Bethel University

What Bethel University does

Bethel University is a private, nonprofit Christian institution of higher education affiliated with the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, headquartered in McKenzie, Tennessee with a secondary campus in Paris, Tennessee. The university delivers undergraduate and graduate instruction through three academic colleges — the College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Health Sciences, and the College of Professional Studies — offering 42 undergraduate programs and 5 graduate and professional programs to approximately 3,000 enrolled students at a 15:1 student-to-faculty ratio. Distinctive academic and co-curricular programs include the Renaissance Performing Arts Experience, the Global Studies study-abroad program, 21 NAIA athletic teams, 14 fraternities and sororities, and a Division of Education with K-5 and special-education tracks.

The operating stack centers on Canvas as the learning management system, supplemented by ePortal student, faculty, and administration portals, and Element451 and Slate CRMs for recruitment and prospect engagement. Instruction is delivered through face-to-face, asynchronous online, and hybrid modalities, with NC-SARA reciprocity enabling cross-state online enrollment. Auxiliary services include housing, dining, athletics, and a Barnes & Noble College-operated bookstore.

Revenue is generated primarily through tuition and fees for undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs, augmented by auxiliary services such as housing and dining, and offset by institutional financial aid (with 98% of students receiving aid). The pricing posture is positioned at approximately 50% of the average private university cost of attendance per College Board 2024, with a tiered employee tuition benefit (100% undergraduate, 50% graduate after six months of service) and reduced dual-enrollment rates. The go-to-market motion is direct-to-consumer, relying on admissions counselors, campus preview days, high school and college fair recruitment, and community-college articulation agreements to feed the enrollment funnel.

Name

Bethel University

Legal name

Bethel University

Website

https://bethelu.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1847

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Bethel University is a private, nonprofit Christian university in McKenzie, Tennessee, serving roughly 3,000 students through 42 undergraduate and 5 graduate programs across three academic colleges, with tuition set at approximately half the average private university cost.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Religiously Affiliated Liberal Arts Colleges (EDAHACAF)

Keywords

• Higher education services
• Christian university education
• Undergraduate degree programs
• Graduate professional studies
• Performing arts scholarships

Headquarters

HQ city

Mckenzie

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Fees: Revenue from undergraduate, graduate, and professional program tuition. As one of the most affordable private Christian universities, Bethel generates primary revenue from student tuition and associated fees including application fees, course fees, and laboratory fees.
2. Financial Aid and Scholarships: Institutional scholarships, federal and state financial aid programs, and tuition scholarship programs for employees and their families. 98% of students receive financial aid.
3. Auxiliary Services: Revenue from housing, dining services, athletics events, bookstore operations, and campus facilities. Barnes & Noble bookstore partnership provides course materials.
4. Renaissance Program Scholarships: Performing arts scholarships that attract talented students in music, theater, and production, supporting both the arts program and general enrollment.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Bethel University is a private Christian university that sells undergraduate and graduate degree programs across three academic colleges (Arts and Sciences, Health Sciences, and Professional Studies), along with auxiliary student-life offerings such as NAIA athletics, the Renaissance Performing Arts scholarship program, and Global Studies study abroad. It delivers instruction through traditional on-campus, hybrid, and asynchronous online modalities, charging tuition and fees and awarding institutional, federal, and state financial aid.

Product overview

Bethel University is a private Christian university offering a comprehensive portfolio of educational programs and student services across three academic colleges. The institution provides 42 undergraduate programs and 5 graduate/professional programs through its College of Arts and Sciences, College of Health Sciences, and College of Professional Studies. Beyond academics, Bethel offers the Renaissance Performing Arts Experience (scholarship-bearing arts program), Bethel Wildcats Athletics (21 NAIA sports teams), and a Global Studies study abroad program. Student and faculty services include ePortal online portals for academic management, along with career services, counseling, and library resources. The university serves approximately 3,000 enrolled students with a 15:1 student-to-faculty ratio.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Renaissance: Bethel's Performing Arts Experience offering scholarships for participation in Vocal, Theatrical, Instrumental, and Production programs while students earn a degree in the major of their choice.
• Bethel Wildcats
• V-Camp

Products and services

• College of Arts and Sciences
• College of Health Sciences
• College of Professional Studies
• Division of Education Programs
• Renaissance Performing Arts Experience
• Bethel Wildcats Athletics
• Global Studies Program
• ePortal Student Portal
• ePortal Faculty Portal
• ePortal Administration Portal

Quantifiable outcome

• 98% of students receive financial aid, making education accessible
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments6 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

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Council of Independent Colleges (CIC) Tuition ExchangeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBethel University participates in the CIC Tuition Exchange program, allowing family members of full-time faculty and staff to apply for reduced or waived tuition at participating CIC member schools. This benefits employees by providing educational opportunities for their families at other institutions.
• National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (NC-SARA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBethel University is a member of NC-SARA, which allows the university to provide distance learning programs and coursework to residents of states other than Tennessee. This membership enables the university to serve online students across state lines while maintaining regulatory compliance.
• Barnes & Noble CollegeminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBethel University partners with Barnes & Noble for campus bookstore operations, providing course materials, textbooks, and university merchandise through the Barnes & Noble Bookstore at bethel.bncollege.com.
• Local Education Agencies (School Districts)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBethel University's Division of Education partners with local school districts for student teaching placements, clinical experiences, and field observations. These partnerships are essential for teacher education program clinical requirements and provide pipeline for graduate employment.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Bryan College: A private non-denominational Christian liberal arts college in Dayton, TN with comparable small enrollment, faith-based identity, and emphasis on undergraduate liberal arts — comparable niche competitor for Christian traditional-age students.
• Union University: A private Southern Baptist university in Jackson, TN offering undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs including nursing and education — overlapping with Bethel's College of Health Sciences and Division of Education offerings.
• Trevecca Nazarene University: A private Nazarene-affiliated university in Nashville, TN with comparable religious-affiliation positioning and overlapping graduate offerings in education and business. Direct competitor in Middle Tennessee.
• Milligan University: A private independent Christian university in Milligan, TN with comparable enrollment scale, similar liberal-arts-and-professional program mix, and shared faith-based mission — a direct institutional peer.
• Lee University: A private Church of God university in Cleveland, TN with overlapping undergraduate programs in arts, sciences, and business plus a comparable NAIA athletics footprint. Competes directly for Tennessee-based Christian students.
• Carson-Newman University: A private Baptist-affiliated university in Jefferson City, Tennessee with a comparable enrollment scale and similar mix of undergraduate and graduate programs, including nursing and education. Directly competes with Bethel for the same regional Christian student pool.
• Tennessee Wesleyan University: A small private Methodist-affiliated university in Athens, TN with similar enrollment (~1,000+), similar tuition positioning, and overlapping nursing and education programs — a strong size and mission peer for Bethel.
• Maryville College: A private Presbyterian-affiliated liberal arts college in Maryville, TN with similarly small enrollment and shared Presbyterian heritage. Comparable mission and recruiting geography for faith-based students.
• Freed-Hardeman University: A private Churches of Christ university in Henderson, TN with similar scale and undergraduate program mix, including business, education, and pre-professional tracks. Competes for West Tennessee Christian students.
• King University: A private Presbyterian-affiliated university in Bristol, Tennessee with comparable enrollment and a similar mix of liberal arts and pre-professional programs. Particularly relevant peer given shared Presbyterian heritage with Bethel (Cumberland Presbyterian).

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/bethelu
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCuea0FF8eFlVb8OFXzZzQ3A/featured
• Facebookfacebook.com/106266778390
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bethel-university-of-tennessee
• Instagraminstagram.com/betheluniversitytn
• TikToktiktok.com/@betheluniversitytn

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 Bethel University