This Marketdata study examines the fragmented $4.4 billion U.S. growth market comprised of for-profit and non-profit providers that serve autistic patients via brick & mortar centers and in-home therapy provided by therapists. There are waiting lists, significant untapped demand, and private equity investors are backing new ventures. Treatment centers have introduced virtual services and are now better at documenting outcomes for payors, but several headwinds do exist, namely uncertainty caused by the current administration, and a therapist shortage.
The incidence of autism among American children has soared from 1 in 150 in 2000 to 1 in 31 today, and 6.8 million children and adults now live with autism. Yet, few therapies exist to treat this disease—just a few medications and ABA (applied behavioral analysis) programs.
This groundbreaking report includes: dollar value & growth of the market from 2009 to 2024, with 2025 & 2028 forecasts, market structure, key metrics of treatment centers, definition of and the types of autism, typical therapies used, how ABA programs work and key operating metrics, insurance coverage, patient demographics, analysis of the market for drugs to treat autism, the latest CDC research and demographics on autism, market growth drivers, economic costs, the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic on operations and recovery since then, analysis of for-profit vs. non-profit treatment centers, discussion of the role of private equity, plus a ranking of the top for-profit treatment center chains and their revenues.
Includes a comprehensive analysis by Marketdata of the revenues of non-profit treatment centers/schools, based on IRS data in the Guidestar.org non-profit database.
Contains 14 in-depth competitor profiles and revenues of the largest players in the field: Autism Speaks, Centria Autism Services, The Center for Autism & Related Disorders, the May Institute, Butterfly Effects, Autism Learning Partners, Autism Spectrum Therapies, Chance Light Behavioral Health, Hopebridge, Trumpet Behavioral Health, LEARN Behavioral, BlueSprig, Kadiant, Success on the Spectrum and Hi-5 ABA.
- Introduction: Study Scope & Methodology
- Executive Overview of Major Findings
- Highlights of all report chapters: Nature of the market and its characteristics, key market
- metrics, market trends and issues, patient demographics and demand, market structure and competition, growth drivers, description of ABA programs, market size and growth (2009-2024, 2025 & 2028 outlook & forecasts).
- Tables
- The Major For-profit Autism Treatment Center Chains: 2024 (no. of centers)
- Number of Autistic Children in the U.S. by Type
- Estimated Size of the U.S. Autism Treatment Market: 2009-2028 Forecast
- Nature of The Market & Patient Demographics
- Summary: Market definition, definition of Autism Spectrum Disorder, typical symptoms, incidence
- In the population
- Types of treatments used
- Non-profit vs. for-profit treatment centers
- Patient demographics: Latest CDC data on the increased incidence of autism
- Market Status: Interview findings (Autism Speaks Council of Autism Service Providers)
- Major Market Trends (value-based care, consolidation, worker shortage, role of private equity, AI),
- Findings of JADE Health Report: The Autism Services Industry in 2025: Market Trends
- Market Size, growth, forecasts
- Extensive list of facts about autism and the scope of the disorder, by the Autism
- Society, CDC, NIH, Autism Speaks (economic costs, risk factors and characteristics
- Tables
- No. of children with autism by: gender, race, living in a metro area
- Number of 3-21 Year-Olds With Autism Served Under The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) in the United States
- The major for-profit chains: no of sites: 2021, 2025
- ABA Treatment Centers & Programs (Applied Behavior Analysis) 35-48
- Summary: Discussion of types of programs: center-based, community, in-home therapy
- Key metrics (no. of adults and children with autism, avg. revenues per treatment
- center, avg. per therapist, percent of patients using medications, percent with
- access to insurance coverage, estimated market value)
- In-depth description of how ABA programs work, types of therapy, controversies
- Description of other therapies used (TEAACH, speech therapy, occupational therapy)
- Discussion of obstacles with insurance coverage, Medicare, Medicaid, other major
- market issues, insurance coverage is getting better, states without essential health
- benefit, share of children covered by insurance
- BLS job outlook for Applied Behavior Analysts to 2029, average salaries, shortage
- Demand for license behavior analysts - annual number of job postings nationwide over the past 12 years (2010–2023)
- Average salaries for Applied Behavior Analysts: top paying states, hourly/yearly wages
- Insurance coverage Is improving: discussion
- The Cost of Care/ABA programs – Varies by need and type, typical no. of hrs. and cost per year
- Chart/Map
- Insurance coverage for autism treatment, by state
- Market Size & Growth, Market Segments
- Summary: Discussion of market size estimation methods, known facts about the autism treatment market, major industry metrics
- Discussion of major drivers of the market
- Analysis of Non-profit and For-profit Autism Treatment Centers & Schools:
- 2020 Market Performance: Effects of the 2020 pandemic, Marketdata estimates of industry $ size and growth, revenue performance of 137 non-profit treatment centers in the Guidestar database (New analysis by Marketdata).
- 2022-2024 Market Performance: Addition of new centers, acquisitions by major for-profit players, growth of for-profit chains vs. non-profits
- 2025 & 2028 Forecasts: key factors affecting demand, Marketdata estimates of industry $ size and growth
- Rationale for estimating market size:
- by no. of patients in treatment programs
- by revenues of for-profit and non-profit treatment programs/centers, avg. revenues per center
- Discussion of available information & proxy indicators
- Discussion of insurance coverage
- Analysis of the Autism Medications Market
- Discussion of reasons for shrinking sales, $ size of the market
- Tables
- List of top 13 treatment chains (no. of centers, estd. revenues, 2018, 2021, 2025)
- Size of the U.S. autism treatment market: 2009-2028 forecast (programs, drugs, total)
- Size of the autism medications market: 2006-2028 F (Risperdal, Ritalin, Concerta)
- Incidence of autism, no. of children with autism vs. population: 2000, 2010, 2016, 2020.
- Estimates of market size and growth by other research firms.
- The Market For Autism Medications
- Summary & Discussion of the drugs currently used to treat behavioral and emotional problems of autistic children, including mood stabilizers, antipsychotics, stimulants
- List of drug companies doing research and clinical trials
- Risperdal: description and uses, side effects and problems
- Abilify: description and uses, side effects and problems
- Ritalin: description and uses, side effects and problems
- Market Size: estimates by Marketdata, actual sales by drug companies, emergence
- of less costly generics as patents expire
- New Drugs Under Development (Bumetanide, Balovaptan, Suramin, Lithobid)
- List of Key Players in the autism drugs market
- 2025 Forecast: Marketdata estimate of $ market size
- Table
- Estimated sales of autism drugs in the U.S. 2006-2024 & 2028 Forecasts.
- Competitor Profiles
- (Descriptions of program, number of sites/centers and therapists, specialties, headquarters address, estimated/actual revenues, acquisitions)
- Autism Treatment Network (Autism Speaks)
- Autism Learning Partners
- Autism Spectrum Therapies
- Butterfly Effects
- BlueSprig
- Centria Autism Services
- The Center for Autism & Related Disorders (CARD)
- ChanceLight™ Behavioral Health and Education
- Hi-5 ABA Inc. (franchise)
- Hopebridge
- Kadiant
- LEARN Behavioral
- The May Institute – (incl. 2018-2021 financial profile/income statement)
- Success on the Spectrum (franchise)
- Trumpet Behavioral Health
- Reference Directory
- Directory of autism research, treatment and education organizations, societies,
- Institutes, magazines, reports, special surveys, experts, other information sources
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