Biola University
Biola University is a private, nonprofit Christian university in La Mirada, California, offering 250+ undergraduate, graduate, and online programs across nine academic schools, serving faith-seeking students nationwide and internationally.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2017
- HeadquartersLa Mirada, United States
- Headcount1,001–5,000
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Biola University does
Biola University is a private, nonprofit Christian university headquartered in La Mirada, California, operating nine specialized academic schools plus the Torrey Honors College and the Biola LEARN online platform. It delivers 250+ academic programs spanning undergraduate, graduate, doctoral, and online levels across business (Crowell), psychology (Rosemead), theology (Talbot), cinema and media arts (Snyder), education, fine arts and communication, humanities and social sciences, and science, technology, and health. The Snyder School of Cinema & Media Arts is anchored by a newly opened 45,463-square-foot media studio featuring a 3,000 sq ft soundstage and a 285-seat theater, with curriculum integrating virtual production and AI tools. The university serves four primary student segments: undergraduate, graduate, online, and international students, recruited via a direct-to-consumer admissions funnel including on-campus tours, an Apply Now portal, Hello Biola admitted-student events, and a $1,000 visit scholarship.
Biola generates revenue primarily through tuition and fees across program tiers, supplemented by donor contributions and endowment distributions. It awards more than $70 million annually in scholarships and grants, including academic scholarships up to $24,500 per year. Major donor funding has been material, exemplified by Lynsi Snyder-Ellingson's record-setting contribution to the media studio. The university maintains an active Office of University Communications and Marketing and a multi-channel digital presence (Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, X, TikTok, YouTube, and the biola.edu site) for top-of-funnel student acquisition. Operationally, it employs 1,001-5,000 staff and faculty, complies with Title IX, FERPA, ADA, Section 504, and Clery Act, and is governed by a Board of Trustees under California nonprofit law with no parent company or external equity ownership. The institution also runs an Office of Innovation that hosts an annual startup competition awarding $27,000 in seed funding to student ventures, layering entrepreneurial programming onto the core academic mission.
Biola University firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Biola University
- Legal name
- Biola University, Inc.
- Website
- https://biola.edu
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2017
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1,001–5,000 employees
- Short description
- Biola University is a private, nonprofit Christian university in La Mirada, California, offering 250+ undergraduate, graduate, and online programs across nine academic schools, serving faith-seeking students nationwide and internationally.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Biola University industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Higher Education
- NAICS
- Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Faith-Affiliated Private Research Universities (EDAHABAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Online Nonprofit Universities (EDAHALAK), Comprehensive Doctoral Research Universities (Multi-Disciplinary) (EDAHABAA)
Keywords
Where Biola University is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- La Mirada
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Biola University business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Tuition and Fees: Revenue generated from undergraduate and graduate tuition, including online programs. Students pay tuition based on enrollment status and program.
- Financial Aid Distribution: The university distributes over $70 million annually in scholarships and grants to students, partially funded by donors and endowment.
- Donor Contributions: Major donor funding for facilities and programs, exemplified by Lynsi Snyder-Ellingson's significant contribution to the media studio.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Academic Scholarships - up to $24,500 per year |
| Other | Annual | Total Student Aid - over $70 million annually |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels10 records
Biola University product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Biola University is a private Christian university that delivers undergraduate, graduate, and professional degree programs through 8 academic schools, the Torrey Honors College, and the Biola LEARN online platform. The university also operates an affiliated media studio and maintains additional campus locations, including a New York site.
Product overview
Biola University is a private Christian university offering a comprehensive portfolio of educational products and services across eight academic schools, online education, and specialized programs. The university provides undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degrees through its Crowell School of Business, Rosemead School of Psychology, School of Education, School of Fine Arts and Communication, School of Humanities and Social Sciences, School of Science Technology and Health, Snyder School of Cinema & Media Arts (featuring a new 45,463 sq ft media studio), and Talbot School of Theology. Additionally, Biola offers the Torrey Honors College for enhanced liberal arts education, Biola LEARN for online education, academic scholarships (up to $24,500/year, $70M+ total annual aid), and the Office of Innovation which hosts an annual startup competition with $27,000 in seed funding. The institution positions itself as the most comprehensively Christian university in North America with over 250 academic programs.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Crowell School of Business: School of business at Biola University
- Rosemead School of Psychology
- Snyder School of Cinema & Media Arts
- Talbot School of Theology
- Torrey Honors College
- School of Education
- School of Fine Arts and Communication
- School of Humanities and Social Sciences
- School of Science, Technology and Health
Products and services
- Biola LEARN
Quantifiable outcome
- 97% alumni satisfaction rate with Biola experience
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Biola University
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Biola University technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
Biola University partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Biola University competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Point Loma Nazarene University: Private Christian (Nazarene) university in San Diego offering undergraduate and graduate programs with faith integration. Comparable size and faith-based positioning serving the same regional California recruitment market.
- Wheaton College: Highly-ranked private evangelical Christian liberal arts college and graduate school in Illinois with similar comprehensive faith-integration positioning. Comparable in selectivity, mission, and program portfolio to Biola.
- Dallas Baptist University: Private Christian university in Texas offering undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs with faith integration. Similar profile as a mid-sized comprehensive faith-based university competing for the same student segment.
- Calvin University: Private Christian (Reformed) comprehensive university in Grand Rapids, Michigan offering undergraduate and graduate programs with faith integration. Comparable size, mission, and program mix to Biola.
- Oral Roberts University: Private charismatic Christian university in Tulsa, Oklahoma offering undergraduate through doctoral programs across multiple schools. Direct peer in faith-affiliated comprehensive university category with comparable program breadth.
- Azusa Pacific University: Private Christian (interdenominational) university in the greater Los Angeles area with undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs across multiple schools. Direct competitor for Southern California faith-based students seeking similar program breadth.
- Pepperdine University: Private faith-affiliated (Churches of Christ) research university in Malibu, California, with comparable doctoral programs, multi-school structure, and similar Southern California recruitment market. Directly competes for the same conservative-Christian student demographic in the same geography.
- Regent University: Private Christian university headquartered in Virginia Beach with a strong online program portfolio (similar to Biola LEARN). Comparable faith-affiliated positioning with significant online distribution across law, business, and communication.
Broad incumbents
- Liberty University: One of the largest private Christian universities in the US with a massive online program and broad program portfolio. Competes for the same faith-affiliated students nationwide but at substantially larger scale.
- Grand Canyon University: Large for-profit Christian university in Arizona with extensive online programs. Competes for the same faith-affiliated student pool with a substantially larger online and overall enrollment footprint than Biola.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Biola University social profiles
Digital presenceBiola University compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance5 records
Biola University financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Biola University leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
Biola University funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Biola University M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments4 records
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Biola University
What does Biola University do?
Biola University is a private Christian university that delivers undergraduate, graduate, and professional degree programs through 8 academic schools, the Torrey Honors College, and the Biola LEARN online platform. The university also operates an affiliated media studio and maintains additional campus locations, including a New York site.
Is Biola University a public or private company?
Biola University is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Biola University founded?
Biola University was founded in 2017. It employs 1,001 to 5,000 people.
Where is Biola University based?
Biola University is headquartered in La Mirada, United States, in the North America region.
How does Biola University make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Tuition and Fees are the primary driver. The others are financial Aid Distribution and donor Contributions.
Who are Biola University's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Point Loma Nazarene University, Wheaton College, Dallas Baptist University, Calvin University, Oral Roberts University, Azusa Pacific University, Pepperdine University and Regent University. Broad incumbents are Liberty University and Grand Canyon University.
Does Biola University have an API?
No public API is recorded for Biola University.
What industry is Biola University in?
Biola University's product category is Higher Education. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAHABAJ, Faith-Affiliated Private Research Universities, with a secondary code of EDAHALAK, Online Nonprofit Universities. Its NAICS code is 6113 and its SIC code is 8200.