Washington Adventist University

What Washington Adventist University does

Washington Adventist University (WAU) is a private nonprofit institution of higher education founded in 1904 in Takoma Park, Maryland, and owned by the Seventh-day Adventist Church through the Columbia Union Conference. The university offers more than 32 majors and academic programs across three schools: the School of Arts and Social Sciences, the School of Graduate and Professional Studies (SGPS), and the School of Health Professions, Science & Wellness. WAU serves traditional undergraduate students, adult learners, international students from over 40 countries, transfer students, veterans, and dual-enrollment high school students. Distinctive programs include the only Honors College and the only Music Therapy program in the Adventist Higher Education System in North America, plus a unique urban evangelism-focused religion department.

The university's technology stack centers on Desire2Learn (D2L) as its learning management system and Ellucian CRM Recruit as its online admissions portal. A 24/7 AI-powered chatbot called "Rebecca" (301-900-2688) handles prospective student inquiries in the admissions funnel, representing an early-stage AI deployment. Additional technology-enabled services include a virtual campus tour platform, a financial aid self-service portal, and integrations with Parchment for transcript ordering, Inceptia for federal verification, and ECMC for financial literacy. Clinical learning rotations are delivered through a partnership with Adventist Health Care.

WAU generates revenue through three primary streams: tuition and fees (differentiated between Traditional Undergraduate and SGPS programs), room and board from on-campus housing (Halcyon Hall, Morrison Hall), and philanthropic donations including the Dr. Gladstone P. Gurubatham Lifelong Learning Endowment. The university administers federal Title IV financial aid programs (Pell Grants, Direct Loans, FSEOG, Federal Work-Study) and participates in Maryland state grant programs through the Maryland Higher Education Commission. Go-to-market is sales-led via admissions counselors, campus tours, college fairs, dual-enrollment high school partnerships, and international recruitment through SASDAC and dedicated PDSO/DSO staff, with marketing spanning organic social, WTOP radio, the university website, YouTube, Gateway alumni magazine, and Adventist Church networks.

Name

Washington Adventist University

Legal name

Washington Adventist University

Website

https://wau.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1904

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Washington Adventist University is a private nonprofit university in Takoma Park, Maryland, founded in 1904 and owned by the Seventh-day Adventist Church. It offers 32+ undergraduate and graduate programs across three schools, serving traditional, adult, international, veteran, and dual-enrollment students.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Religious Organizations (8131), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (611310)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Religiously Affiliated Liberal Arts Colleges (EDAHACAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Christian Colleges with Theological Programs (EDAHAKAG), Campus Spiritual & Religious Life (EDALAHAI)

Keywords

• Higher education services
• Undergraduate degree programs
• Graduate professional studies
• Faith-based education
• Nursing health programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Takoma Park

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Fees: Primary revenue stream from tuition charges for undergraduate and graduate programs, with different rate structures for Traditional Undergraduate vs. School of Graduate and Professional Studies (SGPS) programs. Additional fees include application fees, commitment deposits, and course-specific fees.
2. Room and Board: Revenue from on-campus housing (Halcyon Hall, Morrison Hall) and dining services
3. Philanthropic Donations: Charitable contributions from alumni, community members, and corporate sponsors supporting various funds including the Dr. Gladstone P. Gurubatham Lifelong Learning Endowment, academic support, campus programs, and Office of Ministry
4. Federal and State Financial Aid Administration: University administers federal Title IV programs including Pell Grants, Direct Loans, FSEOG, Federal Work-Study, and Maryland state grants. WAU's school code is 002067.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Washington Adventist University is a private, faith-based university that delivers associate, bachelor's, and graduate degree programs across three academic schools: the School of Arts and Social Sciences, the School of Graduate and Professional Studies (SGPS), and the School of Health Professions, Science & Wellness. It also offers on-campus housing (Halcyon Hall, Morrison Hall), dining services, ESL programs, an Honors College, and a Dual Enrollment Program for high school students.

Product overview

Washington Adventist University is a private university offering undergraduate, graduate, and professional education programs. The university operates three academic schools: School of Arts & Social Sciences, School of Graduate and Professional Studies (SGPS), and School of Health Professions, Science & Wellness. Educational programs include associate, bachelor, and graduate degrees across disciplines including business, computer science, nursing, medical imaging, psychology, counseling, music, and more. Special programs include an Honors College, ESL (English as Second Language) noncredit program, and Dual Enrollment Program for high school students.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• School of Arts and Social Sciences Traditional undergraduate daytime degree programs in arts, sciences, business, English, psychology, religion, education, and related disciplines for students seeking a four-year residential college experience.
• School of Graduate and Professional Studies (SGPS) Accelerated evening graduate degree programs in administration/management, psychology and counseling, nursing, and music therapy equivalency, with classes held one night per week for working professionals.
• School of Health Professions, Science & Wellness Undergraduate and graduate health professions programs including Nursing (BSN), Medical Imaging/Radiologic Technology, Biology, Chemistry, and Health/Wellness/Physical Education.
• WAU Honors College Selective honors program with expanded Washington DC capital-region learning and accelerated pre-law pathways; the only Honors College in the Adventist Higher Education System.
• ESL (English as a Second Language) Program Noncredit ESL program preparing international and other non-native English speakers for admission into WAU undergraduate or graduate degree programs.
• Dual Enrollment Program Program allowing high school juniors and seniors from SDA academies, private schools, public schools, and homeschool organizations to earn college credits simultaneously.
• Music Therapy Program Music therapy equivalency program (graduate) provided through SGPS; the only Music Therapy Program in Maryland and the entire Adventist Tertiary System in North America.
• International Student Programs International admissions and support services including F-1 visa processing (I-20), WES/ACEI transcript evaluation, ESL pathway, and recruitment via SASDAC partnerships.
• Veterans Education Benefits Program Support for veteran students using GI Bill and VA education benefits, including VA certification, dedicated financial aid advising, and readmission support for absences up to 5 years.
• Adventist Colleges Abroad (Study Abroad) Consortium-based study abroad program enabling qualified WAU students to study at ACA campuses in Argentina, Austria, Brazil, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Japan, Spain, Thailand, Ukraine, and the United Kingdom while completing degree requirements.
• On-Campus Housing and Dining On-campus housing in Halcyon Hall and Morrison Hall along with dining services for residential students.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100% First Time Board Passage Licensing Rate for May 2024 & May 2025 Nursing Graduates
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Adventist Colleges Abroad (ACA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWAU is a member of Adventist Colleges Abroad (ACA), a consortium of colleges and universities operated by the North American Division of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. This partnership gives qualified students the opportunity for international study while completing requirements of their programs. ACA campuses are located in Argentina, Austria, Brazil, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Japan, Spain, Thailand, Ukraine, and the United Kingdom.
• World Education Services (WES)coreTechnology or IntegrationWAU requires international transcripts to be evaluated through WES (World Education Services) using the WES ICAP Course-by-Course evaluation. This partnership enables proper credential evaluation for international students transferring credits from foreign institutions.
• SASDAC (South Asian Seventh-day Adventist Colleges)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWAU maintains a partnership with SASDAC (South Asian SDA Colleges) for international student recruitment and degree completion pathways. Students follow a structured process including application submission, WES evaluation, provisional acceptance, and I-20 processing through liaison coordination.
• Adventist Health CarecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWAU has a clinical learning partnership with Adventist Health Care for distinctive clinical learning experiences for health professions students. Students in nursing and other health programs benefit from clinical rotations at Adventist Health Care facilities.
• Columbia Union ConferencecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWAU is owned by the Seventh-day Adventist Church through the Columbia Union Conference, which provides ecclesiastical oversight and connection to the broader Adventist educational network.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights8 records

Direct peers

• Andrews University: Andrews University is a Seventh-day Adventist institution in Berrien Springs, Michigan offering undergraduate, graduate, and seminary programs within the same Adventist Higher Education system as WAU, making it the closest direct peer in mission, denomination, and program mix.
• Southern Adventist University: Southern Adventist University is a faith-based Adventist university in Collegedale, Tennessee offering associate through graduate degrees across arts, sciences, business, and health. It directly competes with WAU for the same Adventist student pipeline.
• Oakwood University: Oakwood University is a Seventh-day Adventist HBCU in Huntsville, Alabama offering undergraduate and graduate programs in arts, sciences, theology, business, and nursing. It is a same-system peer to WAU with overlapping faith-based mission and academic structure.
• Walla Walla University: Walla Walla University is a Seventh-day Adventist university in College Place, Washington offering undergraduate and graduate programs with a strong liberal arts and pre-professional emphasis, serving the same Adventist student ecosystem as WAU.
• Loma Linda University: Loma Linda University is an Adventist health-sciences university in Loma Linda, California. It shares WAU's Adventist identity and clinical partnership model (Adventist Health Care) but is far larger and more research-oriented, making it a same-system peer with a different scale profile.

Regional players

• Catholic University of America: Catholic University of America is a faith-affiliated research university located in Washington, DC. It competes with WAU for faith-oriented students in the DC metropolitan area and offers comparable undergraduate and graduate programs.
• Montgomery College: Montgomery College is a public community college located adjacent to Takoma Park, Maryland. It directly competes with WAU for transfer-bound and adult-learner students in WAU's immediate geography, particularly for two-year and continuing-education pathways.
• Howard University: Howard University is a private HBCU and R1 research university in Washington, DC. It competes with WAU for DC-metro faith-oriented and minority-serving populations and for graduate students in counseling, psychology, and health professions.
• Trinity Washington University: Trinity Washington University is a small, Catholic, mission-driven private university in Washington, DC with comparable scale and a similar emphasis on serving adult learners, first-generation, and underrepresented students in the DC metro area.

Broad incumbents

• University of Maryland, College Park: The University of Maryland, College Park is the flagship public university in WAU's primary recruitment region. It is a broad incumbent that competes with WAU for Maryland-resident undergraduates on price, prestige, and program breadth.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/waunews
• Facebookfacebook.com/87351739308
• Instagraminstagram.com/washingtonadventistuniversity

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 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 Washington Adventist University