Saint Thomas Academy
Saint Thomas Academy is a private, nonprofit, all-boys Catholic college-preparatory school serving 562 students in grades 6-12 on an 88-acre campus in Mendota Heights, Minnesota, founded in 1885, operating on a four-pillar model combining Catholic identity, rigorous academics, military leadership, and all-male environment.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1885
- HeadquartersMendota, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Saint Thomas Academy does
Saint Thomas Academy is a private, nonprofit, all-boys Catholic college-preparatory school serving 562 students in grades 6-12 on an 88-acre campus in Mendota Heights, Minnesota. Founded in 1885 by Archbishop John Ireland, the institution operates on a four-pillar model combining Catholic identity, college-preparatory academics, military leadership, and an all-male environment. It maintains a 10:1 student-faculty ratio, average class size of 15, and an average graduate ACT score of 28, with approximately 99% of graduates accepted to post-secondary institutions. The Academy is the only private school in Minnesota offering this specific four-pillar combination, positioning it as a niche category-of-one institution within the regional independent-school market.
The school's product portfolio spans Middle School (grades 6-8 with a house system), Upper School (grades 9-12 with 12 AP courses and dual enrollment), a structured Corps of Cadets organized as a brigade with three battalions and eight companies, and a 6,000 sq ft Innovation Center opened in 2017 that anchors the award-winning Experimental Vehicle Team (15 national championships, 1 international championship, vehicles achieving over 1,300 mpg). Co-curricular programs include athletics (40+ state championships), VISTA Productions theater and VISTA Bands (joint programs with sister school Visitation), choral, studio arts, and over 50 other activities. The Academy awards over $3 million in financial aid annually, reaching 48% of students.
The revenue model is tuition-driven (annual recurring subscription, pricing not publicly disclosed) supplemented by facility rentals, summer camps, the Cadet Maker School Store, Cadet Dining (operated by SAGE Dining), and fundraising through the Aquinas Annual Fund, 1885 Society recurring gifts, 3A Club, and an annual Community Gala. Go-to-market is sales-led via an admissions funnel — Finalsite enrollment platform, Tuesday Tours, ACE events, Parent Ambassador referrals, and a 7,000+ alumni network. The school is governed by an independent Board of Trustees (chaired by Marty Schreier '88, with Archbishop Bernard Hebda as Chief Officer), affiliated with the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis, and accredited by ISACS with memberships in AMCUS, NAIS, and MAIS. As a nonprofit, the institution has no equity ownership, no funding rounds, and no subsidiaries.
Saint Thomas Academy firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Saint Thomas Academy
- Legal name
- Saint Thomas Academy
- Website
- https://cadets.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1885
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Saint Thomas Academy is a private, nonprofit, all-boys Catholic college-preparatory school serving 562 students in grades 6-12 on an 88-acre campus in Mendota Heights, Minnesota, founded in 1885, operating on a four-pillar model combining Catholic identity, rigorous academics, military leadership, and all-male environment.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Saint Thomas Academy industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Private K-12 Education
- NAICS
- Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Elementary and Secondary Schools (611110)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Faith-Based (Religious) K–12 Schools (EDAJABAC)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Single-Sex (Boys/Girls) Private Schools (EDAJABAK)
Keywords
Where Saint Thomas Academy is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Mendota
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Saint Thomas Academy business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Others
Revenue model
- Tuition: Private school tuition for grades 6-12. School awards over $3 million in financial aid annually, with 48% of students receiving financial aid grants.
- Facility Rentals: Sports facilities (gymnasiums, athletic fields, ice arena, pool) available for rental to external groups throughout the year.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Application for 2026-27 school year is open |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels8 records
Saint Thomas Academy product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Saint Thomas Academy is a private all-boys Catholic college-preparatory school serving grades 6-12 on an 88-acre campus in Mendota Heights, Minnesota. The school delivers a four-pillar education combining rigorous college-prep academics (including 12 AP courses and dual enrollment), a structured military leadership program through a Corps of Cadets, Catholic faith formation, and an all-male learning environment. It operates as a tuition-funded nonprofit institution with a 10:1 student-faculty ratio and average class sizes of 15.
Product overview
Saint Thomas Academy is a private all-boys Catholic college-preparatory school serving grades 6-12, founded in 1885 and located in Mendota Heights, Minnesota. The Academy operates as a unified educational institution with a four-pillar approach: Catholic identity, college preparatory academics, military leadership, and all-male environment. The institution offers a comprehensive portfolio including Middle School (grades 6-8) with its house system, Upper School (grades 9-12) with AP and dual enrollment courses, the Military Leadership Program through a Corps of Cadets structure, and an Innovation Center for STEM education. Beyond academics, the Academy provides extensive co-curricular programs including athletics (with 40+ state championships), VISTA Productions theater program, VISTA Bands, choral, studio arts, and the award-winning Experimental Vehicle Team. Additional services include college counseling, summer camps (Summer Prep), Cadet Dining (via SAGE Dining), and the Cadet Maker School Store. The school maintains a 10:1 student-faculty ratio, average class sizes of 15 students, and has produced 7,000+ alumni worldwide.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Middle School Program (Grades 6-8) Middle school program for grades 6-8 featuring small class sizes, individualized instruction, and a unique house system designed to foster mentoring and brotherhood.
- Upper School Program (Grades 9-12) College preparatory high school program for grades 9-12 offering 12 Advanced Placement courses, dual enrollment options, and a comprehensive academic curriculum.
- Military Leadership Program Multi-faceted military leadership program instilling honor, integrity, self-discipline, and brotherhood through a Corps of Cadets organized as a brigade with three battalions and eight companies.
- Innovation Center State-of-the-art 6,000-square-foot STEM facility opened in 2017 featuring advanced technology and instruction for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics disciplines.
- College Counseling Comprehensive college preparation and counseling services supporting students through the application process, with reported 99-100% of graduates accepted to post-secondary institutions.
- Summer Camps Summer camp programs including Summer Prep for new students to get acquainted with the Academy before the school year begins.
- Cadet Maker School Store On-campus school store offering cadet uniforms, merchandise, and supplies.
- Facility Rentals Sports facilities including gymnasiums, athletic fields, ice arena, and pool available for rental to external groups throughout the year.
Quantifiable outcome
- 99% of graduates accepted to post-secondary institutions
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Saint Thomas Academy
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Saint Thomas Academy technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration6 records
Feature1 record
Saint Thomas Academy partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Visitation SchoolcoreJoint theater program VISTA Productions (combined program of Visitation School and Saint Thomas Academy). Students share classes including world languages, band, and theater. Joint social activities including dances. VISTA Choir and technical theater collaboration.
- Association of Military Colleges and Schools of the United States (AMCUS)coreMember of national organization for military colleges and schools, providing standards and network for military education programs
- Independent Schools Association of the Central States (ISACS)coreAccredited member of regional independent schools association
- National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS)coreMember of national organization representing independent private schools
- Minnesota Association of Independent Schools (MAIS)coreMember of state-level organization for independent schools in Minnesota
- Archdiocese of Saint Paul and MinneapoliscoreCatholic school under the archdiocese, adhering to archdiocesan standards and Catholic teachings
- University of Saint ThomasminorUniversity shares the Saint Thomas Ice Arena with Saint Thomas Academy for men's and women's hockey programs
- SAGE DiningminorFood service provider for cadet dining program
- Opus Design-Build LLCminorDesigned and built Vincent J. Flynn Hall (nearly 100,000 sq ft athletic and fine arts facility opened 2013)
- FinalsitecoreWebsite platform provider (Finalsite) and enrollment management system (cadets.fsenrollment.com)
Scale indicators14 records
Recent moves14 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Saint Thomas Academy competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Culver Academies: Culver Academies is an Indiana-based private boarding college-prep school with a strong military leadership tradition and co-ed structure in upper grades. It is highly comparable to STA in combining rigorous college-prep academics with a Corps of Cadets-style leadership program.
- Fork Union Military Academy: Fork Union Military Academy is a Virginia-based private all-boys military college-prep school serving grades 6-12 with postgraduate year. It mirrors STA's combination of all-male environment, military leadership curriculum, and JROTC-influenced structure.
- Riverside Military Academy: Riverside Military Academy is a Georgia-based private all-boys college-prep boarding school with a Corps of Cadets. Comparable to STA in target market (all-boys families) and military-influenced college-prep model.
- Admiral Farragut Academy: Admiral Farragut Academy operates private all-boys (with co-ed lower) college-prep programs in Florida and New Jersey with a naval/military leadership tradition. It overlaps with STA in all-boys college-prep identity with a structured leadership component.
- Hargrave Military Academy: Hargrave Military Academy is a Virginia-based private all-boys college-prep boarding school with a military structure and Christian affiliation. Highly comparable on the Catholic/faith + military + all-boys + college-prep axis.
Broad incumbents
- The Blake School: The Blake School is a prestigious Minneapolis-based PreK-12 independent college-prep school serving co-ed students. Comparable to STA as a leading Minnesota private college-prep competitor competing for the same metro affluent families, though without STA's all-boys or military focus.
- Breck School: Breck School is a Minneapolis-area Episcopal PreK-12 independent college-prep school. It competes with STA for the same metro Twin Cities affluent families seeking private college-prep, but offers co-ed rather than all-boys enrollment.
- Cretin-Derham Hall: Cretin-Derham Hall is a St. Paul-based Catholic co-ed college-prep high school. Comparable to STA as a leading Twin Cities Catholic college-prep competitor sharing archdiocesan family pipelines, though co-ed and without the military leadership pillar.
- DeLaSalle High School: DeLaSalle High School is a Minneapolis-based Catholic co-ed college-prep high school. Competes with STA in the Twin Cities Catholic college-prep market for archdiocesan families, though operating without STA's military or all-boys differentiation.
Regional players
- Visitation School: Visitation School is a Mendota Heights-based Catholic all-girls college-prep school that maintains a formal partnership with STA for co-ed activities (VISTA theater, bands, social events). Direct sister-school partner and natural demographic counterpart.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Saint Thomas Academy social profiles
Digital presenceSaint Thomas Academy compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance4 records
Saint Thomas Academy financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Saint Thomas Academy leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles15 records
Saint Thomas Academy funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Saint Thomas Academy M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Saint Thomas Academy
What does Saint Thomas Academy do?
Saint Thomas Academy is a private all-boys Catholic college-preparatory school serving grades 6-12 on an 88-acre campus in Mendota Heights, Minnesota. The school delivers a four-pillar education combining rigorous college-prep academics (including 12 AP courses and dual enrollment), a structured military leadership program through a Corps of Cadets, Catholic faith formation, and an all-male learning environment. It operates as a tuition-funded nonprofit institution with a 10:1 student-faculty ratio and average class sizes of 15.
Is Saint Thomas Academy a public or private company?
Saint Thomas Academy is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Saint Thomas Academy founded?
Saint Thomas Academy was founded in 1885. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Saint Thomas Academy based?
Saint Thomas Academy is headquartered in Mendota, United States, in the North America region.
How does Saint Thomas Academy make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Tuition is the primary driver. The others are facility Rentals.
Who are Saint Thomas Academy's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Culver Academies, Fork Union Military Academy, Riverside Military Academy, Admiral Farragut Academy and Hargrave Military Academy. Broad incumbents are The Blake School, Breck School, Cretin-Derham Hall and DeLaSalle High School. Visitation School is listed as a regional player.
Does Saint Thomas Academy have an API?
No public API is recorded for Saint Thomas Academy.
What industry is Saint Thomas Academy in?
Saint Thomas Academy's product category is Private K-12 Education. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAJABAC, Faith-Based (Religious) K–12 Schools, with a secondary code of EDAJABAK, Single-Sex (Boys/Girls) Private Schools. Its NAICS code is 6111 and its SIC code is 8200.