Southwest Baptist University

What Southwest Baptist University does

Southwest Baptist University (SBU) is a private Christian university founded in 1878 and headquartered in Bolivar, Missouri, operating four physical campuses in Bolivar (main), Springfield, Salem, and Mountain View plus an online SBU Worldwide campus authorized to deliver interstate distance education under NC-SARA. The institution offers more than 100 academic degree programs spanning associate through doctoral levels across business, technology, education, nursing, health sciences, and physical therapy, with a 13:1 student-to-faculty ratio and average class size of 20. Recent strategic emphasis has been on launching F-1-eligible international graduate STEM programs (MS in AI, Computer Science, Data Science, IT, and Management Science) with CPT/OPT eligibility and AWS Certificate bundling, alongside newly added doctoral programs (PhD in Technology pending Higher Learning Commission approval; Doctor of Education in Organizational Leadership launching Fall 2026). Technology is delivered through a standard higher-ed stack — Canvas LMS for online course delivery, Microsoft Teams for orientation, Touchnet for billing, TransferMate for international payments, Parchment for transcripts, MOBIUS for shared library access — without proprietary AI/ML products.

The business model is subscription tuition across multiple modalities: residential undergraduate at approximately $42,500 all-in (99% of students receive financial aid), per-credit pricing at satellite campuses ($230–$470/credit depending on program), online programs at $335–$600/credit, international MS STEM at $15,405–$20,847, PhD STEM at $38,100–$48,600, and dual credit/dual enrollment at $75–$300 per course. Go-to-market is hybrid: traditional regional admissions counseling for residential prospects, inside sales for international STEM, direct-to-consumer funnels for online learners, and pipeline articulation agreements with 20+ feeder institutions plus the CampusEDU-powered SBU Prep dual-enrollment platform. Revenue is non-disclosed (private institution), and the entity is independently held with no parent company or material private-equity exposure.

Name

Southwest Baptist University

Legal name

Southwest Baptist University

Website

https://sbuniv.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1878

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Southwest Baptist University is a private Christian university founded in 1878, operating four Missouri campuses plus an online campus and serving undergraduates, graduate students, online learners, international F-1 STEM students, and high school dual-credit students with more than 100 degree programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Hindu Theological Colleges & Vedic Studies Institutes (EDAHAKAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Religiously Affiliated Liberal Arts Colleges (EDAHACAF), Undergraduate Business Schools (BBA/BSBA Programs) (EDAHAHAA)

Keywords

• Private higher education
• Christian university
• Graduate programs
• Online education
• STEM degree programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Bolivar

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Undergraduate Tuition: Traditional undergraduate programs at Bolivar main campus charging $30,500 per year for tuition plus $4,000 fees, $6,000 housing, and meal plans. 99% of students receive financial aid.
2. Online/Distance Learning Tuition: SBU Worldwide online programs with per-credit-hour pricing ranging from $335-$600 depending on program (Business/Technology at $345/credit, Education at $370-$520/credit, MBA at $550/credit).
3. International Graduate STEM Tuition: MS programs (30 credits): $20,847 without scholarship, $15,405 with scholarship. PhD programs (60 credits): $48,600 without scholarship, $38,100 with scholarship. Includes tuition, technology fees, and textbook fees.
4. Campus-Specific Tuition: Salem campus at $230/credit hour plus fees; Mountain View RN-Bridge at $470/credit; Springfield nursing ASN at $470/credit plus program fees; core curriculum at $335/credit.
5. Dual Credit/Early College: On-site dual credit at $75/credit hour; online dual enrollment through SBU Prep at $300/course. Generates future student pipeline while providing college credits to high school students.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Southwest Baptist University delivers private Christian higher education across four Missouri campuses (Bolivar main, Springfield, Salem, Mountain View) plus a global online campus (SBU Worldwide). The university sells more than 100 academic degree programs from associate through doctoral levels, including residential undergraduate education, online 8-week programs, F-1 visa eligible graduate STEM degrees, MBA concentrations, a CAPTE-accredited Doctor of Physical Therapy, nursing programs, education programs with Missouri K-12 certification, and dual credit/dual enrollment pathways for high school students.

Product overview

Southwest Baptist University (SBU) is a private Christian university offering a comprehensive portfolio of educational products and services across multiple delivery formats. The core offering includes traditional on-campus education at the main Bolivar campus and regional campuses (Springfield, Salem, Mountain View), supplemented by SBU Worldwide online programs and International Graduate STEM Programs for F-1 visa students. Academic programs span from associate degrees through doctoral degrees in areas including business administration (MBA with multiple concentrations), technology (AI, Computer Science, Data Science, Cybersecurity), education, nursing, and physical therapy. Add-on services include dual credit/dual enrollment programs (SBU Prep and on-site dual credit), certificate programs (undergraduate and graduate), and the Meyer Wellness and Sports Center for fitness and recreation. The institution operates as a unified university with distributed campus locations unified under a single Christ-centered mission.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Traditional On-Campus Education (Bolivar Main Campus)

Quantifiable outcome

• 99% of undergraduate students receive financial aid
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration9 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• CampusEDU (SBU Prep)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for online dual enrollment allowing high school students to take college-level courses through SBU Prep platform. Students complete courses in 16 or 12 weeks at $300/course, generating future student pipeline while providing accessible college credit options.
• Articulation Agreement Partners (20+ institutions)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTransfer articulation agreements with 20+ institutions including Bolivar Technical College, Cox Medical Centers, Crowder College, Culver-Stockton College, East Central College, Ozarks Technical Community College, Rolla Technical Center, Texas County Community College. Also 18+ physical therapy articulation agreements with universities nationwide for seamless graduate transfers.
• NC-SARA (National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState authorization reciprocity agreement enabling SBU to deliver distance education to students across state lines under consistent regulatory standards.
• Mercy College of Health ProfessionsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-hosted commencement ceremony partnerships with Mercy College for health professions students, including pinning and graduation ceremonies at SBU facilities.
• AWS (Amazon Web Services)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAWS Certificate awarded to students completing select STEM graduate programs, providing industry-recognized cloud computing credential to enhance employment outcomes.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Evangel University: Private Christian university also located in Springfield, Missouri offering associate through doctoral programs with similar faith-affiliated positioning, NCAA Division II athletics, and regional Missouri footprint. Directly comparable on size, mission, and geographic market overlap.
• Missouri Baptist University: Private Baptist-affiliated university in St. Louis offering undergraduate, graduate, and online programs with similar Christ-centered mission, NCAA Division II athletics, and small-class experience. Comparable faith-based positioning and denominational alignment.
• Central Methodist University: Small private United Methodist-affiliated university in Fayette, Missouri offering undergraduate and graduate programs with similar small class sizes, faith integration, and NCAA athletics. Comparable on regional Missouri private university positioning.
• Hannibal-LaGrange University: Private Baptist-affiliated university in northeastern Missouri offering associate through master's degrees with similar denominational affiliation, regional footprint, and small private university scale. Directly comparable as a fellow Missouri Baptist institution.
• Oklahoma Baptist University: Private Baptist-affiliated university in Shawnee, Oklahoma offering comprehensive undergraduate and graduate programs with shared Baptist heritage, NCAA Division II athletics, and faith-centered mission. Comparable on denominational alignment and program breadth.
• Dallas Baptist University: Private Baptist university in Texas with significant online (DBU Online) and graduate programs including education, business, and leadership. Comparable on Baptist affiliation, online program scale, and graduate portfolio expansion strategy.
• William Carey University: Private Christian university in Mississippi with traditional campus, online programs, and doctoral offerings. Comparable on faith-affiliated positioning, online program expansion, and mix of regional plus distance learners.
• Hardin-Simmons University: Private Baptist-affiliated university in Abilene, Texas offering undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs including DPT and Ed.D. Comparable on Baptist affiliation, healthcare and education program mix, and doctoral expansion strategy.
• Belhaven University: Private Christian university in Jackson, Mississippi with significant online division and traditional undergraduate programs. Comparable on faith-centered mission, online program emphasis, and adult learner focus.

Broad incumbents

• Colorado Christian University: Larger private Christian university with substantial online (CCU Online) and traditional programs including business, education, nursing, and STEM. Comparable on faith-affiliated positioning, online scale, and adult learner focus, though larger and broader than SBU.

Market position

Strengths2 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/sbuwebmaster
• Facebookfacebook.com/65161545621
• Instagraminstagram.com/sbuniv
• Xx.com/sbuniv
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/southwest-baptist-university

Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles17 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 Southwest Baptist University