United Theological Seminary

What United Theological Seminary does

United Theological Seminary is a private, non-profit graduate theological seminary founded in 1871 in Dayton, Ohio, and affiliated with The United Methodist Church. It serves approximately 600 graduate students from more than 50 denominations and 20+ nations, making it the second-largest of the 13 United Methodist theological schools in the United States. The institution prepares students for ordained ministry, church planting, chaplaincy, and academic theology through master's (MDiv, MACM, MMin, MTS, MA) and doctoral (DMin, ThD) degree programs, plus certificate offerings in Church Planting, Service and Leadership, Theology and Ministry, and Worship and Leadership.

The seminary's core product is its degree portfolio, augmented by the Houses of Study model — denominationally and culturally specialized academic tracks (African, Hispanic, Korean, AME Zion, Full Gospel Baptist, Global Methodist, Global Pentecostal, Fresh Expressions) co-developed with partner religious organizations. Programs are delivered on-campus, fully online, and hybrid, with FlexChoice scheduling enabling MDiv completion in 2-4+ years and the Doctor of Theology requiring only four weeks of annual in-person intensives. The seminary pioneered online theological education among seminaries in 2009 and operates multilingual recruitment/digital presence in English, Spanish, Korean, and Chinese. There is no proprietary technology platform; delivery relies on standard LMS and virtual learning tools.

Revenue is generated primarily through tuition and fees for degree programs, supplemented by endowment income (endowment grew from approximately $5M in 2016 to approximately $15M by May 2025), donor contributions, and grants (notably $1M from Lilly Endowment for Houses of Study and a $3M anonymous-donor debt-reduction gift in 2021). Financial aid is a strategic lever — 41% of 2022-23 graduates left debt-free. The seminary became fully debt-free in May 2024 after paying off both a $4M building mortgage and $3.3M of endowment debt. Distribution is direct via the united.edu website and through denominational/House of Study partner networks, with no third-party resellers.

Name

United Theological Seminary

Legal name

United Theological Seminary

Website

https://united.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1871

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

United Theological Seminary is a private United Methodist graduate seminary in Dayton, Ohio, founded in 1871, serving approximately 600 students from 50+ denominations and 20+ nations through master's, doctoral, and certificate theological degree programs, delivered online, hybrid, and on-campus with denominationally specialized Houses of Study.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Theological Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (61131), Religious Organizations (8131)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Seminaries (Graduate Theology & Ministry) (EDAHAKAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Denominational Theological Colleges (e.g., Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant, Evangelical) (EDAHAKAM), Ministerial Training Institutes (Clergy Formation) (EDAHAKAE)

Keywords

• Theological education
• Graduate seminary
• Ministerial degree programs
• Church renewal formation
• Denominational theological training

Headquarters

HQ city

Dayton

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Degree Program Fees: United Theological Seminary generates revenue primarily through tuition and fees charged for its master's and doctoral degree programs. The seminary offers financial aid, scholarships, and grant programs to reduce student debt. Tuition rates vary by program and Houses of Study.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

United Theological Seminary is a graduate theological seminary that offers master's and doctoral degree programs (MDiv, MACM, MMin, MTS, MA, DMin, ThD) along with certificate programs in ministry-related fields. Programs are delivered on-campus in Dayton, Ohio, online, and through hybrid formats, and are organized in part through denomination-specific Houses of Study that provide culturally and theologically contextualized formation for students from more than 50 denominations and 20 nations.

Product overview

United Theological Seminary is a graduate professional school offering a comprehensive theological education portfolio. The institution provides doctoral programs (Doctor of Ministry and Doctor of Theology), multiple master's degrees (Divinity, Arts in Christian Ministries, Ministry, Theological Studies), and certificate programs. The seminary operates through a platform approach with specialized Houses of Study providing denominational and cultural-specific tracks, supplemented by the Bishop Bruce Ough Innovation Center for church vitality initiatives and the Contextual Theology and Immersion Program for global learning. Programs are delivered through on-campus, online, and hybrid modalities using FlexChoice scheduling options.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Houses of Study: Specialized theological education programs designed for specific denominations and communities including African, Fresh Expressions, AME Zion, Full Gospel Baptist, Global Methodist, Global Pentecostal, Hispanic, and Korean Houses of Study
• Fresh Wind Campaign
• Bishop Bruce Ough Innovation Center
• Center for the Evangelical United Brethren Heritage
• Dynamite Prayer
• FlexChoice Scheduling

Products and services

• Doctor of Ministry (DMin)

Quantifiable outcome

• 28% increase in total student enrollment over two years (464 to 595 students)
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• DWU Partnership (Dakota Wesleyan University)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025United has a partnership with Dakota Wesleyan University (DWU) for transfer of credits and advanced standing, allowing students to pathway between institutions.
• St. Mary's Ecumenical Institute PartnershipminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUnited partners with St. Mary's Ecumenical Institute for transfer of credits and advanced standing, enabling students to progress toward degrees.
• Seminaro Metodista Juan Wesley (Monterrey, Mexico)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership between Seminaro Metodista Juan Wesley in Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico and United Theological Seminary to advance Hispanic-Latino theological education across borders.
• Brethren Historical Library and Archives (Elgin, Illinois)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Heirs of Pietism in World Christianity conference was co-sponsored by United's Center for the Evangelical United Brethren Heritage, the Brethren Historical Library and Archives, and the Manchester Wesley Research Centre (UK).
• Manchester Wesley Research Centre (Manchester, UK)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-sponsor of the Heirs of Pietism in World Christianity conference alongside the Center for the Evangelical United Brethren Heritage and Brethren Historical Library and Archives.
• Lexington Theological SeminarycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUnited's Rev. Dr. Xavier Johnson was appointed Homiletician in Residence for the grant project 'Compelling Preaching for a Climate-Changed World,' funded by a $1.25 million Lilly Endowment grant. The project is a partnership of Lexington Theological Seminary, The BTS Center, and Creation Justice Ministries.
• The BTS Center (Portland, Maine)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the 'Compelling Preaching for a Climate-Changed World' grant project alongside Lexington Theological Seminary and Creation Justice Ministries, funded by Lilly Endowment Inc. through its Compelling Preaching Initiative.
• Creation Justice MinistriescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the 'Compelling Preaching for a Climate-Changed World' grant project alongside Lexington Theological Seminary and The BTS Center, focused on equipping preachers to address the climate crisis.
• African House of Study Partner OrganizationsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe African House of Study is being developed under the leadership of Dr. Saneta Maiko, a United Methodist District Superintendent in the Indiana Conference. Students from Kenya, South Sudan, and Uganda are preparing to join.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• Gammon Theological Seminary (ITC): Historically Black United Methodist theological seminary offering master's and doctoral programs; shares Methodist affiliation and denominations/cultural formation focus.
• Iliff School of Theology: Methodist-affiliated graduate theological seminary in Denver offering master's and doctoral programs in theology and ministry; United Methodist heritage and degree mix closely mirror United.
• Wesley Theological Seminary: One of the 13 United Methodist theological schools in the US, located in Washington DC, offering master's and doctoral degree programs; competes for the same Methodist graduate students.
• Methodist Theological School in Ohio (MTSO): Sister United Methodist seminary in Ohio offering MDiv and DMin programs with similar denomination affiliation; directly competes with United for the same Methodist student pipeline in the Midwest.
• Lexington Theological Seminary: Historically Disciples of Christ seminary with United Methodist ties, offering MDiv and DMin programs; active grant-partner with United on the Compelling Preaching Initiative and a competitor for graduate theological students.
• Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary: United Methodist theological seminary at Northwestern University offering MDiv, MAT, and PhD programs; directly comparable in denomination affiliation and degree portfolio.
• Asbury Theological Seminary: Holiness/Wesleyan evangelical seminary in Kentucky offering master's and doctoral programs; recently poached United's senior academic dean (Watson), making it a proximate competitor for faculty and students.

Broad incumbents

• Perkins School of Theology (SMU): United Methodist theological school at Southern Methodist University offering MDiv, MTh, and DMin programs; large Methodist peer comparable on denomination affiliation and program scope.
• Candler School of Theology (Emory): United Methodist-affiliated seminary at Emory University offering a full range of MDiv, MTS, ThM, and PhD programs; a larger, university-embedded peer in the same denomination family.
• Duke Divinity School: United Methodist-affiliated divinity school at Duke University offering MDiv, MTS, ThM, and PhD programs; much larger, research-oriented peer competing for top-tier Methodist students.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/UnitedSeminaryOH
• Facebookfacebook.com/unitedts
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/united-theological-seminary
• Instagraminstagram.com/unitedseminary
• Xx.com/unitedseminary

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

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 United Theological Seminary