Fairleigh Dickinson University

What Fairleigh Dickinson University does

Fairleigh Dickinson University (FDU) is a private, coeducational, nonsectarian 501(c)(3) university founded in 1942 by Dr. Peter Sammartino as New Jersey's first and largest private university. The institution operates four campuses — Metropolitan (Teaneck, NJ), Florham (Madison, NJ), Vancouver (British Columbia), and Wroxton College (Oxfordshire, England) — and serves undergraduate, graduate, international, and adult learners through more than 100 majors and concentrations across colleges including the Silberman College of Business and the College of Psychology and Counseling.

FDU's core academic delivery is anchored on WebCampus, a Blackboard-based LMS with Blackboard Ally for accessibility compliance (WCAG 2.1/2.2 AA), supplemented by online graduate degree programs, Handshake for career services, and WFDU-FM broadcast operations. Revenue is generated primarily through recurring tuition and fees billed annually, supplemented by philanthropic gifts (including a historic $6M donation in early 2026) and corporate workforce development partnerships with Merck, Novartis, Barclays, and Fiserv under the FDU Will Soar strategic plan. The university maintains NCAA Division I (FDU Knights) and Division III (FDU Devils) athletics programs, and operates a Career Development Center that posts more than 12,000 jobs annually.

FDU's go-to-market is a traditional admissions-led motion combining campus visits, high school and community college partnerships, digital marketing, and recruitment events, with a differentiated "Humanics" educational philosophy that integrates empathy, agility, and critical thinking alongside AI and technology training. The institution is governed by an independent Board of Trustees under President Michael Avaltroni, with no parent company or external equity backing, and has recently expanded physical capacity (planned Vancouver relocation to a 70,000+ square-foot Oakridge Park facility), academic offerings (Master of Health Administration and Healthcare Hospitality concentration), and athletic programs (men's fencing in 2027).

Name

Fairleigh Dickinson University

Legal name

Fairleigh Dickinson University

Website

https://fdu.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1942

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Fairleigh Dickinson University is a private nonprofit university founded in 1942 operating four campuses across the US, Canada, and England, serving undergraduate and graduate students through 100+ majors with tuition-funded delivery and corporate workforce development partnerships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Madison

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 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: Revenue from undergraduate and graduate tuition, along with fees for various programs and services across FDU's multiple campuses including Florham, Metropolitan, and Vancouver locations.
2. Philanthropy and Donations: Major gifts and alumni donations including the historic $6 million gift to the College of Psychology and Counseling, and ongoing fundraising campaigns such as the annual 42 Hours of Giving initiative that has raised $2.5 million since 2018.
3. Corporate Partnerships and Workforce Development: Strategic collaborations with corporations including Merck, Novartis, Barclays, and Fiserv through the FDU Will Soar strategic plan for industry partnerships, internship pipelines, and workforce development programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Fairleigh Dickinson University is a private, non-profit university offering undergraduate, graduate, and online degree programs across multiple disciplines including business, healthcare, psychology, liberal arts, and sciences. It delivers education through three main physical campuses (Florham, Metropolitan, and Vancouver), online graduate programs, and study abroad at Wroxton College in England. The university also provides career development services, athletics programs, and corporate workforce development partnerships through its FDU Will Soar strategic plan.

Product overview

Fairleigh Dickinson University is a private non-profit university operating multiple campuses across the United States and internationally. The institution offers a comprehensive portfolio of educational products and services organized around three physical campuses (Florham, Metropolitan, and Vancouver), online graduate programs, and specialized programs including study abroad at Wroxton College in England. The university operates two athletics programs: Division I FDU Knights and Division III FDU Devils. Core academic offerings span colleges and schools covering business, psychology, health sciences, liberal arts, and engineering. Supporting infrastructure includes WebCampus (LMS), the Career Development Center connecting students to employers via Handshake, WFDU-FM broadcast radio, and FDU Magazine publication.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Wroxton College: FDU's international campus and study abroad program located in Oxfordshire, England, offering students global educational opportunities.

Products and services

• FDU Online Graduate Degrees Comprehensive online graduate degree programs offered entirely through web-based instruction, providing flexible access to advanced education for working professionals and remote learners.
• Florham Campus Located in Madison, New Jersey, offering undergraduate and graduate programs with residential life and Division III athletics (FDU Devils).
• Metropolitan Campus Located in Teaneck, New Jersey, the largest FDU campus offering diverse academic programs with Division I athletics (FDU Knights) and university administration.
• Vancouver Campus

Quantifiable outcome

• 98% student satisfaction rating from Career Development Center services
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and regional.

• MacroncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2026FDU became the first Division I school to sign an athletic apparel contract without a shoe partnership, partnering with Italian-based Macron (primarily known for soccer jerseys and European basketball/rugby/fencing apparel). The deal allows FDU athletes to wear whatever footwear they choose, enabling independent Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) partnerships. Athletic Director Jason Young views this flexibility as a potential recruiting advantage for the small-budget NEC school.
• Hackensack Meridian HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 October 2025Multi-year partnership naming Hackensack Meridian Health as the official medical provider for FDU Knights athletics. The health network, New Jersey's largest, will provide comprehensive medical services including orthopedic care through Hackensack Meridian Medical Group Orthopedic Specialists to optimize student-athlete performance, health, and safety.
• MerckcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate collaboration through the FDU Will Soar strategic plan, featuring partnerships with major corporations including Merck for workforce development, internship pipelines, and career-ready graduate programs.
• NovartiscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate collaboration through the FDU Will Soar strategic plan, featuring partnerships with major corporations including Novartis for workforce development, internship pipelines, and career-ready graduate programs.
• BarclayscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate collaboration through the FDU Will Soar strategic plan, featuring partnerships with major corporations including Barclays for workforce development, internship pipelines, and career-ready graduate programs.
• FiservcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate collaboration through the FDU Will Soar strategic plan, featuring partnerships with major corporations including Fiserv for workforce development, internship pipelines, and career-ready graduate programs.
• Veterans ValorminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFDU partnered with Veterans Valor to support the Healing Garden at Frelinghuysen Arboretum, demonstrating commitment to veteran community and wellness initiatives.
• Veolia North AmericaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partner offering a matching gift program during the 42 Hours of Giving campaign, matching up to $15,000 for every dollar donated to student STEM scholarships.
• British Columbia MLAs and Industry PartnersregionalStrategic or Co-development PartnerFDU Vancouver's evening event on humanics and healthcare innovation brought together BC MLAs, industry partners, and community leaders to discuss education, workforce development, and healthcare staffing challenges in British Columbia.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• Rutgers University-Newark: Urban New Jersey public research campus competing directly with FDU's Metropolitan Campus for diverse, first-generation students. Same metropolitan labor market and social-mobility student profile.
• Montclair State University: Large New Jersey public university and key competitor for traditional undergraduate students in the same labor market. Compares on scale, public-private tuition contrast, and program breadth.
• Rowan University: New Jersey public university that competes with FDU for the same in-state undergraduate pool and has rapidly expanded healthcare and graduate programs. Relevant competitor for tuition-funded enrollment.

Broad incumbents

• Stevens Institute of Technology: Smaller New Jersey private university with strong STEM and graduate professional focus. Comparable on NJ geography, nonprofit status, and similar tuition-driven economics, though more STEM-narrow.
• Drexel University: Larger Philadelphia-area private research university with comparable cooperative education / corporate partnership model (Drexel's co-op) and Division I athletics. Overlaps on workforce development and corporate partnership GTM.

Direct peers

• Seton Hall University: Another large private, nonprofit New Jersey university with comparable undergraduate/graduate program breadth, Division I athletics in the Northeast Conference (shared with FDU), and similar reliance on tuition and philanthropy. Directly comparable on geography, mission, and operating model.
• Saint Peter's University: Jersey City-based private nonprofit university serving similar traditional and transfer undergraduate populations with comparable tuition-driven economics and recent NCAA Tournament success that boosted brand visibility.
• Monmouth University: Private New Jersey university with similar enrollment scale, broad undergraduate/graduate portfolio, Division I athletics, and reliance on tuition and development. Closely comparable on mission and operating model in the same state.
• Rider University: Private, nonprofit New Jersey university of similar scale offering business, liberal arts, and graduate professional programs with Division I athletics. Comparable in scale, private nonprofit status, and New Jersey regional positioning.

Emerging players

• University of the Fraser Valley: Public Canadian university in British Columbia that competes with FDU Vancouver for the same international and Canadian healthcare-program students, with comparable healthcare workforce-development positioning in the BC market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/FDUWhatsNew
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/FDU
• Facebookfacebook.com/fairleighdickinsonuniversity
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/fairleigh-dickinson-university
• Instagraminstagram.com/fduwhatsnew
• TikToktiktok.com/@fduwhatsnew

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 Fairleigh Dickinson University