Union University

What Union University does

Union University is a private, nonprofit Christian university founded in 1823 and headquartered in Jackson, Tennessee. It is affiliated with the Tennessee Baptist Convention and operates as an independent institution governed by its own board of trustees. The university offers more than 100 programs of study across undergraduate, graduate, adult, professional, and online modalities, organized into colleges including Arts & Sciences, Business (McAfee), Education, Nursing & Health Sciences, Pharmacy, Social Work, and Theology & Missions. Serviceable customers include traditional college-age students, graduate students, working adult learners (especially in nursing and education), parents of prospective students, and a specialized population of young adults with intellectual or developmental disabilities served through the Union EDGE Program. The institution reports strong student outcomes of 86% new-student retention, 68% graduation rate, and 96% employment-or-graduate-school placement, with a 9:1 student-to-faculty ratio.

The institution's core technology stack consists of the third-party Canvas LMS for online and on-campus course delivery, the SelfService student information system, and the UU Mobile campus app. Physical assets include The Logos Library (53,616 sq. ft., 514,790+ volumes, 128 research databases) and a $120 million decade-long campus improvement program encompassing state-of-the-art labs and equipment. The university distributes its offerings across four Tennessee campuses — Jackson (main), Germantown/Memphis, Hendersonville/Nashville, and Midtown Memphis — plus online programs, creating both a regional field-sales GTM motion and a self-serve online channel.

Revenue is generated primarily through tuition and fees on a recurring annual billing cycle, with 100% of incoming freshmen receiving financial aid; in 2022 the institution administered more than $30 million in undergraduate financial aid. Merit Awards, Stackable Awards, Federal/State Aid, and Union Need-Based Aid form the pricing/affordability stack. The go-to-market motion is sales-led with enrollment counselors assigned by geography, supplemented by event-driven preview days, campus visits, direct-to-consumer online enrollment, and brand-building through NCAA Division II athletics (Bulldogs, Gulf South Conference) plus Unionite magazine and social channels. Distribution is overwhelmingly regional across Tennessee, with online extending global self-serve reach.

Name

Union University

Legal name

Union University

Website

https://uu.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1823

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Union University is a 1823-founded private Christian university in Jackson, Tennessee, operating four campuses across the state and offering 100+ undergraduate, graduate, adult, and online programs to traditional students, adult learners, nursing students, and individuals with developmental disabilities.

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)

akta.pro secondary industry

Online Nonprofit Universities (EDAHALAK)

Keywords

• Private Christian university
• Undergraduate degree programs
• Graduate theological education
• Accelerated nursing programs
• Online higher education

Headquarters

HQ city

Jackson

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Fees: Revenue from undergraduate and graduate tuition, with 100% of incoming freshmen receiving financial aid. In 2022, Union administered more than $30 million in financial aid to undergraduates.
2. Campus Improvements Investment: Union has invested $120 million in campus improvements over the past decade, including state-of-the-art labs, equipment, and The Logos modern library.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Union University is a private Christian university that delivers higher education services across four Tennessee campuses and online, offering more than 100 undergraduate, graduate, adult, and professional degree programs organized into colleges including Arts & Sciences, Business, Education, Nursing & Health Sciences, Pharmacy, and Theology & Missions. Its offerings include traditional residential undergraduate programs, accelerated degrees for adult learners, online degree programs, the EDGE program for students with intellectual/developmental disabilities, and NCAA Division II athletics. The institution supports students through academic resources (Center for Academic Success, Logos Library), career services (Vocatio Center), and financial aid, with 100% of incoming freshmen receiving financial aid.

Product overview

Union University is a private Christian university offering a comprehensive portfolio of educational programs and services. The institution operates as a multi-campus university (Jackson main campus, Germantown/Memphis, and Hendersonville/Nashville campuses) providing over 100 undergraduate and graduate programs of study. Key products and services include traditional and adult degree programs, online learning through Canvas LMS, the Union EDGE Program for students with disabilities, accelerated nursing programs, and the Logos Library as a central academic resource. The university utilizes student information systems including SelfService and provides mobile access through UU Mobile. The institution is organized into multiple colleges including Arts & Sciences, Business (McAfee School of Business), Education, Nursing & Health Sciences, Pharmacy, and Theology & Missions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Bulldog Athletics: Union University's athletic program competing in NCAA Division II and the Gulf South Conference
• Union EDGE Program
• Library in the Logos

Products and services

• Traditional Undergraduate Degree Programs More than 100 Christ-centered undergraduate programs offered across the Colleges of Arts & Sciences, Business, Education, Nursing & Health Sciences, Pharmacy, Social Work, and Theology & Missions; designed for traditional college-age students pursuing a four-year residential education.
• Accelerated BSN Program Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing program offered at the Hendersonville campus with hands-on learning, clinical settings, and simulation labs, designed for adult learners pursuing nursing careers.
• Graduate Studies Programs Master's and doctoral degree programs in various disciplines including nursing, business, education, and theology with Christian worldview integration.
• Adult and Professional Studies Accelerated undergraduate degrees and professional development programs for working adults, particularly in nursing and education, offered through the Hendersonville/Nashville campus and MCUTS.
• Online Programs Online degree and continuing education programs delivered remotely through Canvas LMS for students who cannot attend in person.
• Union EDGE Program A holistic, two-year post-secondary certificate program for young adults ages 18-26 with documented intellectual or developmental disabilities, focused on employment training, daily living skills, godly focus, and educational enrichment.
• Bulldog Athletics (NCAA Division II) NCAA Division II intercollegiate athletics program featuring five men's and six women's teams competing in the Gulf South Conference, plus intramural sports opportunities.
• Logos Library Union University's 53,616 sq. ft. main library facility offering 514,790+ volumes of books/e-books, 128 research databases, 70+ public access computers, and 12 reservable study rooms for student and faculty research.

Quantifiable outcome

• 86% new student retention rate
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• WorldShare (OCLC)coreTechnology or IntegrationOCLC WorldShare is used as the nationwide interlibrary loan system to obtain materials specifically related to Union coursework that are not available at Union University Library.
• DOCLINEcoreTechnology or IntegrationDOCLINE is a nationwide system used primarily by health sciences libraries for interlibrary loan requests.
• Tennessee Baptist ConventioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUnion University is an academic community affiliated with the Tennessee Baptist Convention, integrating faith and learning in accordance with its core values.
• Arrowmont School of Arts & CraftsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCeramics students regularly participate in clay-centered internships at Arrowmont School of Arts & Crafts in Gatlinburg, Tenn.
• Baltimore ClayworksminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCeramics students participate in internships at Baltimore Clayworks in Baltimore, Md.
• Northern Clay CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCeramics students participate in internships at Northern Clay Center in Minneapolis, Minn.
• Anderson RanchminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCeramics students participate in internships at Anderson Ranch in Snowmass Village, Colo.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Vanderbilt University: Major research university in Nashville offering comprehensive undergraduate and graduate programs including business, nursing, education, and divinity. Comparable on Nashville geography and overlapping academic units, but operates at substantially greater scale and broader (non-faith-based) mission.
• Liberty University: Large, online-enabled evangelical university in Lynchburg, Virginia, with significant distance learning operations. Comparable as a Christian-affiliated institution offering online and adult programs, but operates at materially larger scale and online reach.
• Baylor University: Largest Baptist-affiliated private university in the U.S., located in Waco, Texas, with extensive research and professional programs. Comparable as a leading Baptist-affiliated research university, but at substantially greater scale and broader program breadth.

Direct peers

• Lipscomb University: Nashville-based private university affiliated with the Churches of Christ offering undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs. Comparable on faith-affiliated private status, Nashville metropolitan location, and similar program portfolio including health sciences and education.
• Samford University: Baptist-affiliated private university in Birmingham, Alabama, with strong programs in nursing, pharmacy, business, and law. Comparable as a faith-based, professionally oriented private university with overlapping program mix and residential undergraduate base.
• Trevecca Nazarene University: Private Christian (Church of the Nazarene) university in Nashville offering undergraduate and graduate programs including adult and accelerated degree options. Comparable on faith-affiliated private model, Nashville metro location, and adult learner focus.
• Wheaton College: Top-ranked evangelical Christian liberal arts college in Illinois known for academic rigor and faith integration. Comparable on faith-affiliated private identity, residential undergraduate focus, and outcomes-driven brand positioning.
• Carson-Newman University: Baptist-affiliated private university in Jefferson City, Tennessee, offering liberal arts and professional programs including nursing and education. Closely comparable on Baptist Convention affiliation, Tennessee location, and similar enrollment scale.
• Belmont University: Private Christian university located in Nashville, Tennessee, offering undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs across multiple colleges. Direct peer given overlapping Tennessee geography, faith-affiliated identity, and similar mix of professional schools (nursing, business, pharmacy).

Regional players

• Middle Tennessee State University: Large public state university in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, serving a similar regional student pool with broad undergraduate and graduate programs. Comparable on Tennessee regional recruitment, but is a public institution rather than a private faith-affiliated model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/UnionUniversity
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@unionuniversity
• Facebookfacebook.com/6260029059
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/union-university
• Instagraminstagram.com/UnionUniversity

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 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 Union University