La Sierra University
La Sierra University is a private Seventh-day Adventist higher education institution in Riverside, California, offering undergraduate, graduate, and certificate programs across four schools to high school graduates, transfer students, working adults, and international students.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1922
- HeadquartersRiverside, United States
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What La Sierra University does
La Sierra University is a private, independent higher education institution founded in 1922 (originally as La Sierra Academy and Normal School) and located on a 150+ acre campus at 4500 Riverwalk Parkway in Riverside, California. Affiliated with the Seventh-day Adventist Church, the university serves high school graduates, transfer students from California Community Colleges, working adults, international students, and graduate students through four schools (H.M.S Richards Divinity School, School of Education, Tom & Vi Zapara School of Business, and College of Arts and Sciences) plus a Division of General Education. It employs 251-500 staff, including 100+ full-time faculty most of whom hold Ph.D. or terminal degrees.
The institution's product portfolio spans undergraduate and graduate degrees, certificate programs, and specialized tracks, including the Bachelor of Social Work delivered via the Evening Adult Degree Program (with a 50% tuition discount for transfer students), an Honors Program requiring a minimum 3.75 GPA, an ESL program, a Music Performers Certificate, and General Education delivered across four tracks. Underlying technology includes the Blackboard learning management system, the La Sierra Portal for student self-service, Single Sign-On with Duo Mobile Multi-Factor Authentication, a License Plate Recognition system for campus security, and Ella, a 24/7 text-based AI recruiter chatbot for prospective-student inquiries.
The university operates a direct-to-consumer higher-education model with rolling admissions, accepting both the Common Application and its proprietary portal. Revenue is generated primarily through tuition and fees (supplemented by financial aid and scholarships) and charitable donations via its Philanthropy office. Go-to-market spans campus visits, enrollment counselors, digital and social channels, the Ella AI chatbot, and community-partner referrals, targeting domestic (regional/California) and international students. Governance rests with a Board of Trustees and an administration led by President Christon Arthur, Ph.D.
La Sierra University firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- La Sierra University
- Legal name
- La Sierra University
- Website
- https://lasierra.edu
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1922
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- La Sierra University is a private Seventh-day Adventist higher education institution in Riverside, California, offering undergraduate, graduate, and certificate programs across four schools to high school graduates, transfer students, working adults, and international students.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
La Sierra University industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Higher Education
- NAICS
- Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (61131), Educational Services (611)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Residential Liberal Arts Colleges (EDAHACAH)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Undergraduate Business Schools (BBA/BSBA Programs) (EDAHAHAA)
Keywords
Where La Sierra University is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Riverside
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
La Sierra University business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Tuition and Fees: Private university charging tuition for undergraduate and graduate degree programs. Financial aid and scholarships available. EADP offers 50% tuition discount for adult transfer students pursuing BSW degree.
- Donations and Philanthropy: University relies on charitable donations from alumni and supporters through the Philanthropy office
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Quarterly | Evening Adult Degree Program - Bachelor of Social Work |
| Other | — | GED Student Merit Scholarships |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels8 records
La Sierra University product offering
Product offeringCore offering
La Sierra University is a private Adventist institution of higher education in Riverside, California that delivers undergraduate, graduate, and certificate academic programs across four schools (H.M.S Richards Divinity School, School of Education, Tom & Vi Zapara School of Business, and College of Arts and Sciences) plus a Division of General Education. It offers residential undergraduate degrees, an Evening Adult Degree Program for working adults and transfer students, ESL and music certificate programs, and new applied programs in Sports Management, Film & Television Production, Music Composition, and Exercise Science. Instruction is delivered primarily on its 150+ acre Riverside campus with online application and admissions infrastructure.
Product overview
La Sierra University offers a portfolio of academic programs including undergraduate and graduate degrees, certificate programs, and specialized tracks. Core offerings include the Bachelor of Social Work through the Evening Adult Degree Program with 50% tuition discount, the Honors Program as an alternative General Education track, ESL programming, and Music certificate programs. The university also provides the Ella AI Recruiter chatbot for admissions support and the La Sierra Portal as the primary student/faculty platform. General Education is delivered through four tracks (standard, Honors, Evening Adult Degree, and Health Science) with emphasis on communication, critical thinking, and service learning.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) Undergraduate degree program preparing graduates for social work careers or advanced standing in MSW programs, with a 50% tuition discount for transfer students via the Evening Adult Degree Program.
- Evening Adult Degree Program (EADP)
- Honors Program
- General Education Tracks
- ESL (English as a Second Language) Program
- Music Performers Certificate Program
- Associate's Degree Transfer (ADT) Pathway
- New Academic Programs (Sports Management, Film & Television Production, Music Composition, Exercise Science, Sports & Exercise Psychology) New applied undergraduate and graduate academic programs launched in 2024, expanding career-focused offerings alongside the established business, biology, and nursing degrees.
- La Sierra Online Application
Quantifiable outcome
- US News #8 Social Mobility ranking (2022-2023)
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use La Sierra University
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles3 records
La Sierra University technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability2 records
Feature3 records
La Sierra University partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- Adventist Health InternationalminorCommunity service-learning partner organization where students complete required service hours in healthcare settings
- Feeding America Riverside/San BernardinominorFood bank organization serving as community partner for service-learning program
- La Sierra AcademyminorElementary school affiliated with Seventh-day Adventist Church serving as tutoring partner
- United WayminorNonprofit organization as community partner for service-learning and student engagement
- Corona LifeminorCommunity organization partner for service-learning placements
- Community Settlement AssociationminorCommunity development organization serving as service-learning partner
- Common ApplicationcoreStandardized college application platform used by La Sierra for undergraduate admissions; allows students to apply using Common App format
- BlackboardcoreLearning management system used for online course delivery and student academic resources
- Duo SecuritycoreMulti-factor authentication provider for securing student and faculty university system access
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
La Sierra University competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Walla Walla University: Private Seventh-day Adventist university in Walla Walla, Washington. Most directly comparable as another Adventist-affiliated private university with similar mission integration, small-campus culture, and liberal arts + professional program mix.
- Pepperdine University: Private Church of Christ-affiliated university in Malibu, California. Comparable as a faith-based private California university competing for similar undergraduate and graduate student segments with similar value-based positioning.
- Point Loma Nazarene University: Private Nazarene-affiliated Christian university in San Diego, California. Comparable as a faith-based private California institution emphasizing undergraduate residential education, service learning, and liberal arts.
- Loma Linda University: Seventh-day Adventist health-sciences university located in nearby Loma Linda, California. Directly comparable as another Adventist-affiliated private university in Southern California serving a similar student demographic with faith-integrated curriculum.
- Azusa Pacific University: Private interdenominational Christian university in Azusa, California. Comparable in faith-based mission, private tuition model, and emphasis on service learning and undergraduate residential education in Southern California.
- University of Redlands: Private non-sectarian university in Redlands, California, within the Inland Empire. Comparable in size, private tuition model, and regional competition for the same student demographics.
- Biola University: Private Christian university in La Mirada, California. Comparable as a faith-integrated private California university with similar undergraduate enrollment scale and an emphasis on professional programs (business, education, sciences).
- California Baptist University: Private Christian university in Riverside, California. Closest geographic and faith-based peer with similar enrollment size, similar tuition positioning, and overlapping program offerings in business, education, and liberal arts.
- Concordia University Irvine: Private Lutheran-affiliated Christian university in Irvine, California. Comparable in faith-based identity, small private scale, and Southern California undergraduate residential market.
Regional players
- University of California, Riverside: Major public research university located in the same city as La Sierra. Competes for the same regional student pool but offers substantially lower in-state tuition and broader program depth, making it a price-positioning competitor.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
La Sierra University social profiles
Digital presenceLa Sierra University financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
La Sierra University leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles12 records
La Sierra University funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
La Sierra 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 La Sierra University
What does La Sierra University do?
La Sierra University is a private Adventist institution of higher education in Riverside, California that delivers undergraduate, graduate, and certificate academic programs across four schools (H.M.S Richards Divinity School, School of Education, Tom & Vi Zapara School of Business, and College of Arts and Sciences) plus a Division of General Education. It offers residential undergraduate degrees, an Evening Adult Degree Program for working adults and transfer students, ESL and music certificate programs, and new applied programs in Sports Management, Film & Television Production, Music Composition, and Exercise Science. Instruction is delivered primarily on its 150+ acre Riverside campus with online application and admissions infrastructure.
Is La Sierra University a public or private company?
La Sierra University is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was La Sierra University founded?
La Sierra University was founded in 1922. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is La Sierra University based?
La Sierra University is headquartered in Riverside, United States, in the North America region.
How does La Sierra University make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Tuition and Fees are the primary driver. The others are donations and Philanthropy.
Who are La Sierra University's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Walla Walla University, Pepperdine University, Point Loma Nazarene University, Loma Linda University, Azusa Pacific University, University of Redlands, Biola University, California Baptist University and Concordia University Irvine. University of California, Riverside is listed as a regional player.
Does La Sierra University have an API?
No public API is recorded for La Sierra University.
What industry is La Sierra University in?
La Sierra University's product category is Higher Education. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAHACAH, Residential Liberal Arts Colleges, with a secondary code of EDAHAHAA, Undergraduate Business Schools (BBA/BSBA Programs). Its NAICS code is 61131 and its SIC code is 8200.