$4.4 Billion U.S. Autism Treatment Market Still Growing

Untapped Demand, Worker Shortage

Tampa – WEBWIRE – Tuesday, May 20, 2025

New Market Study

Demand for quality autism treatment programs is huge and ongoing."

May 20, 2025 - Marketdata LLC, a leading market research firm specializing in service and healthcare markets, has published an analysis of U.S. autism treatment centers and programs. This 107-page study, entitled: “The U.S. Autism Treatment Centers Market”, is a comprehensive business and competitor analysis of for-profit and non-profit treatment centers that run ABA (Applied Behavior Analysis) programs for autistic children.

This is a fragmented market, with at least 1,622 non-profit and for-profit autism treatment centers and schools with ABA programs that are operating in the U.S. today.

" ABA (Applied Behavior Analysis) treatment programs are considered to be the most effective and widely used programs for autistic children, but providers are being scrutinized more carefully about outcomes data and billing. A therapist shortage, plus uncertainty over funding from the Trump Administration are the two main headwinds", according to John LaRosa, Research Director at Marketdata.

Major Findings:

* Market Value & Growth… The U.S. autism treatment market is estimated to be valued at $4.4 billion as of 2024. Marketdata forecasts 3.8% annual revenue growth for the market to 2028.

* Treatment center revenues… A groundbreaking analysis by Marketdata, of non-profit programs, based on IRS 990 tax forms finds that the non-profit treatment centers had revenues estimated at $2.9 billion in 2024, while the 13 largest for-profit chains had revenues of $1.06 billion.

* Demand… There are an estimated 1.5 million autistic children in the U.S., with 961,000 of them receiving treatment via a program . Many are left without care.

* Operations… The pandemic forced many providers to add virtual services. Most treatment centers are small, with revenues under $5 million.

* Private Equity Activity… Private equity investors have been very active in this market, backing eight major for-profit chains. Changes to U.S. federal and state laws now compel insurance companies to reimburse autism treatments, making the field attractive to investors Private equity firms, including Blackstone and KKR, have invested billions into the ABA/autism treatment industry.

* Huge Demand For Therapists…. There are basically three types of ABA program providers: brick & mortar centers, community providers, and In-home therapists. There is a shortage of ABA therapists – only 33,000 are certified. The per capita supply of certified ABA facilities falls below the benchmark in 49 states.

* Challenges.… 1. Uncertainty over funding under the Trump Administration. 2. Therapist shortage. 3. Overcoming past fraudulent billing activity by some providers.

* The top for-profit chains… Thirteen large multi-site ABA program providers operate an estimated 892 brick & mortar centers and are aggressively acquiring competing centers and building new ones. Together, they accounted for at least $1.06 billion in revenues in 2024.

About The Study

“The U.S. Autism Treatment Centers Market”, May 2025, is a 107-page report that contains 14 tables and charts and 14 in-depth competitor profiles. The study provides an analysis of the market for ABA treatment centers/programs, plus the autism medications market. Analysis of for-profit and non-profit providers, $ size of the market from 2009 to 2028 forecast, market structure, treatment center operating metrics, ABA therapist salaries, major market trends and issues, growth drivers, regulation, consumer demand, patient demographics, and treatment center competitor profiles. Price: $995. Table of Contents found at the Marketdata website. A $99 Overview summary report is also available. The report may be purchased online at: marketdataenterprises.com (Consumer Services link). John LaRosa is available for interviews.

About Marketdata LLC

Marketdata is a 46-year old market research and consulting firm that specializes in tracking a variety of healthcare and personal service markets, since 1979. The firm also performs custom research projects, business coaching, and teleconference calls.