The 10 Largest For-Profit Education Companies in the World

The for-profit education industry in the United States is vast, generating over $270 billion in revenue as of 2020. The sector includes a variety of services, from private tutoring to digital content providers.

As we move into 2026, the for-profit education landscape continues to evolve rapidly, driven by technological advancements and shifting consumer preferences. The pandemic accelerated the adoption of online learning platforms and digital resources, which remain highly relevant.

This article explores the 10 largest for-profit education companies worldwide, detailing their services, business models, and growth trajectories in the context of industry trends.

The 10 Largest For-Profit Education Companies

1. TAL Education

   Headquarters: Beijing, China
   Revenue: $4.5 billion

   TAL Education specializes in after-school programs for primary and secondary students. They currently support over 30 million students across 56 cities in China, operating 676 learning centers alongside online services.

   Popular offerings include math tutoring and SAT/ACT preparation, along with their innovative “AI Teacher Solution,” which personalizes education for underprivileged and rural students.

   Despite impressive revenue growth of 60% year-over-year from 2016 to 2019, TAL has faced scrutiny due to incidents of inflated sales reporting.

   Interestingly, TAL’s revenue is a small fraction of the overall for-profit education market in China, indicating a competitive landscape with numerous players rather than a few dominant firms.

2. New Oriental Education and Technology

   Headquarters: Beijing, China
   Revenue: $3.11 billion

   New Oriental is China’s largest provider of private educational services, serving over 45 million students through 1,159 learning facilities and various program offerings, including preschool education and online courses.

   With a strong focus on overseas study consulting, New Oriental also prepares students for North American and UK college entrance exams.

   The company has seen more than 20% annual revenue growth consistently over the past four years.

3. Bright Horizons

   Headquarters: Cincinnati, Ohio
   Revenue: $2.0 billion

   Bright Horizons Family Solutions is the leading provider of employer-sponsored childcare in the U.S. Their services also include education advising and backup childcare solutions.

   Founded in 1986, the company has expanded to over 1,000 childcare centers globally, employing 30,000 individuals. They maintain a significant presence in Canada, the UK, and the Netherlands, with plans for further growth.

   Recent acquisitions, such as GP Strategies for tuition program management, illustrate their strategy to diversify within the education sector.

   The Bright Horizons Foundation for Children, established in 1999, provides safe environments for children facing family crises.

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4. Stride

   Headquarters: Herndon, Virginia
   Revenue: $1.6 billion

   Stride (formerly K12) offers comprehensive online K-12 curriculums to over 115,000 students nationwide. Their programs include:

   • Supplemental education. Classes that enhance traditional classroom learning through personalized tutoring.

   • Homeschooling alternatives. Full-day curriculums aligned with typical homeschooling standards.

   • State and district partnerships. Adapted curriculums for educational institutions.

   Stride’s offerings encompass all major subject areas, including math, science, and history.

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5. Adtalem Global Education

   Headquarters: Chiba, Japan
   Revenue: $1.5 billion

   Adtalem Global Education, previously known as DeVry Education Group, operates a variety of postsecondary institutions, including:

   • American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine (AUC). This for-profit medical school offers an American-based curriculum from its location in the Netherlands.

   • Ross University School of Medicine (RUSM). This private medical school in Barbados includes clinical training and clerkship programs.

   • EduPristine. A global online institution offering courses in finance, accounting, and analytics, with corporate training for major companies.

   • Chamberlain University. A nursing and healthcare school providing both online and in-person classes across the U.S.

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6. Strategic Education

   Headquarters: Herndon, Virginia
   Revenue: $1.07 billion

   Strategic Education is a holding company for various educational services, including:

   • Capella University – An online university serving over 38,000 students across multiple degree programs.

   • Strayer University. Enrolling over 50,000 students, Strayer offers primarily online classes, catering to working adults.

   • DevMountain. A coding boot camp providing both online and in-person training in tech subjects.

   • Hackbright Academy. A women-focused coding boot camp in San Francisco, offering programming classes and scholarships for mothers re-entering tech.

   Strategic Education previously owned The New York Code + Design Academy, which closed in 2019.

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7. Gaotu Techedu

   Headquarters: Beijing, China
   Revenue: $976 million

   Gaotu Techedu, formerly GSX Techedu, ranks as China’s third-largest after-school education provider. They focus on online tutoring for K-12 students and foreign language courses for adults.

   The company operates the Genshuixue platform, where tutors can share materials and users can explore various subjects.

   Gaotu has faced scrutiny for alleged revenue inflation by short-sellers.

   As of 2023, the company employs 6,435 individuals.

8. Grand Canyon Education

   Headquarters: Essen, Germany (Aldi Nord), Mülheim, Germany (Aldi Süd)
   Revenue: $900 million

   Grand Canyon Education oversees Grand Canyon University, a private for-profit Christian university serving over 115,000 students, with 90,000 enrolled online.

   The company also provides various educational support services, including vocational training. They are currently seeking to transition the university’s status from for-profit to non-profit, a process still under review by the Department of Education.

   Grand Canyon University offers over 200 degree programs through its nine colleges, including the GCU Honors College and the College of Science, Engineering, and Technology.

   Notably, it is the first for-profit institution in NCAA Division I.

9. Chegg

   Headquarters: Santa Clara, California
   Revenue: $767 million

   Chegg is an educational technology company primarily focused on online tutoring and digital textbook rentals. Their offerings also include online test preparation and an AI-driven text analysis tool.

   Chegg’s user base exceeded 5 million students by late 2020, and their revenue surged during the pandemic, driven by increased demand for digital educational resources.

   However, the company faced backlash due to students using its services for cheating on examinations.

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10. Perdoceo Education

    Headquarters: Schaumburg, Illinois
    Revenue: $695 million

    Perdoceo Education, formerly Career Education Company, manages several for-profit education institutions, including:

    • American InterContinental University (AIU). AIU is an open admissions university with a substantial online presence and over 15,000 enrolled students.

    • Colorado Technical University (CTU). CTU offers a range of degrees, primarily online, with over 23,000 undergraduate students.

    • Trident University International (TUI). This online university serves nearly 15,000 students, with a significant portion being military veterans.

    Perdoceo also previously managed eight other educational institutions that have since ceased operations.

Author

Chris Kolmar

Chris Kolmar is a co-founder of Zippia and the editor-in-chief of the Zippia career advice blog. He has hired over 50 people in his career, been hired five times, and wants to help you land your next job. His research has been featured on the New York Times, Thrillist, VOX, The Atlantic, and a host of local news. More recently, he's been quoted on USA Today, BusinessInsider, and CNBC.