What William Woods University does

William Woods University is a private, non-profit liberal arts university headquartered in Fulton, Missouri, founded in 1870 by the Christian Church of Missouri. It operates on a 225-acre campus and serves more than 3,500 students and faculty across traditional undergraduate, graduate, and fully online cohorts, drawing students from more than 35 U.S. states and 24 countries. The institution delivers a comprehensive academic portfolio spanning associate, bachelor's, master's, specialist, and doctoral degrees, with signature programs including the nation's first baccalaureate in equestrian science (launched 1972) and a nationally ranked four-year ASL-English Interpreting program. Graduate and online programs are delivered through the Woods Global Online platform in a 5-week asynchronous course format, and the institution holds institutional accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) and educator-preparation accreditation from the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.

The business model is tuition-driven and subscription/recurring in nature, with revenue generated from on-campus undergraduate tuition, online graduate tuition (MBA, MHA, MAOL, MSBA, MSM, MEd, DBA, EdD, PhD), professional certificates, and dual enrollment. Pricing is per-student annual billing with published tuition schedules; the institution also operates a discount tier offering 20% tuition reductions to employees of the Callaway Chamber of Commerce, local school districts, and alumni enrolling in graduate programs. Go-to-market is direct-to-consumer via the institutional website, Woods Global Online portal, social media, alumni referral, and community partnerships, with no third-party reseller or enterprise sales motion. The institution maintains no parent company, no venture funding, and no disclosed revenue; it is governed by a Board of Trustees and led by a president and provost. Strategic posture emphasizes niche differentiation (equestrian, ASL, education leadership), online scale via Woods Global Online, and affordability positioning (ranked 2nd in the Midwest for lightest graduate debt load, 23rd most affordable online MBA).

Name

William Woods University

Legal name

William Woods University

Website

https://williamwoods.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1870

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Private Liberal Arts Higher Education

NAICS

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

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Online Divisions of Traditional Universities (Hybrid/Extension) (EDAHALAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Online Nonprofit Universities (EDAHALAK)

Keywords

• Higher education services
• Online degree programs
• Liberal arts education
• Graduate business programs
• Equestrian studies program

Headquarters

HQ city

Fulton

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Fees - Undergraduate On-Campus: Revenue from tuition and fees for traditional undergraduate students enrolled in on-campus programs including associate, bachelor, master, specialist, and doctoral degrees across disciplines including Equestrian Studies, ASL Interpreting, Business, Education, and more.
2. Online Programs - Woods Global Online: Revenue from online degree programs offering associate, bachelor's, master's, specialist and doctoral degrees. Online programs are ranked among the nation's top online education programs by U.S. News and World Report.
3. Graduate Programs: Graduate tuition revenue including MBA, MHA, MAOL, MSBA, MSM, MEd programs in various specializations, and doctoral programs in Business Administration, Organizational Leadership, and Educational Leadership.
4. Community Partner Discounts: The university offers 20% tuition discounts to employees of the Callaway Chamber of Commerce and local school districts, and 20% alumni tuition discounts on graduate programs, creating community-based enrollment incentives.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

William Woods University is a private liberal arts institution that delivers associate, bachelor's, master's, specialist, and doctoral degree programs both residentially on a 225-acre campus in Fulton, Missouri and fully online through its Woods Global Online platform. Curricula span Equestrian Studies, ASL-English Interpreting, Business, Education, Criminal Justice, Organizational Leadership, Health Administration, and other disciplines, supported by signature programs (the nation's first baccalaureate in Equestrian Science) and continuing education certificates. The institution admits students via direct-to-consumer channels including rolling undergraduate admissions, transfer, dual enrollment, military, international, and online graduate pathways.

Product overview

William Woods University is a liberal arts institution offering a comprehensive portfolio of educational programs and services across multiple delivery modalities (on-campus, online, and hybrid). The university's offerings span associate's, bachelor's, master's, specialist, and doctoral degrees, along with professional certificates. Key signature programs include the nationally recognized Equestrian Studies program (the nation's first baccalaureate in equestrian science) and the ASL-English Interpreting program. Graduate programs are primarily delivered through Woods Global Online, the university's online learning platform featuring flexible 5-week courses. The institution also provides adult degree completion pathways, dual enrollment for high school students, and continuing education certificates. William Woods serves a diverse student population including traditional undergraduates, working adults, military personnel, and international students.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Woods Global Online: The university's online education platform offering associate, bachelor's, master's, specialist, and doctoral degree programs completely online.

Products and services

• Woods Global Online William Woods University's online learning platform offering flexible, asynchronous courses in 5-week terms across associate, bachelor's, master's, specialist, and doctoral degree programs. Ranked among the nation's top online programs by U.S. News and World Report.
• Associate Degree Programs Two-year degree programs including Associate of Arts in Liberal Arts, Associate of Arts in Leadership, and Associate of Science in Education Foundations, available on-campus and online.
• Bachelor's Degree Programs Four-year undergraduate degree programs across disciplines including Business, Education, Equestrian Studies, ASL/Deaf Studies, Arts, Sciences, Exercise Science, Criminal Justice, and Legal Studies.
• Master's Degree Programs Graduate-level degree programs including MBA, Master of Health Administration, Master of Arts in Organizational Leadership, Master of Science in Business Analytics, Master of Science in Management, and Master of Education specializations.
• Education Specialist (EdS) Programs Post-master's specialist degree programs in Educational Leadership and Curriculum and Instructional Leadership, available online.
• Doctoral Degree Programs Doctoral programs including Doctor of Business Administration (DBA), PhD in Organizational Leadership, PhD in Business Administration, and multiple EdD specializations in Educational Leadership and Curriculum and Instruction.
• Professional Certificate Programs Focused certificate programs including Certificate in Leadership and Certificate in Strategic Innovation, designed for career advancement.
• Equestrian Studies Program Internationally recognized equestrian program offering BS degrees in Equestrian Science, Equine Administration, and Equine General Studies; the nation's first baccalaureate in equestrian science (1972).
• ASL-English Interpreting Program Four-year Bachelor of Science in ASL English Interpreting, ranked among top programs nationally; includes 300-hour supervised internship and pathways for certification.
• Business Degree Programs Business degree offerings including BS in Accounting, BS in Business Administration, BS in Computer Information Systems, BS in Cybersecurity, BS in Management and Leadership, and BAS in Management.
• Education Degree Programs Education degree offerings at undergraduate and graduate levels including BS in Elementary, Middle-Level, Secondary, and Special Education, plus multiple MEd specializations.
• Dual Enrollment Program Program allowing high school students to earn college credits through William Woods University courses while completing high school.

Named customers10 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and unique.

• Callaway Chamber of CommercecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership offering 20% tuition discount to employees of the Callaway Chamber of Commerce and local school districts. This community partnership provides affordable access to William Woods University online degree programs for Chamber members.
• Local School DistrictscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership providing 20% tuition discount to employees of local school districts. This partnership supports educator professional development and career advancement through William Woods graduate education programs.
• Woods Around The World ProgramuniqueStrategic or Co-development PartnerOverseas study program that broadens student minds beyond classroom learning. Part of international service opportunities to further the university's mission of global education and cultural exposure.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Western Governors University: Large-scale nonprofit online university competing in the same online MBA, MEd, and bachelor's degree markets as Woods Global Online, with substantially greater scale and national brand recognition.
• Southern New Hampshire University: Large nonprofit online university with extensive online program catalog in business, education, and liberal arts. Major competitor for Woods Global Online's adult-learner market share.

Direct peers

• Culver-Stockton College: Small private liberal arts college in Canton, Missouri with similar enrollment scale, regional Midwest recruitment, and blended on-campus/online program mix.
• Lindenwood University: Mid-sized private Missouri university with comparable degree mix including graduate programs, online offerings, and similar Midwest regional positioning.
• Missouri Valley College: Small private Midwest college with comparable scale, rural setting, online program expansion, and similar athletic/student life positioning.
• Westminster College (Missouri): Small private liberal arts college in Fulton, Missouri with comparable size, mission, and regional recruitment base. Direct competitor for traditional undergraduates in the same local market.
• Hannibal-LaGrange University: Small private faith-affiliated university in Missouri offering associate through master's programs with both residential and online modalities — comparable in size and geography.
• Columbia College (Missouri): Private Missouri college with significant online and adult-learner programs, comparable in target audience, degree mix, and military student focus to William Woods.
• Central Methodist University: Small private Missouri university offering associate through master's programs with both on-campus and online delivery. Closely comparable in size, mission, and rural Missouri location.
• Park University: Private Midwest university with strong online and military student programs comparable to Woods Global Online's adult-learner and military segments.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/53451367797
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/william-woods-university
• Instagraminstagram.com/williamwoodsalumnifriends
• Xx.com/WilliamWoodsU

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 William Woods University