The New School

What The New School does

The New School is a private, nonprofit university founded in 1919 and headquartered in Greenwich Village, New York City, with a secondary campus in Paris through Parsons Paris. It operates a federation model of five colleges — Parsons School of Design (ranked the #1 U.S. design school for nine consecutive years), Eugene Lang College of Liberal Arts, the College of Performing Arts (Mannes School of Music, School of Jazz and Contemporary Music, School of Drama), The New School for Social Research, and the Schools of Public Engagement — supported by Continuing and Professional Education and a Youth and Pre-College division reaching learners from grade 3 through doctoral study. The institution enrolls approximately 8,800 students across undergraduate (45+ majors), graduate, certificate, and pre-college programs, with 34 academic centers and institutes supporting interdisciplinary research and creative practice.

The business model is tuition-driven and degree-centric. Roughly 85 percent of revenue is tuition-dependent, supplemented by housing and dining services, non-degree continuing and professional education, pre-college/summer intensives, and auxiliary programs. Undergraduate applications flow through Common App while graduate applications go through direct online portals; adult learners access credit and non-credit certificate programs online. Pricing is annual tuition for degree programs, per-seat for continuing education, and one-time/per-unit for Parsons Summer Intensives. The university maintains a financial-aid guarantee ensuring scholarship and grant amounts remain constant for the duration of a student's program, a retention lever during the current demand environment.

The New School is in an active restructuring phase: enrollment has declined roughly 15 percent from approximately 10,400 students in 2019, the institution is addressing a $48 million budget deficit with a target of balanced operations by 2028, and is executing a 15-percent workforce reduction including 19 full-time faculty layoffs (10 tenured) while consolidating four colleges into two and discontinuing more than a dozen academic programs. Concurrently, it is investing in AI-themed offerings — the UrbanworldAI partnership, a Women in AI Fellowship with KAIA Network, an AI for Creativity and Leadership Certificate, and a Data Visualization Minor — to reposition for design and creative-industry demand shaped by AI. The operating model is in transition between a cost-cutting defensive phase and an AI-augmented programming offensive phase.

Name

The New School

Legal name

The New School

Website

https://newschool.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1919

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

The New School is a private New York City university enrolling roughly 8,800 students across five colleges — including the #1-ranked Parsons School of Design — serving undergraduate, graduate, continuing-education, and pre-college learners through tuition-driven degree and certificate programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Fine Arts Schools (611610), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (61131)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Interdisciplinary/Experimental Liberal Arts Colleges (EDAHACAN)

akta.pro secondary industry

Arts-Integrated Liberal Arts Colleges (EDAHACAO)

Keywords

• Higher education
• Design education
• Liberal arts programs
• Performing arts education
• Continuing education

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Fees: The primary revenue stream is tuition from undergraduate and graduate programs. The university operates on an 85-percent tuition-dependent revenue model, making it highly sensitive to enrollment fluctuations.
2. Continuing and Professional Education: Revenue from non-degree courses, certificate programs, summer intensives, and youth/pre-college programs offered through Parsons and other colleges.
3. Housing and Dining Services: Student housing and dining facilities contribute to revenue alongside academic programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The New School is a private university in New York City that delivers higher education through five colleges—Parsons School of Design, Eugene Lang College of Liberal Arts, College of Performing Arts, The New School for Social Research, and Schools of Public Engagement—offering undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degrees across liberal arts, performing arts, design, and social sciences. It supplements degree programs with Continuing and Professional Education certificates, youth and pre-college programs, online learning, and an international campus in Paris, supported by 34 academic centers and institutes.

Product overview

The New School is a private university in New York City composed of multiple distinct colleges and schools offering a comprehensive educational portfolio. The institution operates as a platform-plus-divisions model, with core colleges including Parsons School of Design (the #1 ranked U.S. design school offering art, fashion, technology, and management programs), Eugene Lang College of Liberal Arts (providing interdisciplinary liberal arts education), the College of Performing Arts (including Mannes School of Music, School of Jazz, and School of Drama), The New School for Social Research (graduate social science research), and Schools of Public Engagement (professional programs). Supporting this portfolio are Continuing and Professional Education (offering certificates, adult courses, and youth programs including Parsons Academy), international campuses (Parsons Paris), and over 50 undergraduate and graduate minor programs. The institution serves students from pre-college through doctoral levels, combining progressive education with real-world experience and cross-disciplinary opportunities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Parsons School of Design A world-renowned art and design school offering undergraduate and graduate degrees, ranked as the number one U.S. design school and top ranked globally for nine consecutive years; offers programs across fashion, technology, urban design, fine art, and management for prospective design students.
• Eugene Lang College of Liberal Arts A liberal arts college that allows undergraduates to tailor their curriculum and study across multiple disciplines within The New School ecosystem; defies traditional academic silos and is targeted at students seeking interdisciplinary liberal arts education.
• College of Performing Arts A performing arts college encompassing Mannes School of Music, School of Jazz and Contemporary Music, and School of Drama; offers rigorous performing arts training with cross-disciplinary opportunities for performers, composers, and theater students.
• Mannes School of Music A classical music conservatory that transforms traditional conservatory education by integrating rigorous classical training with real-world experience and cross-disciplinary learning; targeted at undergraduate and graduate music students.
• The New School for Social Research A graduate school of social research offering doctoral and master's programs across social sciences, philosophy, psychology, politics, economics, and related fields; targeted at graduate scholars pursuing original social science research.
• Schools of Public Engagement A college offering professional and continuing programs including media studies, international affairs, and urban policy; targeted at students pursuing careers in public engagement fields.
• Continuing and Professional Education A continuing education division offering non-degree courses, certificate programs, summer intensives, and youth/pre-college programs (including fully online certificates such as AI for Creativity and Leadership) accessible to learners of all ages across creative writing, fashion, fine arts, graphic design, humanities, interior design, leadership, media and film studies.
• Youth and Pre-College Programs Programs for students in grades 3 through 12, including Parsons Academy (Saturday sessions and summer programs), Summer Intensive Studies in New York and Paris, and pre-college preparation courses; targeted at young students developing creative abilities and portfolios in fine art, graphic design, fashion, music, and more for college admission.
• Parsons Paris An international Paris campus offering study abroad and degree programs in design, providing international campus experience for design students within a European context.
• Graduate Minors Structured cross-disciplinary study pathways available to graduate students, allowing immersion in disciplines outside their primary field; each minor is made up of three courses totaling 9 credits.
• Undergraduate Minors Over 50 interdisciplinary minors across the university allowing undergraduate students to broaden skills and career options by studying outside their major discipline.
• AI for Creativity and Leadership Certificate A fully online certificate program focused on AI applications for leadership and creative industries, offered through Continuing and Professional Education at The New School; targeted at working professionals and adult learners.
• ESL + Music Certificate An English language instruction certificate combined with music study, designed to help international students develop English language skills before beginning a degree at Mannes School of Music, School of Jazz and Contemporary Music, or the Performer-Composer program.
• Data Visualization Minor An interdisciplinary undergraduate minor exploring data visualization as a tool for depicting perspectives of information, teaching students to understand data collection, analysis, critical thinking, and translating content for multiple audiences.
• Writing Minor An undergraduate minor offered through Eugene Lang College that helps students develop a unique authorial voice through contemporary and classic styles, emphasizing communicative skills and craft understanding.
• Urban Studies Minor An interdisciplinary undergraduate minor providing understanding of urbanism and the social, spatial, ecological, political, and institutional conditions that shape cities, with experiential learning as a key component.
• Parsons Summer Intensive Studies A three-credit introductory-level art and design pre-college program for students entering grades 11-12 and recent high school graduates, enriched by NYC resources; offered through Parsons Summer Intensive Studies in New York.
• Women in AI Fellowship A fellowship providing USD 5,000 in research funding along with mentorship and technical support to women PhD researchers in Sub-Saharan Africa conducting AI and machine learning research across social science disciplines.

Quantifiable outcome

• Parsons ranked #1 in U.S. and globally top-ranked design school for 9 consecutive years
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• KAIA NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 June 2026The New School and KAIA Network have launched the Women in AI Fellowship 2026, providing USD 5,000 in research funding along with mentorship and technical support to women PhD researchers in Sub-Saharan Africa. The program targets women conducting AI and machine learning research across social science disciplines, aiming to address underrepresentation of women in AI by building research capacity and expanding access to international professional networks.
• Urbanworld Film FestivalflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 June 2026Partnership with Urbanworld Film Festival to launch UrbanworldAI, a new initiative that will screen AI-generated films and shorts. The initiative includes an education track pairing filmmakers and students with AI tools and a showcase track where films will be judged using founder Stacy Spikes' 'goosebump' method. This positions Urbanworld as an outlier among major film festivals like Cannes, which have banned AI-generated content.
• International Contemporary EnsemblecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMannes School of Music students collaborate with the International Contemporary Ensemble for unique performance experiences, combining classical training with contemporary music practice.
• Martha Graham Dance CompanycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMannes students have apprenticeship opportunities with members of the Martha Graham Dance Company, participating in riveting productions and gaining real-world performance experience.
• Orchestra of St. Luke'sminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMannes students can apprentice with members of the Orchestra of St. Luke's, providing orchestral performance experience in New York City's cultural scene.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Pratt Institute: NYC-based private university renowned for art, design, and architecture programs. Directly comparable to The New School's Parsons and Eugene Lang colleges, competing for the same pool of creative students in NYC.
• School of Visual Arts (SVA): NYC private college specializing in visual and applied arts, with comparable degree portfolio to Parsons. Competes directly for design and fine arts students in the same NYC catchment.
• Rhode Island School of Design (RISD): Top-ranked US art and design school consistently ranked alongside Parsons. Comparable in selective design education, professional outcomes, and tuition pricing model.
• Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT): NYC-based college focused on fashion, design, and business; a State University of New York affiliate with comparable fashion and design programs to Parsons.
• Cooper Union: NYC private college with engineering, art, and architecture programs. Closest direct peer in size, NYC location, and interdisciplinary ethos across art, architecture, and liberal studies.
• Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD): Private nonprofit art and design university offering programs similar to Parsons in fashion, design, and performing arts; comparable tuition model and selective admissions.
• Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA): Top-ranked private art and design college comparable to Parsons in program mix and selectivity; competes in the same progressive, creative-focused higher education segment.
• Bard College: Highly selective private liberal arts college with a progressive interdisciplinary identity and strong arts programs, comparable to Eugene Lang's interdisciplinary liberal arts positioning.

Broad incumbents

• Columbia University: NYC Ivy League research university offering broad undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs. Operates in the same NYC market with overlapping graduate and performing arts programs (Columbia College, School of the Arts) that compete for talent and students.
• New York University (NYU): Large NYC private research university with Tisch School of the Arts and Steinhardt, providing directly comparable performing arts and design programs alongside a much broader portfolio. Operates in the same NYC higher education market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/TheNewSchool
• YouTubeyoutube.com/thenewschool
• Facebookfacebook.com/9889734678
• Instagraminstagram.com/TheNewSchool
• TikToktiktok.com/@thenewschool
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/301086

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Subsidiaries9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 The New School