Lamar University

What Lamar University does

Lamar University is a public research university located on a 292-acre campus in Beaumont, Texas, and operates as a member institution of the Texas State University System under the control of the TSUS Board of Regents. Founded in 1923, the university serves undergraduate, graduate, doctoral, online, transfer, international, and returning-adult students across a comprehensive set of academic programs. It holds the 2025 Carnegie R2 (Doctoral Universities: High Research Activity) and Opportunity College & University designations and is ranked #1 in Texas for lowest average student debt among public four-year institutions. The institution also fields NCAA Division 1 Cardinals athletics and maintains a portfolio of 150+ registered student organizations.

The university's core operating technology stack includes the EBSCO FOLIO open-source library platform (deployed April 2025 after 20+ years on a prior ILS), Self-Service Banner for HR/payroll, the LU Connect employee portal, LU Online for distance learning, the LU Hub student engagement platform, and the NEOGOV career portal. Beyond administrative technology, Lamar University researchers co-developed an open-source AI Dementia Detection Tool — combining the Quick Dementia Rating System with a Passive Digital Marker — which increased Alzheimer's and related dementia diagnoses by 31% in a randomized clinical trial involving over 5,300 patients across nine Eskenazi Health federally qualified health centers. The tool is EHR-embeddable and carries no licensing fee.

Lamar University generates revenue from four primary streams: tuition and fees from undergraduate and graduate enrollment, state appropriations through the Texas State University System and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, private donations and sponsored research grants, and NCAA Division 1 athletics revenue (ticket sales, media rights, merchandise). The customer base is highly diversified across thousands of individual students, with no single concentrated revenue anchor. Distribution channels include on-campus academic programs in Beaumont, the LU Online platform for remote learners, campus-tour-driven admissions, and athletics events. Pricing is not publicly itemized; financial aid and scholarship information is delivered through a dedicated portal.

Name

Lamar University

Legal name

Lamar University

Website

https://lamar.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1923

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Lamar University is a public R2 research university in Beaumont, Texas, member of the Texas State University System. It serves undergraduate, graduate, doctoral, and online students, ranks #1 in Texas for lowest student debt, and competes in NCAA Division 1 athletics.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public University

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (611310), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (61131)

akta.pro primary industry

Comprehensive Doctoral Research Universities (Multi-Disciplinary) (EDAHABAA)

Keywords

• Higher education
• Public university
• Undergraduate programs
• Online degree programs
• Research university

Headquarters

HQ city

Beaumont

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 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: Primary revenue stream from undergraduate and graduate tuition, along with various student fees for academic services, facilities, and activities.
2. State Funding: State appropriations from the Texas State University System and Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board for operational support.
3. Private Donations and Grants: Contributions from alumni, donors, and private foundations including sponsored research grants and endowment distributions.
4. Athletics Revenue: Revenue from NCAA Division 1 athletics programs including ticket sales, media rights, and merchandise.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Lamar University is a public research university delivering undergraduate, graduate, doctoral, and online degree programs on its 292-acre Beaumont, Texas campus and through the LU Online distance-learning platform. The institution also fields NCAA Division 1 athletics programs and conducts sponsored research, including collaborative healthcare AI initiatives such as an open-source dementia detection tool.

Product overview

Lamar University is a nationally-ranked public university in Texas offering undergraduate, graduate, and online degree programs. The institution operates a portfolio of technology platforms and services including EBSCO FOLIO (library services), LU Connect (employee portal), LU Online (online learning), LU Hub (student engagement), and Self-Service Banner (HR/payroll). Additionally, researchers at Lamar University collaborated to develop an open-source AI Dementia Detection Tool combining the Quick Dementia Rating System and Passive Digital Marker for early dementia detection in primary care settings.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Undergraduate Degree Programs Bachelor's degree programs across multiple academic colleges delivered on Lamar University's 292-acre Beaumont, Texas campus for first-year freshmen, transfer students, and returning adults.
• Graduate and Doctoral Degree Programs Master's and doctoral degree programs supporting Lamar University's R2 (high research activity) Carnegie classification, including research-active graduate study across academic colleges.
• Online Degree Programs (LU Online) Online undergraduate and graduate degree programs delivered through the LU Online platform to remote and distance learners, expanding Lamar University's reach beyond the on-campus population.
• NCAA Division 1 Athletics Programs NCAA Division 1 athletics program for the Lamar Cardinals, including volleyball, baseball, and other sports, generating revenue from ticket sales, media rights, and merchandise.

Quantifiable outcome

• 31% increase in Alzheimer's and related dementia diagnoses within 12 months using AI detection tool without additional clinician time or costs
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

AI capability4 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• University of Southern California (USC) AthleticsminorOthers · 14 June 2026Personnel movement: USC baseball hired Keith Zuniga who departed from Lamar University where he previously served as pitching coach. Zuniga coached at University of Hawaii before joining Lamar, then moved to USC.
• EBSCOcoreTechnology or IntegrationMary and John Gray Library at Lamar University selected EBSCO FOLIO open-source platform to modernize library operations after more than 20 years with previous Integrated Library System. The transition is designed to improve management of print and electronic resources while supporting scalability and future innovation aligned with open standards and collaborative innovation.
• Indiana University School of MedicinecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated on development of AI tool combining Quick Dementia Rating System and Passive Digital Marker for detecting dementia in primary care settings. Research conducted in randomized clinical trial involving over 5,300 patients at nine Eskenazi Health Center federally qualified health centers.
• Regenstrief InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with Regenstrief Institute on development of AI dementia detection tool for primary care settings. Combined Quick Dementia Rating System and Passive Digital Marker technology in clinical research trial.
• Eskenazi HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEskenazi Health Center federally qualified health centers served as clinical trial sites for AI dementia detection tool. Trial involved over 5,300 patients at nine centers and showed 31% increase in diagnoses without additional clinician time or costs.
• University of Miami School of MedicinecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated on development of digital AI method for early dementia detection combining Quick Dementia Rating System and Passive Digital Marker for primary care settings.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Sul Ross State University: Texas State University System member and smaller regional public university serving a non-flagship geography; useful intra-system benchmark for unit economics and program portfolio.
• Texas A&M University-Kingsville: Regional Texas public university with NCAA D1 athletics (Javelinas), comparable enrollment, and similar broad academic offerings; a direct comp in tier, mission, and Gulf Coast setting.
• Stephen F. Austin State University: Texas regional public university with comparable enrollment, NCAA D1 athletics (Lumberjacks), and broad academic programs; its recent move into the University of Texas System offers a governance/funding comp.
• University of Texas at Tyler: East Texas regional public university that recently joined the UT System, with R2-classified doctoral activity and NCAA D2-to-D1 transition aspirations; useful peer for research and governance benchmarking.
• Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi: Gulf Coast regional Texas public university with comparable doctoral offerings, NCAA D1 athletics (Islanders), and similar student demographics; strong peer for geographic and enrollment benchmarking.
• University of Houston-Victoria: TSUS-affiliated regional Texas public university with a comparable focus on upper-division, graduate, and online learners in a non-flagship metropolitan area.
• Sam Houston State University: TSUS sister institution with similar R2 research classification, NCAA D1 athletics (Bearkats), and broadly analogous regional Texas public university structure and student demographics.
• Texas State University: Fellow Texas State University System member with a comparable comprehensive regional public university profile, similar enrollment scale, NCAA D1 athletics (Bobcats), and broad undergraduate/graduate/online offerings.

Broad incumbents

• University of Houston: Larger Houston-area Texas public research university with R1 classification and significantly broader program portfolio; relevant incumbent benchmark for competitive pressure within the same Gulf Coast region.
• University of North Texas: Texas public R2 research university with NCAA D1 athletics (Mean Green) and a comparable mix of undergraduate, graduate, and online programs; useful comp for research growth and enrollment trends.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/lamaruniversity
• Facebookfacebook.com/11505429287
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/lamar-university
• Instagraminstagram.com/lu_greensquad

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Lamar University