Olivet Nazarene University

What Olivet Nazarene University does

Olivet Nazarene University is a private, non-profit Christian higher education institution founded in 1907 in Bourbonnais, Illinois, and affiliated with the Church of the Nazarene. It delivers undergraduate education across nearly 200 areas of study, over 20 master's and doctoral degrees (with the EdD in Ethical Leadership positioned as the flagship doctoral program), and supplementary credentials via on-campus residential, online, and hybrid formats. The institution serves approximately 3,700 to over 5,000 students per year, reporting a 96% career outcome rate, and disburses more than $110 million in financial aid annually. Students are recruited through direct-to-consumer channels including Purple & Gold campus visits, virtual campus tours, an Early Scholars dual-enrollment program, ONUPlus for adult learners in Chicago, and specialized tracks for transfer and international students.

The delivery platform is anchored by Ellucian's higher-education information system with the Canvas learning management system and a Self-Service ONU student portal; ancillary platforms include Shine.FM (an owned radio station expanding into Brilla.FM) and a Virtual Campus Tour. Product-line expansion in 2025 added majors in Artificial Intelligence, Data Science, and Entrepreneurship; new program tracks in Criminal Justice (MBA/MOL) and Cybersecurity Defense; and a varsity esports program. Governance and fundraising operations include the $64 million Strength & Hope Campaign, a Leadership Society ($1,000+ annual givers), the Heritage Society for planned giving, and the Olivet Foundation.

Revenue is generated principally from tuition and fees across undergraduate and graduate programs (subscription-style annual billing), supplemented by donor and foundation contributions. The institution is governed independently by a Board of Trustees under President Dr. Gregg Chenoweth (contract renewed through 2031), has no parent company or external equity backing, and operates primarily in the Midwest United States with select national and international student reach.

Name

Olivet Nazarene University

Legal name

Olivet Nazarene University

Website

https://olivet.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1907

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Olivet Nazarene University is a private, non-profit Christian university founded in 1907 in Bourbonnais, Illinois, offering nearly 200 undergraduate areas of study, 22+ graduate and doctoral programs, and online/hybrid delivery to over 5,000 students annually under a faith-based mission.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Private Higher Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Faith-Affiliated Private Research Universities (EDAHABAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Online Nonprofit Universities (EDAHALAK), Christian Colleges with Theological Programs (EDAHAKAG)

Keywords

• Christian higher education
• Undergraduate degree programs
• Graduate education
• Online learning programs
• Liberal arts education

Headquarters

HQ city

Bourbonnais

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

Revenue model

1. Undergraduate Tuition and Fees: Tuition-based revenue from undergraduate students pursuing on-campus residential education across nearly 200 areas of study
2. Graduate and Doctoral Programs: Revenue from over 20 master's degrees and doctoral programs in Business, Education, Nursing, Ministry, and Theology, offered on-ground, online, or hybrid
3. Financial Aid and Scholarships: University awards over $110 million annually in financial aid to support student enrollment
4. Annual Giving - Leadership Society: Donations of $1,000 and greater from Leadership Society members supporting student scholarships and programs
5. Planned Giving - Heritage Society: Bequests, charitable gift annuities, IRA beneficiary designations, and other planned gifts for long-term sustainability

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Olivet Nazarene University is a private Christian university offering undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degree programs across nearly 200 areas of study. Instruction is delivered through on-campus residential programs in Bourbonnais, Illinois, and through online and hybrid formats. The university integrates faith-based learning with liberal arts and professional career preparation.

Product overview

Olivet Nazarene University offers a comprehensive higher education platform consisting of undergraduate programs (nearly 200 areas of study), graduate and doctoral degrees (over 20 master's programs plus the flagship EdD in Ethical Leadership), certificate programs, and online/hybrid delivery options. The university provides a full student experience including NCAA athletics, campus housing and dining, spiritual life programs (Chapel, Student Ministries, Shalom Project), technology services, and career preparation. Supporting services include Canvas LMS for course management, Self-Service ONU portal, Benner Library, and Shine.FM radio station. Financial aid of over $110 million is awarded annually supporting a student population of approximately 3,700.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Shine.FM: University radio station providing Christian media content
• Strength & Hope Campaign
• CREATEUR Conference
• ONU Tigers

Products and services

• Undergraduate Degree Programs Residential bachelor's degree programs offered on the Bourbonnais, Illinois campus across nearly 200 areas of study, integrating Christian faith with liberal arts and professional preparation for traditional students.
• Graduate Degree Programs Master's-level degree programs delivered online and on campus, designed for working professionals seeking advanced credentials.
• EdD in Ethical Leadership
• Online and Hybrid Degree Programs
• Zero Tuition Program
• NCAA Athletics Programs

Quantifiable outcome

• 96% Career Outcome Rate
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Trinity Christian CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 November 2025Olivet Nazarene University partnered with Trinity Christian College (closing at end of 2025-26 academic year) to create a seamless transfer pathway for Trinity alumni. ONU announced special pricing for Trinity Christian College alumni to facilitate their transition. This partnership ensures Trinity students can continue their education without disruption.
• Kankakee Community CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to expand educational opportunities and ROTC programs for students in the Kankakee County region, providing seamless pathways between community college and university education.
• Riverside HealthcareminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRiverside Healthcare funds two new scholarships for Olivet Nazarene University nursing students and continues collaborative efforts for community benefit.
• Illinois State PoliceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOlivet hosts Criminal Justice Seminar and Youth Police Camp in partnership with Illinois State Police for criminal justice education and training.
• Chicago BearsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerChicago Bears have conducted training camp at Olivet for 17 consecutive years, providing community visibility and athletic programming partnerships.
• Vex RoboticsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOlivet hosts the Vex Robotics Illinois High School State Championship Competition, supporting STEM education and community engagement.

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Huntington University: Indiana-based Christian university affiliated with the Church of the United Brethren in Christ, with a similar total enrollment band, NAIA athletics, and rural-campus mix of residential and online adult programs.
• Point Loma Nazarene University: San Diego-based Church of the Nazarene university offering residential undergraduate and graduate programs with a faith-integration emphasis comparable to ONU's 'Education with a Christian Purpose' brand.
• Trevecca Nazarene University: Nashville-based Nazarene university with comparable faith-based undergraduate and graduate offerings, including online adult degree programs that overlap with ONUPlus.
• Taylor University: Indiana-based interdenominational evangelical Christian liberal arts university of similar size with a faith-integration academic model that directly overlaps ONU's positioning.
• Mount Vernon Nazarene University: Another Nazarene-affiliated comprehensive Christian university of similar size and mission (liberal arts + select graduate programs, residential campus). Same denomination makes it the closest doctrinal and operating peer to ONU.
• Anderson University (Indiana): Indiana-based comprehensive Christian university affiliated with the Church of God with similar undergraduate and graduate program breadth, plus an NAIA athletics profile comparable to ONU's.
• Indiana Wesleyan University: Midwest Wesleyan-affiliated comprehensive Christian university with similar scale, a strong adult/online division, and a comparable tuition-discounting/financial-aid strategy targeting adult learners.
• Houghton University: Wesleyan-tradition Christian liberal arts university in western New York with comparable size, faith-integration model, and NAIA athletics program.

Broad incumbents

• Wheaton College: Premier evangelical Christian liberal arts university in Illinois, geographically close to ONU in the Chicago region, with similar faith-based academic positioning though a notably higher selectivity and price point.
• Azusa Pacific University: Larger evangelical Christian university in California with a much bigger graduate and online footprint but a comparable faith-integration value proposition and similarly broad academic portfolio.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/OlivetNazareneU
• Facebookfacebook.com/16583511164
• Instagraminstagram.com/olivetnazarene
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/olivet-nazarene-university

Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Olivet Nazarene University