Simmons College of Kentucky

What Simmons College of Kentucky does

Simmons College of Kentucky is a private four-year liberal arts historically Black college and university (HBCU) located in Louisville, Kentucky, founded in 1879 as the Kentucky Normal and Theological Institute. It operates as Louisville's only HBCU and the recognized first Black college in the Commonwealth, offering academic programs at the associate, baccalaureate, and master's levels. Under the leadership of its 13th president, Rev. Dr. Kevin W. Cosby (appointed 2005), the institution has executed a documented resurgence that included reacquiring its original 7th Street and Kentucky Street campus in 2007 and adding four new graduate programs in 2025 (MS Medical Science, MBA, MA Organizational Development, MA Ministry).

The college's core academic delivery is built on the Jenzabar SONIS student information system for admissions, registration, academic records, and tuition management, paired with a Falcon Net portal for student and employee access. Course delivery spans on-campus instruction at the Louisville campus, online/hybrid options through SARA, and the 2nd Chance satellite programs at Kentucky correctional facilities (KCI Women, Luther Luckett, Northpoint). Athletics operates under NCCAA Division II as the Falcons, and the college maintains ABHE accreditation.

Revenue derives primarily from tuition and fees across undergraduate, graduate, and continuing education programs, with published fees including a $175 registration fee (2022-23), $20 student activity fee (2022-23), and $60 student insurance (2025-26). Customer segments are horizontal across prospective undergraduate students (typically first-generation from Kentucky and surrounding states) and graduate students/professionals. Recent major philanthropic inflows include a $2.5 million commitment from Papa John's founder John Schnatter and an $850,000 federal grant in 2026, alongside the Evolve502 last-dollar scholarship partnership, which collectively supplement tuition revenue and fund the institution's growth agenda, including the February 2026 acquisition of College Court for student housing.

Name

Simmons College of Kentucky

Legal name

Simmons College of Kentucky

Website

https://simmonscollegeky.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1879

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Simmons College of Kentucky is a private four-year HBCU in Louisville, founded 1879, offering associate through master's degree programs across liberal arts, business, ministry, and medical science, serving primarily first-generation undergraduates and graduate professionals in Kentucky.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education

NAICS

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), General Liberal Arts Colleges (EDAHACAA)

Keywords

• Liberal arts education
• HBCU college programs
• Biblical higher education
• Graduate degree programs
• Faith based university

Headquarters

HQ city

Louisville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Fees: The primary revenue stream comes from student tuition and fees for undergraduate and graduate programs. The college offers associate, baccalaureate, and master's level degrees.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Simmons College of Kentucky is a private four-year liberal arts HBCU that delivers accredited higher education at the associate, baccalaureate, and master's levels. The college sells undergraduate liberal arts instruction and four named graduate degree programs (Master of Science in Medical Science, MBA, Master of Arts in Organizational Development, and Master of Arts in Ministry) to individual students seeking faith-based, community-anchored academic credentials.

Product overview

Simmons College of Kentucky is a private four-year liberal arts HBCU offering a portfolio of academic programs at associate, baccalaureate, and master's levels. The institution provides graduate programs including the Master of Science in Medical Science, Master of Business Administration, Master of Arts in Organizational Development, and Master of Arts in Ministry. The college operates the SONIS student information system (powered by Jenzabar) for managing admissions, registration, and academic records, alongside the Falcon Net portal for student and employee access. Financial support is provided through the Evolve502 last-dollar scholarship program. Simmons is accredited by the Association for Biblical Higher Education (ABHE) and participates in the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (SARA).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Master of Science in Medical Science Graduate-level medical science program designed to prepare students for healthcare careers and advanced medical studies.
• Master of Business Administration (MBA) Graduate business degree program focused on developing leadership and management skills for emerging professionals.
• Master of Arts in Organizational Development Graduate program designed to develop skills in organizational leadership, change management, and workforce development.
• Master of Arts in Ministry Graduate theological program preparing students for leadership roles in religious organizations and ministry settings.
• Undergraduate Liberal Arts Degree Programs Associate and baccalaureate degree programs in liberal arts, business, ministry, and applied sciences delivered on campus and online for individual undergraduate students.

Quantifiable outcome

• 9 to 1 student-faculty ratio - top 5 among HBCUs

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• General Association of Baptists in KentuckycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2026Affiliation with the General Association of Baptists in Kentucky since founding. The church-affiliated denomination provides spiritual guidance and institutional support aligned with the college's faith-based mission of biblical higher education.
• Evolve502 Scholarship ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerA last-dollar scholarship program that covers a student's college tuition after federal and state aid has been applied. Partnership with local organizations to increase college access for Louisville students.
• St. Stephen Baptist ChurchcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost venue for commencement ceremonies. The church has historic ties to the institution and serves as a community partner for large college events.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Paine College: Small private HBCU in Augusta, Georgia, historically affiliated with the CME Church and United Methodist Church. Comparable as a small, faith-affiliated liberal arts HBCU serving a similar mission-driven student base.
• Bennett College: Small private HBCU in Greensboro, North Carolina, affiliated with the United Methodist Church. Similar enrollment scale, liberal arts focus, and faith-based mission — though historically women's-only, making it a partial comparator.
• Miles College: Small private HBCU in Fairfield, Alabama, focused on liberal arts and professional programs with a Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) heritage. Similar in scale, religious heritage, and program breadth to Simmons.
• Lane College: Small private HBCU in Jackson, Tennessee, affiliated with the CME Church and offering liberal arts and pre-professional programs. Comparable religiously affiliated HBCU of similar enrollment scale and tuition-driven revenue mix.
• Jarvis Christian University: Small private HBCU in Hawkins, Texas, affiliated with the Disciples of Christ, offering liberal arts programs. Comparable size, faith-based identity, and resource-constrained operating profile to Simmons College of Kentucky.
• LeMoyne-Owen College: Small private HBCU in Memphis, Tennessee, focused on liberal arts education for underserved students. Similar scale, mission, and recently completed a high-profile campus reacquisition — directly analogous institutional trajectory to Simmons.
• Wilberforce University: Small private HBCU in Wilberforce, Ohio, affiliated with the AME Church and offering undergraduate liberal arts programs. Closest comparable in size, faith-based affiliation, and small-residential HBCU mission to Simmons College of Kentucky.
• Stillman College: Small private HBCU in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, affiliated with the United Methodist Church and offering liberal arts and pre-professional programs. Closely comparable religiously affiliated HBCU of similar scale and program structure.

Broad incumbents

• Tuskegee University: Larger, well-established private HBCU in Tuskegee, Alabama, with broader STEM and professional program offerings. Comparable as a faith-rooted HBCU with liberal arts heritage, though materially larger and more research-oriented than Simmons.
• Spelman College: Prominent private HBCU liberal arts college in Atlanta, Georgia, with a Baptist heritage analogous to Simmons. Comparable mission and faith-based identity, though substantially larger, better-resourced, and more selective.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/scky_1879
• Facebookfacebook.com/SimmonsCollegeofKentucky
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/12068
• Instagraminstagram.com/scky_1879
• TikToktiktok.com/@simmonscollegeky
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@SimmonsCollegeofKentucky

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 Simmons College of Kentucky