Oklahoma Wesleyan University

What Oklahoma Wesleyan University does

Oklahoma Wesleyan University is a private, Wesleyan Church-affiliated Christian university founded in 1905 and headquartered at 2201 Silver Lake Road in Bartlesville, Oklahoma. It serves a multi-segment student population spanning traditional four-year residential undergraduates (approximately 650 students with a 9:1 student-to-faculty ratio), working adults enrolled in Graduate and Professional Studies (GPS) online programs, high school students in the OKWU Prep concurrent enrollment pathway, and a smaller international student cohort. The institution offers more than 50 degree programs across bachelor's, master's, doctoral, and associate levels, organized into schools including the Chesapeake Energy School of Business, School of Education & Humanities, School of Ministry & Christian Thought, School of Health & Sciences, and Department of Nursing.

The core operating technology stack is conventional higher-education infrastructure: a Jenzabar learning management system, the MyOKWU.edu student portal, Salesforce for admissions event management, YouTube-hosted virtual campus tours, an EBSCO/ProQuest/ATLA research database bundle, and a 100% online GPS platform that delivers coursework in 5- or 8-week modules. No proprietary AI, ML, or differentiated technology platform is in evidence; the technology serves a delivery-and-administration function rather than a product differentiator. Student recruitment is driven by campus visits, College Preview Days, college fairs, alumni referrals, high-school counselor relationships, and a multi-channel digital and social presence across Facebook, Instagram, X/Twitter, YouTube, and LinkedIn. Athletics (21 NAIA teams) and 120-year brand history provide additional recruitment surface area.

The revenue model is a hybrid of tuition-and-fees (undergraduate residential, graduate/professional online) plus donations and gifts. Specific tuition pricing is not publicly disclosed; financial aid is administered through FAFSA-driven work-study ($9-$11/hour, ~8-10 hours/week), tiered scholarships (Honors College $11,000/year; Theatre Major up to $5,000/year; Alumni Dependent $400/year), grants, and loans. The philanthropy arm is anchored by the NOW Campaign, targeting $68 million by 2030 to fund scholarships, endowments, facilities, and program growth. The institution is governed by an independent Board of Trustees, led by University President Dr. Jim Dunn, with a senior team covering academic affairs (Provost Keri Bostwick), enrollment (VP Kevin Osborn), finance (CFO Mike Hood), advancement (VP Steve Lessman, joined March 2026), student affairs, and creative impact.

Name

Oklahoma Wesleyan University

Legal name

Oklahoma Wesleyan University

Website

https://okwu.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1905

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Oklahoma Wesleyan University is a private Wesleyan Church-affiliated Christian university in Bartlesville, Oklahoma offering 50+ degree programs across residential undergraduate, online graduate/professional, and concurrent-enrollment tracks, supported by tuition and a $68M fundraising campaign through 2030.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Private Christian Higher Education

NAICS

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

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Religiously Affiliated Liberal Arts Colleges (EDAHACAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Online Nonprofit Universities (EDAHALAK)

Keywords

• Christian higher education
• Undergraduate degree programs
• Graduate professional studies
• Online learning programs
• Faith-based university

Headquarters

HQ city

Bartlesville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Fees: Revenue from undergraduate, graduate, and professional studies tuition. Programs offered on-campus and online with varying fee structures.
2. Donations and Gifts: Charitable contributions from alumni, friends, and supporters through annual fund, NOW Campaign, and planned giving. The NOW Campaign aims to raise $68 million by 2030.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Oklahoma Wesleyan University is a private Christian university delivering undergraduate, graduate, and professional degree programs on a residential campus in Bartlesville, Oklahoma, and through 100% online Graduate & Professional Studies (GPS). It enrolls roughly 650 traditional undergraduates alongside working adults in online cohorts, offering 50+ academic programs across business, education, nursing, ministry, sciences, humanities, and the arts, integrated with a Christ-centered worldview and servant-leadership formation. Auxiliary offerings include 21 NAIA intercollegiate athletics teams, an Honors College, OKWU Prep concurrent enrollment for high schoolers, and chapel/spiritual life programming.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Bachelor of Arts in Theatre Faith-integrated 120-credit-hour undergraduate degree preparing students for careers in theatre, film, digital media, ministry arts, and arts administration, with an internship requirement and capstone project. Launching Fall 2026.
• Graduate & Professional Studies (GPS) Online Programs 100% online master's, doctoral, associate, and adult-completion bachelor's programs offered in 5- or 8-week modules with one class at a time, designed for working adults seeking career advancement or professional credentials through faith-integrated curriculum.
• OKWU Prep Concurrent Enrollment Concurrent college credit program for high school students that provides affordable, faith-based college-level courses to accelerate degree completion and reduce future tuition costs.
• Honors College Selective honors program offering enriched coursework and the opportunity to double major at no additional cost; renewable $11,000/year scholarship awarded by committee selection including application essay, references, and interview.
• NAIA Intercollegiate Athletics 21 intercollegiate sports teams competing in the NAIA, including a Men's Basketball program that finished as NAIA National Championship runner-up with a 28-8 season and four consecutive KCAC Regular Season Championships.
• Janice & Charles Drake Library University library providing access to 50,000 books, 30,000 ebooks, the ATLA monograph collection, EBSCO, ProQuest, Credo Reference, FirstSearch, Salem Press, Mergent, and A to Z the World databases, plus special collections including a 300+ year old Torah scroll.
• Master of Business Administration (MBA) Online graduate professional degree for working adults seeking business leadership credentials, delivered through the GPS platform in 5- or 8-week modules.
• Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Online doctoral degree for nursing professionals seeking the highest level of nursing practice credentials, delivered through the GPS platform.

Quantifiable outcome

• Men's Basketball team finished as NAIA National Championship runner-up with 28-8 season and fourth consecutive KCAC Regular Season Championship
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 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

Integration11 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• The Wesleyan ChurchcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOklahoma Wesleyan University is affiliated with The Wesleyan Church denomination. The university was founded by and maintains close ties with the Wesleyan Church, with Dr. Jim Dunn (former university president) elected as General Superintendent of The Wesleyan Church in May 2026. The institution's mission centers on influencing culture with the Grace and Truth of Jesus Christ.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Oral Roberts University: Private faith-affiliated university in Tulsa, Oklahoma offering undergraduate and graduate programs with an explicit Christian worldview. Most direct comparable in mission, geography, and program mix within OKWU's market.
• Oklahoma Baptist University: Private Baptist-affiliated university in Shawnee, Oklahoma with a similar mix of traditional undergraduate, online, and graduate programs. Comparable scale, faith-based mission, and Midwest regional recruitment footprint.
• Oklahoma Christian University: Private faith-affiliated university in Oklahoma City offering undergraduate and graduate programs with online options. Comparable in size, denominational affiliation model, and program breadth to OKWU.
• Mid-America Christian University: Private Christian university in Oklahoma City serving similar traditional undergraduate and adult online learner populations. Comparable faith-based mission and emphasis on workforce-oriented programs.
• Friends University: Private faith-affiliated university in Wichita, Kansas with traditional undergraduate, graduate, and online adult degree programs. Comparable scale, denominational affiliation model, and regional recruitment focus.
• Southwestern College (Kansas): Private Methodist-affiliated college in Winfield, Kansas offering traditional undergraduate and professional studies online programs. Comparable in scale, faith-based positioning, and adult-learner online strategy.
• Tabor College: Private Mennonite-affiliated liberal arts college in Hillsboro, Kansas with traditional undergraduate programs and online adult degree completion. Comparable in faith-based mission and small-institution scale.
• Sterling College: Private Presbyterian-affiliated liberal arts college in Sterling, Kansas with traditional undergraduate programs. Comparable in scale, faith-based mission, and Midwest rural-campus profile.
• Bethany College (Kansas): Private faith-affiliated liberal arts college in Lindsborg, Kansas offering traditional undergraduate programs. Comparable scale, faith-based identity, and small Midwestern residential campus model.
• Southern Nazarene University: Private Nazarene-affiliated university in Bethany, Oklahoma offering undergraduate, graduate, and online programs. Comparable faith-based mission, geographic market overlap, and program breadth.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/OKWUniv
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCSkr7th7w_5u-iMCjNj8lcQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/okwuniv
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/oklahoma-wesleyan-university
• Instagraminstagram.com/okwuniv

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles23 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Oklahoma Wesleyan University