What ECPI University does

ECPI University is a private, for-profit career-focused university headquartered in Virginia Beach, Virginia, founded in 1966 by Alfred Dreyfus as the Electronic Computer Programming Institute. The institution operates 16 physical campuses across Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, and Texas, supplemented by a comprehensive online campus. It serves primarily working adults, career changers, and military-affiliated students through accelerated year-round programs, with bachelor's degrees completable in 2.5 years and associate degrees in 1.5 years via classes starting every eight weeks.

The university delivers instruction across six colleges: Technology (cybersecurity, software development, cloud computing, data analytics, engineering technology, electronics, mechatronics, mechanical engineering technology), Nursing (PN, ADN, BSN, ABSN, MSN tracks including Family Nurse Practitioner), Health Science (medical assisting, dental assisting, diagnostic medical sonography, physical therapist assistant, radiography, surgical technology, healthcare administration, and a launching Master of Physician Assistant), Business (accounting, business analytics, MBA and specialized master's programs), Criminal Justice (digital forensics, homeland security, crime and intelligence analysis), and Culinary Arts (culinary arts, baking and pastry arts, food service management, culinary nutrition). Curriculum is industry-aligned with input from employer advisory boards and integrates 80+ nationally recognized certifications (CompTIA, Cisco CCNA, AWS/Azure fundamentals). Hands-on learning is delivered through cyber and networking labs, electronics and mechatronics labs with PLCs, nursing simulation labs, and CAD/design labs.

Revenue is generated through tuition and fees, supported by federal financial aid (grants, scholarships, work-study, student loans), VA and military education benefits, and an employer partnership program that provides corporate tuition assistance. The institution holds SACSCOC institutional accreditation to award associate, baccalaureate, and master's degrees, plus program-specific accreditations including ABET for engineering technology programs (2021), ACEN and CCNE for nursing, and ARC-PA Accreditation-Provisional for the new Physician Assistant program. The university has been led by Mark Dreyfus, son of the founder, as President and CEO since 1990, indicating family ownership and control without disclosed external private equity or venture capital backing.

Name

ECPI University

Legal name

ECPI University

Website

https://ecpi.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1966

Operating status

Operating

Short description

ECPI University is a private, for-profit career-focused university serving working adults and military-affiliated students through 16 campuses across the southeastern US and Texas plus online programs, offering accelerated associate, bachelor's, and master's degrees in technology, nursing, health science, business, criminal justice, and culinary arts.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education / Career-Focused Post-Secondary Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Polytechnic & Applied Sciences Universities (EDAHAEAB)

Keywords

• Higher education
• Career-focused degrees
• Nursing programs
• Technology degrees
• Accelerated degree programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Virginia Beach

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices15 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Fees: Revenue generated from tuition and fees for diploma, associate, bachelor's, and master's degree programs across technology, nursing, health science, business, criminal justice, and culinary arts disciplines
2. Financial Aid Programs: Revenue supported through grants, scholarships, work-study opportunities, and student loans administered through the university's financial aid office
3. Military and Veteran Education Benefits: Revenue from VA and military education benefits for service members, veterans, and their families
4. Employer Partnership Program: Corporate tuition assistance and employer-sponsored education programs for employees

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

ECPI University is a private career-education institution that delivers diploma, associate, bachelor's, and master's degree programs across six colleges (Technology, Nursing, Health Science, Business, Criminal Justice, and Culinary Arts) through 16 physical campuses in the Southeastern US and Texas plus an online campus. Programs follow a year-round accelerated format that compresses bachelor's degrees to 2.5 years and associate degrees to 1.5 years, embedding 80+ industry certifications and hands-on labs taught by working professionals.

Product overview

ECPI University is an educational institution offering a comprehensive portfolio of career-focused degree programs across multiple colleges. The university operates a platform-plus-programs model with on-campus and online delivery options. The core offerings include Technology Programs (Cybersecurity, Software Development, Cloud Computing, Data Analytics, Engineering Technology, Electronics, Mechatronics, Mechanical Engineering Technology), Nursing Programs (Practical Nursing, ADN, BSN, ABSN, MSN programs for Family Nurse Practitioner and Nursing Education), Health Science Programs (Medical Assisting, Dental Assistant, Diagnostic Medical Sonography, Physical Therapist Assistant, Radiography, Surgical Technology, Healthcare Administration, and the new Master of Physician Assistant), Business Programs (Accounting, Business Analytics, Business Management, MBA, and specialized master's programs), Criminal Justice Programs (Crime and Intelligence Analysis, Digital Forensics, Homeland Security), and Culinary Arts Programs (Culinary Arts, Baking and Pastry Arts, Food Service Management, Culinary Nutrition). The university emphasizes accelerated pathways allowing students to earn bachelor's degrees in 2.5 years and associate degrees in 1.5 years through year-round instruction.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Technology Programs Technology degree programs covering Cybersecurity, Software Development, Cloud Computing, Data Analytics, UX and Web Development, Engineering Technology, Electronics, Mechatronics, and Mechanical Engineering Technology offered at associate, bachelor's, and master's levels, designed to prepare students for high-demand technical careers with embedded industry certifications.
• Nursing Programs Nursing education programs including Practical Nursing (PN), Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN), Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), RN to BSN bridge programs, Accelerated BSN (ABSN), Family Nurse Practitioner (MSN), and Nursing Education (MSN). Programs are ACEN and CCNE accredited and combine classroom instruction with simulation and clinical training.
• Health Science Programs Health science programs including Healthcare Administration, Medical Assisting, Dental Assistant, Paramedic (EMS), Diagnostic Medical Sonography, Physical Therapist Assistant, Radiography, Surgical Technology, and Master of Physician Assistant, designed to address healthcare workforce shortages with hands-on clinical training.
• Business Programs Business degree programs including Accounting, Business Analytics, Business Management, Hospitality Management, Operations/Logistics/Supply Chain Management, Human Resources Management, Leadership, Project Management, MBA, Master of Human Resources Management, and Master of Organizational Leadership, offered at associate, bachelor's, and master's levels.
• Criminal Justice Programs Criminal justice bachelor's degree programs including Crime and Intelligence Analysis, Criminal Justice, Digital Forensics, and Homeland Security, designed for careers in law enforcement, intelligence, and security.
• Culinary Arts Programs Culinary arts education including Culinary Arts, Baking and Pastry Arts, Food Service Management, and Culinary Nutrition offered at associate and bachelor's degree levels through the College of Culinary Arts.
• Master of Science in Physician Assistant Graduate-level physician assistant program providing accelerated, hands-on clinical training to address regional healthcare worker shortages, launching at the Virginia Beach campus in August 2026 under ARC-PA Accreditation-Provisional status.

Quantifiable outcome

• Bachelor's degrees in 2.5 years / Associate degrees in 1.5 years
• +2 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and strategic.

• Industry Employers (General)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCurriculum developed with input from industry employers to ensure programs reflect current workforce needs. Students benefit from industry-aligned training and employer engagement opportunities through career services.
• Military and Veteran OrganizationscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVA and military benefits coordination with dedicated military admissions support. Recognized as Best for Vets institution demonstrating specialized services for military-affiliated students.
• Employer Partnership ProgramstrategicChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCorporate tuition assistance and employer-sponsored education programs enabling employees to pursue degrees while working, with benefits coordination and career services support.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves14 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• DeVry University: For-profit career-focused university offering associate, bachelor's, and master's programs in technology, business, and healthcare. Most directly comparable to ECPI in business model, target demographic (working adults), and accelerated/online delivery mix.
• University of Phoenix: Large for-profit university with a similar working-adult, online-first delivery model and programs in technology, nursing, business, and criminal justice. Closest large-scale analog to ECPI in proprietary status and accelerated degree pathways.
• Strayer University: For-profit university serving working adults with programs in business, IT, healthcare, and criminal justice. Comparable to ECPI in target demographic, accelerated format, and online/regional campus delivery.
• Colorado Technical University: For-profit university with a strong emphasis on technology, engineering technology, and business programs. Directly comparable to ECPI's technology/engineering technology focus and for-profit, career-oriented positioning.
• South University: For-profit institution offering programs in nursing, health sciences, business, and criminal justice with a similar Southeast regional footprint and accelerated format. Closely aligned with ECPI's healthcare and business program mix.
• Herzing University: For-profit career-focused university with strong nursing, health science, and technology programs. Comparable to ECPI in healthcare-led program mix, accelerated degree pathways, and multi-state campus footprint.
• Grand Canyon University: Large for-profit university offering programs in nursing, healthcare, business, and technology with a significant online component. Comparable to ECPI in proprietary status, healthcare-heavy portfolio, and adult-learner focus.
• National University: For-profit university with accelerated year-round scheduling and programs across technology, healthcare, business, and education. Direct comparable to ECPI's continuous-enrollment, working-adult positioning.

Broad incumbents

• Western Governors University: Large nonprofit online university with competency-based degree programs in IT, nursing, business, and education. Comparable to ECPI's online delivery and working-adult focus, but operates as a scaled nonprofit with broader geographic reach.
• Purdue University Global: Online-focused university serving adult learners with programs in technology, nursing, business, and criminal justice. Directly comparable to ECPI's online campus and accelerated, career-aligned program offerings, but operates within a larger public university system.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ECPIUniversity
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/ECPI
• Facebookfacebook.com/ECPIuniversity
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/24407
• Instagraminstagram.com/ecpiuniversity
• TikToktiktok.com/@ecpiuniversity

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 ECPI University