University of Saint Mary of the Lake
The University of Saint Mary of the Lake is a Catholic seminary and pontifical theology faculty in Mundelein, Illinois, serving approximately 100+ seminarians from nearly 30 U.S. and international dioceses, plus lay students, through residential formation, graduate degrees, online short courses, and a conference center.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1844
- HeadquartersMundelein, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What University of Saint Mary of the Lake does
The University of Saint Mary of the Lake (USML), founded in 1844 and located in Mundelein, Illinois, is a private Roman Catholic university and seminary operated under the Archdiocese of Chicago. It functions as the major seminary for the archdiocese and houses one of only seven Pontifical Faculties of Theology in North America, granting the canonical degrees of Bachelor of Sacred Theology (STB), Licentiate of Sacred Theology (STL), and Doctor of Sacred Theology (STD). USML serves approximately 100+ seminarians sponsored by nearly 30 sending dioceses and religious orders in the U.S. and internationally (including Vietnam, Puerto Rico, and Eastern Catholic jurisdictions), as well as lay students and Catholic clergy pursuing continuing formation.
The institution operates five principal divisions: (1) Mundelein Seminary (residential priestly formation), (2) the Pontifical Faculty of Theology (graduate theological degrees, tuition $1,295/credit hour), (3) the School of Parish Leadership and Evangelization (lay ecclesial formation), (4) the Escuela de Liderazgo (ELE) — a 41-year-old Spanish-language lay formation program now offered online, and (5) a Conference Center with approximately 155 guest rooms, 240-person capacity, and 25,000–35,000 annual guests supporting retreats and Catholic events. The Cor Iuxta Meum priestly formation simulation lab was launched with a $5 million Lilly Endowment grant in 2021 to deliver experiential learning through standardized patient interactions.
USML's business model as a non-profit Catholic institution relies on a mix of revenue streams: (a) tuition and formation fees from sponsored seminarians and lay students, (b) philanthropic grants (notably the Lilly Endowment), (c) donations from the Catholic community and alumni, (d) conference center hosting fees from external retreat and event groups, and (e) online short-course fees. The institution is governed by the Archdiocese of Chicago and accredited through the Association of Theological Schools and the Higher Learning Commission, with no publicly disclosed audited financial statements available in the source data.
University of Saint Mary of the Lake firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- University of Saint Mary of the Lake
- Legal name
- University of Saint Mary of the Lake
- Website
- https://usml.edu
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1844
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- The University of Saint Mary of the Lake is a Catholic seminary and pontifical theology faculty in Mundelein, Illinois, serving approximately 100+ seminarians from nearly 30 U.S. and international dioceses, plus lay students, through residential formation, graduate degrees, online short courses, and a conference center.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
University of Saint Mary of the Lake industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Catholic Seminary and Theological Education
- NAICS
- Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro industry
- Theological Universities & Pontifical UniversitiesSeminaries (Graduate Theology & Ministry)Denominational Theological Colleges (e.g., Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant, Evangelical)
Keywords
Where University of Saint Mary of the Lake is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Mundelein
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
University of Saint Mary of the Lake business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Tuition and Fees: The university charges tuition for graduate degree programs (e.g., Pontifical Faculty tuition at $1,295 per credit, 35 credits for STL totaling $45,325). Additional fees include application fees, technology fees, room/board, and meal plans.
- Conference Center Services: The Conference Center hosts group retreats, meetings, and conferences serving approximately 25,000-35,000 people annually. Revenue generated from venue rental, catering services, and overnight accommodations (155 sleeping rooms in the Lodge).
- Donations and Charitable Gifts: The university accepts donations through check and cash gifts, planned giving, and various fundraising events. Donations support formation programs, scholarships, and institutional operations.
- Online Short Courses: Self-paced online courses offered for spiritual growth and professional enrichment. Courses are priced individually (e.g., $48.00 per course) and award Continuing Education Units (CEUs) upon completion.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Pontifical Faculty S.T.L. Program - 35 credits |
| Subscription | Annual | Pontifical Faculty S.T.D. Program - Minimum 10 credits |
| Subscription | Annual | Room and Board - Semester |
| Other | Multi-year contract | Conference Center - Group Events |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Online Short Courses - Individual |
Go-to-market motion4 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels7 records
University of Saint Mary of the Lake product offering
Product offeringCore offering
University of Saint Mary of the Lake (USML) is a Catholic university and major seminary complex that forms priests, deacons, and lay leaders for Catholic parish ministry. It delivers priestly formation for seminarians from nearly 30 dioceses, pontifical graduate degrees in sacred theology, lay ministry degree and certificate programs, Spanish-language formation through Escuela de Liderazgo, and operates a conference and retreat center hosting 25,000-35,000 visitors annually.
Product overview
The University of Saint Mary of the Lake operates as a Catholic university and major seminary complex comprising five interconnected divisions: Mundelein Seminary (priestly formation for nearly 30 dioceses), the Pontifical Faculty of Theology (one of seven in North America granting S.T.B., S.T.L., S.T.D. degrees), the School of Parish Leadership and Evangelization (lay graduate degrees including MAPS, MALS, MAL, MTS, and D.Min.), Escuela de Liderazgo para la Evangelización (Spanish-language programs), and a Conference Center (hospitality for retreats and events). The institution is chartered in 1844 with continuous operation since 1921, forming priests, deacons, and laity for parish leadership through comprehensive formation programs integrating human, spiritual, intellectual, and pastoral dimensions. The Cor Iuxta Meum simulation lab enables encounter-based learning, while online short courses extend reach globally. Total enrollment serves over 100 seminarians and additional lay students across all programs.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Mundelein Seminary (Priestly Formation) Major seminary providing comprehensive priestly formation for the Archdiocese of Chicago and beyond, forming parish priests through human, spiritual, intellectual, and pastoral formation dimensions. Home to over 100 seminarians from nearly 30 dioceses.
- Pontifical Faculty of Theology One of only seven Pontifical Faculties of Theology in North America, authorized by the Holy See to grant Pontifical degrees including S.T.B., S.T.L., and S.T.D.
- Licentiate in Sacred Theology (S.T.L.) Pontifical graduate degree in sacred theology requiring 35 credits, with both on-campus and online summer intensive options available. Tuition $1,295 per credit.
- Sacred Theology Doctorate (S.T.D.) Highest pontifical degree in theology, requiring a minimum of 10 credits and a dissertation defense.
- School of Parish Leadership and Evangelization (SPLE) School providing education and formation for lay leaders, preparing them for ministry alongside clergy through degree programs, parish ministry certificates, deacon formation, and continuing education in English and Spanish.
- Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.) Terminal professional doctorate preparing students for advanced ministry leadership with summer intensive format.
- Master of Arts in Pastoral Studies (MAPS) Graduate degree preparing lay leaders for pastoral ministry in parishes and Church organizations.
- Master of Arts in Liturgical Studies (MALS) Graduate degree focusing on liturgical theology and practice with thesis option.
- Master of Arts in Liturgy (MAL) Graduate degree preparing students for liturgical leadership and ministry.
- Master of Theological Studies (MTS) Foundational graduate degree in theological studies.
- Deacon Formation Program Four-year formation program for permanent deacons in the Archdiocese of Chicago, including a one-year Aspirant Stage and three-year Candidate Stage, covering human, intellectual, spiritual, and pastoral formation.
- Deacon Formation Program (Spanish) Spanish-language permanent deacon formation program for the Archdiocese of Chicago.
- Lay Leadership Certificate Certificate program fostering spiritual, intellectual, and service-oriented development for lay ministers serving in parishes, communities, and families.
- Catechetical Coordinator Certification Certification program preparing catechetical leaders with skills, understanding, and formation for effective ministry.
- Escuela de Liderazgo para la Evangelización (ELE) 41-year-old Spanish-language leadership formation program serving Hispanic lay leaders in Archdiocese of Chicago parishes, offering titles, certifications, and continuing formation for Christian leadership and evangelization.
- Online Short Courses Self-paced online courses exploring Catholic teaching, available in English, Spanish, and Polish. Offerings include courses on Scripture, Liturgy, Marriage, Mass, Catechism, Diversity in Ministry, Synodality, Ministry of Care, Parish Ministry, and OCIA. Award Continuing Education Units (CEUs) upon completion; most courses $48.00.
- Conference Center Conference and retreat facility offering meeting spaces, 155 sleeping rooms, dining and catering services for groups of up to 240 people. Hosts approximately 25,000-35,000 visitors annually. Also offers private personal retreats including overnight, weekend, and extended stays.
- Feehan Memorial Library and McEssy Theological Resource Center Library offering students access to over 200,000 print volumes and a broad spectrum of electronic resources.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 100 seminarians from nearly 30 dioceses
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use University of Saint Mary of the Lake
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles6 records
University of Saint Mary of the Lake technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
University of Saint Mary of the Lake partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Archdiocese of ChicagocoreUSML serves as the Catholic university of the Archdiocese of Chicago. The seminary is described as the 'heart of the diocese' it serves. Programs are responsive to the real needs of today's parishes within the Archdiocese.
- Archdiocese of Chicago Offices of Lifelong Formation and Catholic SchoolscoreCollaborative partnership for the Catechetical Leadership for Renewal Initiative, a Lilly Endowment-funded program to shape the next generation of catechetical leaders in the Archdiocese of Chicago and beyond.
- Nearly 30 Sending DiocesescoreDioceses including Albany, Belleville, Cheyenne, Chicago, Davenport, Dubuque, El Paso, Fresno, Grand Rapids, Jefferson City, Joliet, Laredo, Las Vegas, Lubbock, Nashville, Pensacola-Tallahassee, Peoria, Rockford, San Bernardino, San Jose, Seattle, Tucson, Wichita, Winona-Rochester, Yakima, and others send seminarians for priestly formation.
- Diocese of Phan Thiet, VietnamminorInternational diocese sending seminarians for formation at USML.
- Diocese of Fajardo-Humacao, Puerto RicominorPuerto Rico diocese sending seminarians for formation at USML.
- Archdiocese of San Juan, Puerto RicominorPuerto Rico archdiocese sending seminarians for formation at USML.
- St. Thomas Syro Malabar DioceseminorEastern Catholic diocese sending seminarians for formation at USML.
- Croatian FranciscansminorReligious order sending seminarians for formation at USML.
- Lincolnshire Marriott ResortminorThe 33rd Annual Celebration of Mundelein event was held at the Lincolnshire Marriott Resort. Venue partnership for major fundraising events.
Scale indicators10 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
University of Saint Mary of the Lake competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Pontifical College Josephinum: Pontifical seminary in Columbus, OH, directly chartered by the Holy See. One of the most direct peers given its Pontifical status and its role in forming priests for U.S. dioceses, much like USML's Pontifical Faculty.
- Mount St. Mary's Seminary: Major Catholic seminary in Emmitsburg, MD, operated by the Archdiocese of Baltimore. Direct comparable to Mundelein Seminary as a major seminary forming diocesan priests for the Eastern U.S. and beyond.
- Sacred Heart Major Seminary: Major Catholic seminary in Detroit, MI, forming priests for the Archdiocese of Detroit and other dioceses. Closely comparable to USML in scale, regional Midwest footprint, and diocesan-sponsored formation model.
- Kenrick-Glennon Seminary: Major Catholic seminary in St. Louis, MO, operated by the Archdiocese of St. Louis. Comparable major seminary serving a Midwest archdiocese with similar diocesan recruitment and priestly formation model.
- Catholic Theological Union: Chicago-based Catholic graduate school of theology training lay, religious, and ordained ministers. Direct local peer sharing the same metropolitan market as USML and competing for the same lay ministry student segment.
- Notre Dame Seminary: Catholic seminary in New Orleans, LA, forming priests for the Gulf South. Direct peer offering graduate-level priestly formation and theology degrees, with comparable diocesan sponsorship structure.
- St. John Vianney Seminary: Catholic seminary in St. Paul, MN, affiliated with the University of St. Thomas. Comparable major seminary serving the Upper Midwest with graduate theology degrees and diocesan formation programs.
- St. Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary: Regional Catholic seminary in Boynton Beach, FL, serving dioceses across the Southeast. Direct peer providing priestly formation and graduate theology with a similar multi-diocesan recruitment model.
- St. Patrick's Seminary: Major Catholic seminary in Menlo Park, CA, serving the Western U.S. Direct peer offering priestly formation and graduate theology for multiple sending dioceses on the West Coast.
- St. Mary Seminary and University: Major Catholic seminary in Baltimore, MD, and one of the oldest in the U.S. Direct peer offering priestly formation and graduate theology, including a Pontifical faculty structure analogous to USML's.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
University of Saint Mary of the Lake social profiles
Digital presenceUniversity of Saint Mary of the Lake financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
University of Saint Mary of the Lake leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles18 records
University of Saint Mary of the Lake subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries5 records
University of Saint Mary of the Lake funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
University of Saint Mary of the Lake 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 University of Saint Mary of the Lake
What does University of Saint Mary of the Lake do?
University of Saint Mary of the Lake (USML) is a Catholic university and major seminary complex that forms priests, deacons, and lay leaders for Catholic parish ministry. It delivers priestly formation for seminarians from nearly 30 dioceses, pontifical graduate degrees in sacred theology, lay ministry degree and certificate programs, Spanish-language formation through Escuela de Liderazgo, and operates a conference and retreat center hosting 25,000-35,000 visitors annually.
Is University of Saint Mary of the Lake a public or private company?
University of Saint Mary of the Lake is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was University of Saint Mary of the Lake founded?
University of Saint Mary of the Lake was founded in 1844. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is University of Saint Mary of the Lake based?
University of Saint Mary of the Lake is headquartered in Mundelein, United States, in the North America region.
How does University of Saint Mary of the Lake make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Tuition and Fees are the primary driver. The others are conference Center Services, donations and Charitable Gifts and online Short Courses.
Who are University of Saint Mary of the Lake's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Pontifical College Josephinum, Mount St. Mary's Seminary, Sacred Heart Major Seminary, Kenrick-Glennon Seminary, Catholic Theological Union, Notre Dame Seminary, St. John Vianney Seminary, St. Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary, St. Patrick's Seminary and St. Mary Seminary and University.
Does University of Saint Mary of the Lake have an API?
No public API is recorded for University of Saint Mary of the Lake.
What industry is University of Saint Mary of the Lake in?
University of Saint Mary of the Lake's product category is Catholic Seminary and Theological Education. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAHAKAD, Theological Universities & Pontifical Universities, with a secondary code of EDAHAKAA, Seminaries (Graduate Theology & Ministry). Its NAICS code is 6113 and its SIC code is 8200.