What Lewis University does

Lewis University is a private Catholic Lasallian university founded in 1932, headquartered in Romeoville, Illinois, approximately 35 miles southwest of Chicago. It serves traditional undergraduates, adult learners, graduate students, veterans, and international students through six academic units: the College of Aviation, Science and Technology (CoAST); College of Business; College of Education and Social Sciences; College of Humanities, Fine Arts and Communications; College of Nursing and Health Sciences; and the School of Graduate, Professional and Continuing Education. Programs span the GED through doctoral level, including a nationally recognized Air Traffic Control program with a 100% FAA Academy pass rate, CSWE-accredited social work degrees (BSW/MSW), ISBE-approved teacher preparation programs, and nursing pathways from BSN to DNP.

The university's core technology stack centers on aviation simulation labs for ATC training, a Blackboard-based online learning platform for hybrid and fully online programs, and clinical placement infrastructure spanning 50+ partner agencies across the Chicago region. Distribution is multi-modal: a main Romeoville campus plus satellite locations in Chicago, Oak Brook, and Albuquerque, complemented by online programs and a Lasallian network of 65 partner universities globally.

The business model is tuition-driven (described as the most affordable Catholic university in Chicago) supplemented by auxiliary services (housing, dining, bookstore), state and federal grants (Illinois Works Pre-Apprenticeship, FAA awards), and clinical partnership arrangements. The institution is currently navigating material stress: a 37% drop in graduate international enrollment led to a 10% workforce reduction, and an ICE co-tenancy dispute at the Oak Brook campus forced a shift to online instruction at that site in February 2026.

Name

Lewis University

Legal name

Lewis University

Website

https://lewisu.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1932

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Lewis University is a Catholic Lasallian university in Romeoville, Illinois offering undergraduate through doctoral programs across six colleges, serving traditional, adult, graduate, veteran, and international students with nationally recognized aviation, nursing, social work, and education programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education

NAICS

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

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Online Nonprofit Universities (EDAHALAK)

Keywords

• Higher education
• Undergraduate programs
• Graduate programs
• Aviation training
• Nursing education

Headquarters

HQ city

Tinley Park

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Fees: Primary revenue from undergraduate and graduate tuition, with programs ranging from traditional on-campus to accelerated adult and online formats. Tuition rates vary by program level and delivery format.
2. State Funding and Grants: Received $550,000 from Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity for Illinois Works Pre-Apprenticeship Program. Additional state funding supports workforce development initiatives.
3. Auxiliary Services: Revenue from bookstore, dining services, housing, and other student services. These auxiliary enterprises support the core educational mission.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Lewis University is a Catholic and Lasallian university delivering undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degree programs across six academic colleges: Aviation, Science and Technology (CoAST); Business (CoB); Education and Social Sciences (CoESS); Humanities, Fine Arts and Communications (CoHFAC); Nursing and Health Sciences (CoNHS); and the School of Graduate, Professional and Continuing Education (SGPCE). Programs are offered on-campus at multiple U.S. locations and via online/hybrid formats, supported by Blackboard LMS and aviation simulation labs. The institution also operates NCAA Division II athletics (Lewis Flyers) and continuing education for adult and professional learners.

Product overview

Lewis University is a Catholic university offering undergraduate through doctoral programs through six academic units: College of Aviation, Science and Technology (CoAST) featuring nationally recognized Air Traffic Control program with 100% FAA Academy pass rate; College of Business (CoB); College of Education and Social Sciences (CoESS) with CSWE-accredited Social Work and ISBE-approved teacher preparation; College of Humanities, Fine Arts and Communications (CoHFAC); College of Nursing and Health Sciences (CoNHS) with nursing programs from BSN to DNP; and School of Graduate, Professional and Continuing Education (SGPCE). The university also offers NCAA Division II athletics (Lewis Flyers) and operates campuses in Romeoville, Albuquerque, Chicago, Oak Brook, and online.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Lewis Flyers: NCAA Division II intercollegiate athletics program

Products and services

• Air Traffic Control (ATC) Program Nationally recognized Air Traffic Control program preparing the next generation of controllers using advanced simulation labs. Achieves a 100% FAA Academy pass rate among program participants and is pursuing enhanced ATC status designation from the FAA for streamlined certification and direct hiring pathways. Targeted at students pursuing careers in air traffic control.
• Master of Social Work (MSW) 60-hour CSWE-accredited MSW program preparing students for clinical social work practice in mental health, therapy, counseling, and case management. Can be completed in 2 years full-time or 4 years part-time with two clinically supervised internships. For students seeking careers in social work and clinical practice.
• Reading & Literacy, Reading Specialist (M.A.) Master's program recognized by the International Reading Association and approved by the Illinois State Board of Education. Prepares reading specialists with extensive practicum experiences in assessment, instruction, and professional development. For educators pursuing reading specialist credentials.
• Secondary Education (M.A.) Master's program for obtaining Illinois secondary licensure (grades 9-12) in content areas including English/Language Arts, Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, History, and Psychology. Approved by the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board. For educators pursuing secondary teaching credentials.
• Intercollegiate Athletics (Lewis Flyers) NCAA Division II intercollegiate athletic program competing in the GLVC conference. Recently finished in the top 10 nationally for the 2025-26 USTFCCCA Program of the Year. For enrolled students participating in varsity athletics.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100% FAA Academy pass rate for Air Traffic Control program participants
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 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

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic OpportunitycoreOthers · 7 February 2026Illinois DCEO awarded Lewis University $550,000 as part of over $17 million in state funding to 39 program recipients for the Illinois Works Pre-Apprenticeship Program. Lewis will use funding for construction and building trades training providing tuition-free training with stipends to help participants earn industry certifications.
• Social Service Agencies and Healthcare OrganizationscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerField placement partnerships with over 50+ agencies providing clinical and experiential learning opportunities for social work students including hospitals, mental health centers, child welfare agencies, schools, and community organizations across Chicagoland area.
• Greater Chicago School DistrictscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrong partnerships with school districts and law enforcement agencies in the greater Chicago region for teacher preparation, field placements, and workforce development. Currently preparing educators for P-12 public and private schools.
• Lasallian Network of UniversitiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of global Lasallian network of 65 universities worldwide. ELM program has engaged over 600 individuals from 20+ Lasallian educational ministries including Bethlehem University, Saint Mary's University of Minnesota, Christian Brothers University, and others.
• Bethlehem UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLasallian university partner participating in ELM Summer Workshop and formation programs.
• Christian Brothers UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLasallian university partner participating in ELM Summer Workshop and formation programs.
• Saint Mary's University of MinnesotaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLasallian university partner participating in ELM Summer Workshop and formation programs.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• University of St. Francis: Franciscan Catholic university in Joliet, Illinois, located within miles of Lewis's Romeoville campus. Competes head-to-head for the same commuter and adult-learner population in Joliet-area programs.
• Saint Xavier University: Mercy Catholic university on Chicago's south side targeting traditional and adult learners with strong nursing and education programs. Directly overlaps with Lewis's Chicago-area recruitment and academic portfolio.
• Dominican University: Catholic (Sinsinawa Dominican) university in River Forest, Illinois, serving the Chicago market with comparable undergraduate and graduate programs in business, education, and social sciences.
• Loyola University Chicago: Jesuit Catholic university serving the Chicago metropolitan area with comparable undergraduate and graduate programs including nursing, education, and business. Overlaps directly with Lewis on student segments and geographic catchment.
• DePaul University: Largest Catholic university in the U.S., based in Chicago, offering comprehensive undergraduate and graduate programs. Directly competes with Lewis for Chicago-area Catholic and commuter students across business, education, and nursing programs.
• Benedictine University: Catholic university in Lisle, Illinois, serving the same southwest Chicago suburban corridor as Lewis. Comparable size, mission, and program mix including business, education, and nursing.

Regional players

• Saint Mary's University of Minnesota: Lasallian Catholic university partner sharing mission, formation programming, and ELM workshop participation with Lewis. Operates in a different geography (Winona, MN) but offers a directly comparable Catholic-affiliated peer for the network.

Broad incumbents

• North Central College: Private comprehensive college in Naperville, Illinois, competing for the same Chicago-western-suburb talent pool. Broader portfolio than Lewis but similar institutional size and traditional/adult undergraduate focus.
• Aurora University: Private university in Aurora, Illinois, with comparable size and strong graduate and accelerated programs in education and business. Overlaps with Lewis on adult-learner and graduate enrollment in the far southwestern Chicago suburbs.
• University of Notre Dame: Larger flagship Catholic research university in Indiana. Operates in the same broader Catholic higher-education category as Lewis and competes for nationally ambitious Catholic students, though at a much larger scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/lewisuniversity
• YouTubeyoutube.com/LewisUniversity
• Facebookfacebook.com/287143257964
• Instagraminstagram.com/lewisuniversity
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/lewis-university

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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 Lewis University