Millikin University

What Millikin University does

Millikin University is an independent, privately funded four-year university founded in 1901 and headquartered in Decatur, Illinois (1184 W. Main St.). It serves approximately 1,600 students across undergraduate, graduate, and non-traditional programs — with a separately cited total of about 2,200 students across undergraduate and postgraduate programs — and operates four academic units: the College of Arts & Sciences (restructured in 2023 into five schools covering writing/languages, social sciences, biological and environmental studies, mathematics and computational sciences, and chemistry and physics), the College of Fine Arts, the College of Professional Studies (which houses the School of Nursing and Education), and the Tabor School of Business. Academic delivery is anchored on the Performance Learning model, which integrates classroom theory with real-world application through internships, clinical rotations, faculty-led research, and global programs. Teaching is small-format: average class size of 16 and a 10:1 student-faculty ratio.

The university is supported by physical assets that include the Health Sciences Center and Campbell Family Nursing Simulation Center (opened May 2024), the 83,000-square-foot Leighty-Tabor Science Center, the Kirkland Fine Arts Center, Staley Library in the University Commons, and the Requarth Observatory. Specialized applied research includes the Human Trafficking Research Lab, the only such lab in Illinois, which collaborates with the Central Illinois Human Trafficking Task Force, and 89.5 FM WJMU student radio.

Millikin's revenue model blends tuition and fees, donations and fundraising campaigns (e.g., 'Forever True Blue'), and government and private grants, including a $2 million federal nursing simulation grant (2022) and a $1 million NSF Big Blue STEM Scholars grant (2024). Financial aid is universal — 100% of students receive scholarships — and a Net Price Calculator is published. Go-to-market is direct-to-consumer via regional recruitment counselors, on-campus and virtual tours, and a Salesforce/TargetX inquiry-to-enrollment funnel; marketing is led by a Vice President of Marketing & Media Relations and a separate Vice President of Enrollment, Marketing and Communication. Strategic partnerships are concentrated in regional healthcare (Decatur Memorial Hospital / Memorial Health, top employer of nursing graduates for five years) and applied research with public-sector entities.

Name

Millikin University

Legal name

Millikin University

Website

https://millikin.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1901

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Millikin University is an independent, privately funded four-year university in Decatur, Illinois, serving approximately 1,600 students across 50+ undergraduate, graduate, and non-traditional programs through a Performance Learning model, with concentrations in nursing, STEM, fine arts, and business.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (611310)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Comprehensive Doctoral Research Universities (Multi-Disciplinary) (EDAHABAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Schools of Nursing (EDAHAGAC)

Keywords

• Higher education services
• Undergraduate degree programs
• Graduate nursing programs
• Experiential learning education
• Private university education

Headquarters

HQ city

Decatur

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Fees: Revenue from undergraduate and graduate tuition, including various academic programs across four colleges
2. Donations and Fundraising: Campaign fundraising including 'Forever True Blue' campaign and various endowed scholarships
3. Government and Private Grants: Federal grants including $2 million nursing simulation lab grant and $1 million NSF Big Blue STEM Scholars grant

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Millikin University is an independent, four-year private university offering more than 50 undergraduate and graduate majors across four colleges (Arts & Sciences, Fine Arts, Professional Studies, and Tabor School of Business), anchored by its signature Performance Learning model that applies classroom theory through internships, clinical rotations, research, and global experiences. Graduate-level offerings include nationally ranked Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) and Nurse Anesthesia programs delivered with advanced simulation facilities.

Product overview

Millikin University is an independent, four-year private university with approximately 1,600 students, offering over 50 undergraduate and graduate programs across four distinct colleges: College of Arts & Sciences (with five schools covering humanities, sciences, and social sciences), College of Fine Arts, College of Professional Studies (including School of Nursing), and Tabor School of Business. The university's signature educational approach is Performance Learning, which integrates classroom theory with real-world application. Key facilities include the Health Sciences Center with Campbell Family Nursing Simulation Center, Leighty-Tabor Science Center, Kirkland Fine Arts Center, and Staley Library. Graduate programs include nationally-ranked Doctor of Nursing Practice and Nurse Anesthesia programs. The university operates specialized facilities including a Human Trafficking Research Lab and Requarth Observatory, and hosts student media through WJMU radio station.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Performance Learning Millikin's signature educational approach that combines classroom theory with real-world application through internships, research, global opportunities, and practical experiences for undergraduate and graduate students.
• College of Arts & Sciences Academic college offering undergraduate programs in humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences organized into five schools, providing hands-on Performance Learning opportunities.
• College of Fine Arts Academic college offering programs in music, theatre, dance, art, and arts technology with performance-based learning opportunities for undergraduate students.
• College of Professional Studies Academic college offering professional programs including nursing, education, exercise science, and business-related degrees for undergraduate and graduate students.
• Tabor School of Business Business school offering programs in accounting, finance, and business administration with Performance Learning integration for undergraduate students.
• School of Nursing Academic school offering Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), Master's Entry into Nursing Practice (MENP), and Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) programs including Nurse Anesthesia specialization, with hands-on training in the Campbell Family Nursing Simulation Center.
• Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Program Doctor of Nursing Practice graduate program ranked No. 4 in Illinois and No. 1 outside Chicago metropolitan area by U.S. News & World Report, preparing advanced-practice nurses for leadership roles.
• DNP - Nurse Anesthesia Program Nurse anesthesia specialization within the DNP program, ranked No. 2 in Illinois and No. 1 in Central Illinois by U.S. News & World Report, preparing students for certified registered nurse anesthetist careers.
• Nursing Scholars Program Partnership with Decatur Memorial Hospital providing up to $50,000 in scholarship support, paid clinical experience (200+ hours), and guaranteed employment pathway for nursing students.
• Leighty-Tabor Science Center 83,000 square-foot science facility housing biology, chemistry, and physics programs with hands-on teaching laboratories and research spaces for Millikin students.
• Staley Library 40,000 square-foot library located in University Commons providing scholarly resources and research support for Millikin students.
• Human Trafficking Research Lab (HTRL) Research lab — the only one in Illinois focused on human trafficking — conducting research and policy analysis with grant support from Central Illinois Human Trafficking Task Force.
• Millikin Program of Student Learning (MPSL) Undergraduate curriculum framework combining sequential and non-sequential program elements with intensive major study, designed around three learning goals: professional success, citizenship in global community, and life of meaning and value.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100% of students receive scholarships
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 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

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Decatur Memorial HospitalcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2026Millikin University and Decatur Memorial Hospital partnered on the Nursing Scholars Program providing up to $50,000 in scholarship support, hands-on clinical experience through per diem employment, and guaranteed employment pathways for nursing students. Memorial Health has been the top employer of Millikin nursing graduates over the past five years.
• Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and MuseumminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDr. Dan Monroe, Millikin Associate Professor of History, leads the search committee for Illinois State Historian position.
• Central Illinois Human Trafficking Task ForcecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMillikin's Human Trafficking Research Lab collaborates with the Task Force through grant funding to research and address human trafficking in Illinois.
• Illinois HumanitiesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMillikin selected to lead an Illinois Humanities' Envisioning Justice Community Hub focused on community engagement through humanities programming.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Knox College: Private liberal arts college in Galesburg, Illinois. Comparable in size, private Midwest positioning, and similar undergraduate residential experience model.
• Illinois Wesleyan University: Private, residential four-year liberal arts university in Bloomington, Illinois with similar enrollment scale (~1,500 students). Comparable in mission, private Midwest positioning, and undergraduate-focused academic mix.
• McKendree University: Independent private university in Lebanon, Illinois with similar enrollment size and a School of Nursing offering BSN and DNP, competing head-to-head for the same Illinois nursing talent pipeline as Millikin.
• Quincy University: Small, private Catholic university in western Illinois. Comparable size, private Midwest positioning, and broad undergraduate program mix with selective graduate offerings.
• Augustana College: Private liberal arts college in Rock Island, Illinois. Direct comparable in scale, Midwest regional recruitment, and undergraduate experience focus.
• DePauw University: Highly selective private liberal arts university in Greencastle, Indiana. Comparable as an Indiana/Illinois-adjacent private residential college with strong Performance-Learning-style outcomes focus.
• Benedictine University: Private Catholic university in Lisle, Illinois with College of Nursing and Health Sciences. Overlaps directly with Millikin in Chicago-area-adjacent private Illinois nursing education.
• Lakeview College of Nursing: Standalone private nursing college in Danville, Illinois offering BSN and DNP. Closest single-program peer competing with Millikin's School of Nursing within the Illinois private nursing market.
• Saint Francis Medical Center College of Nursing: Hospital-affiliated private nursing college in Peoria, Illinois offering BSN and DNP. Direct competitor in Illinois private nursing programs and key overlap with Millikin's nursing pipeline.

Broad incumbents

• Bradley University: Larger private university in Peoria, Illinois offering similar professional programs including nursing. Overlaps with Millikin on Illinois private-university recruiting and on the DNP/Nurse Anesthesia competitive landscape.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/MillikinU
• YouTubeyoutube.com/MillikinUniversity
• Facebookfacebook.com/9166658387
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/school
• Instagraminstagram.com/millikinu
• TikToktiktok.com/@millikinuniversity

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors

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 Millikin University