by: Evan Metzger
After a period of cautious investment, private equity firms are showing renewed enthusiasm for the education sector in 2025, with targeted strategies and an emphasis on long-term value creation.
The Education Investment Landscape in 2025
Education, it turns out, is a fantastic investment, and not just for the bright-eyed, ambitious youth but also for savvy investors well beyond their days of Chaucer and cheap ramen. The global education sector, valued at nearly $10 trillion, has evolved from a traditionally philanthropic space into one of the most dynamic investment frontiers for private equity. As we move through 2025, education has become a compelling asset class offering strong returns, long-term stability, and global scalability. This resurgence follows a challenging period in 2023-2024, when private equity investments in education reached a three-year low of $4.60 billion, according to S&P Global Market Intelligence.
The renewed interest isn’t surprising when we consider the fundamentals. Education is a $7 trillion global industry that continues to grow, displaying remarkable resilience even during economic downturns, according to EQT Group. Families consistently prioritize educational spending, and governments remain committed to expanding access and quality. These factors make education investments particularly attractive in an uncertain economic climate.
With economic uncertainty on the horizon, many analysts predict a surge in enrollment in higher education, further attracting PE investors. Historically, the education sector tends to perform well during economic slowdowns, as unemployed individuals often return to school to enhance their skills or change careers. This countercyclical nature makes education investments “an effective hedge against recession in any investor’s portfolio,” as noted by Private Equity Investors. After a post-pandemic dip, private equity’s appetite for the education sector is once again growing, with recent evidence showing increased dealmaking across various educational sub-sectors, according to Private Equity International. The favorable regulatory environment for certain educational institutions has also contributed to this renewed interest from private equity firms looking for stable returns in unpredictable markets.
Key Segments Driving Private Equity Interest
Higher Education
In the higher education space, private equity firms are finding creative ways to address funding challenges. Institutions face cashflow impacts and uncertainty surrounding federal funding, which is pushing dependencies from the national to state level and adding costs to private institutions, according to Deloitte’s 2025 Higher Education Trends report. This environment creates opportunities for investment in institutions with robust data on employment outcomes and return on investment.
In fact, the global education services sector saw $4.60 billion in private equity and venture capital investments in 2023, with firms recognizing they can help education institutions scale up, creating more access to learning while driving revenues. Major deals in 2024-2025 have included EQT’s acquisition of Universidad Europea, a private higher education platform in Spain and Portugal.
Early Childhood Education
Early childhood education (ECE) has emerged as a particularly active segment for private equity investment. Private equity firms have significantly increased their involvement in the ECE sector, investing in brick-and-mortar centers, technology providers, and support services, according to Tyton Partners. This surge in interest stems from several factors, including intense demand for quality childcare programs, growing government investment through state spending and subsidies, and relatively low startup costs.
The market dynamics are compelling: the ECE market is projected to grow from USD 11.73 Billion in 2025 to USD 33.12 Billion by 2034, exhibiting a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 12.22%, as reported by Market Research Future. This growth potential, combined with the stable, recurring revenue model of childcare centers, makes ECE an attractive target for private equity firms looking for predictable returns.
Investment in private preschools and early childhood education providers directly expands available supply and potentially adds ancillary services for parents and children, including improvements in facilities, better resources, and elimination of months-long waitlists, notes Tyton Partners. These tangible benefits create substantial value for all stakeholders.
EdTech and Digital Transformation
Technology continues to transform education delivery, creating investment opportunities in the EdTech space. While 2024 saw only $1.8B of EdTech Venture Capital (the lowest level since 2014), there’s greater investor emphasis on the path to profitability, with 300 M&A deals involving a mix of strategic buyers and PE transactions, according to HolonIQ’s 2025 Global Education Outlook.
The focus has shifted from experimental apps to platforms that integrate with traditional schools to personalize learning, enhance assessment, and reduce operational overheads, as noted by Global Services in Education. As generative AI tools become more embedded in standard applications, investors are looking for companies that can effectively implement these technologies in educational settings.
Private Equity’s Value Creation Strategies in Education
The private equity approach to education investments has matured significantly. Investors are increasingly involving themselves in value creation through portfolio operations teams. According to a McKinsey survey conducted in early 2025, the average operating group size across funds of all sizes has more than doubled in the past three years alone. This hands-on approach reflects the understanding that achieving returns in education requires dedicated specialist help.
The strategies employed include:
- Operational Excellence: Implementing best practices in management, optimizing cost structures, and improving administrative efficiency.
- Technology Integration: Investing in digital infrastructure to enhance learning outcomes and operational efficiency.
- Geographic Expansion: International schools, once concentrated in capital cities, are now expanding into tier-2 and tier-3 cities, with local families demanding globally recognized education closer to home.
- Consolidation: In fragmented markets like early childhood education, private equity firms are pursuing roll-up strategies to achieve economies of scale.
- Specialized Programming: Niche education models such as sports academies, STEM-focused schools, and arts-based institutions are attracting investment. These models command higher tuition and attract mission-driven partners.
Challenges and Considerations
Despite the promising outlook, private equity firms face several challenges in the education sector:
Regulatory Environment
Education remains heavily regulated, with varying requirements across regions and levels. Investors must navigate complex compliance landscapes while maintaining quality standards. However, the complex regulations that make it hard to enter the education sector actually protect existing players and investments, providing a moat around established operations.
Reputation Management
Education programs serving potentially vulnerable populations, such as children, can expose private equity investors to headline risk if adverse events occur at owned sites. This necessitates rigorous quality control and transparent governance structures.
Workforce Challenges
The education sector, particularly early childhood education, faces persistent staffing challenges. Successful investments require strategies to attract, retain, and develop qualified educators.
Balancing Profit and Purpose
Education investments require a delicate balance between financial returns and educational outcomes. The most successful private equity firms in this space recognize that long-term value creation depends on delivering quality education that satisfies parents, students, and regulators.
Looking Ahead: The Future of Private Equity in Education
After several years of slower activity, private equity appears poised for a prolonged stretch of growth and expansion. As noted in Cherry Bekaert’s Private Equity Report, “The private equity landscape is poised for continued growth and opportunity in 2025, fueled by innovation, strategic investments and dynamic market conditions.”
Key trends to watch include:
- Government Partnerships: Increasing collaboration between private investors and public entities to address educational access and quality, as highlighted by EQT Group.
- Focus on Outcomes: Greater emphasis on measurable educational outcomes as a driver of valuation and investment decisions, a trend tracked by private equity research firms.
- International Expansion: In markets like India, where the education sector is expected to reach US$ 225 billion by FY25, FDI equity inflow in education has reached US$ 9.62 billion between April 2000 and September 2024, according to the India Brand Equity Foundation. Similar opportunities exist in other emerging markets with young populations.
- Technological Innovation: Continued investment in technologies that can scale educational access and improve outcomes while reducing costs, as reported in EY’s 2025 Private Equity Trends.
Conclusion
Private equity’s return to education in 2025 represents a maturation of the industry’s approach to this vital sector. The most successful firms are bringing not just capital but also operational expertise, technological innovation, and a long-term perspective to their education investments.
For education providers, this renewed interest presents opportunities for growth, innovation, and enhanced quality. For students and families, it can mean greater access to diverse, high-quality educational options. And for society as a whole, responsible private investment in education complements public funding to build human capital for the future.
As private equity continues to play an expanding role in education, the firms that balance financial discipline with genuine educational value creation will find substantial opportunities in this resilient, purpose-driven sector.
Evan Metzger is a Project Manager at ECA Partners. He can be reached at [email protected].
