University of Rio Grande

Higher Educationrio.edu

Private non-profit institution founded in 1876 in Rio Grande, Ohio, operating under a dual University/Community College model and serving approximately 2,381 students across five campuses in Appalachian Ohio, with over 85% Pell-eligible or first-generation.

Company typePrivate
Founded1876
HeadquartersRio Grande, United States
Headcount101–250
GTM typeB2C
OfferingServices

What University of Rio Grande does

The University of Rio Grande is a private, non-profit higher education institution founded in 1876, operating under a dual-institution model as the four-year University of Rio Grande and the two-year Rio Grande Community College. It serves approximately 2,381 students (Fall 2024) at a main campus in Rio Grande, Ohio and four regional centers in Jackson, McArthur, Pomeroy, and Piketon, with over 85% of students being first-generation and/or Pell-eligible, reflecting an explicit access mission for rural Appalachian Ohio. Core academic offerings span healthcare (Holzer School of Nursing, ACEN- and JRCERT-accredited), Business (Emerson E. Evans School of Business, IACBE-accredited), Education (Bunce School of Education, NCTQ A+ recognized), Social Work with a Title IV-E child welfare pathway, and emerging programs in Neuroscience, Public Health, Cybersecurity, and Financial Advising.

Revenue is generated through tuition and fees at both the main campus and regional centers, auxiliary services (housing, dining), athletics (RedStorm NAIA competition), and community event rentals. Distribution relies on direct admissions recruitment via campus tours, an admissions representative field team, and the College Credit Plus program that provides free dual-enrollment for grades 7-12 at no charge. Operational technology centers on the third-party CampusNexus student information system powering the myRio student portal for applications, enrollment, and self-service. Multi-channel acquisition spans community partnerships (Ohio Means Jobs, Ohio Department of Children and Youth, OSU Extension, Holzer Health System), high school counseling networks, social media, alumni engagement, and community events. Pricing features one of Ohio's lowest published tuition rates, a tuition-free pathway at the McArthur Center via the Mitchell Family Scholarship, a post-pandemic affordability plan that cut bills by 25%+, and BSN tuition reductions to address regional nursing shortages.

Strategic positioning centers on Appalachian workforce development, evidenced by 10% year-over-year enrollment growth for three consecutive years against a 12.2% statewide enrollment decline. The institution has secured substantial state capital funding, including a $12M Appalachian Community Grant for a new 22,000 sq ft McArthur Center and $7.5M through Senate Bill 450 for campus improvements, with the imminent return of football and a new marching band for Fall 2025 positioned to drive 150-200 additional students.

University of Rio Grande firmographics

Firmographics

Name: University of Rio Grande
Legal name: University of Rio Grande and Rio Grande Community College
Website: https://rio.edu
Company type: Private
Founded year: 1876
Operating status: Operating
Headcount range: 101–250 employees
Short description: Private non-profit institution founded in 1876 in Rio Grande, Ohio, operating under a dual University/Community College model and serving approximately 2,381 students across five campuses in Appalachian Ohio, with over 85% Pell-eligible or first-generation.
Ownership category
akta.pro rank

University of Rio Grande industry classification

Industry

Product category: Higher Education
NAICS: Junior Colleges (611210), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Junior Colleges (6112)
SIC: Services-Educational Services (8200)
akta.pro primary industry: Comprehensive Community Colleges (Transfer + Workforce) (EDAHADAE)
akta.pro secondary industry: Transfer/University-Parallel Community Colleges (EDAHADAF)

Keywords

Higher education
Community college
Nursing programs
Workforce development
Healthcare training

Where University of Rio Grande is headquartered

Location

Headquarters

HQ city: Rio Grande
HQ country: United States
HQ region: North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

University of Rio Grande business model

Business model

GTM type: B2C
Offering type: Services
Cost components: Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

Tuition and Fees: Revenue from tuition for undergraduate, graduate, and certificate programs across main campus and regional centers. Competitive tuition pricing structure for both two-year and four-year degrees.
Auxiliary Services: Revenue from on-campus housing, dining services, and student life services.
Athletics: Revenue from athletic programs including football season tickets and sports-related activities.
Event Rentals and Facilities: Campus facilities available for community events, meetings, and rental use generating event-related revenue.

Pricing tiers

Model	Billing	Price
Subscription	Annual	Reduced tuition plan that cut tuition bills by more than 25%
Subscription	Annual	Bachelor of Science in Nursing tuition reduction
Freemium	Annual	Mitchell Family Scholarship - Full tuition coverage at McArthur Center
Freemium	Annual	College Credit Plus (CCP) - Free for high school students

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

University of Rio Grande product offering

Product offering

Core offering

University of Rio Grande is a private non-profit higher education institution that delivers associate, bachelor's, master's, and certificate degree programs across healthcare, business, education, and social work disciplines. It operates a dual-institution model (University of Rio Grande and Rio Grande Community College) with a main campus in Rio Grande, Ohio and four regional centers in Jackson, McArthur, Meigs, and Pike counties serving Appalachian Ohio.

Product overview

University of Rio Grande is a higher education institution offering a comprehensive portfolio of academic programs across multiple delivery modes. The institution operates as a unified University of Rio Grande and Rio Grande Community College dual entity. Core academic offerings include Social Work (BSW/Associate), Healthcare programs (Nursing, DMS, Radiologic Technology under Holzer School of Nursing), Business (Emerson E. Evans School of Business), and Education (PK-5 & Intervention Specialist). Regional presence includes four satellite centers (McArthur Center, Pike Center, Meigs Center, Jackson Center) providing accessible local education. Supplementary offerings include College Credit Plus dual enrollment, STEM Camp, Center for Entrepreneurship with Storm Tank competitions, and extensive alumni services. The institution serves approximately 2,381 students with focus on workforce development and Appalachian community support.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

Emerson E. Evans School of Business: Business school of University of Rio Grande, IACBE accredited
Holzer School of Nursing
Bunce School of Education

Products and services

University of Rio Grande Degree Programs (Associate, Bachelor's, Master's)

Quantifiable outcome

10% enrollment increase bringing total student body to 2,381 students for Fall 2024
+4 more outcomes

Companies that use University of Rio Grande

Customer profile

Named customers5 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

University of Rio Grande technology and API

Technology

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API: No
API docs
API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

University of Rio Grande partnerships and signals

Strategic signal

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

Meigs County EMSminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 March 2024Partnership to deliver Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) certification program at Meigs Center campus in Pomeroy, providing workforce training for local EMS system.
WAI Construction GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 June 2023Public/private partnership for development of Pike County Center at former Piketon High School site. WAI Construction Group (WAI Properties) served as catalyst for bringing higher education to Pike County through this venture.
Holzer Health SystemcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthcare system partner providing clinical rotation sites across multiple locations for nursing and allied health programs. Also provides after-hours healthcare and telemedicine services at McArthur Center to promote student attendance and community well-being.
Ohio Department of Children and Youth (DCY)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLead agency in University Partnership Title IV-E Child Welfare Training Program (UPP) providing employment incentives up to $10,000 for social work students who commit to Ohio public child welfare employment.
Ohio's University Consortium for Child and Adult Services (OUCCAS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState consortium partner in UPP program coordinating accredited social work programs statewide to strengthen child welfare workforce.
Public Children's Services Association of Ohio (PCSAO)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState association partner in UPP program connecting social work students with Ohio's 85 Public Children's Service Agencies for field placements and employment.
Ohio State University - Vinton County ExtensionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity extension service partnership at McArthur Center for lifelong learning and workforce development programming.
Ohio Means JobscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState workforce development agency partner through Industry Workforce Alliance Grant supporting Jackson Center consortium for career path access, industry certification, and job placement.
Vinton County Local School DistrictminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLocal school district partnership facilitating seamless transition for high school students to Rio through College Credit Plus and McArthur Center programs.
ITSVOIP Business CommunicationsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal business partner sponsoring Storm Tank competition and providing judges with business expertise for student entrepreneurship pitches.
The Wiseman AgencyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInsurance and business agency partner providing judges for Storm Tank competition and supporting Gallia County economic development.
Gallia County Chamber of CommerceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal chamber partnership with Center for Entrepreneurship for entrepreneurship workshops and business growth resources.
Women's Business Center for Central AppalachiaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional women's business development organization partnering for entrepreneurship programming and business workshops.
Shawnee State UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerState university partnership for entrepreneurship workshops and regional higher education collaboration.
Clinical Affiliate Network (Adena, Holzer, OhioHealth, Pleasant Valley Hospital)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork of healthcare facilities across Ohio and West Virginia providing clinical rotation sites for radiologic technology, nursing, and diagnostic medical sonography students.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights6 records

University of Rio Grande competitors and assessment

Company assessment

Broad incumbents

Marshall University: Regional public research university in Huntington, WV, with overlapping Appalachian catchment and similar healthcare, business, and education programs; serves as a broader incumbent peer with wider geographic reach.
Ohio University: Major regional public research university in Athens, Ohio, with extensive southern Ohio regional centers and overlapping Appalachian-region enrollment; broader incumbent with comprehensive program offerings across healthcare, business, and education.

Direct peers

Mount Vernon Nazarene University: Small private Christian university in central Ohio with comparable undergraduate enrollment scale, faith-affiliated mission, and similar nursing, business, and education program offerings.
Marietta College: Private liberal arts college in Marietta, Ohio, with comparable enrollment scale, regional southeastern Ohio positioning, and overlapping healthcare, business, and education programs.
Southern State Community College: Ohio community college serving a similar rural Appalachian region in southern Ohio with overlapping workforce development, healthcare, and transfer-program offerings; directly comparable on community college side of Rio's dual model.
Shawnee State University: Public university in Portsmouth, Ohio, serving a similar Appalachian regional mission with comparable healthcare, business, and education programs; existing collaboration partner, making it a directly comparable peer.
Wittenberg University: Private liberal arts university in Springfield, Ohio, with comparable small-scale enrollment and similar undergraduate program mix; serves as a private Ohio institution peer.
Muskingum University: Private liberal arts university in New Concord, Ohio, with comparable enrollment size, regional mission, and similar undergraduate program portfolio including nursing, education, and business.
University of Pikeville: Private, religiously affiliated university in eastern Kentucky serving a similar Appalachian rural student base with comparable healthcare, education, and workforce-development programs; also relevant for archery program overlap.

Regional players

Zane State College: Ohio community college in Zanesville with similar workforce development, technical, and healthcare certificate/degree offerings; comparable in mission though serving a different Ohio sub-region.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

University of Rio Grande compliance and trust

Trust signal

Compliance7 records

University of Rio Grande financial estimates

Financial estimate

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

University of Rio Grande leadership team

Management profile

Number of profiles

Profiles18 records

University of Rio Grande funding detail

Funding detail

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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

University of Rio Grande M&A and investment

M&A and investment

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about University of Rio Grande

What does University of Rio Grande do?

Is University of Rio Grande a public or private company?

University of Rio Grande is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.

When was University of Rio Grande founded?

University of Rio Grande was founded in 1876. It employs 101 to 250 people.

Where is University of Rio Grande based?

University of Rio Grande is headquartered in Rio Grande, United States, in the North America region.

How does University of Rio Grande make money?

Four revenue lines are on record. Tuition and Fees are the primary driver. The others are auxiliary Services, athletics and event Rentals and Facilities.

Who are University of Rio Grande's main competitors?

Broad incumbents on record are Marshall University and Ohio University. Direct peers are Mount Vernon Nazarene University, Marietta College, Southern State Community College, Shawnee State University, Wittenberg University, Muskingum University and University of Pikeville. Zane State College is listed as a regional player.

Does University of Rio Grande have an API?

No public API is recorded for University of Rio Grande.

What industry is University of Rio Grande in?

University of Rio Grande's product category is Higher Education. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAHADAE, Comprehensive Community Colleges (Transfer + Workforce), with a secondary code of EDAHADAF, Transfer/University-Parallel Community Colleges. Its NAICS code is 611210 and its SIC code is 8200.