California Lutheran University

What California Lutheran University does

California Lutheran University is a private, nonprofit 501(c)(3) institution affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, founded in 1959 and located on a 130-acre campus at 60 W. Olsen Road in Thousand Oaks, California. The university operates as a Hispanic-Serving Institution and serves approximately 3,144 undergraduate and graduate students through 45 undergraduate majors, 48 minors, master's and doctoral programs, online programs, and a Bachelor's Degree for Professionals degree-completion offering. Its portfolio is delivered across the main Thousand Oaks campus and regional graduate centers in Ventura (since 1987) and Woodland Hills (since 1989).

The institution's core technology stack consists of conventional higher-education systems: Modern Campus CMS for website content, the MyCLU student/faculty portal with Student Planning for course registration, Colleague for ERP, Microsoft Bookings integrated with Outlook for advising appointments, and BIO-key for multi-factor authentication on the MyCLU login system. No public APIs, SDKs, or AI-native products are offered. Student support services span athletics (Kingsmen and Regals NCAA Division III in the SCIAC conference), Career Services placing 500+ internships annually, TRIO programs (McNair Scholars, Student Support Services), Project VITAL under a Title V HSI grant, Disability Support Services, and 24/7 telehealth via TimelyCare.

The business model relies on tuition and fees as the primary revenue stream, supplemented by room and board from on-campus residence halls, federal and state financial aid and grants, donations and philanthropy from alumni and foundations, and ancillary revenue from employer partnerships and event/venue rentals (e.g., $1,000 per 4-hour commercial rental of Samuelson Chapel). The university is WASC-accredited, federally Title IV-eligible, and operates KCLU public radio (NPR-affiliated) and the Center for Nonprofit Leadership as wholly-owned operating subsidiaries. Enrollment of 67 countries represented, 94% post-graduation employment/graduate school placement, and 37,000 alumni worldwide reflect the institution's positioning as a moderately-sized, regionally-focused private university with diversified program offerings and stable demand-side economics.

Name

California Lutheran University

Legal name

California Lutheran University

Website

https://callutheran.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1959

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

California Lutheran University is a private nonprofit Lutheran-affiliated university in Thousand Oaks, California, founded 1959, serving approximately 3,144 students through 45 undergraduate majors, graduate programs, online degrees, and a Bachelor's Degree for Professionals completion program, with 94% post-graduation placement and regional graduate centers in Ventura and Woodland Hills.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Thousand Oaks

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Fees: Revenue from undergraduate and graduate tuition, including full-time, part-time, and professional programs. Students pay per-credit or flat-rate tuition depending on program type.
2. Room and Board: Housing and dining services revenue from on-campus residence halls and meal plans
3. Financial Aid and Grants: Federal and state financial aid, scholarships, and grants that support student enrollment
4. Donations and Philanthropy: Charitable contributions from alumni, corporations, and foundations supporting university programs and scholarships
5. Career Services and Events: Revenue from employer partnerships, career fair sponsorships, and event venue rentals

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

California Lutheran University is a private, nonprofit, Lutheran-affiliated university that delivers undergraduate, graduate, and professional degree programs alongside comprehensive student support services. Its core educational portfolio spans 45 undergraduate majors and 48 minors, master's and doctoral graduate programs, a Bachelor's Degree for Professionals completion track, fully online programs, and summer programming for youth. Revenue is generated primarily through tuition and fees, with auxiliary revenue from residence life and dining, donations, grants, and venue rentals.

Product overview

California Lutheran University is a comprehensive private Lutheran university offering a unified portfolio of educational programs and student services. The core academic offerings include 45 undergraduate majors and 48 minors, graduate programs at master's and doctoral levels, a Bachelor's Degree for Professionals (degree completion program), and online programs. These academic programs are delivered alongside extensive student support services including athletics (Kingsmen/Regals NCAA Division III), Career Services, Disability Support Services, Student Support Services (TRIO), McNair Scholars Program, Project VITAL (Title V HSI grant), Campus Ministry, and mental health services via TimelyCare. The university also operates KCLU public radio (NPR-affiliated) as a community service. Technology infrastructure includes the MyCLU student/faculty portal with Microsoft Bookings integration for advising appointments and BIO-key multi-factor authentication. The institution does not offer public APIs or AI-powered products.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Undergraduate Majors and Minors Residential four-year undergraduate degree programs comprising 45 majors and 48 minors across liberal arts, sciences, business, education, and professional studies, including the proprietary IDEAS general education curriculum (Inquire, Develop, Experience, Apply and Serve). Designed for first-time college students seeking a residential degree experience with faculty mentorship, study abroad, and undergraduate research opportunities.

Quantifiable outcome

• 94% of graduates employed or in graduate school within their field of study
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration9 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• Los Angeles RamsflagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 15 April 2026Los Angeles Rams NFL team participated in Cal Lutheran's Fields of Opportunity Sports Management Career Fair, connecting with students for internship and employment opportunities. At least one student cited the career fair as the source of his current job with the team.
• Aspira Philanthropy LabcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 31 March 2026Co-organized Aspira Summit Series bringing together nonprofit leaders, funders, and civic partners from Southern California to explore AI tools for addressing funding crises caused by government cutbacks. Dena Jenson from Cal Lutheran participated as a speaker.
• KTLAminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 31 March 2026KTLA's Sandra Mitchell moderated the panel discussion at the Aspira Summit Series organized by Cal Lutheran and Aspira Philanthropy Lab, providing media coverage and reach for the event.
• Museum of Ventura CountycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 November 2025Partnership between Cal Lutheran's Center for Nonprofit Leadership and the Museum of Ventura County focused on collaboration, community service, and responsiveness. The partnership aims to strengthen nonprofit leadership in the region through joint programming and community engagement initiatives.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves12 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Pepperdine University: Faith-affiliated (Churches of Christ) private university in Malibu, California, with similar undergraduate/graduate portfolio and Southern California footprint. Directly competes for the same faith-oriented, residential student demographic.
• Loyola Marymount University: Jesuit-Catholic private university in Los Angeles with comparable enrollment scale and graduate program breadth. Closest direct competitor among faith-affiliated privates in the LA metro.
• Chapman University: Private university in Orange, California affiliated with the Disciples of Christ, with a similar mix of undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs. Competes for the same Southern California residential student pool.
• University of San Diego: Catholic private university in San Diego with comparable enrollment and faith-based mission. Competes with Cal Lutheran for tuition-paying residential students in Southern California.
• Azusa Pacific University: Interdenominational evangelical Christian university in Azusa, California with similar enrollment scale and faith-based positioning. Competes for the same Christian residential student demographic.
• Biola University: Evangelical Christian private university in La Mirada, California with comparable enrollment, faith-based mission, and graduate/professional offerings. Overlaps with Cal Lutheran on faith-oriented Southern California students.
• Pacific Lutheran University: ELCA-affiliated Lutheran university in Tacoma, Washington, sharing the same Lutheran heritage as Cal Lutheran. Comparable enrollment, faith-based mission, and liberal arts+graduate portfolio.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CalLutheran
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/callutheran
• Facebookfacebook.com/callutheran
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/school
• Instagraminstagram.com/callutheran

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds3 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 California Lutheran University