Willamette University
Willamette University is a private, non-profit liberal arts university founded in 1842 in Salem, Oregon, operating five academic units — undergraduate college, MBA, Law, Computing & Information Sciences, and the Pacific Northwest College of Art — serving primarily Pacific Northwest students across two campuses in Salem and Portland.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1842
- HeadquartersSalem, United States
- Headcount501–1,000
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Willamette University does
Willamette University is a private, non-profit liberal arts university founded in 1842 in Salem, Oregon, with a secondary campus presence in Portland. It operates five academic units — Willamette College (undergraduate liberal arts), Atkinson Graduate School of Management (MBA programs), the School of Law (JD), the School of Computing & Information Sciences (computer science and data science), and the Pacific Northwest College of Art (PNCA, wholly-owned and retained as a brand) — delivering undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees to a primarily regional and Pacific Northwest student base, supplemented by international and exchange students.
The university's technology footprint is primarily instructional and research-oriented rather than commercial. Distinguishing technical assets include an in-development R package for scientific machine learning and computer-vision models for field-photo analysis, both produced by Assistant Professor Zechariah Meunier in support of the CRAZIE (Community Recovery in the Algal Zone Interaction Experiment) long-term coastal ecosystem study across 13 Oregon and Northern California field sites. Institutional systems include an online application platform, FERPA-compliant student records infrastructure, and prospective-student CRM tooling (inquiry forms with SMS/counselor follow-up).
Willamette generates revenue principally through tuition and fees across its five schools, supplemented by charitable contributions routed through a dedicated 'Give' page. Pricing is subscription-style annual tuition, varying by program (undergraduate, graduate, law, MBA), with separate Net Price Calculators for Willamette and PNCA and dedicated financial aid offices for undergraduates, graduate students, joint-degree students, and veterans. Go-to-market is sales-led admissions: student-led campus tours weekday, admissions counselor engagement, and program-specific recruitment teams for Salem undergraduate, MBA, Law, and Computing programs, with international student recruitment handled as a dedicated channel.
Willamette University firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Willamette University
- Legal name
- Willamette University
- Website
- https://willamette.edu
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1842
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 501–1,000 employees
- Short description
- Willamette University is a private, non-profit liberal arts university founded in 1842 in Salem, Oregon, operating five academic units — undergraduate college, MBA, Law, Computing & Information Sciences, and the Pacific Northwest College of Art — serving primarily Pacific Northwest students across two campuses in Salem and Portland.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Willamette University industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Private Higher Education
- NAICS
- Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (611310), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Educational Services (611)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- General Liberal Arts Colleges (EDAHACAA)
Keywords
Where Willamette University is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Salem
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
Willamette University business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Tuition and Educational Services: Willamette University generates revenue primarily through tuition fees charged to undergraduate and graduate students for educational programs across its five academic units: Willamette College, Atkinson Graduate School of Management, School of Law, School of Computing & Information Sciences, and Pacific Northwest College of Art.
- Financial Contributions and Fundraising: The university solicits charitable contributions and maintains a 'Give' page for alumni and supporters to make financial donations to support the university.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Undergraduate tuition and graduate tuition pricing available via dedicated tuition pages |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels5 records
Willamette University product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Willamette University is a private, nonprofit liberal arts university that delivers undergraduate and graduate degree programs through five academic units: Willamette College, Atkinson Graduate School of Management, School of Law, School of Computing & Information Sciences, and Pacific Northwest College of Art. It offers tuition-based educational services supplemented by charitable contributions and fundraising, supported by campuses in Salem and Portland, Oregon.
Product overview
Willamette University is a private higher education institution offering undergraduate and graduate degree programs across five academic schools: Willamette College (liberal arts), Atkinson Graduate School of Management (MBA programs), School of Law, School of Computing & Information Sciences, and Pacific Northwest College of Art. The university focuses on interdisciplinary education and hands-on learning experiences in the Pacific Northwest.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Companies that use Willamette University
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Willamette University technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability4 records
Feature2 records
Willamette University partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.
- Pacific UniversityflagshipExploration of joining forces between Willamette University and Pacific University to create Oregon's largest private university. This partnership was announced in December 2025 as a potential merger or affiliation between the two institutions.
- Oregon Kelp AlliancecorePartnership with the Oregon Kelp Alliance as part of the CRAZIE (Community Recovery in the Algal Zone Interaction Experiment) long-term coastal ecosystem research study. Assistant Professor Zechariah Meunier leads student-faculty research combining biology and data science to study Oregon's coastal ecosystems, tracking species interactions and ecosystem changes including impacts of heat waves and disease outbreaks on kelp.
- Oregon Shores Conservation CoalitioncorePartnership with the Oregon Shores Conservation Coalition to support the CRAZIE coastal ecosystem research program. The research aims to inform local environmental policy decisions through tracking species interactions and ecosystem changes on the Oregon and Northern California coasts.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Willamette University competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Reed College: Highly selective private liberal arts college in Portland, Oregon. Direct competitor for academically oriented Pacific Northwest students seeking residential liberal arts education.
- Lewis & Clark College: Private liberal arts college in Portland, Oregon with graduate programs (law, counseling, education). Comparable in mission, location, and undergraduate liberal arts focus, serving overlapping Pacific Northwest student pool.
- Pacific University: Another private Oregon university currently in announced merger exploration with Willamette (December 2025). Similar scale, Oregon-based, multi-school structure including health sciences, making it the most directly comparable peer.
- Whitman College: Highly selective private liberal arts college in Walla Walla, Washington. Competes with Willamette for Pacific Northwest residential liberal arts students seeking similar small-college experience.
- Linfield University: Small private university in Oregon offering liberal arts, nursing, and business programs. Comparable mid-scale private Oregon institution competing in overlapping regional applicant market.
- University of Portland: Private Catholic university in Portland offering undergraduate and graduate programs including nursing, business, and education. Comparable scale and Oregon-based private university competing for similar regional student pool.
Broad incumbents
- University of Oregon: Oregon's flagship public research university with law school and broad graduate programs. Represents primary public-sector competition for Willamette's in-state students and graduate program applicants.
- Gonzaga University: Larger private Jesuit university in Spokane, Washington offering comprehensive undergraduate and graduate programs including law. Competes for Pacific Northwest Catholic and secular students at broader scale than Willamette.
Regional players
- Seattle University: Private Jesuit university in Seattle with law school and comprehensive programs. Comparable Pacific Northwest private university competing for regional graduate and undergraduate students.
Emerging players
- Pomona College: Highly selective private liberal arts college in Claremont, California. Similar undergraduate residential liberal arts mission with strong reputation, serving as a benchmark for selective private liberal arts positioning though outside Willamette's primary geography.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Willamette University social profiles
Digital presenceWillamette University compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance5 records
Willamette University financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Willamette University leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Willamette University subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries5 records
Willamette University funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Willamette University M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments1 record
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Willamette University
What does Willamette University do?
Willamette University is a private, nonprofit liberal arts university that delivers undergraduate and graduate degree programs through five academic units: Willamette College, Atkinson Graduate School of Management, School of Law, School of Computing & Information Sciences, and Pacific Northwest College of Art. It offers tuition-based educational services supplemented by charitable contributions and fundraising, supported by campuses in Salem and Portland, Oregon.
Is Willamette University a public or private company?
Willamette University is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Willamette University founded?
Willamette University was founded in 1842. It employs 501 to 1,000 people.
Where is Willamette University based?
Willamette University is headquartered in Salem, United States, in the North America region.
How does Willamette University make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Tuition and Educational Services are the primary driver. The others are financial Contributions and Fundraising.
Who are Willamette University's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Reed College, Lewis & Clark College, Pacific University, Whitman College, Linfield University and University of Portland. Broad incumbents are University of Oregon and Gonzaga University. Seattle University is listed as a regional player. Pomona College is listed as an emerging player.
Does Willamette University have an API?
No public API is recorded for Willamette University.
What industry is Willamette University in?
Willamette University's product category is Private Higher Education. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAHACAA, General Liberal Arts Colleges. Its NAICS code is 611310 and its SIC code is 8200.