Huntington taking on Sylvan at home.(Huntington Learning Corp.; Sylvan Learning Systems)

A New Jersey-based education company is moving in on Sylvan Learning Systems' home turf.

Huntington Learning Corp. opened four new tutoring centers in the Baltimore area in the past four weeks.

"We've really stepped it up the past month," Huntington spokesman Al Prior said.

But the $52 million company has a long way to go before it rivals $448 million education behemoth Sylvan Learning Systems Inc., based in Baltimore.

Huntington, owned solely by Raymond and Eileen Huntington, was founded in 1977. The company opened its first learning center here 15 years ago in Columbia.

Until last month, the company had six centers in the …