Lakeland University

What Lakeland University does

Lakeland University is a private liberal arts institution founded in 1862 and headquartered in Plymouth, Wisconsin. It serves more than 2,500 students across 24 countries through a multi-format educational portfolio that includes traditional residential undergraduate programs on the Plymouth main campus, flexible evening and online programs for adult learners, five graduate degree programs, and over 30 undergraduate majors. Its core differentiator is an award-winning Cooperative Education program that allows students to earn a full year of academic credit for paid, career-aligned work experience — a structure the institution describes as unique in the Midwest — alongside 95.4% graduate employment within six months and a U.S. News & World Report ranking for social mobility.

The institution operates an unusually distributed physical footprint: a main residential campus in Plymouth, six regional Wisconsin centers co-located with technical college partners (Waukesha County, Fox Valley, Mid-State, Blackhawk, and Northeast Wisconsin Technical Colleges, plus Madison), and an international campus in Tokyo, Japan, making it one of only two American universities with a Japan campus. Delivery formats span Onsite, Online, Online Live, and BlendEd Live modalities. Underlying technology consists of third-party SaaS rather than proprietary systems: Blackboard for learning management, Jenzabar for student information and ERP, Microsoft Office 365 for email and productivity, and Handshake for career services and employer matching; the my.Lakeland portal ties these together for students, faculty, and alumni.

Revenue is generated primarily through tuition and fees from four streams: traditional undergraduate tuition, adult evening/online tuition (with discounts for technical college transfers), room and board averaging $10,163 annually, and the Tokyo campus. Go-to-market is sales-led via admissions counselors and direct recruitment, supplemented by referral pipelines from co-located technical college partnerships and digital channels (lakeland.edu, personalized experience tool). The institution holds Higher Learning Commission regional accreditation, is led by President Beth Borgen, D.B.A., and operates as a private, non-listed entity with no disclosed parent company, ownership, or funding rounds.

Name

Lakeland University

Legal name

Lakeland University

Website

https://lakeland.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1862

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Lakeland University is a private liberal arts institution founded in 1862 in Plymouth, Wisconsin, serving 2,500+ students through residential, evening/online, graduate, and Tokyo (Japan) campus programs, distinguished by an award-winning Cooperative Education program offering a full year of academic credit for paid work experience.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Faith-Affiliated Private Research Universities (EDAHABAJ)

Keywords

• Liberal arts education
• Undergraduate degree programs
• Online degree programs
• Cooperative education
• Graduate degree programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Plymouth

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Traditional Undergraduate Tuition: Tuition revenue from full-time residential students attending the main campus in Plymouth, Wisconsin. Students pay tuition for academic programs while living on campus and participating in cooperative education work experiences.
2. Evening and Online Adult Education: Revenue from adult learners pursuing undergraduate and graduate degrees through flexible evening, online, and hybrid formats at six Wisconsin centers. Pricing includes discounted tuition for partnerships with technical colleges.
3. Room and Board: Annual average cost of $10,163 for room and board, providing residential facilities for traditional undergraduate students on the Plymouth campus.
4. International Campus (Tokyo, Japan): Tuition and fees from students attending Lakeland University's international campus in Tokyo, Japan - one of only two American universities with a campus in Japan.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Lakeland University is a private liberal arts institution that grants bachelor's and master's degrees through a residential main campus in Plymouth, Wisconsin; six regional centers across Wisconsin; an international campus in Tokyo, Japan; and fully online programs. Its signature Cooperative Education program awards students a full year of academic credit for paid, career-aligned work experience — the only program of its kind in the Midwest.

Product overview

Lakeland University is a traditional liberal arts university offering a multi-format educational portfolio. The core offerings include: the award-winning Cooperative Education (Co-Op) Program (the only Midwest school offering a full year of academic credit for work experience), traditional undergraduate residential programs at the Plymouth campus, flexible evening/online adult learning with four delivery formats (onsite, online, online live, BlendEd Live), and 100% online programs. The university operates six regional Wisconsin centers and an international campus in Tokyo, Japan (one of only two U.S. universities with a Japanese campus). Graduate programs include five advanced degrees. Supporting services encompass 24/7 campus safety, wellness/health counseling, Title IX services, and disability accommodations. The institution serves 2,500+ students across 24 countries with 30+ majors and five graduate degrees.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Cooperative Education Program Award-winning experiential learning program that awards a full year of academic credit for paid, career-aligned work experience, available to students at the main campus and adult learning centers.
• Traditional Undergraduate Program Residential four-year liberal arts degree program on the Plymouth, Wisconsin campus, including NCAA Division III athletics, on-campus housing, and the Cooperative Education work-credit option.
• Evening and Online Adult Learning Flexible undergraduate and graduate degree-completion options delivered through four modalities (onsite, online, online live, BlendEd Live) for adult learners juggling careers and families.
• 100% Online Programs Fully online undergraduate and graduate degree programs accessible from anywhere in the world for students who prefer remote learning without campus visits.
• Graduate Programs Five master's degree programs for working professionals seeking advanced education, career advancement, or specialization.
• Tokyo, Japan Campus International campus in Tokyo offering bachelor's and associate degree programs for students seeking a U.S.-accredited education in Japan.
• Study Abroad Global education opportunities through study abroad programs and partnerships, including the Tokyo campus, for life-changing international learning experiences.

Quantifiable outcome

• 95.4% of graduates employed within 6 months of graduation
• +3 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

Integration4 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Waukesha County Technical CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-location partnership offering Lakeland evening and online courses at WCTC facilities. Provides pathway for technical college students to transfer credits toward bachelor's and graduate degrees.
• Fox Valley Technical CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-location partnership in Fox Cities region. Allows students to complete Lakeland degrees at FVTC facilities with transfer credit acceptance.
• Mid-State Technical CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership offering Lakeland degree programs at Mid-State Technical College locations. Features discounted tuition and maximum transfer credit acceptance.
• Blackhawk Technical CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-location partnership providing Lakeland undergraduate and graduate programs at Blackhawk Technical College facilities with transfer pathways.
• Northeast Wisconsin Technical CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Green Bay location offering Lakeland degree completion programs at NWTC campus. Includes discounted tuition for transfer students.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Northland College: Small private liberal arts college in Ashland, Wisconsin with similar enrollment and liberal arts mission, competing for traditional undergraduates and facing similar Wisconsin demographic headwinds.
• Lawrence University: Private liberal arts college and conservatory of music in Appleton, Wisconsin with similar enrollment scale and a comparable liberal arts residential model in the Wisconsin market.
• Concordia University Wisconsin: Private faith-affiliated (LCMS) university in Mequon, Wisconsin with comparable enrollment scale, multiple delivery formats including online, and a similar mix of traditional and adult learners.
• Marian University: Private Catholic liberal arts university in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin with similar enrollment scale and mission, competing for the same Wisconsin traditional undergraduate and adult learner segments.
• Ripon College: Small private liberal arts college in Ripon, Wisconsin with similar enrollment scale, comparable traditional undergraduate residential model, and overlapping target student demographics.
• Alverno College: Private Catholic liberal arts college in Milwaukee, Wisconsin with comparable scale and a strong tradition of adult and continuing education, overlapping with Lakeland's evening/online adult learner segment.
• Upper Iowa University: Private university in Fayette, Iowa with a comparable multi-format delivery model including online and multiple centers, competing for adult learners in the Upper Midwest regional market.
• Edgewood College: Private Dominican liberal arts college in Madison, Wisconsin offering undergraduate and graduate programs, comparable in size and competing for adult learners and transfers in the Wisconsin market.
• Carroll University: Private liberal arts university in Waukesha, Wisconsin offering undergraduate and graduate programs with similar size and Wisconsin regional footprint, competing for the same pool of traditional and adult learners.
• Beloit College: Private liberal arts college in Beloit, Wisconsin with comparable enrollment and a similar undergraduate-focused liberal arts mission, competing for the same Wisconsin high school graduate pool.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/lakelandwi

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 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 Lakeland University