Pullias Center for Higher Education

Name

Pullias Center for Higher Education

Legal name

Pullias Center for Higher Education

Website

https://pullias.usc.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education Research and Consulting Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (61171), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)

akta.pro primary industry

College Access, Scholarships & Student Success Nonprofits (BPAGADAE)

Keywords

• Higher education research
• Equity in education
• Change leadership frameworks
• College access programs
• Graduate education consortia

Headquarters

HQ city

Los Angeles

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Foundation and Government Grants: Primary revenue from competitive grants and funding from foundations (Gates Foundation, Sloan Foundation, ECMC Foundation, NSF) and government agencies supporting specific research projects and initiatives.
2. Program and Membership Fees: The Equity in Graduate Education Consortium is funded by Alfred P. Sloan Foundation plus institutional membership fees from participating universities.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels13 records

Core offering

The Pullias Center for Higher Education is a non-profit research center within the USC Rossier School of Education that produces evidence-based research, toolkits, frameworks, and leadership development programs aimed at promoting equity, improving student access and success, and enhancing institutional performance in higher education. Core deliverables include the Change Leadership Toolkit, Shared Equity Leadership framework, the Equity in Graduate Education Consortium, the Delphi Project on contingent faculty, the PASS research project, and administration of the ACE Fellows Program.

Product overview

The Pullias Center for Higher Education is a research center (not a commercial product company) that produces research publications, toolkits, and programs focused on equity in higher education. Its core offerings include the Change Leadership Toolkit (CLT) for systemic institutional change, the Shared Equity Leadership (SEL) framework and resources, the Promoting At-Promise Student Success (PASS) research project, the Equity in Graduate Education (EGE) Consortium, the Delphi Project on faculty and student success, and administration of the ACE Fellows Program. These products are primarily knowledge resources (PDFs, reports, toolkits, webinars) and programs rather than software products. The Center also offers the annual Delphi Award and Pullias Lectures as engagement programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Equity in Graduate Education Consortium (EGE Consortium): A learning community of scholars and practitioners committed to advancing equity in graduate education through evidence-based practices, tools, and change management strategies
• Shared Equity Leadership (SEL)
• Change Leadership Toolkit (CLT)
• Delphi Project on the Changing Faculty and Student Success
• Promoting At-Promise Student Success (PASS)
• ACE Fellows Program

Products and services

• Change Leadership Toolkit (CLT) A research-based toolkit providing campus leaders and teams with strategies and leadership competencies to implement, scale, and sustain systemic institutional change in higher education.
• Shared Equity Leadership (SEL) Framework A multi-year research initiative providing insights, frameworks, reports, and toolkits on Shared Equity Leadership in higher education, including how to structure equity work and engage campus roles.
• Promoting At-Promise Student Success (PASS) Project A longitudinal research project studying how institutions can best support at-promise students (low-income, first-generation, racially minoritized) through ecological validation approaches, professional learning communities, and comprehensive college transition programs.
• ACE Fellows Program The nation's premier executive leadership development experience in higher education, administered by the Pullias Center in partnership with ACE, providing immersive placement, mentorship, and leadership retreats for mid- and senior-level administrators.
• Equity in Graduate Education (EGE) Consortium A learning community of scholars and practitioners committed to advancing equity in graduate education through evidence-based practices, tools, and change management strategies, providing professional development, coaching, and resources to 27 member universities and 200+ graduate programs.
• Delphi Project on the Changing Faculty and Student Success A national initiative focused on the changing faculty workforce (VITAL faculty: visiting, instructors, temporary, adjuncts, lecturers) and student success, including the annual Delphi Award recognizing innovative institutional support.
• Pullias Lectures Annual lecture series featuring prominent higher education scholars and leaders discussing equity, access, and student success topics.
• Delphi Award Program Annual $15,000 award presented jointly with AAC&U to two institutions for innovative, scalable policies and programs supporting contingent/VITAL faculty.
• USC College Advising Corps A program that places trained advisors in underserved high schools to provide college guidance and support, expanding college access for first-generation and low-income students.

Quantifiable outcome

• EGE Consortium grew from 6 universities (2018) to 27 universities and 200+ graduate programs
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.

• American Council on Education (ACE)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 June 2026Landmark partnership for the Pullias Center to administer the ACE Fellows program, the nation's premier executive leadership development experience in higher education. Beginning with the 2026-27 cohort, the Center will deliver and reimagine the curriculum that has shaped careers of more than 2,500 higher education leaders since 1965.
• American Council on Education (ACE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on Shared Equity Leadership research, producing six reports and a toolkit focused on different aspects of SEL in higher education. Joint publication of primers and guidance documents.
• American Association of Colleges & Universities (AAC&U)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership in presenting the annual Delphi Award ($15,000 prize given to two institutions) and co-producing webinars on institutional transformation to support VITAL faculty.
• Equity in Graduate Education Consortium Member InstitutionscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner27 universities and 200+ graduate programs participate in the consortium, a learning community committed to advancing equity in graduate education through evidence-based practices and change management strategies. Funded by Sloan Foundation and institutional membership fees.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• RAND Corporation (Education Division): RAND conducts rigorous empirical research on education policy, workforce, and equity. It is comparable to Pullias in producing high-credibility research that informs higher education practice, though RAND operates across many domains beyond higher education.
• Educational Testing Service (ETS): ETS is a large non-profit that conducts research on educational assessment, learning, and policy. It is comparable to Pullias in producing research that informs higher education practice, particularly around equity in student outcomes and assessment validity.
• American Council on Education (ACE): ACE is the major coordinating body for U.S. higher education institutions and conducts research on college access, leadership, and policy. Pullias now partners with ACE to administer the ACE Fellows program and collaborates on SEL research, making ACE both a partner and the most direct peer in higher education leadership and policy.
• Association of American Universities (AAU): AAU is an association of leading research universities that conducts policy research on graduate education, faculty, and institutional effectiveness. It is comparable to Pullias in its focus on research university ecosystems, doctoral education, and faculty/academic workforce issues.
• American Association of Colleges & Universities (AAC&U): AAC&U is a leading higher education association focused on liberal education, equity, and student success. Pullias partners with AAC&U on the Delphi Award and co-produces webinars on institutional transformation, making it a close peer in advancing equity-focused frameworks across U.S. colleges.

Direct peers

• MDRC: MDRC is a non-profit education and social policy research organization that designs and evaluates programs to improve education and economic outcomes. It is comparable to Pullias in producing rigorous evidence-based research on college access, retention, and student success for low-income and underrepresented populations.
• Institute for Higher Education Policy (IHEP): IHEP is a non-profit research and advocacy organization focused on postsecondary equity and student success. It is comparable to Pullias in producing research and policy recommendations on college access, affordability, and outcomes for underrepresented students.
• National Center for Higher Education Management Systems (NCHEMS): NCHEMS is a non-profit that works with colleges, universities, and states on performance improvement, policy analysis, and equity. It is comparable to Pullias in providing research-based tools and consulting for institutional change and student success improvement.
• Center for Studies in Higher Education (UC Berkeley): A peer research center at UC Berkeley that conducts research on higher education policy, access, and institutional effectiveness. It is the most direct functional peer to Pullias, operating as a university-based research center producing scholarship on higher education equity and reform.

Regional players

• National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA): NASFAA is a membership organization that supports financial aid administration and policy in U.S. higher education. It is comparable to Pullias in working on college access and success issues, though with a narrower focus on financial aid policy and administration.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/uscpullias
• Facebookfacebook.com/USCPulliasCenter
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/usc-pullias-center
• Instagraminstagram.com/uscpulliascenter

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Pullias Center for Higher Education