Marin Academy
Marin Academy is an independent, coeducational, nonprofit college-preparatory high school in San Rafael, California, serving 445 students in grades 9-12 through a competency-based, experiential learning model with signature programs like MARC, TLP, and Outings.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1971
- HeadquartersSan Rafael, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Marin Academy does
Marin Academy is an independent, coeducational, nonprofit college-preparatory high school serving 445 students in grades 9-12 on a 10-acre campus in San Rafael, California, founded in 1971. Its operating model combines a rigorous college-prep academic core (over 100 course titles across seven departments, 8:1 student-to-faculty ratio, 85% of full-time faculty holding advanced degrees, 99%+ four-year college placement) with a stack of signature experiential programs — MARC (research collaboration with Stanford), TLP (Transdisciplinary Leadership Program), Outings (wilderness education), Minicourse (week-long intensives), Conference on Democracy, and Literary Festival — all anchored by a five-pillar competency framework (Demonstrated Empathy, Imaginative Curiosity, Intellectual Flexibility, Compelling Expression, Strategic Boldness).
The school is a founding member of the Mastery Transcript Consortium (~300 member schools co-designing a gradeless transcript) and operates a Penn ISTR teaching residency in partnership with the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education. Technology infrastructure is third-party (Canvas LMS, MyMA portal, Finalsite, SMART classroom hardware) rather than proprietary, and includes a LEED Platinum Science + Innovation Center. The product portfolio also comprises the Belonging@MA cohort program for first-generation and underrepresented students, the Design Lab maker space, and the Crossroads academic-enrichment partnership with local middle schools.
Revenue is generated almost entirely through tuition and donations. Published full tuition for 2026-2027 is $67,500 annually plus $600-$1,200 in books and incidentals; the school disburses over $5 million per year in need-based tuition assistance, offers free tuition under the MA Promise for families earning below $100,000, and meets 100% of demonstrated need for all admitted families. Approximately 20% of currently enrolled families receive assistance, with an average award of 80%. Go-to-market is regional and B2C: admissions are funneled through Ravenna, open houses, student visit days, parent information sessions, and bus-based access from Marin, San Francisco, East Bay, and Novato. The school is governed by a Board of Trustees and led by Head of School Travis Brownley, with day-to-day academic leadership from Dean of Academics Harrison Shure.
Marin Academy firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Marin Academy
- Legal name
- Marin Academy
- Website
- https://ma.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1971
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Marin Academy is an independent, coeducational, nonprofit college-preparatory high school in San Rafael, California, serving 445 students in grades 9-12 through a competency-based, experiential learning model with signature programs like MARC, TLP, and Outings.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where Marin Academy is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- San Rafael
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Marin Academy business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
Revenue model
- Tuition Revenue: Full-time tuition for 2026-2027 is $67,500 annually. Additional charges of $600-$1,200 per year for books and incidentals. Revenue is supplemented by tuition assistance awards based on demonstrated financial need.
- Tuition Assistance Program: Over $5 million awarded annually in need-based tuition assistance. MA Promise offers free tuition for families earning under $100,000/year. 100% of demonstrated need is met for all admitted families.
- Bus Transportation Services: School bus service from East Bay, San Francisco, and Novato with stops at SMART Train and San Rafael Transit Center
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Full Tuition 2026-2027 |
| Subscription | Annual | Tuition Assistance Awards |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Clarity Application Fee |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels7 records
Marin Academy product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Marin Academy is an independent, coeducational, college-preparatory high school serving students in grades 9-12 on a 10-acre campus in San Rafael, California. The school delivers a unified academic program combining rigorous college-prep coursework with signature experiential programs including the Marin Academy Research Collaborative (MARC), Transdisciplinary Leadership Program (TLP), Outings outdoor education, Conference on Democracy, Minicourse, and Literary Festival. Core educational services are organized around the MA Competencies Framework of five competencies and an 8:1 student-to-faculty ratio.
Product overview
Marin Academy is an independent, coeducational, college-preparatory high school (grades 9-12) offering a unified educational program that combines rigorous academics with experiential learning. The school's portfolio includes signature programs: the Marin Academy Research Collaborative (MARC) for STEM research, the Transdisciplinary Leadership Program (TLP) for community-focused projects, the Outings Program for wilderness education, Conference on Democracy for civic engagement, Minicourse for experiential week-long intensives, and Literary Festival for literary arts. The MA Competencies Framework underpins all offerings with five core competencies. The school also provides specialized support through Belonging@MA and operates the Design Lab as an innovation facility.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- College-Preparatory Academic Program A college-preparatory academic program for students in grades 9-12 with over 100 course titles across seven departments, including over 60 electives and honors work in every department, enhanced by Visual and Performing Arts and co-curricular programs.
- Marin Academy Research Collaborative (MARC) A research program engaging students in cutting-edge science and engineering research characteristic of college-level courses, with two tracks: Applied Genetics Research (team-based, one-year, partnership with Stanford) and Independent STEM Research (student-driven, two-year).
- Transdisciplinary Leadership Program (TLP) An innovative, application-based senior year program that empowers students to draw from their full range of skills, experiences, and knowledge to understand and address complex challenges through partnerships with outside organizations.
- Outings Program An outdoor education program with core values of experiencing nature, ecological knowledge, personal development, and stewardship, including backpacking, skiing, camping, hiking, SCUBA diving, and kayaking.
- Conference on Democracy An annual event providing perspectives on political, social, economic, and environmental issues, bringing local, national, and global luminaries to share with the MA community since 2003.
- Minicourse A week-long experiential learning program where students step away from traditional classrooms for hands-on learning through environmental stewardship, community service, academic/artistic enrichment, and wilderness skills.
- Literary Festival A celebration of oral and written word hosting writers from all fields, featuring interactive workshops and encouraging students to share their own work.
Companies that use Marin Academy
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments3 records
Marin Academy technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Marin Academy partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of EducationcorePenn Fellows Independent School Teaching Residency Program (ISTR) - a collaboration between Penn's Graduate School of Education and a select consortium of independent schools nationwide. Marin Academy is Penn's first and only ISTR program on the West Coast, one of only 13 schools selected. Fellows teach 2-3 classes with faculty mentorship while pursuing a master's degree. MA provides housing, breakfast, lunch, and covers 80% of tuition. Partnership supports MA's DEI commitment and recruitment of younger teachers and teachers of color.
- Stanford UniversitycoreEstablished partnership for MARC: Applied Genetics Research track. Faculty train in fruit fly genetics and biology at partner schools. Students in AGR track work on research at Stanford-affiliated facilities. This provides professional-level research experience for MA students.
- Mastery Transcript ConsortiumcoreFounding member of the Mastery Transcript Consortium, an organization with nearly 300 member schools co-designing a gradeless high school transcript. MA participates in this educational transformation initiative.
- Next Generation ScholarscoreCommunity-based organization partnership addressing educational access and equity. Next Generation Scholars is one of several CBOs that qualify students for Belonging@MA program and support admissions processes for underrepresented students.
- Canal AlliancecoreCommunity-based organization partnership supporting students from the Canal area. Part of CBO partnerships that qualify students for Belonging@MA support program and assist with educational equity initiatives.
- A Better ChanceminorNational organization providing educational access for students of color. Partnership supports MA's diversity recruitment and retention efforts.
- Epicurean GroupcoreLocal company providing fresh, natural, and organic food prepared from scratch for the MA Cafe. All produce comes from farms in Marin County and the Bay Area. Partnership ensures quality nutrition for the school community.
- Crossroads ProgramcoreMA partnered with local middle schools since 2001 to provide academic support and enrichment programs through Crossroads. Addresses educational equity while creating leadership opportunities for MA students and building relationships with the San Rafael community.
- U.S. Green Building CouncilminorLEED certification system administered by USGBC. MA's Science + Innovation Center was certified LEED Platinum, demonstrating commitment to energy and resource-efficient building that reduces environmental impact.
Scale indicators12 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Marin Academy competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- The Branson School: Independent college-preparatory school in Ross, California (Marin County), serving grades 9-12 in the same Bay Area market. Directly comparable to Marin Academy in size, tuition tier, and selective college-prep positioning.
- The Urban School of San Francisco: Independent college-prep high school in San Francisco serving grades 9-12. Comparable in mission (experiential, progressive education), tuition tier, and Bay Area Bay Area target families.
- Lick-Wilmerding High School: Independent college-preparatory school in San Francisco serving grades 9-12. Comparable in mission, size, and Bay Area target families; similarly emphasizes hands-on, experiential learning and strong financial aid programs.
- The College Preparatory School: Independent college-preparatory school in Oakland serving grades 9-12. Comparable in mission, academic rigor, and East Bay Bay Area target families.
- Head-Royce School: Independent K-12 school in Oakland with a college-preparatory upper division. Comparable in mission, Bay Area location, and tuition tier; serves similar progressive, college-prep-oriented families.
- San Francisco University High School: Independent college-preparatory school in San Francisco serving grades 9-12. Comparable in mission, size, tuition tier, and selective college-prep positioning.
Regional players
- Castilleja School: Independent college-preparatory school in Palo Alto serving grades 6-12 (girls). Comparable in mission and Bay Area market, but serves the Peninsula rather than Marin/SF/East Bay.
- Sacred Heart Schools, Atherton: Independent Catholic college-preparatory school in Atherton serving grades 6-12. Comparable in mission and tuition tier but operates on the Peninsula and includes a religious affiliation.
- Lakeside School: Independent college-preparatory school in Seattle serving grades 5-12. Comparable in mission, progressive pedagogy, and college-prep outcomes, but located in the Pacific Northwest rather than the Bay Area.
Broad incumbents
- Phillips Academy Andover: Highly selective independent college-preparatory boarding school in Massachusetts. Comparable in mission, selectivity, and tuition tier; broader geographic draw and stronger endowment than MA.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Marin Academy social profiles
Digital presenceMarin Academy financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Marin Academy leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Marin Academy funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Marin Academy 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 Marin Academy
What does Marin Academy do?
Marin Academy is an independent, coeducational, college-preparatory high school serving students in grades 9-12 on a 10-acre campus in San Rafael, California. The school delivers a unified academic program combining rigorous college-prep coursework with signature experiential programs including the Marin Academy Research Collaborative (MARC), Transdisciplinary Leadership Program (TLP), Outings outdoor education, Conference on Democracy, Minicourse, and Literary Festival. Core educational services are organized around the MA Competencies Framework of five competencies and an 8:1 student-to-faculty ratio.
Is Marin Academy a public or private company?
Marin Academy is a private company. It is currently operating.
When was Marin Academy founded?
Marin Academy was founded in 1971. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Marin Academy based?
Marin Academy is headquartered in San Rafael, United States, in the North America region.
How does Marin Academy make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Tuition Revenue is the primary driver. The others are tuition Assistance Program and bus Transportation Services.
Who are Marin Academy's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are The Branson School, The Urban School of San Francisco, Lick-Wilmerding High School, The College Preparatory School, Head-Royce School and San Francisco University High School. Regional players are Castilleja School, Sacred Heart Schools, Atherton and Lakeside School. Phillips Academy Andover is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Marin Academy have an API?
No public API is recorded for Marin Academy.