Wheaton College

What Wheaton College does

Wheaton College is a private, nonprofit, Christian liberal arts college and graduate school located in Wheaton, Illinois, founded in 1860 and governed by an independent board of trustees. It operates a fully residential undergraduate program offering 90+ majors, minors, concentrations, and certificates alongside 28 residential and hybrid graduate degree and certificate programs housed primarily in the Litfin Divinity School, the School of Psychology, Counseling, and Family Therapy, and the Conservatory of Music. The institution serves traditional undergraduate students (18–22, residential, Christ-centered), graduate students in ministry, theology, counseling, and humanitarian leadership, Conservatory of Music students, pre-college participants (BRIDGE, Vanguard gap year, Summer Institute), and study-abroad cohorts across more than ten global sites.

The college's product portfolio is educational rather than technological: there is no proprietary technology platform, and differentiation is delivered through faculty (100% Christ-committed at the graduate level), an 11:1 student-to-faculty ratio, NCAA Division III athletics (21 sports, 25%+ student participation), specialized academic centers (Billy Graham Center, Marion E. Wade Center, Humanitarian Disaster Institute), and the HoneyRock Center for Leadership Development in Wisconsin. Revenue is generated through tuition and fees (subscription-style annual billing), donations and charitable giving (the Faithfully Forward campaign, annual Wheaton Fund, endowed scholarships supporting 1,000+ students annually), and planned-giving vehicles. Over 86–90% of students receive some form of financial aid, and reported outcomes include a 98.5% employment or graduate-school placement rate for the Class of 2024.

Go-to-market combines direct-to-consumer undergraduate admissions (campus visits, recruitment events, Early Action and Regular Decision cycles), community-led pre-college programming, and event-driven prospective-student engagement, supported by website, social media, Wheaton Magazine, the Faithfully Forward campaign, WheatonGives, and college fairs. Leadership under President Philip Graham Ryken and Provost Karen Lee has prioritized new program launches (e.g., M.A. in Nonprofit Leadership, announced 2026-01), capital expansion (athletics facilities groundbreaking 2026-05), and high-profile faculty recruitment at the Litfin Divinity School. The institution does not publicly disclose revenue, and traditional financial KPIs are not available.

Name

Wheaton College

Legal name

Wheaton College

Website

https://wheaton.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1860

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Wheaton College is a private, nonprofit, Christian liberal arts college and graduate school in Wheaton, Illinois, founded in 1860, offering 90+ undergraduate programs and 28 graduate programs to residential and hybrid students.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education

NAICS

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

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Religiously Affiliated Liberal Arts Colleges (EDAHACAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Residential Liberal Arts Colleges (EDAHACAH), Christian Colleges with Theological Programs (EDAHAKAG)

Keywords

• Liberal arts education
• Undergraduate degree programs
• Graduate theological education
• Christian higher education
• Residential college programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Wheaton

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Fees: Revenue from undergraduate and graduate tuition, room and board, and fees for students enrolled in degree programs.
2. Donations and Charitable Giving: The Faithfully Forward campaign and annual giving through The Wheaton Fund support financial aid, spiritual formation, faculty development, athletics, and the arts. Endowed scholarships reduce financial barriers for over 1,000 students annually.
3. Gift Planning and Planned Gifts: Planned giving vehicles including gift annuities, bequests, charitable remainder unitrusts (CRUT), beneficiary designations, and real estate donations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Wheaton College is a private, Christ-centered liberal arts college and graduate school that delivers residential undergraduate education (90+ majors, minors, concentrations, and certificates) and graduate degree programs (28 residential and hybrid master's, doctoral, and certificate programs), along with the Conservatory of Music, the Litfin Divinity School, and leadership development through the HoneyRock Center. Programs integrate Christian faith formation with liberal arts academics, career preparation, and global study experiences.

Product overview

Wheaton College is a Christian liberal arts college offering a comprehensive portfolio of educational products and services. The core offering consists of undergraduate programs (90+ majors, minors, and certificates) and graduate programs (28 residential and hybrid degree/certificate programs) across multiple schools including the Litfin Divinity School and School of Psychology, Counseling, and Family Therapy. The institution also operates the Conservatory of Music (ranked 40th nationally by Niche), HoneyRock Center for Leadership Development, and various pre-college programs. Student support services include Wheaton Passage orientation, the Center for Vocation and Career, and extensive global programs. The Faithfully Forward Campaign represents the institution's major fundraising initiative supporting scholarships and campus development.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• HoneyRock: Wheaton College's center for leadership development offering outdoor programs, summer camps, and the Vanguard gap year program.
• Litfin Divinity School
• Thunder Athletics
• Faithfully Forward

Products and services

• Undergraduate Programs Over 90 undergraduate majors, minors, concentrations, and certificates offering liberal arts education with a Christ-centered approach. Includes programs in humanities, sciences, business, arts, and ministry for traditional high school graduates pursuing bachelor's degrees.
• Graduate School Programs Over 28 residential and hybrid graduate degree and certificate programs including master's, doctoral, and certificate programs in leadership, education, psychology, ministry, and bible/theology for working professionals and advanced learners.
• Conservatory of Music World-renowned music conservatory ranked 40th among Top 100 Best Colleges for Music by Niche (2025). Offers Bachelor of Music degrees in Performance, Composition, Music History and Literature, Pedagogy, Music Education, and Elective Studies, plus nine ensembles open to all students.
• Litfin Divinity School Divinity school within Wheaton College offering graduate programs in theology, ministry, biblical studies, and related fields, including the M.A. in Biblical and Theological Studies and doctoral programs.
• HoneyRock Center for Leadership Development Wheaton's outdoor center for leadership development in Wisconsin offering programs including Vanguard gap year program, Chase Leadership Program, Wheaton in the Northwoods, and summer camps.
• Pre-College Programs Programs for high school students including BRIDGE (college access for first-generation students from Chicago area), Vanguard Gap Year, Wheaton College Summer Institute, Athletics Camps, and Music Camps.
• Global Programs and Studies Study abroad and international programs including Wheaton in China, Latin America, England, Germany, Holy Lands, Mexico, Spain, Arts in London, Washington, Tel Shimron Excavation, and Semester in Jerusalem.
• Accelerated M.A. Programs Combined undergraduate/graduate programs allowing students to earn a master's degree in an accelerated format. Includes Biblical Exegesis, Evangelism and Leadership, Higher Education and Student Development, and related fields.
• Master's in Nonprofit Leadership New graduate degree program in nonprofit leadership announced in January 2026 to expand the college's graduate academic offerings.

Quantifiable outcome

• 98.5% of Class of 2024 graduates employed or in graduate school
• +4 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• English Language Institute China (ELIC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGraduate ELIC TEFL Certificate program offered in partnership with English Language Institute China, providing TESOL training and international teaching opportunities.
• Tel Shimron ExcavationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerArchaeological partnership for Tel Shimron Excavations in Israel, offering students hands-on field experience in biblical archaeology.
• Wade Center (Marion E. Wade Center)coreOthersAcademic center dedicated to the study of C.S. Lewis and fellow Inkling J.R.R. Tolkien, housing extensive collections and hosting scholarly conferences.
• Billy Graham CentercoreOthersResearch institute focused on evangelism, missions, and church history, named for evangelist Billy Graham, supporting church evangelism institute and research initiatives.
• Humanitarian Disaster InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic center providing education and research in disaster leadership, offering Graduate Certificate in Humanitarian Leadership and M.A. in Humanitarian and Disaster Leadership.
• HoneyRock Center for Leadership DevelopmentcoreOthersWheaton's outdoor center for leadership development in Wisconsin, hosting undergraduate programs including Chase Leadership Program and Vanguard gap year, plus summer camps.

Scale indicators16 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Bethel University: Evangelical Christian university in St. Paul, MN offering residential undergraduate, graduate, and seminary programs. Direct peer competing for similar faith-affiliated students in the upper Midwest.
• Hope College: Reformed Church-affiliated residential liberal arts college in Holland, MI. Direct peer with comparable size, denominational heritage, strong pre-professional programs, and NCAA Division III athletics.
• Biola University: Evangelical Christian university in La Mirada, CA with similar integration of faith and learning. Competes with Wheaton for Christian undergraduate students, particularly on the West Coast, with overlapping graduate and seminary programs.
• Taylor University: Interdenominational evangelical Christian liberal arts college in Upland, IN. Directly competes with Wheaton for faith-seeking undergraduates with similar academic programs, faith integration, and residential campus model.
• Calvin University: Christian Reformed liberal arts university in Grand Rapids, MI of comparable size to Wheaton. Directly competes for evangelical/Christian college-bound students with similar residential undergraduate and graduate program portfolios.
• Gordon College: Evangelical Christian liberal arts college in Wenham, MA. Direct peer competing in the same faith-based residential liberal arts segment, with similar size and programmatic offerings in the Northeast.
• Messiah University: Christian liberal arts university in Mechanicsburg, PA affiliated with the Brethren in Christ tradition. Comparable residential faith-based model with overlapping undergraduate majors and graduate programs.
• Westmont College: Christian liberal arts college in Santa Barbara, CA with similar residential model, faith integration, and academic profile. Direct competitor for evangelical undergraduates on the West Coast.
• George Fox University: Christian university in Newberg, OR (Quaker heritage) with comparable undergraduate, graduate, and seminary programs. Direct competitor in the evangelical higher-education segment on the West Coast.

Broad incumbents

• Northwestern University: Major research university located in nearby Evanston, IL. While not faith-affiliated, it competes with Wheaton for high-achieving Chicago-area students and faculty, and offers broader graduate/professional programs that overlap with Wheaton's offerings.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/WheatonCollege
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCXy57QmloBl4eqUnJXhQwwA
• Facebookfacebook.com/54942390562
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wheaton-college-18328
• Instagraminstagram.com/wheatoncollegeil

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Subsidiaries4 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 Wheaton College