Brenau University
Brenau University is a private non-profit higher-education institution in Gainesville, Georgia, offering 80+ undergraduate, graduate, and online degree programs across four colleges to roughly 2,451 traditional, first-generation, veteran, international, and women's college students.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1878
- HeadquartersGainesville, United States
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Brenau University does
Brenau University is a private non-profit institution of higher education founded in 1878 in Gainesville, Georgia (originally the Georgia Baptist Female Seminary, renamed Brenau in 1900). It enrolls approximately 2,451 students and conferred 614 degrees in the 2024-2025 academic year across more than 80 degree programs organized under four academic colleges: the Jacobs College of Business & Media, the Carole Ann Daniel College of Education, the College of Fine Arts & Humanities, and the Ivester College of Health Sciences. The institution operates The Women's College (its historic women-only division), a coed Undergraduate School, and the Sidney O. Smith Jr. Graduate School, and delivers instruction through on-campus attendance at four Georgia locations (Historic Gainesville, North Atlanta/Norcross, Downtown Gainesville, Gainesville East), fully online formats, and hybrid options. Brenau has offered online classes since 1998 with a reported 20+ year online teaching track record and an average online student age of 35.
The university serves a diversified student base spanning traditional undergraduates, graduate and doctoral students, online/distance learners, first-generation students (60% of the 2022 freshman class), military veterans, international students (supported by the Miller Institute for Global Education), and women's college students. Supporting operations include Brenau Athletics (15 teams across 13 varsity sports competing in the NAIA and Appalachian Athletic Conference), the 89.1 WBCX FM campus radio station (operated since 1977), Brenau University Galleries, and community programs such as counseling and pro-bono clinics serving North Georgia.
Brenau generates revenue primarily through tuition and fees across its on-campus, online, and hybrid programs, supplemented by auxiliary services (dining, residence life, bookstore, campus events) and alumni giving and philanthropy. The institution offers multiple interest-free deferred payment plans (three-payment with a $35 fee, four-payment with a $50 fee, and a 10-month full-year plan with a $75 fee). Go-to-market is sales-led, relying on admissions counselors, campus tours, admissions events (Brenau Bound, Winter Weekend, ROAR orientation), high school visits, college fairs, virtual info sessions, and targeted outreach to Hispanic and first-generation families. Revenue figures are not publicly disclosed in the available materials.
Brenau University firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Brenau University
- Legal name
- Brenau University
- Website
- https://brenau.edu
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1878
- Operating status
- Operating
- Short description
- Brenau University is a private non-profit higher-education institution in Gainesville, Georgia, offering 80+ undergraduate, graduate, and online degree programs across four colleges to roughly 2,451 traditional, first-generation, veteran, international, and women's college students.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Brenau University industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Higher Education
- NAICS
- Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (61131), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (611310)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Comprehensive Doctoral Research Universities (Multi-Disciplinary) (EDAHABAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Fully Online Universities (Online-First, Degree-Granting) (EDAHALAA), Online Nonprofit Universities (EDAHALAK)
Keywords
Where Brenau University is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Gainesville
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices5 records
Markets served
Brenau University business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others
Revenue model
- Tuition and Fees: Brenau University generates revenue primarily through tuition and fees charged to undergraduate and graduate students across its on-campus, online, and hybrid programs. During the 2021-2022 academic year, 90% of Brenau's undergraduate students received some form of financial assistance.
- Auxiliary Services: Revenue from on-campus dining services (Hopkins Dining Hall, Tea Room with Brewed Awakenings coffee shop, P.O.D. Market, Burgers + Fries), residence life housing, bookstore, and campus events.
- Alumni Giving and Philanthropy: The university receives charitable contributions from alumni and donors, with fiscal year-end giving campaigns and a Brenau Benefits & Deals program for alumni.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | One-payment option - Tuition due on or before the first day of each academic term |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Three-payment option - One-third due at start, remaining two-thirds split at 30 and 60 days |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Four-payment option - One-quarter due at start, remaining balance in equal payments at 30, 60, and 90 days |
| Subscription | Annual | Full-year 10-monthly payment option - Based on estimated full academic year tuition/fees |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels11 records
Brenau University product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Brenau University is a private non-profit institution of higher education delivering undergraduate, graduate, and online degree programs across four academic colleges (Business & Media, Education, Fine Arts & Humanities, and Health Sciences), plus The Women's College and the Sidney O. Smith Jr. Graduate School. It also offers supporting services such as NAIA athletics, online and hybrid learning, international programs through the Miller Institute, and community-facing facilities (galleries, radio station, and pro-bono clinics).
Product overview
Brenau University is a higher education institution offering a portfolio of academic colleges and student services across multiple delivery formats. The university operates through four academic divisions: Jacobs College of Business & Media (offering business, accounting, marketing, and communication degrees), Carole Ann Daniel College of Education (providing teacher certification through doctoral programs), College of Fine Arts & Humanities (including performing arts and interior design), and Ivester College of Health Sciences (nursing, OT, PT, and psychology programs). The Women's College is a signature women's-only college division with distinctive traditions and Greek life. Brenau Online extends programs to remote learners with 35+ online degree and certificate options. Supporting services include Brenau Athletics (15 NAIA varsity teams), 89.1 WBCX FM radio station, Brenau University Galleries, and the Miller Institute for Global Education facilitating international programs and study abroad.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- The Women's College: Women's college component of Brenau University offering women-only classes and programs for over 140 years
- Golden Tigers
- Jacobs College of Business & Media
- Carole Ann Daniel College of Education
- College of Fine Arts & Humanities
- Ivester College of Health Sciences
- Sidney O. Smith Jr. Graduate School
- 89.1 WBCX Gainesville
Products and services
- Jacobs College of Business & Media
- Carole Ann Daniel College of Education
- College of Fine Arts & Humanities
- Ivester College of Health Sciences
- The Women's College
- Brenau Online
- Brenau Athletics
- Miller Institute for Global Education
- 89.1 WBCX Gainesville Radio Station
- Brenau University Galleries
Quantifiable outcome
- 9:1 student-to-faculty ratio with 88% of classes having fewer than 20 students
- +7 more outcomes
Companies that use Brenau University
Customer profileNamed customers23 records
Segments8 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Brenau University technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Brenau University partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- A New VeterancoreA New Veteran, a nonprofit focused on veteran benefits advocacy, has partnered with Brenau University to strengthen support for veteran students and expand community awareness of veteran resources across North Georgia. The partnership involves campus-based educational programming, participation in Brenau's Community Days (Community Connection Days), and business community engagement designed to help veteran students and families access trusted guidance and support services. The collaboration specifically targets student veterans at Brenau's College of Business and Communication as well as the broader North Georgia veteran community. Both organizations share event dates and participation opportunities through their respective communication channels.
Scale indicators12 records
Recent moves4 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Brenau University competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Agnes Scott College: Private nonprofit women's college in Decatur, Georgia, offering undergraduate and select graduate programs. Direct competitor for Brenau's Women's College and Georgia-based women's higher education students.
- Toccoa Falls College: Private Christian liberal arts college in Toccoa, Georgia, offering undergraduate and graduate programs with a faith-based mission. Comparable size and regional footprint to Brenau with overlapping online program offerings.
- Spelman College: Historically Black women's college in Atlanta, Georgia, offering undergraduate liberal arts programs. Competes with Brenau's Women's College for top female students in the Atlanta metro and Southeast region.
- Shorter University: Private nonprofit Christian university in Rome, Georgia, with both traditional and online programs, NAIA athletics, and a strong liberal arts tradition. Comparable institutional size, mission profile, and program mix to Brenau.
- LaGrange College: Private nonprofit liberal arts college in LaGrange, Georgia, with Methodist affiliation. Similar size, regional positioning, and undergraduate focus to Brenau, with overlapping recruitment geographies in the Southeast.
- Point University: Private nonprofit Christian university based in West Point, Georgia, with significant online program offerings and a similar enrollment profile. Competes with Brenau for adult learners and online students in the Southeast.
- Piedmont University: Private nonprofit comprehensive university in Demorest, Georgia (within ~30 miles of Brenau's Gainesville campus), offering undergraduate and graduate programs across multiple colleges with NAIA athletics. Strong geographic overlap and similar institutional profile.
Broad incumbents
- University of North Georgia: Large public university system with a main campus in Dahlonega, Georgia (adjacent to Brenau's market). As a public institution with lower tuition, it is a significant competitor for in-state undergraduates in North Georgia.
Regional players
- Emmanuel College: Private nonprofit Christian college in Franklin Springs, Georgia, with NAIA athletics and traditional/online programs. Comparable size and program mix to Brenau, with similar Christian heritage.
- Berry College: Private nonprofit comprehensive liberal arts college in Mount Berry, Georgia, with a large residential campus. Comparable in mission and regional scope but larger in scale; competes for similar undergraduate students in North Georgia.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Brenau University social profiles
Digital presenceBrenau University financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Brenau University leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles20 records
Brenau University subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Brenau University funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Brenau University 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 Brenau University
What does Brenau University do?
Brenau University is a private non-profit institution of higher education delivering undergraduate, graduate, and online degree programs across four academic colleges (Business & Media, Education, Fine Arts & Humanities, and Health Sciences), plus The Women's College and the Sidney O. Smith Jr. Graduate School. It also offers supporting services such as NAIA athletics, online and hybrid learning, international programs through the Miller Institute, and community-facing facilities (galleries, radio station, and pro-bono clinics).
Is Brenau University a public or private company?
Brenau University is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Brenau University founded?
Brenau University was founded in 1878.
Where is Brenau University based?
Brenau University is headquartered in Gainesville, United States, in the North America region.
How does Brenau University make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Tuition and Fees are the primary driver. The others are auxiliary Services and alumni Giving and Philanthropy.
Who are Brenau University's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Agnes Scott College, Toccoa Falls College, Spelman College, Shorter University, LaGrange College, Point University and Piedmont University. University of North Georgia is listed as a broad incumbent. Regional players are Emmanuel College and Berry College.
Does Brenau University have an API?
No public API is recorded for Brenau University.
What industry is Brenau University in?
Brenau University's product category is Higher Education. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAHABAA, Comprehensive Doctoral Research Universities (Multi-Disciplinary), with a secondary code of EDAHALAA, Fully Online Universities (Online-First, Degree-Granting). Its NAICS code is 6113 and its SIC code is 8200.