Leading global education and training services firms include New Oriental Education & Technology Group of China, NIIT Limited of India, and ThirdForce of Ireland.

Education and training services is a broad category that encompasses job-specific certification; professional training; and classes emphasizing self-fulfillment, leisure, and hobbies. Many of the industry’s programs, classes, and training services fall under the category of career and technical education (CTE), historically known as vocational education, or "vo-tech.” High schools, community colleges, universities, and educational support services aren't included in this industry.

COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE

Demand for certification classes is driven by employment trends in the medical, high technology, and manufacturing industries. Demand for classes emphasizing self-fulfillment is driven by personal income. The profitability of individual companies depends on maintaining low operating costs and recruiting enough students. Large companies have ...