Lawrence University
Lawrence University is a private liberal arts college and conservatory of music in Appleton, Wisconsin, serving roughly 1,300 undergraduate students through an integrated College of Liberal Arts & Sciences and Conservatory of Music on a trimester calendar.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1847
- HeadquartersAppleton, United States
- Headcount501–1,000
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Lawrence University does
Lawrence University is a private, nonprofit liberal arts college and conservatory of music founded in 1847 in Appleton, Wisconsin. The institution serves approximately 1,303 full-time undergraduate students (Fall 2025) through two integrated academic units: the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences, offering 65+ majors, minors, and programs, and the Conservatory of Music, providing 50+ studios, ensembles, and programs accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music. Distinctive academic features include a trimester schedule, an 8:1 student-to-faculty ratio, undergraduate research opportunities, and 50+ study abroad programs across more than 30 countries. The institution also operates a 441-acre northern campus, Björklunden vid Sjön, on Lake Michigan in Door County for retreats and continuing education.
Revenue is generated through three primary streams: recurring tuition and fees from undergraduates (with 98% of students receiving institutional grant or scholarship aid and 27% receiving Pell grants indicating significant tuition discounting), philanthropic donations (anchored by the $232.6 million "Be the Light!" Campaign concluded in February 2021, the largest fundraising effort in university history), and Conference and Event Services leveraging campus facilities for the Fox Cities community. The university holds Higher Learning Commission accreditation, NASM accreditation for the Conservatory, American Chemical Society approval for its chemistry program, and Wisconsin teacher certification, providing regulatory credentials for its degrees.
Lawrence is currently executing an expansion strategy under President Laurie A. Carter (the 17th president, in office since 2022). Recent strategic moves include opening Fox Commons, a downtown Appleton mixed-use development where Lawrence serves as anchor tenant with student housing and the Business & Entrepreneurship Center (opened October 2024); launching new majors in Business & Entrepreneurship (2023) and Data Science & Statistics (announced February 2026); adding men's and women's lacrosse programs (competition beginning 2025); entering a direct admission partnership with Appleton Area School District (May 2025); acquiring the historic Courtney Woolen Mill (August 2024); and breaking ground on a shared academic building with the Trout Museum of Art (March 2024). The institution is also celebrating its 175th anniversary and was ranked Wisconsin's #1 small private university by U.S. News.
Lawrence University firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Lawrence University
- Legal name
- Lawrence University
- Website
- https://lawrence.edu
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1847
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 501–1,000 employees
- Short description
- Lawrence University is a private liberal arts college and conservatory of music in Appleton, Wisconsin, serving roughly 1,300 undergraduate students through an integrated College of Liberal Arts & Sciences and Conservatory of Music on a trimester calendar.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where Lawrence University is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Appleton
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
Lawrence University business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Tuition and Fees: Primary revenue from undergraduate and graduate tuition, fees, and related educational services. Lawrence is a private institution with tuition-based revenue.
- Philanthropic Donations: Significant fundraising through campaigns such as the 'Be the Light!' Campaign which raised $232.6 million. Major gifts support academic spaces and student programs.
- Conference and Event Services: Lawrence facilities serve as venues for meetings, weddings, and special events, generating revenue from the surrounding Fox Cities community.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Full-Time Undergraduate Enrollment |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
Lawrence University product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Lawrence University is a private liberal arts college and conservatory of music that delivers undergraduate education through its College of Liberal Arts & Sciences (65+ majors, minors, and programs) combined with its accredited Conservatory of Music (50+ studios, programs, and ensembles). The university offers on-campus residential education in Appleton, Wisconsin, plus study abroad programs in 30+ countries, summer programs, and select graduate offerings, all grounded in a trimester academic schedule and undergraduate research opportunities.
Product overview
Lawrence University is a liberal arts college offering a unified educational experience combining its College of Liberal Arts & Sciences (65+ majors/minors/programs) with its acclaimed Conservatory of Music (50+ studios/programs/ensembles). The institution provides undergraduate education with distinctive features including a trimester schedule, undergraduate research opportunities, and a northern campus at Björklunden. Additional offerings include study abroad programs (50+ in 30+ countries), summer programs, student housing (on-campus and Fox Commons downtown apartments), and an online bookstore partnership with Akadémos. New programs include Data Science & Statistics and Business & Entrepreneurship majors.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Vikings: The athletic teams of Lawrence University compete in NCAA Division III as the Vikings.
- Conservatory of Music
- Björklunden vid Sjön
- Fox Commons
- Lawrence at Night
- The Great Midwest Trivia Contest
Products and services
- College of Liberal Arts & Sciences
Quantifiable outcome
- 99% of graduates employed or continuing education within 6 months
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Lawrence University
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Lawrence University technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Lawrence University partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Fox CommonscoreLawrence is an anchor tenant in the Fox Commons redevelopment project in downtown Appleton, featuring student apartments on the second floor and the Business & Entrepreneurship Center.
- University of Wisconsin SystemcoreIn 2014, Lawrence and the University of Wisconsin entered into an articulation agreement allowing students to transfer credit from the UW two-year college system to Lawrence University.
- University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh Fox ValleyminorSpecial partnership maintained for transfer students through articulation agreement.
- Appleton Area School DistrictcoreDirect admission partnership announced in May 2025, offering direct admission pathway to Lawrence for Appleton Area School District students.
- Trout Museum of ArtcorePartnership for a four-story building in the 300 block of E. College Avenue to house academic spaces for Lawrence and the nonprofit museum, supported by a $10 million gift.
- College of Menominee NationminorMellon Foundation funded collaboration between Lawrence and College of Menominee Nation in the Fox-Wolf watershed.
- Mile of MusicminorLawrence's Music Education Team has leadership role in Mile of Music festival, with 10 years of music education workshops.
- New NorthminorLawrence hosting New North's ESG Summit at Warch Campus Center.
Scale indicators10 records
Recent moves10 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Lawrence University competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Oberlin College: Oberlin is the most structurally comparable peer to Lawrence — a private liberal arts college combined with a renowned Conservatory of Music. Both institutions serve a similar dual-degree-seeking student population, share a small residential model, and compete for the same niche of music-and-liberal-arts applicants nationally.
- Carleton College: Carleton is a top-tier residential liberal arts college in Minnesota with a similar size, selectivity profile, and STEM-humanities balance. It competes directly with Lawrence for high-achieving Midwest applicants seeking small-class residential liberal arts experiences.
- Grinnell College: Grinnell is a peer small private liberal arts college in Iowa with comparable enrollment scale, faculty ratios, and a strong track record of producing competitive graduates and fellowship winners. It is a direct competitor for the same high-achieving liberal arts applicant pool.
- Pomona College: Pomona is a leading small private liberal arts college in California with similar size, selectivity, and outcomes-driven positioning. It competes with Lawrence for nationally mobile liberal arts applicants and shares comparable graduate placement and fellowship metrics.
- Bowdoin College: Bowdoin is a highly selective small private liberal arts college in Maine with comparable enrollment, faculty ratio, and outcomes. It is a direct competitor for top liberal arts applicants nationwide and shares similar reputational benchmarks including graduate placement and fellowship production.
- Macalester College: Macalester is a Midwest private liberal arts college in Minnesota with similar size, mission emphasis on internationalism, and small-class residential model. It is a direct peer competing for similar Midwest liberal arts applicants.
- St. Olaf College: St. Olaf is a Minnesota-based private liberal arts college distinguished by its strong music tradition and ensembles. It competes with Lawrence both for general liberal arts applicants and specifically for music-interested students seeking residential conservatory-adjacent experiences.
- Beloit College: Beloit is a Wisconsin-based private liberal arts college with comparable enrollment scale and small-residential model. It is the closest in-state competitor and a direct peer for the same Wisconsin and regional applicant pool.
- Knox College: Knox is a Midwest private liberal arts college in Illinois with comparable size, residential model, and liberal arts mission. It is a direct peer competing for similar Upper Midwest liberal arts applicants.
- Ripon College: Ripon is a small Wisconsin private liberal arts college with similar scale and residential focus. It is an in-state peer competing for overlapping Wisconsin and Midwest liberal arts applicants.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Lawrence University social profiles
Digital presenceLawrence University compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance4 records
Lawrence University financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Lawrence University leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
Lawrence University funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Lawrence University 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 Lawrence University
What does Lawrence University do?
Lawrence University is a private liberal arts college and conservatory of music that delivers undergraduate education through its College of Liberal Arts & Sciences (65+ majors, minors, and programs) combined with its accredited Conservatory of Music (50+ studios, programs, and ensembles). The university offers on-campus residential education in Appleton, Wisconsin, plus study abroad programs in 30+ countries, summer programs, and select graduate offerings, all grounded in a trimester academic schedule and undergraduate research opportunities.
Is Lawrence University a public or private company?
Lawrence University is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Lawrence University founded?
Lawrence University was founded in 1847. It employs 501 to 1,000 people.
Where is Lawrence University based?
Lawrence University is headquartered in Appleton, United States, in the North America region.
How does Lawrence University make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Tuition and Fees are the primary driver. The others are philanthropic Donations and conference and Event Services.
Who are Lawrence University's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Oberlin College, Carleton College, Grinnell College, Pomona College, Bowdoin College, Macalester College, St. Olaf College, Beloit College, Knox College and Ripon College.
Does Lawrence University have an API?
No public API is recorded for Lawrence University.