What Ave Maria University does

Ave Maria University is a private Catholic university founded in 2003 by Tom Golisano (founder of Domino's Pizza), operating primarily from a single residential campus in Ave Maria, Florida, with a new international instructional site announced for Mount Melleray Abbey in County Waterford, Ireland, beginning Fall 2026. The institution delivers a Catholic liberal arts education through 70+ areas of study, comprising undergraduate programs (33+ majors and 31+ minors), graduate master's degrees in theology, philosophy, business, education, and writing, and a Ph.D. in theology, supported by a 12:1 student-to-faculty ratio and a faculty where over 90% hold terminal degrees and 94% are practicing Catholics. Supporting offerings include the Thomas S. Monaghan Founder's Scholarship Program, the newly established Honors College (January 2026), the Ireland Study Abroad Program, the "Gyrenes" 25-team intercollegiate athletics program, and student formation infrastructure such as the Mary, Mother of the Eucharist Chapel capital campaign.

The university's underlying technology stack is standard for higher education: Canvas LMS for course delivery, Microsoft Azure Active Directory for single sign-on, Microsoft Clarity and Google Analytics for web analytics, and a student Self-Service Portal plus an online application and donation portal (Virtuous/RaiseDonors and FundraiseUp processors). The institution does not operate a public API or developer platform. Revenue is generated through three primary streams: tuition and fees across degree levels, $37M in 2025 charitable giving (which is donor contributions, not operating revenue), and auxiliary services (campus store, dining). Distribution is executed through traditional admissions (a 5-minute no-fee application), campus visit programs including the Ave Maria Experience and Presidential Scholarship Weekend, a multi-channel digital marketing presence (HubSpot-driven), and a major-gifts advancement operation run through the Office of Advancement and its regional engagement officers. Certifications include SACSCOC regional accreditation (reaffirmed 10 years in December 2025), NC-SARA, FERPA, CCPA, Title IX, PCI-DSS, and Vercel's ISO 27001/SOC 2 hosting compliance.

Name

Ave Maria University

Legal name

Ave Maria University

Website

https://avemaria.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Ave Maria University is a private Catholic liberal arts university in Ave Maria, Florida, founded in 2003, serving undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral students through 70+ programs with a 12:1 student-to-faculty ratio and an expanding Ireland study-abroad campus.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Catholic Higher Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113)

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

• Catholic higher education
• Liberal arts curriculum
• Graduate theological degrees
• Study abroad programs
• Distance learning programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Immokalee

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 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, including various degree programs from bachelor's to Ph.D. levels. Financial aid and scholarships are provided to support student enrollment.
2. Donations and Charitable Giving: Annual charitable giving program generating $37M in contributions. Includes donor societies (Annunciation Circle monthly giving, Fiat Society, Legacy Society planned giving), scholarship donations, chapel campaign contributions, and programmatic giving to athletics, academics, and campus ministry. Features named endowed chairs and graduate fellowships.
3. Auxiliary Services: Campus store sales, dining services, and other student life services contributing to university revenue.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Ave Maria University is a private Catholic university that delivers undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral liberal arts education grounded in the Catholic intellectual tradition. It offers 70+ areas of study including more than 33 undergraduate majors, 31 minors, master's degrees across theology, philosophy, business, education, and writing, and a Ph.D. in Theology, supplemented by online options, the Honors College, and a semester-long study abroad program at Mount Melleray Abbey in Ireland.

Product overview

Ave Maria University offers a comprehensive Catholic liberal arts education through multiple integrated programs. The core academic portfolio includes undergraduate programs (33+ majors, 31+ minors), graduate programs (master's degrees in theology, philosophy, business, education, and writing), and a Ph.D. in Theology. Supporting programs include the Thomas S. Monaghan Founder's Scholarship Program (a four-year formation scholarship), the Ireland Study Abroad Program at Mount Melleray Abbey, and the Honors College. The university operates digital platforms including Canvas LMS, a Student Self-Service Portal, an Application Portal, and an Online Giving Platform. Additional offerings include The Wisdom Papers publication, The Catholic Guide to Sustainable Living podcast, the annual Chesterton Conference, and the Mary, Mother of the Eucharist Chapel capital campaign.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Undergraduate Programs Liberal arts undergraduate degree programs offering more than 33 majors and 31 minors, grounded in Catholic tradition and focused on whole-person formation. Designed for high school graduates seeking a faith-centered residential college experience.
• Graduate Programs Master's degree programs in theology, philosophy, business, education, and writing with online delivery options for working professionals seeking advanced study.
• Ph.D. in Theology Doctoral program providing rigorous formation for scholars and teachers of the Catholic theological tradition.
• Ireland Study Abroad Program Semester-long study abroad experience at Mount Melleray Abbey in County Waterford, Ireland, offering integrated academics, spiritual formation, and cultural immersion within a Cistercian monastery setting.
• Honors College Distinguished academic college strengthening the university's Catholic mission and commitment to academic excellence, led by Dean Dr. Michael Breidenbach.
• Thomas S. Monaghan Founder's Scholarship Program Four-year transformative scholarship program providing mentorship, formation, and Catholic leadership development within the liberal arts tradition.

Quantifiable outcome

• 98% of students received financial aid last year
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration10 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.

• Mount Melleray AbbeyflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 March 2026Partnership with Mount Melleray Abbey, a historic Cistercian monastery in County Waterford, Ireland, to establish an educational campus on the abbey site. The campus will offer a semester-long study abroad program beginning Fall 2026, providing students with an integrated academic experience combining rigorous academics, intentional spiritual formation, and immersive cultural experiences within the monastic setting.
• Daughters of Mary of NazarethcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerReligious order maintaining an on-campus community at Ave Maria University. Founded by Mother Olga of the Sacred Heart, who was born in Iraq and came to the United States in 2001. The order provides spiritual formation and serves the campus community.
• Carmel CommunicationscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPublic relations agency of record handling media inquiries and facilitating communication with media outlets. Contact: Kevin Wandra at 404-788-1276 or [email protected]

Scale indicators15 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Franciscan University of Steubenville: Faith-affiliated Catholic liberal arts university with strong Newman Guide standing, graduate theology programs, and a similar small-campus, authentically-Catholic value proposition targeting faithful Catholic families.
• Thomas Aquinas College: Small, Newman Guide-recommended Catholic liberal arts college with a Great Books curriculum and a focus on faithful Catholic formation — directly comparable in size, mission, and target market to Ave Maria.
• Christendom College: Newman Guide-recommended Catholic liberal arts college with a similar small, residential, faith-immersed model targeting faithful Catholic students and families.
• Benedictine College: Catholic liberal arts college in the Newman Guide with comparable program mix, residential campus culture, and faith-centered identity, often cited alongside Ave Maria in Catholic higher-education rankings.
• Wyoming Catholic College: Small, Newman Guide-listed Catholic liberal arts college with a similar faith-and-reason mission, tight faculty ratios, and a small enrollment of faithful Catholic undergraduates.
• Mount St. Mary's University: Catholic liberal arts university with comparable undergraduate majors, graduate programs, and Catholic identity, though larger and more established — relevant comparable for Ave Maria's trajectory.
• University of Dallas: Catholic university with a strong liberal arts core, graduate programs including theology, and SACSCOC accreditation, comparable to Ave Maria in academic positioning and Catholic identity.
• Belmont Abbey College: Small Catholic liberal arts college in the Newman Guide with a similar Catholic intellectual tradition and residential formation model targeting faithful Catholic students.
• Holy Cross College: Catholic liberal arts college affiliated with the Congregation of Holy Cross with comparable undergraduate programs, Catholic mission, and small-campus residential culture.

Emerging players

• John Paul the Great Catholic University: Small, fast-growing Catholic university with a Newman Guide-recognized mission and creative-arts focus, overlapping Ave Maria in faith-based formation and student-segment targeting.

Market position

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/avemariauniv
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/AveMariaUniversityFL
• Facebookfacebook.com/103452173054092
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ave-maria-university
• Instagraminstagram.com/avemariauniv

Compliance8 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 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 Ave Maria University