Wilmington College

What Wilmington College does

Wilmington College is a private, non-profit liberal arts institution founded in 1875 and located in Wilmington, Ohio, with Quaker heritage and approximately 1,000-1,200 FTE students generating ~205-239 degrees annually across recent commencements. The college's core academic portfolio centers on undergraduate majors in Agriculture (the largest program), Equine Business Management, Business Administration, Accounting, and the sciences, supplemented by three graduate programs: a fully-online MS in Agricultural Business and Leadership launching Fall 2026, a residential MS in Occupational Therapy, and an online Master of Organizational Leadership. The institution's primary differentiator is its physical infrastructure — a 267-acre academic farm ranked #1 in the Midwest and top 15 nationally for hands-on learning, and a 40-acre Equine Center with a 28-stall barn — which underwrites Agriculture and Equine Business Management programs that report 90% graduate employment rates in agriculture and 85% in business administration.

The college operates standard EdTech infrastructure including Blackboard LMS, Microsoft 365, StarRez housing, and Handshake for career services, with a proprietary WC Online portal delivering fully online degrees and the WC Global 2+2 international pathway priced at $350/credit hour. Revenue is generated primarily through tuition and fees (with 99% of students receiving financial aid averaging $24,263 per package), private donations and fundraising (a campaign exceeding $45M with $19M from one reporting period's 3,673 gifts), and continuing-education revenue from WC Advantage workforce training including the Ohio TechCred partnership. Distribution spans direct website enrollment, Common Application, WC Online, the WC Global international pathway, and Ohio TechCred for employer-sponsored workforce training.

The institution is governed by a Board of Trustees chaired by Daniel Buckley, led by President Corey Cockerill (inaugurated April 2025 as the first female president), and is in an active expansion phase that includes converting a 120,000-square-foot former BrightFarms facility into an AgriScience Complex supported by a $650,000 Ohio capital budget earmark. Recent strategic state grants total approximately $1.93 million across STEM, behavioral health workforce development, and agricultural infrastructure initiatives. Wilmington College holds continuous accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission and is classified as a 501(c)-style non-profit educational organization with no parent company, equity investors, or controlling external entity.

Name

Wilmington College

Legal name

Wilmington College

Website

https://wilmington.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1875

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Wilmington College is a private, non-profit Quaker-heritage liberal arts college in Wilmington, Ohio, serving approximately 1,000-1,200 students through undergraduate majors in Agriculture, Equine Business Management, and Business, plus three graduate programs, with nationally ranked hands-on learning facilities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education

NAICS

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

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Secular/Nonsectarian Liberal Arts Colleges (EDAHACAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Residential Liberal Arts Colleges (EDAHACAH), Online Nonprofit Universities (EDAHALAK)

Keywords

• Liberal arts education
• Undergraduate degrees
• Graduate programs
• Online learning
• Workforce training

Headquarters

HQ city

Wilmington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Fees: Wilmington College generates primary revenue from tuition charged to undergraduate and graduate students. Undergraduate programs range from approximately $16,000 to full tuition scholarships per year based on academic achievement and qualifications. Graduate programs including MS in Agricultural Business and Leadership, MS in Occupational Therapy, and Master of Organizational Leadership generate additional tuition revenue. The college offers residential and commuter student options with associated housing and dining fees.
2. Private Donations and Fundraising: The college conducts annual fundraising campaigns including the Annual Fund, Monthly Giving program, and Giving Tuesday initiatives. A recent campaign exceeded $45 million goal. The college reports 2,176 worldwide donors and 3,673 gifts totaling more than $19 million.
3. Professional Development and Continuing Education: WC Advantage and WC Certificates programs generate revenue through professional certification training, skill building courses, and microcredentials. Programs include Ohio TechCred partnership for workforce training and career-focused certification programs in areas like IT, leadership, marketing, data analytics, and health.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Wilmington College is a private, nonprofit liberal arts college in Wilmington, Ohio that delivers undergraduate majors (agriculture, equine business management, business administration, accounting, sciences, humanities), graduate degrees (MS in Agricultural Business and Leadership, MS in Occupational Therapy, Master of Organizational Leadership), and continuing-education/workforce credentials via on-campus instruction, fully online WC Online programs, and the WC Global 2+2 international pathway. Teaching is anchored by hands-on learning facilities including a 267-acre academic farm and a 40-acre equestrian center.

Product overview

Wilmington College is a liberal arts institution offering a portfolio of educational products and services centered around its main campus in Wilmington, Ohio, and extending through online and international delivery channels. The core offering consists of traditional undergraduate majors (Agriculture, Equine Business Management, Business Administration, Accounting, and more) and graduate programs (MS in Agricultural Business and Leadership, MS in Occupational Therapy, Master of Organizational Leadership). These are supplemented by online delivery through WC Online and international accessibility via WC Global Online 2+2. Workforce development services are provided through WC Advantage, offering professional certifications, Ohio TechCred programs, and career training partnerships. The college also maintains specialized facilities including a 267-acre academic farm and equestrian center that serve as practical learning environments for agriculture and equine programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Wilmington College Main Campus Programs On-campus undergraduate and graduate degree programs across liberal arts, sciences, business, agriculture, and equestrian studies, delivered at the 1870 Quaker Way, Wilmington, Ohio campus.
• WC Online Fully online undergraduate and graduate degree programs offering 100% online learning experiences for remote students, including Bachelor's degrees in Accounting, Business, and Strategic Organizational Leadership, and a Master of Organizational Leadership.
• Master of Science in Agricultural Business and Leadership Online graduate degree preparing professionals to succeed in agriculture through flexible coursework and applied experiential learning, covering agricultural business, leadership development, and strategic communication.
• Master of Science in Occupational Therapy Residential, entry-level graduate program with a unique focus on enhancing rural health-care services, including immersive learning and fieldwork components. State-approved by Ohio Department of Higher Education.
• Master of Organizational Leadership Online graduate degree developing emotional intelligence and critical-thinking skills for interpersonal and organized leadership. Can be completed full-time (four semesters) or part-time.
• Agriculture Major Largest undergraduate major at the college, preparing students for careers in American agriculture through five concentrations: Agricultural Business, Agricultural Leadership & Communication, Agronomy, Animal Science, and Resource Conservation & Regenerative Agriculture. Features the 267-acre academic farm ranked #1 in the Midwest for hands-on learning facilities.
• Equine Business Management Major Undergraduate major offering core classes in both Equine and Business areas, centered on communication, science and business management pertaining to the equine industry. Features 28-stall Equine Center with indoor and outdoor arenas on 60 acres.
• Business Administration Major Undergraduate major preparing students for leadership positions through courses covering management, marketing, and finance, with six concentrations including Business Finance, Business Management, Business Marketing, Cybersecurity Management, and Logistics and Supply Chain Management.
• WC Advantage Workforce development platform offering professional certifications, skill building, microcredentials, and credit for prior learning options, including Ohio TechCred Program for employer upskilling and career training programs.
• WC Global Online 2+2 Online degree pathway allowing international students to complete first two years online at reduced rate ($350/credit hour), then transfer to main campus on student visa for final two years to complete their American college education.
• Clinton Community Fellows Program 10-week immersive summer leadership development program for college students focused on leadership development and community engagement.
• Wilmington Institute for Lifelong Learning (W.I.L.L.) Program offering challenging classes for adults 40 years and older in topics including social, cultural, political, exercise, health, cooking, agriculture and more, meeting once weekly for one to two hours.

Quantifiable outcome

• 90% of agriculture graduates employed or in advanced degree programs
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• The Ohio State University College of Veterinary MedicinecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 April 2026Partnership designed to strengthen recruitment of students into veterinary medicine. Representatives from OSU met with WC officials to solidify partnership focused on supporting veterinary medicine education in Ohio.
• Coursera Career AcademycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 January 2025Provides students and alumni with opportunities for approximately 70 professional certifications designed to enhance career marketability. Partnership offers industry-recognized credentials across various professional domains.
• Ohio Department of AgriculturecoreOthers · 1 January 2025State agency partnership supporting AgriScience Complex development. Ohio Dept. of Agriculture Director Brian Baldridge toured the site of the former BrightFarms facility being converted to agricultural education complex.
• ed2gominorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2023Strategic partnership through WC Advantage initiative providing affordable online education and workforce training. Enables residents and employees at organizations to gain in-demand employability skills through instructor-led or self-paced courses.
• Southern State Community CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerArticulation agreement allowing seamless student transfers to Wilmington College upon earning an associate's degree. Partnership supports the AgriScience Complex workforce training initiatives and provides pathway for community college students to complete bachelor's degrees.
• University of Reading (United Kingdom)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStudy abroad partnership institution allowing agriculture students to spend a semester abroad. Students may also study with other partner institutions globally.
• Ohio TechCred ProgramcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOhio state workforce development program providing businesses with training funds to upskill current and future employees. WC serves as approved training provider offering courses in computers/IT, leadership, marketing, data analytics, health and wellness, accounting, and more.
• Clinton County StreamkeepersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEnvironmental partnership providing $20,000 grant for local water quality research. Students gain hands-on learning experience while community benefits from cleaner water outcomes.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Otterbein University: Private Ohio liberal arts university of comparable size with broad undergraduate and select graduate programs; competes for the same regional student pool and emphasizes hands-on, career-oriented education similar to WC.
• Wittenberg University: Private Ohio liberal arts college with a residential campus, similar undergraduate scale, and traditional liberal arts programming; competes directly with WC for Ohio and Mid-Atlantic students.
• University of Mount Union: Private Ohio liberal arts institution of similar enrollment scale offering residential undergraduate programs and select graduate degrees; directly comparable in mission and market positioning.
• Muskingum University: Private Ohio liberal arts college with comparable enrollment profile and a residential, values-based educational model; operates in the same small-college competitive set.
• Heidelberg University: Private Ohio liberal arts university offering undergraduate and graduate programs with a similar regional recruiting footprint and tuition-aid-driven value proposition.
• Ohio Northern University: Private Ohio university with strong professional and pre-professional programs at a comparable size; competes for the same Ohio and out-of-region undergraduates seeking smaller private institutions.
• Defiance College: Small private Ohio liberal arts college with similar enrollment scale, value-based mission, and a comparable mix of undergraduate and select graduate programs.
• Ashland University: Private Ohio university of similar size with a broad portfolio of undergraduate majors, online programs, and graduate offerings; comparable competitor in adult-learner and traditional student segments.

Broad incumbents

• College of the Ozarks: Hard-work, hands-on private liberal arts college in the Midwest with a strong agricultural program and work-study model; comparable to WC in values-driven, applied-learning positioning though in a different state.

Regional players

• Cedarville University: Private Christian university in Ohio of comparable enrollment scale offering residential undergraduate and online graduate programs; competes for similar Ohio-based, faith-influenced students and the same adult-learner market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/wilmingtoncoll
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@wilmingtoncollege4545
• Facebookfacebook.com/124198020932772
• Instagraminstagram.com/wilmingtoncollege
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wilmington-college

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 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 Wilmington College