Providence College
Providence College is a private Catholic liberal arts college in Providence, RI, founded in 1917 by Dominican friars, serving approximately 4,800 undergraduates and graduate students across four academic schools through a faculty-taught DWC core curriculum, NCAA Division I athletics, and online graduate programs.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1917
- HeadquartersProvidence, United States
- Headcount1,001–5,000
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Providence College does
Providence College is a private Catholic liberal arts institution founded in 1917 by the Dominican Friars in Providence, Rhode Island. It is the only college in the United States founded and led by Dominican friars, and structures undergraduate education around an interdisciplinary Development of Western Civilization (DWC) core curriculum team-taught by faculty in philosophy, theology, history, and literature. The college operates four academic schools — Arts and Sciences, Business, Nursing and Health Sciences, and Education and Social Work — offering 60+ undergraduate majors with an 11:1 student-to-faculty ratio, plus graduate programs in business (MBA, MSBA, MSSA), education (multiple M.Ed. tracks), history, and theology, several delivered online or in hybrid format. Its NCAA Division I athletics program, particularly men's basketball, is a significant component of brand identity, donor engagement, and student life.
The college generates revenue primarily through undergraduate tuition ($68,630 for 2026-2027) and graduate per-credit tuition ($655-$1,065 depending on program), supplemented by financial aid (institutional, federal Pell/SEOG, state grants), philanthropy (notably the Beyond Limits Campaign, a $2M Ryan family gift for an entrepreneurship incubator, and a $1.09M Lilly Endowment grant for the 'Come To The Table' program), auxiliary services, and athletics-related donor revenue. Distribution is direct-to-consumer via Common App undergraduate admissions and an online graduate application portal, with test-optional holistic review. The college employs 1,001-5,000 staff and faculty, serves a Class of 2029 admitted cohort with a middle 50% SAT range of 1310-1420, and pursues strategic partnerships (e.g., Rhode Island FC for sports administration) and ongoing IT modernization (Banner SIS, Litmos cybersecurity training, dedicated CISO).
Providence College firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Providence College
- Legal name
- Providence College
- Website
- https://providence.edu
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1917
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1,001–5,000 employees
- Short description
- Providence College is a private Catholic liberal arts college in Providence, RI, founded in 1917 by Dominican friars, serving approximately 4,800 undergraduates and graduate students across four academic schools through a faculty-taught DWC core curriculum, NCAA Division I athletics, and online graduate programs.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Providence College industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Higher Education / Liberal Arts College
- NAICS
- Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Religiously Affiliated Liberal Arts Colleges (EDAHACAF)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Residential Liberal Arts Colleges (EDAHACAH)
Keywords
Where Providence College is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Providence
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Providence College business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Undergraduate Tuition: Full-time undergraduate students pay tuition and fees of $68,630 annually (2026-2027), with additional costs for housing, food, and personal expenses. This represents the primary revenue stream for the college.
- Graduate Tuition: Graduate programs charge per credit hour: MBA at $1,065/credit, Arts & Science at $655/credit, Education at $690/credit. Programs include online Master of Science in Sports Administration, various M.Ed. programs, and Master's in History and Theology.
- Financial Aid: The college distributes institutional merit-based scholarships, need-based grants, federal Pell and SEOG grants, and state grants. Outside scholarships are applied against unmet need first, reducing loans and work-study before institutional aid.
- Grants and Philanthropy: Providence College receives grants from foundations like Lilly Endowment ($1,094,746 for the 'Come To The Table' program) and private donations such as the $2 million gift from the Ryan family for the entrepreneurship incubator. The Beyond Limits Campaign generates additional philanthropic revenue.
- Athletics Revenue: The athletic department generates revenue through donor contributions for premium seating at the Amica Mutual Pavilion and fundraising for the basketball program amid the NIL era.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Undergraduate tuition for full-time students |
| Subscription | Pay-as-you-go | MBA per credit hour tuition |
| Subscription | Pay-as-you-go | Arts & Science graduate programs per credit |
| Subscription | Pay-as-you-go | Education graduate programs per credit |
| Subscription | Monthly | Graduate Assistantship stipend |
| Usage-based | Pay-as-you-go | Community Work-Study hourly wage |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels6 records
Providence College product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Providence College delivers undergraduate liberal arts education and graduate degree programs across four academic schools (Arts and Sciences, Business, Nursing and Health Sciences, and Education and Social Work). The college sells tuition-based enrollment in 60+ undergraduate majors and graduate degrees (MBA, MSBA, MS in Sports Administration, M.Ed., MA in History, MA/MTS in Theology), supported by academic advising, career services, and a required Development of Western Civilization core curriculum.
Product overview
Providence College is a Catholic Dominican liberal arts institution offering a portfolio of graduate programs across four schools: School of Arts and Sciences, School of Business, School of Nursing and Health Sciences, and School of Education and Social Work. The graduate offerings include thesis and non-thesis master's degrees in Business (MBA, MSBA, MS in Sports Administration), Education (M.Ed. in Higher Education, Literacy, School Counseling, School Leadership, Special Education, Urban Teaching), History (MA), and Theology (MA, MTS), along with graduate certificate programs and teacher certification pathways. The institution is structured around a core curriculum including the Development of Western Civilization program. Student support services include the Chirico Career Center, Student Success Center with academic advising and tutoring, Writing Center, and accessibility services. The institution also operates the Feinstein Institute for Public Service and collaborates with Rhode Island FC for its sports administration program.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Quantifiable outcome
- 11:1 student-to-faculty ratio ensuring close faculty engagement
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Providence College
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Providence College technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Providence College partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Rhode Island FC LLCcoreProvidence College partnered with Rhode Island FC LLC to launch its inaugural online Master of Science in Sports Administration program. The partnership provides students with practical experience through game branding at RIFC matches, internship opportunities, and instruction from faculty with industry backgrounds. The program expects enrollment to double in the next five years, establishing a pipeline of talent for the regional sports industry.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Providence College competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- College of the Holy Cross: Jesuit liberal arts college in Worcester, MA with comparable size, NCAA Division I athletics, similar tuition band, and a residential undergraduate model. Highly comparable as a religiously affiliated liberal arts institution in the Northeast.
- Fairfield University: Jesuit Catholic university in Fairfield, CT with NCAA Division I athletics, comparable undergraduate size, similar tuition band, and overlapping graduate program offerings in business and education.
- Santa Clara University: Jesuit Catholic university in California with NCAA Division I athletics, similar undergraduate residential model, overlapping graduate programs, and parallel values-driven identity at a comparable scale.
- Loyola Marymount University: Jesuit Catholic university in Los Angeles with NCAA Division I athletics, similar undergraduate profile, comparable tuition, and parallel mission integrating faith and reason in liberal arts education.
- Assumption University: Catholic liberal arts university in Worcester, MA with NCAA Division II athletics, comparable size, similar tuition band, and overlapping graduate programs in business and education serving a similar Northeast applicant pool.
Broad incumbents
- Villanova University: Augustinian Catholic university with NCAA Division I athletics (Big East peer with Providence College), strong men's basketball tradition, and a similar Catholic identity. Larger and more research-intensive, but overlapping mission and applicant pool.
- Marquette University: Jesuit Catholic university with NCAA Division I basketball (Big East peer), professional graduate programs including business and education, and similar mission-driven identity. Larger institution but directly comparable on athletics and Catholic heritage dimensions.
- Seton Hall University: Catholic university (Diocese of Newark) with NCAA Division I basketball (Big East peer with Providence), professional graduate programs, and similar Northeast Catholic identity serving a comparable applicant pool.
- Creighton University: Jesuit Catholic university with NCAA Division I basketball, comparable size, similar tuition structure, and parallel offerings in business, education, and health sciences graduate programs.
- Gonzaga University: Jesuit Catholic university with nationally prominent NCAA Division I basketball, comparable tuition band, similar faith-based liberal arts mission, and overlapping applicant demographics seeking values-driven higher education.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Providence College social profiles
Digital presenceProvidence College financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Providence College leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles8 records
Providence College funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds4 records
Investors2 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Providence College M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Providence College
What does Providence College do?
Providence College delivers undergraduate liberal arts education and graduate degree programs across four academic schools (Arts and Sciences, Business, Nursing and Health Sciences, and Education and Social Work). The college sells tuition-based enrollment in 60+ undergraduate majors and graduate degrees (MBA, MSBA, MS in Sports Administration, M.Ed., MA in History, MA/MTS in Theology), supported by academic advising, career services, and a required Development of Western Civilization core curriculum.
Is Providence College a public or private company?
Providence College is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Providence College founded?
Providence College was founded in 1917. It employs 1,001 to 5,000 people.
Where is Providence College based?
Providence College is headquartered in Providence, United States, in the North America region.
How does Providence College make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Undergraduate Tuition is the primary driver. The others are graduate Tuition, financial Aid, grants and Philanthropy and athletics Revenue.
Who are Providence College's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are College of the Holy Cross, Fairfield University, Santa Clara University, Loyola Marymount University and Assumption University. Broad incumbents are Villanova University, Marquette University, Seton Hall University, Creighton University and Gonzaga University.
Does Providence College have an API?
No public API is recorded for Providence College.
What industry is Providence College in?
Providence College's product category is Higher Education / Liberal Arts College. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAHACAF, Religiously Affiliated Liberal Arts Colleges, with a secondary code of EDAHACAH, Residential Liberal Arts Colleges. Its NAICS code is 6113 and its SIC code is 8200.