Eastern University

What Eastern University does

Eastern University is a private, nonprofit Christian university founded in 1925 and headquartered on a residential campus at 1300 Eagle Road, St. Davids, Pennsylvania, with additional operating sites in Philadelphia (including the Esperanza College subsidiary) and Harrisburg. The institution delivers 130+ undergraduate, graduate, seminary, and online programs across seven colleges and Palmer Theological Seminary, integrating a faith-based framework throughout its curriculum.

Its core product portfolio spans traditional on-campus undergraduate degrees, fully online undergraduate and graduate programs, accelerated pathways such as Eastern FastPass (three-year graduation), the Templeton Honors College, associate degrees through Esperanza College, and a June 2026 launch of a fully online Master of Arts in Artificial Intelligence Innovation priced at $9,900 total for a 10-month program. Delivery infrastructure runs on the Brightspace learning management system, with an AI Registrar Assistant built on Google's Gemini handling routine student queries, and FERPA-compliant student records operations.

The business model is tuition-driven: revenue comes primarily from tuition and fees across undergraduate, graduate, online, and seminary programs, supplemented by donations and fundraising (annual donor honor rolls and named scholarship funds), state and institutional grants (notably a $499,677 Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency VIP grant in June 2025), and theatre scholarships including one full-tuition and up to ten $25,000 Fine & Performing Arts awards. With 97% of undergraduates receiving financial aid, the institution is highly discount-dependent. Go-to-market is sales-led across dedicated admissions teams for traditional undergraduate, graduate/online, and transfer students, supported by digital advertising, social media, email campaigns, open houses, and dual-enrollment partnerships; theatrical internship alliances with regional professional companies and study-abroad partnerships (Los Angeles Film Studies Center, National Theatre Institute, Gaiety School of Acting Dublin) extend the experiential offering.

Name

Eastern University

Legal name

Eastern University

Website

https://eastern.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1925

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Eastern University is a private Christian nonprofit university founded in 1925 in St. Davids, Pennsylvania, delivering 130+ undergraduate, graduate, online, and seminary programs across seven colleges, with satellite sites in Philadelphia and Harrisburg and a community-focused Esperanza College subsidiary.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (61131)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Christian Colleges with Theological Programs (EDAHAKAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Religiously Affiliated Liberal Arts Colleges (EDAHACAF)

Keywords

• Higher education services
• Christian university programs
• Undergraduate degree programs
• Graduate degree programs
• Online education programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Wayne

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Fees: Revenue from tuition and fees for undergraduate, graduate, online, and seminary programs. Tuition varies by program type with specific pricing for online graduate programs like the MA in AI Innovation at $9,900 total.
2. Financial Aid and Scholarships: 97% of undergraduates receive financial aid and scholarships, indicating significant scholarship distribution as part of the revenue model.
3. Donations and Fundraising: Annual donor honor rolls and fundraising campaigns supporting university operations and programs, including diversity initiatives and specific program funds.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Eastern University is a Christian university that delivers higher education through seven colleges and Palmer Theological Seminary, offering 130+ nationally-recognized undergraduate, graduate, online, and seminary degree programs and certifications. Programs span traditional four-year on-campus bachelor's degrees, fully online undergraduate and graduate degrees, accelerated completion tracks such as Eastern FastPass, the Templeton Honors College, and associate degrees via Esperanza College in Philadelphia.

Product overview

Eastern University is a Christian university offering a comprehensive portfolio of educational programs across seven colleges and a seminary. The institution provides traditional on-campus undergraduate programs, online undergraduate and graduate programs, and specialized honors education through the Templeton Honors College. The university operates Esperanza College as a community college division and has recently launched a new fully online Master of Arts in Artificial Intelligence Innovation program. Key programs include the Eastern FastPass for accelerated degree completion and Eagle Learning Materials for affordable textbooks. The university serves students through on-campus, online, and hybrid modalities, with main campus located in St. Davids, PA and additional locations in Philadelphia and Harrisburg.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Esperanza College of Eastern University: A two-year college of Eastern University serving the Hispanic community in Philadelphia with associate degree programs.

Products and services

• Master of Arts in Artificial Intelligence Innovation A fully online interdisciplinary master's degree program designed for non-technical professionals, focusing on ethical AI use, critical evaluation of AI tools, digital literacy, and responsible AI adoption. The program can be completed in 10 months with a total tuition cost of $9,900.
• Traditional Undergraduate Programs On-campus bachelor's degree programs for traditional students, with over 130 nationally-recognized undergraduate degree programs available at the St. Davids, Pennsylvania main campus, including campus housing, student life, and athletics participation.
• Online Undergraduate Programs Associate or bachelor's degree programs available fully online for adult and non-traditional learners, designed with flexible scheduling for working professionals.
• Graduate Programs Master's and doctorate degree programs for graduate students, including online options across multiple disciplines such as the ranked #1 Online Master's in Data Science and #2 Online Master's in Counseling (OnlineMasters.com, 2026).
• Templeton Honors College A specialized honors college offering an enriched liberal arts education with emphasis on ethics, classical education, and liberal studies.
• Esperanza College An associate degree program division located in Philadelphia, offering associate degrees in Business Administration, Community and Human Services, Criminal Justice, Early Childhood Education, eSports Management, Health Sciences, Media & Technology, and Medical Assisting.
• Palmer Theological Seminary Theological seminary offering seminary programs and degrees in Christian ministries and theology.
• Eastern FastPass An accelerated degree completion program allowing students to graduate in 3 years by earning college credit during high school through dual enrollment, with reduced course load or easy double-majoring option.
• Eagle Learning Materials Textbook cost reduction program providing affordable course materials for students.

Quantifiable outcome

• 97% of undergraduates receive financial aid and scholarships
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Esperanza College of Eastern UniversitycoreOthersEsperanza College is a division of Eastern University located in North Philadelphia, offering associate degrees and community-focused educational programs. It operates with its own leadership, admissions, and academic staff while being part of the Eastern University system.
• National Student ClearinghousecoreTechnology or IntegrationEastern University subscribes to the National Student Clearinghouse for enrollment and degree verification services, enabling third-party verification of student enrollment status and degree completion.
• Professional Theatres NetworkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with regional professional theatres including Act II Playhouse, Arden Theatre, Walnut Street Theatre, Wilma Theatre, and Oregon Shakespeare Festival for student internship opportunities in theatre arts.
• Affiliate Colleges (Rosemont, Cabrini)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCross-registration agreements with affiliated colleges allowing students to take courses at partner institutions as part of their academic program.
• Los Angeles Film Studies CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStudy abroad partnership allowing theatre and film students to study at the Los Angeles Film Studies Center, interning with casting agencies and production companies.
• National Theatre InstituteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStudy abroad partnership allowing students to participate in theatre programs at the National Theatre Institute in Connecticut.
• The Gaiety School of ActingminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational study abroad partnership with The Gaiety School of Acting in Dublin, Ireland for theatre students.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Messiah University: Private Christian university in Mechanicsburg, PA offering undergraduate and graduate programs with a similar faith-integration model and Pennsylvania footprint. Closest geographic and mission peer to Eastern.
• Cabrini University: Pennsylvania private university with cross-registration ties to Eastern; similar size, faith-inspired mission, and undergraduate focus — a direct comparable for tuition, aid strategy, and program mix.
• Rosemont College: Small private Pennsylvania college with historical cross-registration arrangement with Eastern; comparable scale, liberal arts emphasis, and tuition-aid dynamics.
• Regent University: Christian university with a strong online graduate program portfolio; directly comparable to Eastern in faith-based branding, online modality, and adult-learner targeting.
• Azusa Pacific University: Private Christian university offering a broad mix of undergraduate, graduate, and online programs with faith integration — a close national comparable in mission and program structure.

Broad incumbents

• Villanova University: Larger Augustinian Catholic university in the Philadelphia suburbs; competing for the same regional traditional undergraduate talent pool but with significantly greater resources and brand.
• Liberty University: Large Christian university with a dominant online program portfolio; competes with Eastern for faith-aligned online graduate students across the U.S. at greater scale and lower per-program pricing.
• Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU): National leader in online undergraduate and graduate education; competes with Eastern's online programs on price, scale, and brand — particularly for adult learners.
• Western Governors University: Nonprofit, competency-based online university with nationwide reach; a key competitor in Eastern's online graduate and adult-learner segments, particularly on affordability.

Regional players

• West Chester University of Pennsylvania: Public Pennsylvania university serving the same Philadelphia-region traditional undergraduate market; competes primarily on price and public-university value proposition.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@easternuniversityathletics
• Facebookfacebook.com/308407350019
• Instagraminstagram.com/easternuniversity
• Xx.com/easternU
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/eastern-university

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles17 records

Subsidiaries1 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 Eastern University