The Citadel

What The Citadel does

The Citadel, officially The Military College of South Carolina, is a public state-supported higher education institution founded in 1842 and headquartered on a 300-acre campus in Charleston, South Carolina. It operates a multi-segment educational business serving approximately four primary customer cohorts: traditional undergraduate cadets in the South Carolina Corps of Cadets (ages 17-23 at matriculation), veterans and active-duty service members using VA education benefits, working-professional graduate students across more than 25 degree programs and 10+ graduate certificates, and non-traditional degree-completion/transfer students.

Its core educational product is built across five academic units: the Tommy and Victoria Baker School of Business (AACSB-accredited, top 6% globally), the School of Engineering (one of the first five engineering programs nationally and the first in South Carolina, ranked #14 nationally for non-doctoral undergrad engineering), the Zucker Family School of Education (CAEP-accredited), the Swain Family School of Science and Mathematics (including Swain Department of Nursing), and the School of Humanities and Social Sciences. Specialized offerings include the Citadel Cyber Summer Immersion Program (C2SI), the Jack Voltaic Conference Series on critical infrastructure cyber resiliency, and the only PMI Global Accreditation Center (GAC)-accredited Master of Science in Project Management in South Carolina.

Revenue is generated primarily through tuition across multiple price tiers (SC resident undergraduate $13,140/yr; non-resident $40,407/yr; graduate $720-$1,040 per credit hour; Online MBA $800/credit hour), mandatory room and board ($11,245/yr for cadets), program fees, supplemented by direct VA tuition payments, state appropriations, and private donations through affiliated nonprofit foundations (The Citadel Foundation and Brigadier Foundation). The institution markets through a multi-channel GTM including Common App integration, dedicated online portals, dedicated enrollment coordinators segmented alphabetically, veteran affairs networks, campus tours, and career services connecting students to employers such as Boeing via the Handshake platform.

Name

The Citadel

Legal name

The Citadel

Website

https://citadel.edu

Company type

Public

Founded year

1842

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina, is a public state-supported military college founded in 1842 in Charleston, SC, serving traditional undergraduate cadets, veterans, graduate professionals, and transfer students through Corps of Cadets, online, and graduate programs across five accredited academic schools.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (61131)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Service Academies (Officer Commissioning) (EDAHAOAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Defense Universities & Joint Professional Military Education (PME) (EDAHAOAB), Specialized Military Schools (Aviation, Naval, Cyber, Intelligence, Medical) (EDAHAOAG)

Keywords

• Higher education services
• Military college education
• Graduate degree programs
• Online learning programs
• Engineering education

Headquarters

HQ city

Charleston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Undergraduate Tuition (Corps of Cadets): Annual tuition for SC residents is $13,140 and $40,407 for non-residents. Additional fees include Leadership Lab Fee ($1,250 for freshmen, $1,150 for upperclassmen), and Quartermaster Deposit. Various school excellence fees apply for Business ($1,250/semester full-time), Engineering, Humanities and Social Sciences, Science and Mathematics programs.
2. Graduate College Tuition: Graduate credit hour fees are $720 for residents and $1,040 for non-residents. Undergraduate credit hour fees (for degree completion) are $520 for residents and $950 for non-residents. Master in Clinical Counseling is $775 (resident) and $1,040 (non-resident) per credit hour.
3. Online Programs Tuition: Online MBA is $800 per credit hour. Graduate online programs are $720 per credit hour. Undergraduate online programs are $520 per credit hour (1-11 CH) with flat rate of $6,240 for 12-21 credit hours. Registration fee of $15 per term and technology fee of $75 per term apply.
4. VA Education Benefits: The Citadel participates in various VA education benefit programs including Chapter 35 (Survivors and Dependents), Post 9/11 GI Bill, Montgomery GI Bill (Chapter 30), VR&E (Chapter 31), and TOE (Transfer of Entitlement). The VA sends tuition payments directly to the institution.
5. Room and Board: Room and Board for Corps of Cadets is $11,245 annually, which includes laundry services. Summer housing rates vary by term with board rates from $765 to $2,720 depending on term length.
6. Scholarships and Financial Aid: 50% of students receive financial aid. The institution offers ROTC scholarships, Service to Country scholarships, cadet scholarships, graduate student scholarships, and active duty grants including the Blue Ribbon Program ($250/credit hour cap).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Citadel is a public state-supported military college offering residential undergraduate education through the South Carolina Corps of Cadets, evening and online graduate degrees through The Citadel Graduate College, fully online programs, and degree completion pathways for transfer students, veterans, and active-duty service members. Instructional delivery spans five academic schools covering business (AACSB-accredited), engineering, education, science and mathematics, and humanities and social sciences, supported by an 11:1 student-faculty ratio and dedicated veteran and career services.

Product overview

The Citadel is The Military College of South Carolina offering a portfolio of educational programs: the Corps of Cadets (residential military-style undergraduate program), The Citadel Graduate College (evening and online programs with 25 graduate degrees and 10+ certificates), Degree Completion Programs (transfer pathways for non-traditional students), and Online Programs (fully online degrees and certificates). These programs are delivered through five academic units: Tommy and Victoria Baker School of Business (AACSB-accredited), School of Engineering (one of the nation's first five engineering programs), Zucker Family School of Education (CAEP-accredited), Swain Family School of Science and Mathematics, and School of Humanities and Social Sciences. Support services include the Student Success Center and Career Center. The institution serves diverse populations including cadets, graduate students, transfer students, veterans, and active-duty military personnel.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Tommy and Victoria Baker School of Business: AACSB internationally accredited business school offering undergraduate and graduate programs in business administration, accounting, finance, management, marketing, and supply chain management.
• School of Engineering
• Zucker Family School of Education
• Swain Family School of Science and Mathematics
• School of Humanities and Social Sciences
• The Citadel Graduate College
• Department of Leadership Studies
• Angela W. Williams Student Success Center
• The Citadel Career Center
• Citadel Cyber Summer Immersion Program (C2SI)
• Jack Voltaic Conference Series

Products and services

• Corps of Cadets Residential military-style undergraduate program where students live on campus in a structured military environment. Approximately 1 in 3 cadets earns a commission into the United States Armed Forces upon graduation, with tuition at $13,140 (SC residents) and $40,407 (non-residents) annually, plus $11,245 room and board and a Leadership Lab Fee.
• The Citadel Graduate College Evening and online graduate degree programs with 25 graduate degree programs and 10+ graduate certificates across business, education, engineering, humanities, and STEM disciplines. Tuition is $720/credit hour for residents and $1,040/credit hour for non-residents with $15 registration and $75 technology fees per term.
• Degree Completion Program Transfer and degree completion programs for non-traditional students with 30+ prior college credit hours. Programs span business, criminal justice, intelligence studies, education, and additional fields, delivered online or in evening formats at $520/credit hour (1-11 CH) or a flat $6,240 rate for 12-21 credit hours.
• Online Programs Fully online graduate degrees and certificates plus undergraduate degree completion programs including an Online MBA at $800/credit hour (ranked #37 nationally), online graduate programs at $720/credit hour, and online undergraduate programs at $520/credit hour or $6,240 flat rate.
• Veteran and Active Duty Programs Specialized tracks and support services for service members, veterans, and their dependents, including VA education benefits administration (Post 9/11 GI Bill, Montgomery GI Bill, Chapter 35, VR&E, TOE), the Veteran Student Success Center, Green Zone training, dedicated Director of Admissions for Active Duty & Veteran Students, and the Blue Ribbon Program offering 25 grants each for online undergraduate and graduate programs at $250/credit hour cap.
• Master of Science in Project Management (MSPM) 30-credit PMI GAC-accredited graduate program using PMI's PMBOK framework, with a 95% first-attempt PMP exam pass rate. The only PMI GAC-accredited project management program in South Carolina.
• The Citadel Career Center Career services hub providing professional coaching, employer connections through the Handshake platform, career fairs, internship placements, and on-campus recruiting, supported by industry grants such as the Boeing $30,000 Career Center grant.
• Angela W. Williams Student Success Center Centralized academic support services including athletic academic services, academic coaching, math lab, subject-area tutoring, writing lab, disability services, and freshman success programs. Located in Thompson Hall.
• Tommy and Victoria Baker School of Business AACSB internationally accredited business school delivering undergraduate, graduate, and degree completion business programs, with an online MBA ranked #37 nationally and ranked highest in South Carolina for four consecutive years. AACSB accreditation is held by fewer than 6% of business schools worldwide.
• School of Engineering School of Engineering offering five undergraduate programs, four graduate programs, and a certificate program in civil, electrical, mechanical, and computer engineering. Ranked #14 Best Undergraduate Engineering Programs Nationwide (non-doctoral) by U.S. News & World Report, with a near 99% job placement rate within six months of graduation.

Quantifiable outcome

• 1 in 3 cadets earn a commission into the United States Armed Forces upon graduation
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Lowcountry Graduate CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Lowcountry Graduate Center was co-founded by The Citadel along with the College of Charleston and Medical University of South Carolina. The center serves as a regional graduate education hub and recently moved to a new location.
• College of CharlestoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-founder of the Lowcountry Graduate Center, partnering with The Citadel and Medical University of South Carolina to provide regional graduate education opportunities.
• Medical University of South CarolinacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-founder of the Lowcountry Graduate Center, partnering with The Citadel and College of Charleston to provide regional graduate education opportunities.
• Department of Veterans AffairscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Citadel participates in VA education benefit programs including Post 9/11 GI Bill, Montgomery GI Bill, Chapter 35 Survivors and Dependents, VR&E, and Transfer of Entitlement. VA sends direct tuition payments to the institution.
• South Carolina Department of Veterans AffairsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSC Association of Veterans Administrators located at The Citadel. South Carolina Free Tuition program for children of certain war veterans at state-supported colleges.
• Various EmployerscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThe Career Center connects students with employers through Handshake platform, career fairs, and on-campus recruiting. Engineering Career Expo connects engineering students with industry employers.

Scale indicators15 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Virginia Military Institute (VMI): VMI is the most direct peer — a public, four-year, state-supported military college in Lexington, VA with a comparable Corps of Cadets model, ROTC commissioning outcomes, engineering and business programs, and a similar scale (~1,700 cadets). Both compete for the same regional military-college applicant pool.
• Norwich University: Norwich is the oldest private military college in the U.S. and the founding school of ROTC. It offers a comparable Corps of Cadets residential model, online graduate programs (including the only private military master's in cybersecurity and information assurance), and competes directly with Citadel for military-bound undergraduates.
• The Citadel Graduate College equivalent — Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University: Embry-Riddle competes directly with The Citadel for online and on-campus STEM and aviation/aerospace talent, including veteran populations. Both emphasize career placement and engineering rigor with similar tuition points.

Broad incumbents

• United States Military Academy (West Point): West Point is the federal senior service academy and the highest-prestige direct competitor for officer-commissioning-track applicants. It shares the Citadel's military-leadership mission and cadet structure but operates at a different funding scale and admits via a separate federal process.
• Texas A&M University (Corps of Cadets): Texas A&M operates the nation's largest active uniformed Corps of Cadets outside the federal service academies and competes with Citadel for national military-college applicants and ROTC commissions, with substantially larger scale and resources.

Regional players

• Clemson University: Clemson is South Carolina's flagship engineering and public university and competes with Citadel for in-state undergraduate applicants, ROTC scholarships, and graduate students, especially in engineering. Citadel's #14 non-doctoral engineering ranking is benchmarked against Clemson's broader program.
• University of South Carolina: USC is the state's flagship public research university and Citadel's principal competitor for in-state undergraduates, graduate applicants, and state appropriations. Citadel co-founded the Lowcountry Graduate Center with USC's College of Charleston and Medical University of South Carolina.
• College of Charleston: A co-founder of the Lowcountry Graduate Center alongside Citadel and MUSC, College of Charleston is a Charleston-based peer competing for traditional undergraduate applicants in the same regional market, with overlapping business and humanities programs.
• Furman University: Furman is a top-ranked private university in the same Upstate/regional South talent pool, competing with Citadel for selective undergraduates and pre-professional applicants, particularly in business and health sciences.

Emerging players

• Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU): SNHU competes aggressively in the same online graduate and adult-learner segments where Citadel Graduate College operates, particularly for working professionals and military-affiliated students using GI Bill benefits. SNHU's scale and tuition pricing represent a structural threat to Citadel's online growth.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses3 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/thecitadeloea
• YouTubeyoutube.com/TheCitadel1842
• Facebookfacebook.com/123278089056
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-citadel
• Instagraminstagram.com/thecitadel1842

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about The Citadel