South College
South College is a private higher education institution founded in 1882 and headquartered in Knoxville, Tennessee, operating 10 campuses across 7 states plus Online and Competency-Based Education modalities, serving 20,000+ students with 150+ programs concentrated in nursing, healthcare, business, and computer science.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1882
- HeadquartersKnoxville, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What South College does
South College is a private, career-focused higher education institution founded in 1882 and headquartered in Knoxville, Tennessee. It operates 10 physical campuses across seven states (Tennessee, North Carolina, Georgia, Indiana, Pennsylvania, Florida, Texas) and enrolls more than 20,000 students in 150+ programs spanning certificate through doctoral levels. The portfolio is concentrated in healthcare (nursing, physical therapy, dental hygiene, pharmacy, physician assistant, imaging sciences, respiratory therapy, surgical technology), with secondary programs in business, computer science, education, legal studies, and ministry. Key accreditations include SACSCOC at the institutional level plus CCNE, ACEN, and COA programmatic accreditations, with state-by-state Board of Nursing approvals enabling cross-state program delivery.
The institution distributes its education through three delivery modalities: on-ground instruction at physical campuses, a fully Online program of 90+ degree offerings delivered asynchronously through the Canvas LMS, and a Competency-Based Education (CBE) platform that provides self-paced Master's, Doctoral, and Post-Doctoral Certificates in business, education, IT, and ministry. Curriculum is fronted by Canvas LMS and Microsoft Office Pro Plus, and students use Microsoft Azure AD SSO for webmail. Recent product activity includes new Board of Nursing approvals across multiple states, a rebrand of the DNP Nurse Anesthesia Program to Doctor of Nurse Anesthesia Practice (DNAP) in January 2026, and the launch of new programs including Adult-Gerontology Acute Care NP Post-Graduate Certificate and MSN with concentrations in Psychiatric-Mental Health NP and Nursing Informatics.
Revenue is generated primarily through tiered credit-hour tuition billed quarterly, with bracketed pricing at 1-5, 6-9, and 10-20 credits per quarter, supplemented by federal and state financial aid, scholarships, and military benefits (Yellow Ribbon participation since 2011). Go-to-market is direct-to-consumer across multiple channels: digital inquiry forms, organic social (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn), a podcast ('LIVE From South College'), SEO-driven website content, and campus tours and admissions consultations at each location. Student segments center on healthcare career seekers, traditional and non-traditional learners (including working adults and veterans), and professional development candidates. Operating headcount is in the 101-250 range — notably lean given the 20,000+ enrollment — implying heavy reliance on online and CBE delivery for incremental scale.
South College firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- South College
- Legal name
- South College
- Website
- https://south.edu
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1882
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- South College is a private higher education institution founded in 1882 and headquartered in Knoxville, Tennessee, operating 10 campuses across 7 states plus Online and Competency-Based Education modalities, serving 20,000+ students with 150+ programs concentrated in nursing, healthcare, business, and computer science.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
South College industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Private Higher Education
- NAICS
- Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Comprehensive Doctoral Research Universities (Multi-Disciplinary) (EDAHABAA)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Comprehensive Community Colleges (Transfer + Workforce) (EDAHADAE)
Keywords
Where South College is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Knoxville
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices10 records
Markets served
South College business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Tuition and Fees: South College generates revenue primarily through tuition and fees charged to students. Tuition rates are tiered based on the number of credits taken per quarter, with undergraduate programs charging different rates for 1-5, 6-9, and 10-20 credits per quarter. Financial aid in the form of scholarships, grants, work-study programs, and loans supplement student payments.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Quarterly | Credit-hour based tuition with tiered pricing |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
South College product offering
Product offeringCore offering
South College is a private higher education institution offering 150+ degree and certificate programs across 10 physical campuses in 7 states plus online and Competency-Based Education (CBE) modalities. Programs span certificate through doctoral levels, with a particularly strong concentration in healthcare (nursing, physical therapy, pharmacy, physician assistant, dental hygiene), alongside business, technology, education, and legal studies offerings. The institution generates revenue primarily through tuition and fees with tiered pricing based on credit hours.
Product overview
South College is a private institution offering 150+ academic programs across 10 physical campuses (Knoxville, Nashville, Asheville, Atlanta, Indianapolis, Pittsburgh, Orlando, Dallas, Marietta) plus online and competency-based education modalities. Programs span associate through doctoral levels in Healthcare (Nursing, Physical Therapy, Dental, Pharmacy, Physician Assistant, Imaging Sciences, Medical Assisting, Respiratory Therapy, Surgical Technology), Business & Technology, Education, Legal Studies, Ministry, and Psychology. The institution operates two primary learning delivery platforms: South College Online (Canvas-based asynchronous learning) and Competency-Based Education (self-paced mastery model). Key nursing programs include MSN with NP concentrations, DNP, and Post-Graduate certificates. The institution is accredited by SACSCOC with programmatic accreditation from CCNE, ACEN, and COA.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Nursing Programs
- Physical Therapy Programs
- Healthcare Programs
- Business & Technology Programs
- Computer Science & Engineering Programs
- Education Programs
- South College Online
- Competency-Based Education (CBE) Programs
- Master of Science in Nursing with Concentration in Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
- Doctor of Nursing Practice (Post-Master's) - CBE Format
- Master of Science in Nursing with Concentration in Nursing Informatics
- Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Post-Graduate Certificate
Companies that use South College
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
South College technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration3 records
Feature1 record
South College partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights7 records
South College competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- South University: Private, for-profit career-focused university offering similar health-professions (nursing, pharmacy, PT) and business programs at multiple U.S. campuses plus online. Closely comparable in mission, modality mix, and student demographic.
- ECPI University: Private career-focused institution with multiple campuses across the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic, strong in nursing, health sciences, and technology. Comparable in program mix, geographic footprint, and healthcare emphasis.
- Keiser University: Private nonprofit Florida-based university with multiple campuses and substantial online enrollment, with flagship nursing, allied health, and business programs. Directly comparable in career-focused, multi-campus, healthcare-heavy mix.
- Herzing University: Private nonprofit university with campuses across multiple states and a strong online division, focused on nursing, healthcare, technology, and business. Directly comparable in healthcare-led program mix and multi-state delivery.
- Western Governors University: Online-first competency-based institution serving working adults with nursing, business, IT, and education programs at scale. Closest peer to South College's CBE and Online modalities, competing for the same non-traditional student.
- DeVry University: Private career-focused institution with multiple U.S. campuses plus a large online division, offering business, technology, and healthcare programs. Comparable in career orientation, multi-modality delivery, and adult-learner focus.
- Strayer University: For-profit career-focused university with a large online division and multiple campus locations, serving working adults in business, technology, healthcare, and education. Comparable modality mix and student demographic.
- National University: Private nonprofit university with multiple campuses across California and a substantial online division, with strong programs in nursing, education, business, and health professions. Comparable multi-campus private model serving adult learners.
Broad incumbents
- Grand Canyon University: Large for-profit university with significant online enrollment plus a Phoenix campus, offering extensive healthcare, business, and education programs. Larger incumbent competing for the same working-adult and healthcare-learner segments.
- Purdue University Global: Online-focused arm of Purdue University offering career-oriented degree programs including nursing and IT. Competes with South College Online for adult learners but benefits from the Purdue brand.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
South College social profiles
Digital presenceSouth College compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance5 records
South College financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
South College leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
South College funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
South College M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about South College
What does South College do?
South College is a private higher education institution offering 150+ degree and certificate programs across 10 physical campuses in 7 states plus online and Competency-Based Education (CBE) modalities. Programs span certificate through doctoral levels, with a particularly strong concentration in healthcare (nursing, physical therapy, pharmacy, physician assistant, dental hygiene), alongside business, technology, education, and legal studies offerings. The institution generates revenue primarily through tuition and fees with tiered pricing based on credit hours.
Is South College a public or private company?
South College is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was South College founded?
South College was founded in 1882. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is South College based?
South College is headquartered in Knoxville, United States, in the North America region.
How does South College make money?
One revenue line is on record: tuition and Fees.
Who are South College's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are South University, ECPI University, Keiser University, Herzing University, Western Governors University, DeVry University, Strayer University and National University. Broad incumbents are Grand Canyon University and Purdue University Global.
Does South College have an API?
No public API is recorded for South College.
What industry is South College in?
South College's product category is Private Higher Education. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAHABAA, Comprehensive Doctoral Research Universities (Multi-Disciplinary), with a secondary code of EDAHADAE, Comprehensive Community Colleges (Transfer + Workforce). Its NAICS code is 6113 and its SIC code is 8200.