Ashland University

What Ashland University does

Ashland University is a private, nonprofit comprehensive university founded in 1878 as Ashland College and renamed Ashland University on May 12, 1989. It is guided by the tenets of The Brethren Church and headquartered at 401 College Avenue, Ashland, Ohio. The institution is organized into four academic colleges — the College of Arts & Sciences, the Dauch College of Business & Economics, the Dwight Schar College of Education, and the Dwight Schar College of Nursing and Health Sciences — plus Ashland Theological Seminary, and offers more than 60 undergraduate programs and more than 20 master's and doctoral programs.

The university delivers education through three principal modalities: traditional on-campus instruction at the main Ashland campus, six Ohio-based regional centers (Columbus, Cleveland/Elyria, Northeast/Massillon-Stark, Southwest, Northwest, Mansfield), and the eAshland online platform, with additional correctional education delivered across 13+ U.S. states. Core technology infrastructure centers on the Blackboard LMS for course delivery, a Self-Service student portal, and the SOAR Network for academic advising and student-success tracking; no AI/ML capabilities are disclosed. The university maintains a 14:1 student-to-faculty ratio and reports that 91% of graduates are employed or pursuing further education within six months of graduation.

Ashland's business model is tuition-driven, with multiple rate tiers (traditional undergraduate, non-traditional undergraduate, graduate, nursing-accelerated, international) billed annually, supplemented by donations, grants (including a $325,000 Choose Ohio First STEM scholarship award and a $15 million Schar-family donation for dorm renovations), and auxiliary revenue from NCAA Division II athletics. Customer segments are deliberately diversified across traditional undergraduates, graduate students, online and adult learners, international students, military-connected students, College Credit Plus dual-enrollment high-schoolers, transfer students, and incarcerated students. Regional accreditation is provided by the Higher Learning Commission, with cross-state distance-education authorization via NC-SARA and state authorization through the Ohio Department of Higher Education.

Name

Ashland University

Legal name

Ashland University

Website

https://ashland.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1878

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Ashland University is a private Brethren Church-affiliated university in Ashland, Ohio offering 60+ undergraduate and 20+ graduate programs across four colleges and a seminary, serving traditional, online, international, military, and correctional students via on-campus, regional-center, and eAshland online delivery.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (611310), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Online Nonprofit Universities (EDAHALAK)

Keywords

• Higher education services
• Undergraduate degree programs
• Graduate degree programs
• Online learning programs
• Continuing education services

Headquarters

HQ city

Ashland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices7 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: Private university charging tuition for undergraduate and graduate programs. Multiple tuition categories including traditional undergraduate, non-traditional undergraduate, graduate, nursing-accelerated, and international student tuition rates.
2. Donations and Grants: Significant donations support university operations and capital improvements. Notable $15 million donation from Dwight and Martha Schar for state-of-the-art dorm renovations. External grants such as $325,000 Choose Ohio First scholarship program grant.
3. Athletics: NCAA Division II athletics program (Ashland Eagles) generating revenue through athletics events, sponsorships, and related activities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Ashland University is a private, nonprofit comprehensive university that delivers undergraduate, graduate, online, and continuing education degree programs across four academic colleges (Arts & Sciences, Business & Economics, Education, Nursing & Health Sciences) and Ashland Theological Seminary. It offers 60+ undergraduate majors and 20+ master's and doctoral programs, with 14:1 student-to-faculty ratio and 91% of graduates employed or pursuing further education within 6 months. Educational services are delivered on the Ashland, Ohio main campus, six Ohio regional centers, online via the eAshland platform, and through correctional education programs in multiple U.S. states.

Product overview

Ashland University is a private comprehensive university offering a unified portfolio of educational services structured as traditional on-campus programs, online/distance learning through eAshland, and correctional education. The institution operates four academic colleges—College of Arts & Sciences, Dauch College of Business & Economics, Dwight Schar College of Education, and Dwight Schar College of Nursing and Health Sciences—alongside Ashland Theological Seminary. Programs span associate, bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees across 60+ undergraduate majors and 20+ graduate programs. The university also provides student support services through the SOAR Network platform for academic advising and success tracking.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Undergraduate Programs More than 60 undergraduate majors and programs at associate and bachelor's levels across arts, sciences, business, education, and health disciplines, delivered on the Ashland, Ohio main campus.
• Graduate Programs More than 20 master's and doctoral degree programs including MBA, M.Ed., MFA in Creative Writing, Master of Science in Business Analytics, Physician Assistant Studies, and Doctor of Nursing Practice.
• eAshland Online Programs Ashland University's online and adult education platform offering undergraduate and graduate programs delivered virtually, including undergraduate programs in business administration, criminal justice, cybersecurity, and organizational leadership.
• College of Arts & Sciences The largest academic college offering majors in arts, sciences, humanities, and interdisciplinary studies including art, biology, chemistry, computer science, psychology, and social work.
• Dauch College of Business & Economics Business college offering undergraduate and graduate programs in accounting, business administration, economics, finance, marketing, supply chain management, and industrial engineering.
• Dwight Schar College of Education Education college offering teacher preparation programs at undergraduate and graduate levels, including intervention specialist, middle grades, and primary grades licensure programs.
• Dwight Schar College of Nursing and Health Sciences

Quantifiable outcome

• 91% of graduates employed or pursuing further education within 6 months
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles7 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Cleveland Clinic School of Medical Laboratory SciencecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner3+1 partnership program where students complete three years of undergraduate coursework at Ashland University followed by professional training at Cleveland Clinic to earn baccalaureate degree from AU and preparation for MLS licensing exam
• Akron Children's Hospital (Akron Cooperative Medical Laboratory Science Program)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner3+1 partnership program similar to Cleveland Clinic partnership, providing medical laboratory science training at Akron Children's Hospital following AU coursework
• Fashion Institute of Technology (NYC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAffiliate program allowing students in Fashion Merchandising & Brand Management to access FIT's resources and credentials in New York City
• Paris Fashion InstituteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational affiliate program for Fashion Merchandising & Brand Management students to study fashion in Paris
• National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA)coreOthersAshland University operates under NC-SARA approval, allowing the university to offer distance education across state lines in SARA member states while maintaining regulatory compliance
• Higher Learning CommissioncoreOthersRegional accreditor for Ashland University; students may file complaints with HLC if internal resolution fails; institution maintains accreditation through HLC
• Ohio Department of Higher EducationcoreOthersState regulatory body for Ohio higher education; handles consumer complaints for Ohio residents and out-of-state students; oversees Choose Ohio First scholarship program
• In a Soldier's Shoes FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStudent-alumni nonprofit partnership providing shoes to veterans; student involvement in nonprofit operations; expanding nationally from local impact

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• University of Findlay: Private comprehensive university in Findlay, Ohio with comparable size, programmatic mix (undergraduate and graduate), professional colleges (business, education, health professions), NCAA Division II athletics, and similar Ohio regional market position to Ashland.
• Malone University: Faith-based (Brethren in Christ) private university in Canton, Ohio offering similar size, Christian affiliation, undergraduate/graduate mix, and Ohio regional draw as Ashland University.
• Capital University: Private Lutheran-affiliated university in Columbus, Ohio with comparable size, law school, undergraduate/graduate programs, and direct competition for central Ohio traditional and graduate students.
• Defiance College: Small private comprehensive university in Northwest Ohio with similar liberal arts, education, business, and criminal justice programs competing for the same regional and online students as Ashland.
• Lourdes University: Private Catholic Franciscan university in Sylvania, Ohio with comparable size, undergraduate/graduate mix, multiple colleges, and similar Northwest Ohio regional market overlap with Ashland.
• University of Mount Union: Private comprehensive university in Alliance, Ohio with similar undergraduate/graduate portfolio, NCAA Division II athletics, and Ohio regional competitor status for traditional undergraduate and graduate students.
• Tiffin University: Private Ohio university with strong online and criminal justice programs, similar enrollment scale, NCAA Division II athletics, and direct competition for the same Ohio regional/non-traditional student segments as Ashland.
• Franklin University: Private nonprofit university headquartered in Columbus, Ohio with a strong online and adult learner focus overlapping eAshland, similar professional program mix, and direct competition for the same adult/working student segment in Ohio.
• Walsh University: Catholic private university in North Canton, Ohio with comparable size, multiple colleges (arts/sciences, business, education, nursing/health), NCAA Division II athletics, and similar Northeastern Ohio student market overlap.

Broad incumbents

• Western Governors University: Large-scale nonprofit online university and a national competitor in the same distance-learning and adult-learner space where Ashland's eAshland platform competes for online undergraduate/graduate students.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ashland_univ
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/ashlandedu
• Facebookfacebook.com/121733227868116
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/ashland-university
• Instagraminstagram.com/ashland_university

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 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 Ashland University