Hamline University

What Hamline University does

Hamline University, founded in 1854 as Minnesota's first university, is a private non-profit institution headquartered on a 1536 Hewitt Avenue campus in Saint Paul, Minnesota. It operates through three academic colleges — College of Liberal Arts, School of Business, and School of Education and Leadership — plus the jointly-controlled Mitchell Hamline School of Law subsidiary, and serves approximately 501-1000 employees across faculty and staff. The university delivers undergraduate, graduate, online degree completion, PSEO, transfer, and continuing education programs through on-campus, hybrid, and fully online formats, with NC-SARA reciprocity extending online reach to most U.S. states.

The product portfolio spans degree programs (e.g., MA TESOL at $614/credit for 32 credits), licensure and certificate pathways (Adult ESL, TEFL, Minnesota teaching licenses), a 100% online bachelor's degree completion program in business/education/psychology/leadership, study abroad via six provider partners, and the Pipers to Professionals paid-internship initiative. Infrastructure consists of standard learning management and educational technology platforms rather than proprietary tech IP. Multiple programmatic accreditations (CAEP, ABA, ACS, ASBMB, POST, NAAEE, PELSB) plus Higher Learning Commission institutional accreditation underpin regulated enrollment pipelines.

Revenue is generated through tuition (undergraduate, graduate, online), housing and dining services, fundraising (the 'Take the Lead' campaign raised $122.3M), and competitive federal/grant awards ($2.17M Strengthening Institutions; $2.5M federal-donor blend for Pipers to Professionals; $375,978 NSF Noyce). Auxiliary revenue includes ESL/TESOL licensing-level pricing ($1,500 merit and leadership scholarships; 10% service, learning-partnership, and alumni discounts). The customer mix is diversified across first-year undergraduate students (primary), graduate, transfer, international, online completion, and PSEO cohorts, with 530 graduates recognized at the 2026 commencement.

Name

Hamline University

Legal name

Hamline University

Website

https://hamline.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1854

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Hamline University is Minnesota's first private non-profit university (founded 1854), serving undergraduate, graduate, online completion, transfer, international, and PSEO students through on-campus and online programs, with tuition, fundraising, and federal grants as primary revenue streams.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (611310), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (61131)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Graduate & Professional School Preparation (EDALABAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Credentialing, Academic Credit, Assessment & Transcript Services (EDAIAFAO), Subject-Specific Short Courses & Academies (e.g., STEM, Business, Arts) (EDAIAIAC)

Keywords

• Higher education services
• Undergraduate degree programs
• Graduate education
• Online degree completion
• Teaching licensure programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Saint Paul

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Fees: Hamline generates primary revenue through tuition charged to undergraduate and graduate students. The institution offers undergraduate tuition, online degree completion tuition, and graduate tuition with varying rates by program. Financial aid in the form of grants, scholarships, and loans supplements enrollment.
2. Donations and Fundraising: The university conducts comprehensive fundraising campaigns including the 'Take the Lead' campaign which raised over $122.3 million. The institution receives donor gifts and federal appropriations to support programs like Pipers to Professionals.
3. Housing and Dining: Revenue generated from student housing and food services on campus.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Hamline University delivers in-person and online higher education services, awarding undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degrees through the College of Liberal Arts, School of Business, School of Education and Leadership, and Mitchell Hamline School of Law. The institution also offers teaching licensure, graduate certificates, and continuing education, augmented by career preparation programs (e.g., Pipers to Professionals paid internships) and study abroad opportunities.

Product overview

Hamline University is Minnesota's first university, founded in 1854, offering a comprehensive portfolio of educational programs. The university operates through several colleges and schools including the College of Liberal Arts, School of Business, School of Education and Leadership, and Mitchell Hamline School of Law. Key programs include the MA in TESOL for training English language teachers globally, various teaching licensure programs for Minnesota educators, undergraduate and graduate degree programs across multiple disciplines, and online degree completion options. The institution also operates specialized centers including the Center for Global Environmental Education (managing the Adopt-A-Drain program), Global Engagement Center for study abroad, and the Career Development Center supporting the Pipers to Professionals paid internship initiative. Programs range from on-campus degrees to fully online offerings with rolling admissions and multiple start dates.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Mitchell Hamline School of Law: Hamline's law school, operated in association with Mitchell Hamline School of Law.
• College of Liberal Arts
• School of Business
• School of Education and Leadership

Products and services

• MA in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (MA TESOL) A Master of Arts degree program preparing teachers to work with English language learners in U.S. and global contexts; offered online or hybrid with 32 credits across 8-9 courses, completable in approximately 20 months. Recognized by the U.S. Department of State as the top English Language Fellow producing institution.
• Initial and Additional Teaching Licenses Minnesota teaching license programs for initial licensure (no current license) and additional licensure (already-licensed teachers), covering Elementary Education K-6, English as a Second Language K-12, Special Education, and various secondary content areas.
• Adult ESL Certificate A fully online graduate certificate program for professionals serving adult English language learners, comprising 4 courses that can be completed in 9-12 months.
• Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) Certificate An on-campus graduate certificate program preparing individuals to teach English overseas, comprising 2 courses totaling 8 semester credits with 40 hours of teaching and observation experience.
• Study Away and Study Abroad Programs International education programs including Hamline faculty-led programs, exchange programs, and programs through partner providers (ISEP, ISA, CIEE, AIFS, SIT, CEA/CAPA), offering study abroad, internships, and research opportunities in various global locations.
• Online Bachelor's Degree Completion A 100% online program allowing adult learners with some college credit to complete their undergraduate degree, with majors in business, education, psychology, and organizational leadership.
• Pipers to Professionals A career preparation program providing paid internships with living wage stipends and wrap-around support services for students, ensuring no student faces financial barriers to internships.
• Adopt-A-Drain Program A community environmental stewardship program developed by Hamline's Center for Global Environmental Education, featuring an interactive database mapping storm drains across multiple states where residents can adopt and maintain drains.
• English and Communication Studies Major A Bachelor of Arts degree program with concentrations in professional communication and cultural rhetorics, texts media and culture, and writing editing and publishing. Recognized by the U.S. Department of State as the first university to host international journalists through the Edward R. Murrow fellowship program.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100% of undergraduates complete at least one paid internship and/or research project or service-learning experience
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 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

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• St. Paul Police DepartmentminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 March 2023The St. Paul Police Department partners with Hamline's Pipers to Professionals program by providing mentorship and preparation support to help students get ready for professional opportunities.
• PBS NorthminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 March 2023Hamline's Center for Global Environmental Education co-produced the documentary 'Northern Nights, Starry Skies' with PBS North, a celebration of Minnesota's night sky exploring cultural interpretations of stars and light pollution impacts.
• ISEP (International Student Exchange Programs)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHamline partners with ISEP to provide semester-long and short-term study abroad program options for students, offering access to courses and resources at partner institutions worldwide with cost-effective exchange options.
• ISA (International Studies Abroad)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHamline partners with ISA to offer study abroad programs with wide location and program length options, excursions and cultural activities, and language immersion opportunities for students.
• CIEE (Council on International Education)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHamline partners with CIEE to provide study abroad program options taught in English with cultural immersion experiences and support from provider staff in country.
• AIFS (American Institute for Foreign Study)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHamline partners with AIFS to offer study abroad programs with planned excursions and cultural activities for students seeking international educational experiences.
• SIT (School for International Training)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHamline partners with SIT to provide study abroad options including service learning and internship opportunities for academic credit with specialized program offerings.
• CEA/CAPAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHamline partners with CEA/CAPA to offer study abroad programs with wide location and program length options and provider support both in country and from Hamline's Global Engagement Center.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• University of Minnesota: Flagship public research university in the Twin Cities vastly larger than Hamline and competing for top in-state applicants and graduate students, anchoring the same regional higher education market.

Direct peers

• Concordia University, St. Paul: Private Lutheran university in St. Paul, MN with similar size, faith-based identity, and a comparable mix of liberal arts, business, and graduate programs targeting the same regional student population.
• Macalester College: Highly-ranked private liberal arts college in St. Paul with strong international student focus - competes with Hamline for selective in-state applicants and shares geographic and Methodist-affiliated heritage.
• Augsburg University: Private Minneapolis university with similar size and metropolitan Twin Cities location, competing directly with Hamline for the same regional undergraduate and graduate student pool across liberal arts, business, and education programs.
• University of St. Thomas: Larger private Catholic university in St. Paul, MN competing with Hamline in the same metro for traditional and graduate students across business, education, and law (also operates a law school), with overlapping Methodist/Catholic heritage and faith-based positioning.
• Bethel University: Private Christian university in suburban Arden Hills, MN serving the Twin Cities with comparable undergraduate, graduate, and seminary programs - directly competes with Hamline on faith-based positioning, size, and affordability messaging.
• University of Northwestern – St. Paul: Private Christian university in Roseville, MN offering undergraduate, graduate, and online programs at a similar scale and price point, competing with Hamline in the same Twin Cities market.

Regional players

• St. Olaf College: Private Minnesota liberal arts college in Northfield with similar Lutheran heritage; primarily competes for in-state undergraduate applicants rather than Hamline's metropolitan programs but is a parallel private-regional reference point.
• College of Saint Benedict / St. John's University: Two coordinated private Catholic/Benedictine colleges in central Minnesota; another Minnesota private liberal arts peer with comparable size and faith-based identity, drawing from a similar applicant pool.
• Metropolitan State University: Public metropolitan university in St. Paul/Minneapolis, less prestigious than Hamline but competes for working adults, transfer, and online degree completion students in the same urban market as Hamline's online programs.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/HamlineU
• Facebookfacebook.com/35063982820
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/profile
• Instagraminstagram.com/hamlineu

Compliance10 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 Hamline University