Prescott College

What Prescott College does

Prescott College is a private, nonprofit higher education institution founded in 1966 and headquartered in Prescott, Arizona, serving approximately 870 students through on-campus undergraduate, online undergraduate, and graduate programs (MA, MS, MEd, EdS, and PhD). The college is differentiated by an experiential, field-based pedagogy supported by a 9:1 student-to-faculty ratio, wilderness and community-based orientations, and exclusive global field stations at the Dopoi Center in Kenya and the Kino Bay Center in Mexico. Programmatic strengths center on sustainability education, outdoor leadership, adventure-based and nature-based counseling, environmental studies, regenerative design, and social-justice organizing, with 65% of students enrolled in online or limited-residency formats and additional short-form offerings in microcredentials and certificates.

The institution runs on a tuition-driven nonprofit business model. Published on-campus undergraduate tuition is being reset from $33,960 in 2025–26 to $15,000 for Fall 2026, a 55.8% reduction; graduate program tuition ranges from $8,040 (MA in Social Justice & Community Organizing) to $31,152 (PhD in Sustainability Education), and online undergraduate tuition is $12,288. Substantial need-based aid (average gift aid $17,226; 100% of Fall 2021 freshmen received need-based grants) and the Yellow Ribbon Program for veterans are core affordability features, indicating that net realized revenue per student is materially below gross tuition.

Distribution and go-to-market rely on a regional admissions counselor network (Pacific Northwest, Texas, general), Common App as a top-of-funnel channel, and partnership-based enrollment pipelines including the EcoLeague and CIEL exchange consortia, a guaranteed admission pathway with St. Lawrence University, and a teach-out arrangement for Hampshire College students. Operational and brand assets include HLC accreditation, AASHE STARS Silver, LEED-certified buildings, Zero Waste Bronze, Tree Campus Higher Education, Certified Wildlife Habitat, and Green Grounds Platinum certifications, alongside external rankings (Top 20 Best Colleges for Hikers; #6 affordable online education and #13 online education programs, BestColleges.com 2022). Leadership transitioned in January 2026 with Dr. Dan Garvey's reappointment as the 19th President.

Name

Prescott College

Legal name

Prescott College

Website

https://prescott.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1966

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Prescott College is a private, nonprofit higher education institution in Prescott, Arizona serving approximately 870 students through experiential on-campus, online, and graduate programs, with global field stations in Kenya and Mexico and a published tuition reset to $15,000 for Fall 2026.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Online Nonprofit Universities (EDAHALAK)

akta.pro secondary industry

Professional & Applied Skills Noncredit Certificates (Non-licensure) (EDAAAEAD)

Keywords

• Experiential higher education
• Online undergraduate degrees
• Graduate degree programs
• Sustainability education
• Outdoor leadership programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Prescott

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Fees: Primary revenue from tuition charges for on-campus undergraduate, online undergraduate, and graduate degree programs. Tuition varies by program type with significant financial aid and scholarship programs offsetting costs for students.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Prescott College is a private, nonprofit higher education institution that offers on-campus undergraduate, online undergraduate, and graduate degree programs (MA, MS, MEd, EdS, PhD) with an experiential, field-based learning model. Programs span sustainability education, outdoor leadership, clinical mental health counseling, regenerative design, transformative food systems, environmental studies, and teacher education, with global learning experiences at field stations in Kenya and Mexico. The college also delivers microcredentials, post-bachelor's certificates, and an accelerated master's pathway for current undergraduates.

Product overview

Prescott College is an experiential higher education institution offering a diverse portfolio of educational products and services. The college operates on a platform-plus-modules architecture with core offerings including on-campus undergraduate programs, online undergraduate programs, and graduate degree programs (MA, MS, MEd, EdS, PhD). These programs span specialized disciplines such as Sustainability Education, Outdoor Leadership, Clinical Mental Health Counseling, Environmental Studies, Transformative Food Systems, and Regenerative Design. The portfolio includes microcredentials, professional certificates (Adventure-Based Counseling, Expressive Arts Therapy, Nature-Based Therapy), and access to global education centers in Kenya and Mexico. All programs emphasize experiential, field-based, and interdisciplinary learning approaches with 65% of students pursuing degrees in online or limited residency formats.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• On-Campus Undergraduate Programs Residential undergraduate bachelor's degree programs based at the Prescott, Arizona campus with experiential and field-based learning approaches, including Wilderness and Community-Based Orientation programs for incoming students.
• Online Undergraduate Programs Distance learning undergraduate bachelor's degree programs using a bioregional approach that allows students to apply coursework directly to their local communities and contexts.
• Graduate Degree Programs Master's and doctoral degrees (MA, MS, MEd, EdS, PhD) offered in online or limited-residency formats for working professionals and specialized learners across multiple disciplines.
• Clinical Mental Health Counseling (MS) Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling with optional certificates in Adventure-Based Counseling, Expressive Arts Therapy, and Nature-Based Therapy for graduate students pursuing counseling careers.
• Outdoor Leadership (MA) Master of Arts in Outdoor Leadership preparing graduate students for careers in outdoor education, adventure leadership, and field-based experiential programming.
• Sustainability Education (PhD) Doctoral program in Sustainability Education preparing researchers, educators, and leaders for environmental and social sustainability work.
• Regenerative Design (MA) Master of Arts in Regenerative Design focused on regenerative design principles and practice for sustainability-focused graduate students.
• Transformative Food Systems (MA) Master of Arts in Transformative Food Systems focused on sustainable food systems for graduate students interested in food systems transformation.
• Microcredentials Short, focused credential programs including Yoga Immersion on the San Juan River and Foundations of Community Journalism for non-degree learners seeking targeted skills.
• Graduate Certificates (Adventure-Based Counseling, Expressive Arts Therapy, Nature-Based Therapy) Post-bachelor's and graduate certificates in specialized areas, including Adventure-Based Counseling (with prerequisites such as wilderness first responder certification and 100 direct service hours), Expressive Arts Therapy (requiring a 12-15 piece creative art portfolio), and Nature-Based Therapy.
• Accelerated Master's Degree Program Program allowing current Prescott College undergraduate students to begin taking graduate-level courses while completing their bachelor's degree, accelerating time to a master's.

Quantifiable outcome

• 9:1 student to faculty ratio
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• St. Lawrence UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 March 2026Guaranteed admission pathway partnership for students who complete St. Lawrence's Outdoor Leadership minor into Prescott College's Master's in Outdoor Leadership program. Builds on existing EcoLeague Exchange relationship. Eligible graduates must be in good academic standing, complete the minor, enroll within five years of graduation, and have no academic or behavioral violations. Aims to create professional pathways for outdoor leadership careers.
• EcoLeaguecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerExchange relationship with EcoLeague consortium of colleges enabling student exchange opportunities. Prescott College also partners with CIEL (Consortium for Interactive Environmental Learning) for additional exchange opportunities.
• Hampshire CollegeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTeach-out partner for Hampshire College, supporting students as they explore Prescott College as one of their transfer options following Hampshire's closure announcement.
• Common AppcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorApplication platform partnership allowing prospective students to apply through Common Application, reaching millions of students through standard college application infrastructure.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Naropa University: A small private university in Boulder, Colorado with contemplative, experiential education and similar graduate program mix (counseling, sustainability, leadership) — overlapping student segments and similar pedagogy positioning.
• Bennington College: A small private progressive liberal arts college in Vermont with interdisciplinary, field-driven programs and graduate offerings — directly comparable in mission, size, and experiential curricular philosophy.
• Hampshire College: A small private liberal arts college in Massachusetts with a progressive, experiential pedagogy and self-directed curriculum — closely mirrors Prescott's student-driven, mission-focused model. Hampshire's recent teach-out dynamic with Prescott directly cements their positioning as comparable institutions.
• Unity College: A small private college in Maine rebranded around sustainability science and animal health with online program expansion — a direct comparable in the niche sustainability higher-ed space and in pricing/affordability repositioning.
• College of the Atlantic: A small Maine-based college focused exclusively on human ecology with an interdisciplinary, experiential curriculum — directly comparable in size, mission orientation toward sustainability, and small-class pedagogy to Prescott.
• Goddard College: A small progressive liberal arts college in Vermont with self-directed, experiential education and low-residency graduate programs — closely mirrors Prescott's adult-learner, low-residency graduate model despite its current operating challenges.
• Antioch College: A small private liberal arts college with a progressive, experiential co-op education model that has undergone multiple operational resets — directly comparable in mission, scale, and the challenges facing small progressive liberal arts institutions.
• Sterling College (Vermont): A small environmental liberal arts college in Craftsbury, Vermont with a work-and-experiential learning model, environmental stewardship focus, and similar enrollment scale — one of the closest operational analogues to Prescott's experiential sustainability positioning.
• New College of Florida: A small public honors liberal arts college with an individualized, contract-based curriculum and low student-to-faculty ratio — comparable in pedagogical model and small residential scale to Prescott.

Broad incumbents

• Evergreen State College: A public liberal arts college in Washington state with a similar progressive, interdisciplinary, seminar-based pedagogy without grades — a broader-scale public-sector analogue to Prescott's experiential model.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCj8iRCdYtpGSMsuYGKO6UvQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/prescottcollege
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/prescott-college
• Instagraminstagram.com/prescott_college
• Xx.com/prescottcollege

Compliance9 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors2 records

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 Prescott College