Huston-Tillotson University

What Huston-Tillotson University does

Huston-Tillotson University is a private, faith-based historically Black college and university (HBCU) located in downtown Austin, Texas, founded in 1875. It is Austin's first institution of higher education and the city's only HBCU, offering associate, baccalaureate, and master's degrees across liberal arts, STEM, business, and education disciplines. Core academic products include the hybrid MBA program (htu.mba), Adult Degree Programs, HT Online, the W.E.B. DuBois Honors Program, and traditional four-year residential undergraduate programs serving first-year, transfer, international, veteran, and returning students.

The university's operational technology stack is conventional higher-ed SaaS: Canvas for learning management, Ellucian Colleague (with the Ram Connect student portal) for student information, Microsoft 365 for institutional productivity and webmail, Blackbaud for donor management, and Microsoft Bookings for academic advising scheduling. AI capability is nascent and external-facing rather than proprietary: HT hosts the annual HBCU AI Conference and Training Summit and has documented individual student AI projects (e.g., an AI agent for real estate), but there is no evidence of in-house AI products, research labs, or proprietary models.

Revenue mechanics combine tuition and fees (the largest recurring stream), philanthropy and major-donor giving (notably a record $150M Moody Foundation gift in 2025, alongside broader HBCU support from MacKenzie Scott), and athletics-related income. Go-to-market is sales-led enrollment: prospective students are recruited through campus tours, recruitment events, admissions advising, and financial aid counseling, with supplemental online channels (HT Online, adult degree completion). The customer base is fundamentally individual consumers (students) supplemented by a small set of high-value philanthropic counterparties.

Name

Huston-Tillotson University

Legal name

Huston-Tillotson University

Website

https://htu.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1875

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Huston-Tillotson University is a private HBCU in Austin, Texas, founded in 1875, offering undergraduate, graduate, MBA, and online degrees to traditional, adult, and international students, with tuition and philanthropic giving as its primary revenue streams.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Private Higher Education (HBCU)

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (611310)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Private Nonprofit HBCUs (EDAHAMAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Teaching-Focused & Liberal Arts HBCUs (EDAHAMAF), STEM & Polytechnic-Focused HBCUs (EDAHAMAH), Graduate & Professional-Program HBCUs (e.g., law/education/business) (EDAHAMAK)

Keywords

• Higher education services
• Liberal arts education
• Undergraduate degree programs
• Graduate degree programs
• Adult degree completion

Headquarters

HQ city

Austin

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Fees: Revenue from undergraduate and graduate tuition, including full-time and part-time enrollment fees, as well as various student service fees.
2. Philanthropy and Donations: Major donations from foundations and individual philanthropists support university operations, student scholarships, and capital improvements. The Moody Foundation donated $150 million and MacKenzie Scott gave $740 million to HBCUs including HT.
3. Athletics Programs: Revenue from athletics programs including ticket sales, merchandise, and conference distributions.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Huston-Tillotson University delivers associate, baccalaureate, and master's degree programs across liberal arts, STEM, business, and education through its downtown Austin residential campus, HT Online, and the hybrid MBA Program. It serves traditional undergraduates, transfer, international, veteran, and adult learners with supporting services such as the W.E.B. DuBois Honors Program, financial aid administration, and structured academic advising. The institution also operates the annual HBCU AI Conference and Training Summit, positioning itself as a convener for AI innovation and ethics across HBCUs.

Product overview

Huston-Tillotson University offers a portfolio of educational products and services centered around degree programs and student support infrastructure. The core academic offerings include undergraduate and graduate degree programs across liberal arts, STEM, and professional fields. Key educational products include the hybrid MBA Program (blended online/on-campus format for working professionals), Adult Degree Programs (accelerated degree completion for adult learners), and HT Online (remote learning options). The university supports its academic mission with technology platforms including Ram Connect (Ellucian-powered student information portal) and Canvas LMS (learning management system). Additional services include the W.E.B. DuBois Honors Program for high-achieving students and comprehensive financial aid services. The institution also hosts the annual HBCU AI Conference as part of its technology and innovation leadership.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• HT MBA Program A hybrid MBA program with a concentration in Management, offering a blended learning format of online and on-campus courses designed specifically for working professionals.
• Adult Degree Programs Accelerated degree completion programs focused on developing skills and knowledge most important to adult learners, offering personalized attention throughout the educational journey.
• HT Online Online educational programs and courses enabling remote access to Huston-Tillotson University degree programs for distance learners.
• W.E.B. DuBois Honors Program An honors program providing enhanced academic opportunities for high-achieving students, offering scholarly development and recognition.
• Financial Aid Services Comprehensive financial aid administration services supporting student recruitment, retention, and graduation through scholarship processing and aid guidance, including institution-specific scholarships and UNCF partner awards such as the UNCF LAM Research Scholarship.
• Undergraduate and Graduate Degree Programs Core academic offerings spanning associate, baccalaureate, and master's degrees in liberal arts, STEM, business, and education, delivered via the downtown Austin residential campus with supporting student services.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 600 expected attendees at 2026 HBCU AI Conference
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

AI capability4 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ElluciancoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 2 March 2026Ellucian returned as Neural Network Sponsor of the 2026 HBCU AI Conference and Training Summit hosted at Huston-Tillotson University. Ellucian serves 73% of all HBCUs nationwide. Programming focused on responsible AI innovation, ethics, and workforce development.
• AppleminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHT student Israel Ogbonna completed internship at Apple, demonstrating industry partnership connecting students to major tech employers.
• Amazon Web Services (AWS)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHT student Israel Ogbonna completed internship at Amazon Web Services, providing tech career pathway opportunities for students.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Morehouse College: Morehouse is a private, nonprofit, all-male HBCU offering undergraduate degrees with strong brand recognition. It is directly comparable to Huston-Tillotson as a private nonprofit HBCU competing for similar prospective students and philanthropic attention.
• Spelman College: Spelman is a private, nonprofit HBCU offering liberal arts and STEM undergraduate programs. It competes with HT for top private HBCU applicants and donor support, mirroring HT's position as a small private liberal arts-focused HBCU.
• Paul Quinn College: Paul Quinn is a small private, nonprofit HBCU based in Texas, making it a particularly close geographic and competitive peer to Huston-Tillotson in the Texas HBCU private nonprofit space.
• Xavier University of Louisiana: Xavier is a private, nonprofit HBCU with strong STEM and pre-health programs. Comparable to HT as a small private HBCU emphasizing STEM and competing for similar philanthropic and student pools.
• Hampton University: Hampton is a private, nonprofit HBCU offering undergraduate and graduate degrees with a STEM and liberal arts focus. Directly comparable to HT as a private HBCU receiving major philanthropic support and emphasizing STEM programs.
• Tuskegee University: Tuskegee is a private, nonprofit HBCU with strong STEM emphasis, similar to HT's STEM focus. Both institutions compete in the private HBCU category and vied for the same pool of MacKenzie Scott philanthropy.
• Fisk University: Fisk is a small private, nonprofit HBCU with strong liberal arts emphasis and graduate programs. Comparable to HT in scale, private HBCU status, and philanthropic capital raising trajectory.
• Dillard University: Dillard is a private, nonprofit HBCU in New Orleans offering liberal arts and STEM programs. Directly comparable to HT in size, private HBCU status, and degree program offerings.

Broad incumbents

• University of Texas at Austin: UT Austin is the flagship public university in Austin and a broad incumbent competitor for in-state students, faculty, research funding, and corporate partnerships in the Austin market. Indirectly comparable as the dominant regional higher-ed player overlapping HT's geography.

Regional players

• St. Edward's University: St. Edward's is a private nonprofit university in Austin, Texas, sharing HT's Austin market for prospective students and competing for similar donor and employer relationships. Comparable as a private Austin-based institution though not an HBCU.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/hustontillotson
• YouTubeyoutube.com/HustonTillotsonUniv
• Facebookfacebook.com/91363093577
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/huston-tillotson-university
• Instagraminstagram.com/hustontillotsonuniversity/?hl=en
• TikToktiktok.com/discover/huston-tillotson-university

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Huston-Tillotson University