Ouachita Baptist University

What Ouachita Baptist University does

Ouachita Baptist University is a private, faith-based liberal arts university founded in 1886 in Arkadelphia, Arkansas, in collaboration with the Arkansas Baptist State Convention. The institution operates from a single 410 Ouachita Street campus and offers more than 60 academic programs across seven schools: Hickingbotham School of Business, Pruet School of Christian Studies, Huckabee School of Education, School of Humanities, J.D. Patterson School of Natural Sciences, School of Performing Arts, and School of Social Sciences. In addition to traditional undergraduate residential education, the university runs six graduate degree programs (Applied Behavior Analysis, MBA, Counseling, Curriculum & Instruction, Exercise Science, and Nutrition & Dietetics), the Carl Goodson Honors Program, and 15+ study abroad options spanning Australia, France, Costa Rica, and Morocco.

The university's technology foundation consists of standard education-sector tools rather than proprietary systems: Canvas LMS (obu.instructure.com), WeBWorK for mathematics homework, Tigermail email, an info.obu.edu student portal, and a student-run Ouachita Sports Digital Network that livestreams over 100 athletic events per year. Curriculum is delivered through a 14:1 student-to-faculty ratio with an average class size of 21. A recently added Bachelor of Science in Engineering program, currently pursuing ABET accreditation, signals curriculum expansion into STEM. Programmatic accreditation includes a seven-year ACEN renewal for the BSN nursing program and National Collegiate Honors Council membership for the honors program.

Revenue is generated primarily through three streams: tuition and fees (subscription-like, recurring semester billing), on-campus room and board across nine distinct housing facilities with tiered pricing from $1,225 to $2,850 per semester, and donations managed through the Development Office which supports scholarships and operations. Mission-aligned partnerships, particularly the relationship with the Southern Baptist Convention International Mission Board, channel missionary-kid students into a dedicated admissions track with $5,000 renewable scholarships. Enrollment reached a record 1,889 students in Fall 2025 (surpassing a 1966 record) and held at 1,822 in Spring 2026, with 35-50% graduate-student growth driving the upswing. The university employs 101-250 staff, and 18 NCAA Division II athletic teams contribute to a fully residential campus model in which 97% of students live on campus.

Name

Ouachita Baptist University

Legal name

Ouachita Baptist University

Website

https://obu.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1886

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Ouachita Baptist University is a private, faith-based liberal arts university in Arkadelphia, Arkansas, offering 60+ undergraduate and graduate programs across seven schools to a residential student body of roughly 1,850.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Private University 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

Religiously Affiliated Liberal Arts Colleges (EDAHACAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Residential Liberal Arts Colleges (EDAHACAH), Undergraduate Business Schools (BBA/BSBA Programs) (EDAHAHAA)

Keywords

• Private higher education
• Liberal arts university
• Christian university education
• Undergraduate degree programs
• Graduate professional studies

Headquarters

HQ city

Arkadelphia

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: Revenue from undergraduate and graduate tuition, including application fees ($40 for graduate applications), deposits, and course fees.
2. Room and Board: On-campus housing and dining services revenue, including various residence halls and apartment complexes with different pricing tiers.
3. Donations and Development: The Office of Development coordinates charitable giving, recurring gifts, electronic fund transfers, matching gifts from companies, and planned giving programs to support scholarships and programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Ouachita Baptist University is a private, Christ-centered liberal arts university that delivers bachelor's degrees across 60+ academic programs in seven schools, plus master's degrees in Applied Behavior Analysis, Business Administration, Counseling, Curriculum & Instruction, Exercise Science, and Nutrition & Dietetics. Residential campus services include on-campus housing, tiered meal plans, athletics, chapel, and student life programs that together form the integrated educational product sold to enrolled students each semester.

Product overview

Ouachita Baptist University is a private Christian liberal arts university offering a comprehensive portfolio of educational products and services. The core offerings include undergraduate programs (60+ majors across 7 academic schools) and graduate programs (6 advanced degrees including MBA, counseling, education, and exercise science). Supporting products include the Carl Goodson Honors Program for high-achieving students, study abroad opportunities (15+ destinations), and the DISCOVER program for undeclared majors. The university also provides co-curricular services including Tiger Serve Day community service, the Ouachita Sports Digital Network for sports broadcasting, residence life housing options, and the Grant Center for International Education supporting students from 30 countries. All programs integrate with Canvas LMS and WeBWorK for course delivery.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Carl Goodson Honors Program: An honors program for high-achieving students offering undergraduate research opportunities, founded in 1964.
• Alpha Tau Honors Society
• Ouachita Sports Digital Network (OSDN)

Products and services

• Undergraduate Programs Bachelor's degree programs across 60+ academic areas in seven schools — Hickingbotham School of Business, Pruet School of Christian Studies, Huckabee School of Education, School of Humanities, Patterson School of Natural Sciences, School of Performing Arts, and School of Social Sciences — for traditional residential undergraduate students.
• Graduate Programs Master's degrees including M.S. in Applied Behavior Analysis, M.A. in Applied Behavior Analysis, M.B.A., M.A. in Counseling, M.Ed. in Curriculum & Instruction, M.S. in Exercise Science, and an MS in Nutrition & Dietetics with Dietetic Internship, available through on-campus and online delivery for working professionals and career advancers.
• Carl Goodson Honors Program An enriched honors curriculum for high-achieving students offering interdisciplinary seminars, undergraduate research opportunities, and priority registration. Member institution of the National Collegiate Honors Council since its founding in 1964.
• Study Abroad Programs Over 15 short- and long-term study abroad options in destinations including Australia, France, Costa Rica, and Morocco, with course work in art, language, culture, and other disciplines for undergraduate students seeking global academic experience.
• Christian Studies Programs (Pruet School) Programs in Biblical Languages, Christian Foundations, Christian Studies (with emphases in Biblical Studies & Theology, Christian Ministry, Christian Missions, and Philosophy), Community & Family Services, Greek, Hebrew, and Philosophy, offered through the Pruet School of Christian Studies for students pursuing ministry and theological vocations.
• Kinesiology Programs Kinesiology degree with five emphases — Teaching/Coaching, Recreation & Sports Administration, Exercise Science, Pre-Professional Studies, and Recreation & Sports Ministry — offered within the Huckabee School of Education for students pursuing health, fitness, and sport-related careers.
• Teacher Education Programs State-licensure teacher preparation programs across K-12, Elementary (K-6), Middle School (4-8), Secondary (7-12), and Music Education (K-12), for students pursuing careers in K-12 teaching.
• Engineering Programs Bachelor of Science in Engineering with emphases in Civil, Mechanical, or General engineering, currently seeking ABET accreditation, for students pursuing engineering careers.
• Residence Life & Housing On-campus housing portfolio including residence halls (Flippen-Perrin, Frances Crawford, O.C. Bailey, Georgia Hickingbotham, Susie Everett, Anthony, Maddox, Tollett, Gosser) and apartment complexes (Caddo Place, Kluck Hillside, Lancelot, Terrace, Starlite, Tatman Corner), priced per semester with tiered rates from $1,225 to $2,850 per student per semester by room type.
• Meal Plan Dining Services Subscription-based meal plans at Ouachita Commons Dining Hall available in three tiers — Full Meal Plan ($2,500 per semester with unlimited entries and $500 retail credit), Commuter Premium ($940 for 90 entries and $100 credit), and Commuter Basic ($515 for 45 entries and $50 credit) — for residential and commuter students.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100% job or graduate school placement rate
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 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

Integration9 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Southern Baptist Convention International Mission BoardcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOuachita is one of the top universities in the world preparing missionaries to serve with the Southern Baptist Convention's International Mission Board. The university offers tuition discounts for children of missionaries serving with this board and other evangelical organizations.

Scale indicators15 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• John Brown University: Private, interdenominational Christian university in Siloam Springs, Arkansas. Closest geographic and size peer with similar residential, faith-based liberal arts model and ~2,000+ students.
• Hardin-Simmons University: Baptist-affiliated university in Abilene, Texas. Similar size (~2,000 students), religious identity, and liberal arts emphasis, serving a comparable regional market.
• Samford University: Baptist-affiliated university in Birmingham, Alabama. Comparable faith-based identity with similar emphasis on residential undergraduate education and graduate professional programs.
• Union University: Baptist-affiliated university in Jackson, Tennessee. Comparable private Christian liberal arts mission with similar enrollment scale and program mix.
• Lipscomb University: Church of Christ-affiliated university in Nashville, Tennessee. Comparable size and faith-based residential identity with growing graduate programs.
• Oklahoma Baptist University: Baptist-affiliated liberal arts university in Shawnee, Oklahoma. Direct denominational peer with comparable mission, residential model, and program breadth.
• Anderson University: Baptist-affiliated Christian university in Anderson, Indiana. Comparable faith-based residential liberal arts model and small enrollment scale.
• Belmont University: Private Christian university in Nashville, Tennessee. Similar size and faith-based identity, though with a more urban setting and broader graduate offerings.

Broad incumbents

• Baylor University: Larger Baptist-affiliated research university in Waco, Texas. Operates in the same denominational space with broader graduate and research offerings, serving as a benchmark aspirational peer for Ouachita students.

Regional players

• Henderson State University: Public university in Arkadelphia, Arkansas — same city as Ouachita. Regional competitor for the same in-state student pool, though public-sector positioning differs from Ouachita's private Christian model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ouachita
• YouTubeyoutube.com/ouachita
• Facebookfacebook.com/7126089574
• Instagraminstagram.com/ouachita
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ouachita-baptist-university

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds3 records

Investors3 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 Ouachita Baptist University