What Laureate Education does

Laureate Education is a publicly traded higher education company (NASDAQ: LAUR) that operates a network of five campus-based and online universities in Mexico and Peru, serving approximately 497,000+ students. The portfolio comprises Universidad del Valle de México (UVM, 124,000+ students) and Universidad Tecnológica de México (UNITEC, 134,000+ students) in Mexico, and Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas (UPC, 72,000+ students), Universidad Privada del Norte (UPN, 120,000 students), and Cibertec (19,000+ students) in Peru, distributed across 30+ Mexican and 20 Peruvian campuses. Programs span undergraduate, graduate, and specialized technical training, delivered through in-person, executive, and online formats; approximately 50% of UNITEC students are working adults and 50% of new enrollments are first-generation university students.

The underlying technology stack includes digital learning platforms and campus management systems supporting hybrid and online delivery, with Google Analytics Premium deployed for web analytics. Revenue is generated primarily through tuition and fees on a recurring subscription-like basis, with FY2025 revenue of $1.7 billion (+9% YoY) and Q4 2025 revenue of $541.4 million (+28% YoY). GTM motion is direct-to-consumer enrollment through institutional websites, campus presence, and digital marketing. The company operates as a Public Benefit Corporation and is pursuing organization-wide AI and digital adoption under SVP Strategy and Transformation Sara Schabert. FY2025 adjusted EBITDA margin reached a record 30.5%, and FY2026 revenue guidance is $1.89–1.91 billion (+11–12%).

Name

Laureate Education

Legal name

Laureate Education, Inc.

Website

https://laureate.net

Company type

Public

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

Laureate Education is a publicly traded higher education company operating five campus-based and online universities in Mexico and Peru, serving approximately 497,000 students. It generates $1.7 billion in annual tuition revenue through institutions UVM, UNITEC, UPC, UPN, and Cibertec.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Private Higher Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Online For-Profit Career Universities (EDAHALAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

Online International & Cross-Border Universities (Global/Transnational Providers) (EDAHALAL)

Keywords

• Higher education services
• Private universities
• Undergraduate degree programs
• Online university education
• Professional technical training

Headquarters

HQ city

Baltimore

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Higher Education Tuition and Fees: Core revenue from tuition and fees from approximately 497,000+ students across five universities in Mexico and Peru. Programs include undergraduate, graduate, and specialized degrees. Revenue growth of 9% in FY2025 to $1.7 billion. Q4 2025 revenue of $541.4 million, up 28% year-over-year.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Laureate Education operates a network of five campus-based and online higher education institutions in Mexico and Peru—Universidad del Valle de México (UVM), Universidad Tecnológica de México (UNITEC), Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas (UPC), Universidad Privada del Norte (UPN), and Cibertec—delivering undergraduate, graduate, and specialized degree programs to approximately 497,000+ students. The company offers flexible learning models including traditional in-person, executive, and fully online programs aimed at working adults, first-generation students, and career changers, with career-aligned curricula, work-integrated learning, and structured career pathways.

Product overview

Laureate Education operates a network of five higher education institutions across Mexico and Peru, serving approximately 497,000+ students. In Mexico, it operates Universidad del Valle de México (UVM), the largest private university with 124,000+ students, and Universidad Tecnológica de México (UNITEC) with 134,000+ students. In Peru, it operates Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas (UPC), Universidad Privada del Norte (UPN), and Cibertec. The institutions offer diverse undergraduate, graduate, and specialized degree programs with flexible learning models including campus-based, executive, and online formats for working adults.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Laureate International Universities: Network brand for Laureate's international higher education institutions

Products and services

• Universidad del Valle de México (UVM) Mexico's largest private university with 124,000+ students, offering high school, bachelor's, and master's level studies across fields including medicine, law, architecture, and finance, featuring the Certeza educational model with a 360-degree view of students.
• Universidad Tecnológica de México (UNITEC) Mexican university serving 134,000+ students with flexible learning models including traditional in-person, executive, and online programs; approximately 50% of students are working adults.
• Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas (UPC) Peru's most reputable university for four consecutive years (Merco 2024), serving 72,000+ students; the first and only Peruvian university to achieve 10-year WASC accreditation, holding ISO 9001 and ISO 21001 certifications.
• Universidad Privada del Norte (UPN) Peruvian university serving 120,000 students across campuses in Trujillo, Cajamarca, and Lima with 4,500 staff and 70,000 alumni; leads all Peruvian universities in total patent applications filed.
• Cibertec Peruvian institution with 19,000+ students specializing in IT, management, design, communications, and industrial technology training; ranked as the top choice for students considering IT careers in Peru by Ipsos.

Quantifiable outcome

• 90% of job-seeking graduates employed within 12 months of graduation
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature1 record

Scale indicators19 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Coursera: Public online learning platform partnering with universities and companies to deliver degree and certificate programs. Comparable as an emerging player in degree-granting online education, particularly relevant to Laureate's growing online segment.

Direct peers

• Perdoceo Education: U.S. for-profit higher-education company (parent of Colorado Technical University and American InterContinental University). Comparable publicly traded for-profit education operator with similar online and campus-based degree offerings.
• Strategic Education: U.S. for-profit education company (parent of Strayer University and Capella University). Comparable as a publicly traded for-profit higher-education operator with campus and online degree programs serving working adults.
• Grand Canyon Education: U.S. for-profit university operator with strong working-adult and online enrollment model. Directly comparable as a publicly traded for-profit university business with a focus on career outcomes and flexible delivery.
• Adtalem Global Education: U.S.-listed for-profit education company operating institutions globally (including in Latin America). Directly comparable as a publicly traded for-profit higher-education operator with a similar tuition-driven, multi-institution business model.

Broad incumbents

• Tecnológico de Monterrey: Mexico's leading private nonprofit university with national footprint across 30+ campuses. Comparable as a direct institutional competitor to UVM and UNITEC in the Mexican private higher-education market.
• Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM): Mexico's largest public university, serving as the dominant incumbent in Mexican higher education. Comparable as the primary incumbent against which Laureate's Mexican institutions (UVM, UNITEC) compete for students.

Regional players

• Afya Limited: Brazilian for-profit medical education and digital health services company. Comparable as a Latin American for-profit higher-education operator in an adjacent regional market, with similar tuition-driven economics and growing digital platform.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/laureate-international-universities
• Xx.com/LaureateIntlU
• Facebookfacebook.com/Laureate

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Subsidiaries5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors

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

M&A

Investments1 record

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

Frequently asked questions about Laureate Education