Asbury University

What Asbury University does

Asbury University is a private, independent, nondenominational evangelical Christian liberal arts university founded in 1890 and located in Wilmore, Kentucky, approximately 20 minutes southwest of Lexington. The institution serves about 2,045 students from 44 states and 39 countries through four principal academic lines: traditional on-campus undergraduate programs (97+ majors), online bachelor's degree programs delivered in 8-week class formats, 13 graduate degree programs (MBA, MA, MFA, Ed.D.), and the Asbury Academy dual-enrollment track for high school students. Auxiliary programming includes NCAA Division III and NCCAA athletics and signature faith-formation experiences such as Set Apart Retreats, weekly chapel (livestreamed), and the university's widely reported February 2023 "Outpouring" revival.

The revenue model is primarily tuition-driven with tiered per-credit-hour pricing across modalities — roughly $46,740 annual for residential undergraduates, $399/credit hour for online undergraduates, and $475-$675/credit hour for graduate programs — supplemented by merit scholarships, transfer scholarships, and state workforce development grants (e.g., the 2025 Kentucky HWIF nursing grant). Distribution spans on-campus residential admissions, online self-serve admissions, graduate direct admissions, and a dedicated international admissions process. Digital infrastructure comprises a virtual tour platform, online LMS, chapel livestream, library services, and content channels including The College Tour episode and the "This is Asbury" podcast. The university reports 86.1% freshman retention (vs ~69.5% national average), 12:1 student-faculty ratio, and 97-99% graduate placement within six months, alongside a 22,000+ alumni network across all 50 states and 22 countries.

Name

Asbury University

Legal name

Asbury University

Website

https://asbury.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1890

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Asbury University is a private, evangelical Christian liberal arts university founded in 1890 in Wilmore, Kentucky, serving about 2,045 traditional, online, and graduate students through faith-integrated academic programs and NCAA athletics.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education

NAICS

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

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Secular/Nonsectarian Liberal Arts Colleges (EDAHACAG)

Keywords

• Higher education
• Liberal arts university
• Online degree programs
• Graduate education
• Dual enrollment programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Wilmore

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Undergraduate Tuition and Fees: Traditional on-campus undergraduate programs charging approximately $46,740 per year including tuition, housing, and food. Merit scholarships ranging from $9,000 to $15,000 based on GPA are awarded to offset costs.
2. Online Undergraduate Programs: Online bachelor's degree programs charged at $399 per credit hour plus $50 per semester technology fee. Classes are 8 weeks in length with multiple enrollment periods.
3. Graduate Education Programs: Graduate programs charging differentiated tuition: Education MA at $475/credit hour, Communications MA/MFA at $595/credit hour, Education Doctorate at $675/credit hour. Additional fees apply for specific programs.
4. Workforce Development Grants: The university receives workforce development grants from state agencies (Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education) for nursing and healthcare education programs, with matching funds from healthcare partners.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Asbury University is a private Christian liberal arts university offering traditional on-campus undergraduate programs (97+ majors), online bachelor's degree programs, graduate degrees (MBA, MA, MFA, Ed.D.), and dual-enrollment courses for high school students. The institution delivers Christ-centered education rooted in the Wesleyan-Holiness tradition, combining academic rigor with spiritual formation across residential, online, and graduate modalities.

Product overview

Asbury University is a Christian liberal arts university offering a comprehensive educational portfolio consisting of traditional on-campus undergraduate programs (97+ majors), online bachelor's degree programs (6-7 programs with 8-week class formats), graduate programs (13 degree programs including MBA, MFA, MA, Ed.D.), dual enrollment through Asbury Academy, and the +Grad accelerated graduate pathway. The institution also supports athletic programs through TeamAU with NCAA Division III and NCCAA competition. Programs span disciplines including arts, business, sciences, education, Christian studies, communication, and social work, with distinctive offerings such as the all-expenses-paid Set Apart Retreat for undergraduate spiritual formation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Traditional Undergraduate Programs Residential on-campus undergraduate degree programs offering 97+ majors across arts, business, sciences, education, Christian studies, communication, and social work, targeting college-age students seeking a Christ-centered liberal arts education with spiritual formation. Annual cost approximately $46,740 including tuition, housing, and food.
• Online Bachelor's Degree Programs Flexible online undergraduate degree programs with 8-week class formats covering Elementary Education, Leadership & Ministry, Learning & Behavior Disorders, Multimedia Design, Social Work, and Associate of Science. Priced at $399 per credit hour plus a $50 per semester technology fee. Targeted at working adults and adult learners.
• Graduate Programs Graduate degree programs including MBA (Management, Nonprofit Management, Sport Management), Master of Science in Accounting, M.A. in Communication, Digital Storytelling, Education, Film/TV Production MFA, Screenwriting MFA, Ministry Innovation, Teaching (MAT), Education Specialist, and Ed.D. in Educational Leadership. Differentiated tuition: Education MA at $475/credit hour, Communications MA/MFA at $595/credit hour, Education Doctorate at $675/credit hour.
• Asbury Academy (Dual Enrollment) Dual enrollment program enabling high school students to earn college credit, including the GIVE, SAVE, SPEND financial literacy course that fulfills Kentucky high school requirements at no cost. Designed to reduce future college costs and provide academic acceleration.
• +Grad Program Accelerated graduate pathway allowing current Asbury undergraduates to complete up to 9 graduate credit hours during their bachelor's program, enabling completion of a master's degree in as few as 12 additional months after undergraduate completion.

Quantifiable outcome

• 97-99% of graduates employed or in graduate school within 6 months (vs 86% national average)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 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

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• CHI Saint Joseph HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 December 2025Healthcare workforce partnership providing nursing students with guaranteed employment at CHI Saint Joseph Health upon graduation. CHI matches the $400,000 Kentucky workforce development grant funding for nursing scholarships, creating a pipeline of qualified nurses for Kentucky healthcare facilities.
• Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education (CPE)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 December 2025State education agency providing $400,000 workforce development grant from the Healthcare Workforce Investment Fund to support nursing scholarships. Part of a $10 million state funding initiative engaging 85 public/private partnerships and supporting 1,113 students.
• NASCARminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBusiness program partnership providing sales training from NASCAR professionals. Professor Michelle Smith helped develop the partnership between Asbury's Dayton School of Business and NASCAR.
• AdobeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAlumna Eliza Tan '20 works as Partner Manager for Adobe following Olympic broadcast experiences facilitated through Asbury's media program connections.

Scale indicators15 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Liberty University: Large, prominent private evangelical Christian university with extensive online and graduate programs that competes with Asbury in faith-based higher education, particularly in online and graduate markets, but operates at much greater scale.
• Samford University: Alabama-based private Baptist-affiliated university offering a broader portfolio of undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs with a faith-based identity similar to Asbury's.

Direct peers

• Cedarville University: Baptist-affiliated Christian university in Ohio offering residential undergraduate and graduate programs with a biblical worldview emphasis, directly comparable in mission and student profile to Asbury.
• Anderson University: South Carolina-based private Christian university offering residential undergraduate, online, and graduate programs with a Baptist heritage and Wesleyan-Holiness tradition similar to Asbury's.
• Wheaton College: Highly selective evangelical Christian liberal arts college in Illinois with a similar residential, Christ-centered educational model and strong outcomes-driven reputation.
• Union University: Private Southern Baptist-affiliated university in Tennessee offering residential undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs with a Christian liberal arts focus comparable to Asbury's portfolio.
• Taylor University: Private, interdenominational evangelical Christian liberal arts university in Indiana with similar residential undergraduate model, faith-based identity, and emphasis on spiritual formation alongside academic rigor.
• Georgetown College: Kentucky-based private Christian liberal arts college with a similar faith-based identity, residential model, and competitive positioning in the same regional market as Asbury.
• Southern Nazarene University: Oklahoma-based private Christian university affiliated with the Church of the Nazarene, offering similar undergraduate, graduate, and online programs with a Wesleyan-Holiness theological tradition.

Emerging players

• Western Governors University: Large-scale nonprofit online university offering competency-based undergraduate and graduate degrees at significantly lower tuition; competes directly with Asbury's online undergraduate and graduate programs on price and flexibility.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/AsburyUniversity
• Facebookfacebook.com/AsburyUniversity
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/20985
• Instagraminstagram.com/asburyuniversity/?hl=en
• Xx.com/AsburyUniv

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 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 Asbury University