Undergraduate by Hilton Franchise Cost, Revenue & Review 2026
- Investment
- $10.6M – $36.6M
- Disclosed sales
- not disclosed
- SBA charge-off
- Not SBA-matched
Data from FDD filing
Analysis by FranchiseVerdict Research · Methodology
Undergraduate by Hilton is an extended-stay Hilton hotel franchise brand. Franchisees own and operate the properties, managing front desk, housekeeping, guest services, and revenue under Hilton standards.
FranchiseVerdict summary · 2026
A Undergraduate by Hilton franchise requires a total initial investment of $10.6M – $36.6M, including a $100K franchise fee and an ongoing 5.0% royalty[2]. This franchisor makes no financial performance representation in Item 19 of its FDD. Item 19 is voluntary under the FTC Franchise Rule, and this filing states that it makes none, so no revenue or earnings figures are disclosed. Declining to publish one is lawful and is not evidence of how the outlets perform. It does mean that less about this brand can be verified from its filing, and the FranchiseVerdict grade - an editorial assessment, not investment advice - reflects that. FranchiseVerdict grade: C (Average), an editorial assessment, not investment advice. Run a live ROI scan →
Limited operating history: franchising since 2026. A system this young has fewer than three years of Item 20 outlet history and rarely enough SBA loans for a charge-off rate, so its grade rests on less evidence than an established system's. Read its Item 20 tables and talk to its first franchisees before relying on the grade. Other new franchisors
Sources, dates and evidence
FDD issued: · Data extracted: · Last cited check: · Staleness risk: low - issued within the last 12 months
Evidence: strong✓ Investment (Item 7)✓ Item 19 status✓ Units and owners (Item 20)✗ SBA loan coverage✓ Litigation (Item 3)✓ Financial statements (Item 21)✓ Franchisor identityhow this is scored3 of 5 headline figures on this page cite a page of the filing; the rest are marked “Not cited” beside the figure.
Overview
- Investment
- $10.6M – $36.6M
- 44th pct Lodging
- Avg gross sales
- N/A
- 0 outlets
- Royalty
- 5.0%
- 3rd pct Lodging
- Units
- 0
- 0th pct Lodging
- SBA charge-off
- N/A
Quick verdict · Lodging · color = vs category peers
Green = favorable by >10% vs Lodging median · No shading = within ±10% · Red = unfavorable by >10% · Source: FDD filings + SBA 7(a)
Data from public FDD filings and SBA records. Not financial advice. Methodology
Bottom line
- COSTTotal investment $10.6M – $36.6M including a $100K franchise fee, 5.0% ongoing royalty.
- RETURNSThis franchisor makes no financial performance representation in Item 19 of its FDD. Item 19 is voluntary under the FTC Franchise Rule, and this filing states that it makes none, so no revenue or earnings figures are disclosed. Declining to publish one is lawful and is not evidence of how the outlets perform. It does mean that less about this brand can be verified from its filing, and the FranchiseVerdict grade - an editorial assessment, not investment advice - reflects that.
- RISKVerdict C (Average), verdict score 40/100 (higher is better).
- GROWTHFlat: no net change in franchised outlets in the latest year (0 opened, 0 closed) (Item 20).
- LEGAL15 litigation matters disclosed in Item 3, higher than typical. Review the summary for patterns (franchisor-initiated vs. franchisee-initiated).
Item 1 · who you're contracting with
The Franchisor
Corporate structure & franchisor financials
- Legal entity
- Hilton Franchise Holding LLC
- Parent company
- Hilton Domestic Operating Company Inc.
- FDD Item 1, page 9 of the 2026 FDD
- Ultimate parent
- Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. (NYSE: HLT)
- FDD Item 1, page 9 of the 2026 FDD
- Predecessor
- None
- Prior franchisor entity
- CEO title
- Chief Executive Officer and President
- Christopher J. Nassetta
- Incorporated in
- Delaware
- HQ
- 7930 Jones Branch Drive, Suite 1100, McLean, Virginia 22102
- Auditor
- Cherry Bekaert LLP
- Audited financials
- Franchisor revenue
- $1.6B
- vs $1.5B prior year
- Management churn noted
- Frequent turnover
- Item 2 disclosed frequent executive changes
Same owner · FDD Item 1, page 9
17 other brands on this site name Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. (NYSE: HLT) as parent or ultimate parent in their own FDD.
- Apartment Collection by HiltonC
- Canopy by HiltonB
- Curio Collection by HiltonB
- DoubleTree by HiltonA
- Embassy Suites by HiltonB
- Graduate by HiltonB
- Hampton by HiltonA
- Hilton Garden InnA
- Home2 Suites by HiltonA
- Homewood Suites by HiltonA
- LXRB
- Motto by HiltonB
- Outset Collection by HiltonC
- Project Q by HiltonC
- Tapestry Collection by HiltonB
- Tempo by HiltonC
- Tru by HiltonA
Grouped by the owner's name as each filing prints it (this page: the 2026 FDD). Spelling variants of the same group may be listed apart; a brand is never grouped with an owner its filing does not name.
Overview
About
- CEO
- Christopher J. Nassetta
- Headquarters
- VA
- Founded
- 2007
- FDD year
- 2026
- States available
- 0
Can you afford it, and what does the money buy?
Entry cost runs 166% above the typical lodging franchise.
Source: FDD 2026 · Items 5–7
FDD Item 7 · 2026 filing
Initial investment breakdown
| Cost component | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Initial franchise fee | $100K | $100K |
| Working capital (3–6 mo) | $400K | $1.0M |
| Equipment, build-out, other | $10.1M | $35.5M |
| Total initial investment | $10.6M | $36.6M |
Source: Undergraduate by Hilton 2026 FDD, Items 5 and 7[2]. “Equipment, build-out, other” is computed as total minus disclosed line items above.
Item 7 · what it costs to open + operate
The Vitals
- Total investment
- $10.6M – $36.6M
- Middle of category vs category
- Liquid capital req'd
- $400K – $1.0M
- Middle of category vs category
- Franchise fee
- $100K – $100K
- Middle of category vs category
- Royalty
- 5.0%
- typical 6–8%
- Ad fund
- 4.0%
- typical 3–5%
- Total fee load
- 9.0%
- vs 9–13% typical
Ongoing fees · Item 6
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Royalty | 5.0% of gross sales |
| Marketing / ad fund | 4.0% of gross sales |
| Training fee | $15K |
| Transfer fee | $150K |
| Inventory (initial) | $450K – $750K |
| Total fee load | 9.0% of rev |
ROI & LBO modelsSingle-unit · 25-unit portfolio · editable
Undergraduate by Hilton makes no financial performance representation in Item 19 of its FDD - a voluntary item under the FTC Franchise Rule - so no unit revenue figures are disclosed. The return models need a revenue figure to start from, and the operating costs that turn gross sales into a profit are in no FDD. Enter your own and the calculator runs on your assumptions — nothing here is modelled until you do.
Returns model · single-unit ROIC
What would one Undergraduate by Hilton unit return on the cash you put in?
Illustrative category typicals — not sourced to any filing, survey or sample. Replace them with figures from franchisee validation calls before you rely on the output.
Unlevered ROIC · per unit
Your modelled return on total invested capital, before any debt financing.
—
An FDD discloses gross sales, not profit. We hold no sourced figure for annual revenue, COGS, labour, rent / occupancy and other operating costs, and will not substitute an assumed one. Enter your own and the model runs on your assumptions.
These models are for research and scenario planning only. Not investment advice. Actual results depend on your specific location, management, and market conditions. Consult a franchise attorney and accountant before signing any franchise agreement.
Item 19 · Source: 2026 FDD
Financial Performance
No financial performance representation
This franchisor makes no financial performance representation in Item 19 of its FDD. Item 19 is voluntary under the FTC Franchise Rule, and this filing states that it makes none, so no revenue or earnings figures are disclosed. Declining to publish one is lawful and is not evidence of how the outlets perform. It does mean that less about this brand can be verified from its filing, and the FranchiseVerdict grade - an editorial assessment, not investment advice - reflects that.
Item 20 of the FDD lists current and former franchisees; asking them directly is the standard way to fill this gap.
Operator outlook
What the numbers say
Data-driven interpretation of this brand's financial disclosures, fee structure, and system trajectory.
Fee burden
Total ongoing fee load of 9.0% (near the Lodging median).
Disclosure
This franchisor makes no financial performance representation in Item 19 of its FDD. Item 19 is voluntary under the FTC Franchise Rule, and this filing states that it makes none, so no revenue or earnings figures are disclosed. Declining to publish one is lawful and is not evidence of how the outlets perform. It does mean that less about this brand can be verified from its filing, and the FranchiseVerdict grade - an editorial assessment, not investment advice - reflects that. Item 20 of the FDD lists current and former franchisees; asking them directly is the standard way to fill this gap.
Source: FDD Item 19 financial performance representations and publicly filed FDD data. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Verify all figures with the franchisor and current franchisees before making any investment decision.
vs Lodging medians
How Undergraduate by Hilton Compares
Category median of published Lodging brands that report the figure; the middle half spans the 25th to 75th percentile and n counts the brands behind it. Medians are used because a few very large systems pull an average far from the typical brand. Revenue is disclosed gross sales, not profit.
Is the system healthy?
Source: FDD 2026 · Item 20
Unit growth
Item 20 · unit dynamics
The Growth Chart
- Total units
- 0
- Opened
- 0
- Last reporting year
- Closed
- 0
- Terminated
- 0
- Franchisor ended the franchise (per Item 20)
- Non-renewed
- 0
- Term expired, not renewed (per Item 20)
- Company-owned
- 0
- Corporate units in the system
Last fiscal year · Item 20 exits and transfers
- Terminated
- 0
- Not renewed
- 0
- Signed, not yet open
- 0
- Item 20 Table 5
- Projected new
- 3
- Franchisor's next-year forecast
No multi-year history disclosed and no opening/closing activity in the last reporting year.
SBA loan performance
Government records
SBA Loan Data
Aggregated from SBA 7(a) and 504 loan disclosures, public data unique to FranchiseVerdict.
No SBA loan data available for this brand.
What could kill this investment?
Source: SBA 7(a) FOIA · FDD Items 3, 21
Risk analysis
FranchiseVerdict rating + FDD Items 3, 4, 8, 16, 21
Risk & Legal
Pre-opening Hilton brand (franchising begins 2026, 0 units) backed by an enormous parent balance sheet: net worth $604M, revenue $1.56B, net income $1.55B. The 10 litigation matters (antitrust class actions, termination disputes) are routine for a massive hotel system of this scale and not alarming relative to size. Base set for limited operating history as a new brand.
Litigation (Item 3)
Subject: the franchisor is a named party (defendant).
Hilton Franchise Holding LLC is defendant in one franchisee dispute and two antitrust class actions
Bankruptcy (Item 4)
None disclosed
Audited financials (Item 21)
Yes · Cherry Bekaert LLP
Franchisor revenue (Item 21)
Franchisor entity revenue (not unit-level)
Financial statements are for Hilton Franchise Holding LLC as a whole (all Hilton brands), not specific to the Undergraduate brand.
ⓘ These are the parent company's consolidated financials (the parent guarantees the franchisor), not this brand's standalone results — the figure reflects the whole corporate group, not this brand alone.
Supplier relationship · Items 8 & 16
- Franchisor sells you products: Yes
- Kickbacks from required suppliers: No
- Must buy proprietary products: Yes
- Restricted to system-approved products: Yes
- Can negotiate own supplier terms: No
Score breakdown · what drove the 40 / 100 verdict
- 01MINORPre-opening, 0 units, franchising begins 2026
- 02HIGH10 litigation matters are routine relative to enormous parent system
- 03MINORVery strong parent financials: $604M net worth, $1.55B net income
- 04MINORNo brand-level operating history yet
Severity inferred from the FDD text · not a regulatory classification
What are you signing up for?
Ongoing fees run about 9.0% of sales (royalty + ad fund), before rent and labor.
Source: FDD 2026 · Items 11, 12, 17
FDD Items 12, 15, 17 · continued from Risk & Legal
Contract & Territory Detail
| Initial term | 22 years |
|---|---|
| Allowed renewalsℹ | 0 |
| Territory type | No territory protection |
| Protected territory | No |
| Exclusive territoryℹ | No |
| Territory sizeℹ | Restricted Area |
| Online sales rights | Granted |
| Franchisor can compete | Yes |
| Hire a manager? | Allowed |
| Owner-operator | Optional |
| Right of first refusalℹ | No |
| Transfer requires consent | Yes |
| Termination notice | 30 days |
| Mandatory arbitration | No |
| Arbitration location | New York, New York (seat); venue Fairfax County, Virginia (applies mainly to Puerto Rico; otherwise court actions in U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Virginia, Alexandria, or state court in Fairfax County, VA or New York, NY) |
| Jury trial waiver | Yes |
| Governing law | New York |
| Litigation count | 15 |
View Item 3 litigation summary
Hilton Franchise Holding LLC is defendant in one franchisee dispute and two antitrust class actions
Items 10, 11
Training & Operations
- Classroom training
- 105 hrs
- On-the-job training
- 1 hrs
- Training location
- On-site and at franchisor facility
- Ongoing training
- Required
- Site selection
- Franchisee, subject to franchisor approval
- Franchisor financing
- Offered
- Item 10
- POS system
- OnQ
- Operating tech stack
Items 5 & 11
Franchisor Support
Technology: OnQ
Item 20 · call current owners
Franchisee Contacts
2 owners to call
Name · phone · city · state. Extracted from FDD Item 20
Frequently asked questions
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to open a Undergraduate by Hilton franchise?
The total investment to open a Undergraduate by Hilton franchise ranges from $10.6M – $36.6M, with an initial franchise fee of $100K. This includes real estate, equipment, inventory, and working capital as disclosed in their Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD).
What do Undergraduate by Hilton franchise owners earn?
Undergraduate by Hilton makes no financial performance representation in Item 19 of its FDD - a voluntary item under the FTC Franchise Rule - so no unit revenue figures are disclosed. Declining to publish one is lawful and is not evidence of how the outlets perform. It does mean that less about this brand can be verified from its filing, and the FranchiseVerdict grade - an editorial assessment, not investment advice - reflects that. Item 20 of the FDD lists current and former franchisees; asking them directly is the standard way to fill this gap.
Who owns Undergraduate by Hilton?
Undergraduate by Hilton is franchised by Hilton Franchise Holding LLC. Its parent company is Hilton Domestic Operating Company Inc.. The ultimate parent named in the FDD is Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. (NYSE: HLT). Source: FDD Item 1, 2026 filing.
What is Item 19 in the Undergraduate by Hilton FDD?
The FDD section where a franchisor may disclose financial performance of its outlets. Disclosure is optional and formats vary; figures are typically gross sales, which is revenue before expenses, not profit. FranchiseVerdict extracts these figures directly from the Undergraduate by Hilton FDD and qualifies whose outlets they describe.
What is Undergraduate by Hilton's franchise failure rate?
SBA 7(a) loan charge-off data is not available for Undergraduate by Hilton (fewer than 10 loans on file). Charge-off rates are one way to gauge franchise risk, but not all franchise loans go through the SBA program. We recommend reviewing turnover and closure data in the FDD and speaking with current franchisees.
Is Undergraduate by Hilton a good franchise to buy?
FranchiseVerdict rates Undergraduate by Hilton as a C-grade franchise with a verdict score of 40 out of 100 (higher is better). The grade is a deterministic score built from six weighted dimensions — financial health, unit economics, unit growth, scale, legal, and transparency — then calibrated against SBA loan charge-off rates and FDD age. Transparency is one of the six, so a filing that discloses less scores lower on that dimension than one that discloses more. Our rating is based solely on publicly available FDD and government data; we recommend speaking with current franchisees before making any investment decision. This is not investment advice.
Data sourced from public FDD filings and SBA 7(a) FOIA records. Not financial advice.
For franchisors
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Data extracted from public FDD filings and SBA 7(a) loan disclosures (FOIA). This information is provided for research purposes only and does not constitute financial, legal, or investment advice. Verify all figures with the franchisor's current Franchise Disclosure Document before making any investment decision.