Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy

What Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy does

Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy (IMSA) is a public, tuition-free residential academy in Aurora, Illinois, serving approximately 652 academically talented students in grades 10-12 from across the state. Founded in 1986 by the State of Illinois and classified as an independent state agency within the Illinois higher education system, IMSA operates a 97-acre campus with seven residence halls and delivers an advanced, inquiry-based STEM curriculum that includes the Student Inquiry and Research (SIR) program, IMSAloquium showcase, and an "Inquiry Day" model in which students devote one day per week to self-directed research or internships. The core residential program is supplemented by a portfolio of outreach and educator-development offerings — including Summer@IMSA, Saturday STEM, the PROMISE pathway program for underrepresented students, the IMSA Fusion curriculum, Little STEAMers, micro-certifications, and a Digital Commons repository — delivered across regional sites in Carbondale, Metro East, Chicago, and Aurora, as well as online. Technology infrastructure is built on standard education platforms (Canvas LMS, PowerSchool, Naviance, Gmail, IMSA Zoom) rather than proprietary systems; no AI/ML products or research pipelines are currently disclosed.

IMSA's economics are anchored in State of Illinois appropriations as an independent agency, with Illinois resident students attending tuition-free. A small, separately priced out-of-state cohort pays $50,000-$55,000 in annual tuition and room and board. Auxiliary revenue comes from facility rentals ($113 to $1,021 base rates plus hourly fees) and the IMSA Fund for Advancement of Education, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that channels charitable gifts and planned giving. Faculty composition is unusually credentialed for a secondary institution: all 40+ faculty members hold at least a master's degree and 57% hold a Ph.D. The Academy has been ranked #1 college preparatory public high school in Illinois and #1 STEM high school in Illinois by Niche.com, and is among the top 40 college preparatory institutions worldwide per The Wall Street Journal. Notable alumni include Steve Chen (YouTube co-founder), Yu Pan (PayPal co-creator), Russell Simmons (Yelp co-founder), and Sam Yagan (OkCupid co-founder), and IMSA founded the National Consortium of Secondary STEM Schools (NCSSS), now comprising 75+ member institutions across 14 states.

Name

Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy

Legal name

Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy

Website

https://imsa.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

IMSA is a public residential STEM academy in Aurora, Illinois, providing tuition-free education to approximately 650 academically talented Illinois students in grades 10-12. Founded in 1986, it operates as an independent state agency with statewide youth outreach and educator development programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Residential STEM Secondary Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Advanced STEM & Competition Coaching (MathCounts/AMC/AIME/USAMO, Science Olympiad, Physics/Chem Olympiads) (EDANAKAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

First-Year Experience & Transition Programs (EDALABAE)

Keywords

• STEM secondary education
• Residential high school
• College preparatory academy
• Educator professional development
• Youth STEM enrichment

Headquarters

HQ city

Aurora

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, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. State of Illinois Funding: IMSA is an independent state agency governed by an appointed Board of Trustees. Its budget is part of the Illinois higher education system. Illinois resident students attend tuition-free.
2. Out-of-State Student Tuition & Board: Out-of-state students pay annual tuition and room and board fees of $50,000-$55,000. Applications open September 22 annually for the following academic year.
3. IMSA Fund for Advancement of Education: A 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization dedicated to supporting IMSA's mission through charitable donations. Gifts can be directed toward specific programs or left unrestricted. Tax ID #36-3422778.
4. Facility Rental: IMSA rents campus facilities (auditoriums, classrooms, gymnasiums, pools, sports fields, maker spaces) to external groups for events. Rental rates range from $113 (classroom base) to $1,021 (cafeteria/gymnasium base) plus hourly rates.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy (IMSA) operates a tuition-free residential academic program for academically talented Illinois students in grades 10-12, delivering an advanced STEM-focused curriculum with original student research, internships, and 75+ extracurriculars. Beyond the residential academy, IMSA runs statewide youth outreach programs (Summer@IMSA, Saturday STEM, PROMISE Program), educator professional development offerings (Fusion, MicroCertification, Problem-Based Learning), and the Digital Commons resource platform to extend its STEM mission across Illinois and beyond.

Product overview

Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy operates as a unified educational institution offering a tuition-free residential academic program for grades 10-12 alongside multiple outreach and professional development programs. The core offering is the residential Academy in Aurora, IL, which is complemented by Youth Outreach programs (Summer@IMSA, Saturday STEM, PROMISE Program) serving students statewide, Educator Development programs (IMSA Fusion, Little STEAMers, Problem-Based Learning, Individual Learning Experiences, Educator MicroCertification), and the Digital Commons platform for sharing curriculum resources. These offerings work together to advance IMSA's mission of inspiring future STEM leaders while extending impact beyond the residential campus through online and in-person programs across Illinois.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Core Residential Academic Program Tuition-free residential educational program for academically talented Illinois students in grades 10-12, offering advanced STEM curriculum including 50+ math and science classes and preparation for selective colleges and universities. Enrolls approximately 650 students.
• Student Inquiry and Research (SIR) Program Program in which students conduct original investigations with professional researchers, with work shared publicly at the annual IMSAloquium showcase.

Quantifiable outcome

• Graduates placed in Ivy League and highly selective universities - ranked nationally by Newsweek, Wall Street Journal, and Worth Magazine
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

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

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Southern Illinois University (Carbondale)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIMSA has formed partnerships with higher education institutions around the state to expand access for IMSA students. In Carbondale, IMSA partners with Southern Illinois University for program delivery.
• University of Chicago-PilsencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIMSA partners with University of Chicago-Pilsen for programs in the Chicago area to expand access opportunities for students around the state.
• UIUC Siebel Center for DesigncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUIUC's Siebel Center for Design and IMSA are partnering to offer a hybrid professional development experience (Human Centered Design Cohort 2026-2027) that prepares K-12 educators to integrate Human-Centered Design into their curriculum. Includes a 3-day in-person immersive institute at IMSA in Aurora, IL.
• National Consortium of Secondary STEM Schools (NCSSS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIMSA founded and helps lead the National Consortium of Secondary STEM Schools, which consists of 75+ member institutions including similar residential programs in 14 other states. IMSA serves as a model for schools in the U.S. and abroad.
• CleversafeminorOthersFour IMSA alumni (Andrew Baptist 1994, Greg Dhuse 1999, Dusty Hendrickson 2001, Ethan Wozniak 1999) are responsible for 212 of 350 patents generated by data storage leader Cleversafe.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (TJHSST): Virginia's flagship public residential/magnet STEM secondary school, ranked #1 nationally multiple times. Directly comparable to IMSA in mission, structure, and student profile, and explicitly tied to IMSA's current President & CEO Dr. Evan M. Glazer who led TJHSST for over a decade.
• North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics (NCSSM): Public residential STEM school for grades 11-12 in Durham, NC, and a co-founder with IMSA of NCSSS. Closely matches IMSA's residential STEM model, public funding structure, and statewide mission.
• Oklahoma School of Science and Mathematics (OSSM): State-funded residential STEM high school serving Oklahoma's top students. Directly comparable as a tuition-free state residential STEM academy and an NCSSS member institution.
• Louisiana School for Math, Science, and the Arts (LSMSA): Public residential STEM/humanities school for grades 10-12 in Natchitoches, LA. Mirrors IMSA's residential model, public-state-agency funding, and out-of-state tuition option.
• Maine School of Science and Mathematics (MSSM): Public residential STEM school for grades 9-12 in Limestone, ME. Closely matches IMSA's tuition-free residential STEM mission and is an NCSSS member.
• Alabama School of Math and Science (ASMS): State-funded public residential STEM school for grades 10-12 in Mobile, AL. Directly comparable to IMSA in scale, residential structure, and NCSSS membership.
• South Carolina Governor's School for Science & Mathematics: Public residential STEM school for grades 11-12 in Hartsville, SC. Comparable state-funded residential STEM model and NCSSS member, serving a similar academically elite student population.
• Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science (MSMS): Public residential STEM school for grades 11-12 in Columbus, MS. Mirrors IMSA's public-state-agency funding, residential structure, and statewide talent-development mission.
• Texas Academy of Mathematics and Science (TAMS): Residential STEM early-college program at the University of North Texas for grades 11-12. Directly comparable to IMSA as a public residential STEM academy that also functions as an early college pathway.
• Kansas Academy of Mathematics and Science (KAMS): Public residential STEM early-college program at Kansas State University for grades 11-12. Comparable to IMSA's residential STEM model and statewide talent identification mission.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/IMSAschool
• Facebookfacebook.com/ILMathScienceAcademy
• Instagraminstagram.com/imsa_official
• Xx.com/IMSA_

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 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 Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy