What Roosevelt University does

Roosevelt University is a private, non-profit higher education institution founded in 1945 and headquartered at 430 S. Michigan Ave in downtown Chicago, with a second campus in Schaumburg, Illinois. The university delivers undergraduate, graduate, and professional degree programs through four colleges: the Chicago College of Performing Arts (CCPA), the College of Humanities, Education and Social Sciences (CHESS), the College of Science, Health and Pharmacy, and the Walter E. Heller College of Business. Programs span BA/BS/BFA/BM undergraduate degrees, more than 40 master's degrees, doctoral offerings (PsyD, Ed.D., Executive DBA), and professional doctorates including the PharmD, MSOT, and nursing tracks. Specialized offerings include accelerated five-year bachelor's/master's programs, the Fast Track MA in Theatre Directing delivered via hybrid summer residencies, and a Master's in Special Education with a 100% edTPA pass rate.

The university operates on a tuition-driven revenue model supplemented by federal grants, donations, and institutional investments, with the flagship Roosevelt Pledge offering four tuition-free years to Illinois residents with family income under $50,000 who file the FAFSA by March 15. The technology stack is conventional for higher education, relying on Blackboard for learning management, Banner and RU Access for student information, ServiceNow for IT support, and EAB Navigate for student success — no proprietary AI/ML systems or differentiated platforms were disclosed. Roosevelt is a designated Hispanic-Serving Institution, hosts Chicago's only NCAA Division II athletics program, operates TRIO Student Support Services and the McNair Scholars program, and runs the Roosevelt University Legal Clinic which has served more than 150 pro bono clients. In 2020 the university expanded its footprint via the acquisition of Robert Morris University.

Go-to-market is sales-led in the traditional higher education sense: rolling admissions with campus visits, virtual tours, transfer success webinars, and graduate information sessions. Customer segments are horizontal and segmented by student persona — undergraduate, graduate/professional, transfer, international, performing arts, pharmacy, and veteran students — with named executive leadership including the Provost and EVP for Academic Affairs (Mike Maly), VP of Finance and CFO (Arlene Regnerus), VP of Marketing and Communications (Mike Kaluzny), and VP/Chief of Staff (Michael Ford).

Name

Roosevelt University

Legal name

Roosevelt University

Website

https://roosevelt.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1945

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Roosevelt University is a private non-profit university founded in 1945, operating two Illinois campuses (downtown Chicago and Schaumburg) that deliver undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees across four colleges, serving a diverse student body including Hispanic-Serving Institution-designated, transfer, international, performing arts, and pharmacy students.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education

NAICS

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

akta.pro primary industry

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

Keywords

• Higher education
• Private university
• Undergraduate programs
• Graduate degrees
• Performing arts education

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Fees: Primary revenue stream from tuition and fees charged to undergraduate, graduate, and professional students across various degree programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Roosevelt University is a private, non-profit higher education institution that delivers undergraduate, graduate, and professional degree programs across two Illinois campuses (downtown Chicago and Schaumburg). It enrolls students into four academic colleges covering performing arts, humanities/education/social sciences, science/health/pharmacy (including the PharmD), and business, with offerings delivered on-campus, online, and in hybrid formats. Revenue is generated primarily through tuition and fees, supplemented by alumni donations and federal grants.

Product overview

Roosevelt University is a private university with two campuses (Chicago and Schaumburg, Illinois) offering a comprehensive portfolio of educational programs through four colleges: the Chicago College of Performing Arts (conservatory-style performing arts training), College of Humanities, Education and Social Sciences, College of Science, Health & Pharmacy, and Walter E. Heller College of Business. The university offers undergraduate majors and minors, master's degrees, doctoral programs (PsyD in Clinical Psychology, Ed.D. in Interdisciplinary Leadership, Executive DBA), professional degrees including PharmD and nursing (BSN), accelerated 5-year combined bachelor's/master's programs, certificate programs, and non-credit continuing education. Beyond traditional academics, Roosevelt provides student support programs including the McNair Scholars research program, TRIO Student Support Services, a Legal Clinic offering pro bono legal services, and the Summer Reading Clinic for children. The university distinguishes itself through the Roosevelt Pledge tuition-free program for qualifying Illinois residents and NCAA Division II athletics.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Chicago College of Performing Arts (CCPA) One of Roosevelt University's four academic colleges, offering conservatory-style training in music, theatre, and interdisciplinary performing arts at the undergraduate (BFA, BM) and graduate (MM, diploma) levels for aspiring performing artists in Chicago.
• College of Humanities, Education and Social Sciences (CHESS) Roosevelt University's college offering undergraduate and graduate programs in education, social sciences, humanities, psychology, teacher preparation, and social justice studies, including the MA in Special Education and the Summer Reading Clinic.
• College of Science, Health & Pharmacy Roosevelt University's college offering programs in biology, nursing, biotechnology, allied health, the Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) with MBA and MSPS dual-degree pathways, and the Master of Science in Occupational Therapy (MSOT).
• Walter E. Heller College of Business Roosevelt's business college offering undergraduate and graduate programs in accounting, finance, management, marketing, business analytics, real estate, and hospitality management.
• Roosevelt Pledge Tuition-free guarantee program that allows Illinois-resident undergraduates from families earning under $50,000 to attend tuition-free for four years, contingent on submitting the FAFSA by March 15.
• Pharmacy (PharmD) Program Doctor of Pharmacy professional degree offered at the Schaumburg campus, with optional dual-degree pathways including the MBA and MSPS, preparing students for pharmacy careers.
• Fast Track Master of Arts in Theatre Directing An 18-month graduate program delivered through two intensive six-week summer residencies and one asynchronous online course, designed for early-career directors and theatre educators within CCPA.
• Master's in Special Education (MA, LBS1 Endorsement) An intensive, field-based 2-year program preparing teachers to work with students with learning and intellectual disabilities, leading to an Illinois LBS1 teaching credential and reporting a 100% edTPA pass rate.
• Occupational Therapy (MSOT) A Master of Science in Occupational Therapy program preparing students to become occupational therapists, offered at the Schaumburg campus within the College of Science, Health & Pharmacy.
• Accelerated Degree Programs Combined bachelor's and master's degree programs allowing students to earn both degrees in five years, with options across various disciplines including business, education, and sciences.
• Undergraduate Honors Program A specialized program for high-achieving undergraduate students offering enhanced academic challenges, research opportunities, and exclusive seminars.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100% pass rate on edTPA for Special Education master's program graduates
• +1 more outcomes

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• DePaul University: Largest private Catholic university in Chicago, comparable to Roosevelt as a private, non-profit urban institution serving similar undergraduate, graduate, and professional student segments with broad program portfolios.
• Lewis University: Catholic private university in Romeoville, IL, with comparable program mix (business, education, nursing, science) and a similar tuition-driven private model targeting the southwest Chicago suburbs.
• North Park University: Small private Christian university on Chicago's north side; competes with Roosevelt for tuition-sensitive private-college students seeking a values-based education in the Chicago metro.
• Loyola University Chicago: Private Jesuit university in Chicago offering comparable undergraduate and graduate programs across business, health sciences, and humanities; competes with Roosevelt for the same Chicago-area private-student pool.
• Robert Morris University Illinois: Private Chicago university acquired by Roosevelt in 2020; previously a direct peer, now part of Roosevelt, but its legacy programs (business, nursing) remain comparable for benchmarking Roosevelt's expanded footprint.
• Northeastern Illinois University: Public Chicago university serving a similar diverse, urban, first-generation student population and designated Hispanic-Serving Institution; competes on price and program mix in the same metro.
• Columbia College Chicago: Private, non-profit Chicago college with a strong focus on arts, media, and communications; most directly comparable to Roosevelt's Chicago College of Performing Arts (CCPA) and similar urban, tuition-dependent student base.
• Aurora University: Private university in the Chicago western suburbs with strong graduate and teacher-prep programs; directly comparable to Roosevelt's Schaumburg campus positioning and affordable private value proposition.

Broad incumbents

• Illinois Institute of Technology: Private STEM-focused research university in Chicago with broader program scale and research funding; competes with Roosevelt on professional graduate degrees and Chicago-based talent pipeline.
• University of Illinois Chicago (UIC): Major public research university in downtown Chicago offering the broadest range of programs; competes with Roosevelt on affordability, location, and graduate/professional programs but with substantially more resources.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/RooseveltU
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/RooseveltUniversity
• Facebookfacebook.com/108242225862828
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/15125
• Instagraminstagram.com/rooseveltu

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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

M&A1 record

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Roosevelt University