Providence College

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).

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

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

• Higher education
• Liberal arts college
• Catholic education
• Graduate programs
• Undergraduate education

Headquarters

HQ city

Providence

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core 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

Named customers1 record

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Rhode Island FC LLCcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 October 2025Providence 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

Direct 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

• Xx.com/providencecol
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/providencecollege
• Facebookfacebook.com/120614711324357
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/providence-college
• Instagraminstagram.com/provcollege
• TikToktiktok.com/@provcollege?lang=en

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds4 records

Investors2 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Providence College