North Central College

What North Central College does

North Central College is a private, nonprofit liberal arts college founded in 1861 and headquartered on a 68.5-acre campus in Naperville, Illinois. The institution enrolls a record student body (as of September 2025) across more than 100 undergraduate majors and an expanding portfolio of graduate programs, with a pronounced strategic emphasis on healthcare professional degrees including the Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT, launched 2023), Occupational Therapy Doctorate, Master of Physician Assistant Studies, Master of Science in Nursing, and a Master's Entry to Nursing Practice program set to launch Fall 2026. The college also offers an online Bachelor of Applied Health Sciences completion program targeting associate-degree holders. Core educational technology consists of a learning management system, MassInteract virtual tour platform, and Anatomage digital anatomy tables used in the DPT program in place of traditional cadaveric dissection.

The college's business model is tuition-driven (undergraduate, graduate, and room/board charged as recurring annual or per-credit fees), supplemented by donor contributions through the NCC Fund and capital campaigns, auxiliary revenue from conference services and facility rentals serving 150,000+ visitors annually, and the Cardinal Pledge program that covers 100% of tuition and fees for eligible Illinois residents. Distribution is primarily direct-to-consumer through traditional undergraduate and graduate admissions, Fast Track Transfer partnerships with community colleges, and the Handshake career platform connecting students with 100+ employer partners including Deloitte, Apple, Northwestern Medicine, and Argonne National Laboratory. Reported student outcomes include an 84% career-or-graduate-school placement rate within six months and a $55,800 average starting salary for 2025 graduates.

Operationally, the college is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and holds multiple specialized programmatic accreditations (AACSB for business earned 2025, CAPTE for DPT, ACOTE for occupational therapy, CCNE for nursing, ARC-PA for physician assistant studies, and ACEND candidacy for nutrition). Leadership includes Maryellen Skerik as VP for Finance, Mary Groll as Dean of the School of Education and Health Sciences, and Sara Scholtes as Founding Director of the DPT program. The institution is governed by a Board of Trustees, is not publicly traded, and has no parent company or private equity ownership.

Name

North Central College

Legal name

North Central College

Website

https://northcentralcollege.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1861

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

North Central College is a private nonprofit liberal arts college in Naperville, Illinois, offering 100+ undergraduate majors and a growing portfolio of graduate healthcare degrees (DPT, OT, PA, Nursing) to a record enrollment of residential, commuter, and online students in the Chicago metropolitan area.

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 industry

PRIMARYEDAHACAH

Residential Liberal Arts Colleges

Education/Higher Education (Colleges & Universities)/Liberal Arts Colleges

SECONDARYEDAHACAG

Secular/Nonsectarian Liberal Arts Colleges

Education/Higher Education (Colleges & Universities)/Liberal Arts Colleges

Keywords

• Liberal arts education
• Undergraduate degree programs
• Graduate health sciences
• Physical therapy programs
• Career development services

Headquarters

HQ city

Naperville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Fees: North Central College generates primary revenue from undergraduate and graduate tuition, with rates varying by program. The college offers the Cardinal Pledge covering 100% of tuition and fees for eligible Illinois students.
2. Room and Board: Revenue from on-campus housing and dining services for residential students.
3. Alumni and Donor Contributions: The college receives donations through the annual fund, capital campaigns, endowed gifts, and Day of Giving events. The NCC Fund supports financial aid, technology, campus maintenance, and student organizations.
4. Conference Services and Facility Rentals: The college generates revenue from renting campus facilities including venues, performing arts spaces, athletic facilities, and intern housing to external event organizers, serving over 150,000 visitors annually.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

North Central College is a private liberal arts institution delivering undergraduate and graduate education through more than 100 majors and pathways, including a healthcare-focused School of Education and Health Sciences (DPT, Occupational Therapy Doctorate, Master of Physician Assistant Studies, Master's Entry to Nursing Practice, MSN, Nutrition Science DPD), an AACSB-accredited School of Business & Entrepreneurship, and an Applied Health Sciences bachelor's completion program. The college supplements classroom instruction with career services, residential life, and conference/event facility rentals.

Product overview

North Central College is a private liberal arts college in Naperville, Illinois offering undergraduate and graduate education across more than 100 programs. The institution operates on a platform of academic programs combined with student support services, including a School of Education & Health Sciences featuring healthcare-focused graduate programs (Doctor of Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy Doctorate, Master's Entry to Nursing Practice, Master of Physician Assistant Studies), an AACSB-accredited School of Business & Entrepreneurship, and undergraduate programs in Applied Health Sciences and Nutrition Science. The college also provides student services including career development through Handshake, conference and event facilities rental, and financial aid programs like the Cardinal Pledge that covers 100% of tuition for eligible Illinois students.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Cardinal Pledge: Financial aid program covering 100% of tuition and fees for eligible Illinois students
• Shimer Great Books School
• Fast Track Transfer
• Cardinal Directions
• Cardinal First

Products and services

• Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) Program 28-month, 7-semester, 112-credit doctoral program accredited by CAPTE, featuring 36 weeks of full-time clinical experiences, Anatomage digital dissection tables, and a semi-self-paced, competency-focused curriculum with Pass/No Pass assessment. Designed for students pursuing a physical therapy career.
• Applied Health Sciences (B.A.S.) 100% online bachelor's degree completion program for students who already hold an Associate in Science or Applied Science degree in a healthcare field. Designed to be completed in two years and offers bridge options into MOT and DPT graduate programs.
• Nutrition Science Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD) Didactic Program in Dietetics consisting of 128-semester hours that prepares students for careers as registered dietitian nutritionists (RDNs), including 200-300 hours of hands-on experience. Holds ACEND candidacy accreditation.
• Master of Physician Assistant Studies Program ARC-PA-accredited graduate physician assistant program preparing students for careers as physician assistants in healthcare settings.
• Master's Entry to Nursing Practice Program Graduate nursing program launching Fall 2026, designed to provide a master's-level entry point into nursing for career changers or individuals with prior healthcare experience.
• Occupational Therapy Doctorate Program Doctoral-level occupational therapy program with full ACOTE accreditation preparing students for advanced practice as occupational therapists.
• Center for Career and Professional Development Career services office helping students with résumé writing, cover letters, networking, and interviewing skills, and connecting them with employers through Handshake, career fairs, and on-campus recruiting.
• Cardinal Pledge Commitment covering 100% of tuition and fees for eligible Illinois students, making a North Central College degree accessible to in-state students and families.
• Fast Track Transfer Program Transfer admissions program that helps community college and other transfer students get admitted and receive financial aid offers faster to begin their Cardinal journey sooner.
• Conference Services & Facility Rentals Rental service offering five performing arts spaces, two large exposition halls, athletic facilities, chapel, residential housing, and classrooms for conferences, weddings, sports events, and other gatherings, serving over 150,000 visitors annually.

Quantifiable outcome

• 84% of graduates launch career or grad school within 6 months
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 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

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• HandshakecoreTechnology or IntegrationNorth Central College uses Handshake as its online job portal and career management platform for posting positions, connecting with student and alumni talent, and participating in career fairs. Students and employers access the platform through noctrl.joinhandshake.com.
• 100+ Employer OrganizationscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerOver 100 organizations actively recruit NC students for internships and full-time positions, including Ace Hardware, Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital, Aldi, Apple, Argonne National Laboratory, Chicago Bears, Chicago Cubs, Deloitte, EY, Fermilab, Morgan Stanley, Northwestern Medicine, PwC, State Farm, and many more across healthcare, technology, finance, and sports sectors.
• Downtown Naperville AllianceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership providing North Central students, faculty, and staff with discounts at 20+ downtown Naperville businesses including restaurants, retail, fitness studios, and services. Administered through the Student Governing Association.
• MetraminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMetra train station located two blocks from campus providing students with access to Chicago metropolitan area for internships, employment, and entertainment.
• Community College PartnershipscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFast Track Transfer program enables seamless transfer from community colleges with faster admission processing and financial aid offers, helping students begin their Cardinal journey sooner.
• NACE - National Association of Colleges and EmployersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNC is a NACE-affiliated organization and abides by employment principles for university relations and recruiting including responsible behavior, non-discrimination, equitable access, and legal compliance.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Wheaton College: Private, residential liberal arts college located in Wheaton, Illinois — directly comparable residential liberal arts competitor in the same Chicago metropolitan labor market and competing for the same in-state student pool.
• Illinois Wesleyan University: Private liberal arts college in Bloomington, Illinois with comparable enrollment scale, broad undergraduate major offerings, and similar positioning as a residential Midwestern liberal arts institution.
• Augustana College: Private liberal arts college in Rock Island, Illinois — directly comparable Midwestern residential liberal arts college with overlapping employer pipelines and similar size.
• Lake Forest College: Private liberal arts college in Lake Forest, Illinois, with a comparable Chicago-area draw, similar enrollment scale, and comparable positioning as a selective liberal arts college serving the Chicagoland market.
• Carthage College: Private liberal arts college in Kenosha, Wisconsin with comparable undergraduate program breadth and graduate offerings, directly competing for students in the greater Chicago-Milwaukee corridor.
• Hope College: Private residential liberal arts college in Holland, Michigan with similar enrollment scale, program breadth, and employer-outcome positioning in the Midwest private liberal arts market.

Regional players

• DePauw University: Highly selective private liberal arts college in Greencastle, Indiana — comparable in mission and academic profile to NCC but with a stronger national brand and higher historical selectivity.
• Beloit College: Private liberal arts college in Beloit, Wisconsin with comparable enrollment size and Midwestern residential liberal arts positioning, although with a less developed graduate healthcare portfolio.
• Valparaiso University: Private university in Valparaiso, Indiana with broad undergraduate and graduate program offerings including healthcare — comparable program breadth to NCC in a neighboring Midwest state.
• Aurora University: Private university in Aurora, Illinois with extensive graduate healthcare programs and a Western Chicago suburban footprint — directly comparable to NCC in healthcare graduate offerings and geographic catchment.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/northcentralcol
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@nccdpt
• Facebookfacebook.com/12201279671
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/north-central-college
• Instagraminstagram.com/ncalumni

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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 North Central College