Erikson Institute

What Erikson Institute does

Erikson Institute is a Chicago-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit graduate school founded in 1965 and named after psychologist Erik Erikson. It is described as the only graduate school in the United States 100% focused on early childhood development, education, and social work, serving approximately 356 enrolled students through master's degrees (MS in Child Development with Core and Child Life concentrations, MS in Early Childhood Education with licensure and Early Intervention tracks, MSW), a PhD in Child Development (currently on admissions hold), and graduate certificates in Infant & Early Childhood Mental Health and Social & Emotional Learning. The institution supplements degree programs with professional development, executive leadership training, community services (Fussy Baby Network, Center for Children and Families), and an applied research/policy division that includes the Technology in Early Childhood (TEC) Center and the "Get on the Early Childhood Bus" podcast.

Programs are delivered in on-campus (75,000 sqft River North facility), hybrid, and fully online formats, with published 2025-26 tuition of $600-$1,157 per credit hour depending on program. The business model combines tuition revenue (90%+ of students receive financial aid; over $2.5M in institutional scholarships and grants awarded annually), professional development course fees, community service contracts, and philanthropic donations. Erikson maintains 200+ Chicago-based internship/field placement partnerships and a 15+ MOA partner network including Chicago Public Schools, Florida A&M University, Start Early, and One Hope United. The go-to-market is sales-led admissions with rolling-basis holistic review, supported by a 7:1 student-faculty ratio, a 3,370-living-alumni network across 46 states and 21 countries, and 96.7% field employment outcomes for master's graduates. The institute holds Higher Learning Commission accreditation, ACLP endorsement for Child Life, and Illinois Gateways to Opportunity Entitled Institution status.

Name

Erikson Institute

Legal name

Erikson Institute

Website

https://erikson.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1965

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Erikson Institute is a Chicago-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit graduate school exclusively focused on early childhood development, education, and social work, serving 356 students through master's, certificate, and professional development programs, and operating community services and applied research divisions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Early Childhood & Elementary Teacher Preparation Programs (EDAHAFAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Pre-Service ECE Credential Programs (Certificates/Diplomas/Degrees) (EDACAIAA), Inclusion, Special Needs & Early Intervention Training (IEPs/IFSPs, Neurodiversity) (EDACAIAF), In-Service Professional Development (Workshops/Institutes/Short Courses) (EDACAIAB)

Keywords

• Graduate education programs
• Early childhood development
• Social work degrees
• Professional development courses
• Child life certification

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Graduate Education Programs: Tuition-based revenue from master's degrees (MS Child Development, MS Early Childhood Education, MSW), PhD programs, and graduate certificates. Students pay per credit hour or program tuition. Over 90% of students receive financial aid or scholarships.
2. Professional Development: Revenue from continuing education courses, workshops, seminars, and training programs for early childhood professionals. Alumni receive 20% discounts on courses.
3. Donations and Philanthropy: 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization generating revenue through charitable donations from individuals, foundations, and corporations. EIN: 36-2593545.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Erikson Institute is a graduate school offering master's degrees (MS Child Development, MS Early Childhood Education, MSW), a PhD in Child and Family Studies, graduate certificates (IECMH, SEL), and professional development courses focused exclusively on early childhood development, education, and social work. Programs are delivered in-person, hybrid, and fully online formats to current and aspiring early childhood professionals.

Product overview

Erikson Institute is a graduate school offering a portfolio of degree programs (master's and doctoral), graduate certificates, and professional development offerings focused on early childhood development, education, and social work. The core academic products include Master's in Child Development (with Core and Child Life concentrations), Master's in Early Childhood Education (licensure and early intervention tracks), Master of Social Work, and PhD in Child Development. Supporting offerings include graduate certificates in Infant & Early Childhood Mental Health and Social and Emotional Learning. Non-degree programs include professional development workshops, executive training, and community services including the Fussy Baby Network and family support services. The institution also operates applied research and policy centers including the Technology in Early Childhood (TEC) Center. Programs are delivered in-person, hybrid, or fully online formats.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Master's in Child Development (Core Concentration)

Quantifiable outcome

• 96.7% employment rate for master's degree students within their field of study
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major, regional and minor.

• Chicago Public SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMOA partnership for training teachers and early childhood professionals. Supports student recruitment and field placement opportunities.
• Start EarlycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMOA partner organization. Has hired over a dozen Erikson graduates. Collaboration on early childhood education initiatives.
• Big Shoulders FundcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMOA partner supporting early childhood education professionals in Chicago.
• Family FocusmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMOA partner providing services to children and families in Illinois.
• Holy Family MinistriesmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMOA partner in Chicago providing educational services.
• YMCA of Metropolitan ChicagomajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMOA partner offering programming across Illinois locations.
• YWCA Metropolitan ChicagomajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMOA partner supporting women and families in Chicago area.
• One Hope UnitedmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMOA partner serving children and families through multiple service locations.
• Lake County Regional Department of EducationregionalStrategic or Co-development PartnerMOA partner supporting educators in Lake County, Illinois.
• Florida Agricultural and Mechanical UniversityregionalStrategic or Co-development PartnerHistorically Black college/university MOA partner for student recruitment and advanced study pathways.
• St. Augustine CollegeregionalStrategic or Co-development PartnerChicago-based MOA partner for advanced study in early childhood education and social work.
• Trinity Christian CollegeregionalStrategic or Co-development PartnerMOA partner in Palos Heights, IL for early childhood education pathways.
• Carole Robertson Learning CenterregionalStrategic or Co-development PartnerMOA partner in Chicago providing early childhood learning opportunities.
• Illinois Gateways to OpportunitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEntitled institution partnership allowing students to seek Early Care and Education Credentials (Levels 2-6) through Illinois credentialing system.
• StudentSpaceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFree apartment-finding service that specializes in helping graduate students find housing in Chicago. Supports student recruitment by easing relocation concerns.
• HandshakeminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOnline career services platform where employers post jobs accessible to Erikson students and alumni.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Wheelock College (BU Wheelock): Formerly Boston-based Wheelock College specialized in early childhood and educator preparation; merged into Boston University. Comparable historical direct peer in the niche ECE graduate market.
• Bank Street College of Education: New York City-based graduate school exclusively focused on education and child development, offering master's degrees and certificates. Directly comparable to Erikson's ECE-focused graduate education model.
• Pacific Oaks College: Pasadena-based college specializing in early childhood education, teacher preparation, and human development with master's and certificate programs — closely parallels Erikson's ECE graduate focus.

Regional players

• National Louis University: Chicago-based university with strong early childhood education, social work, and applied behavioral science programs. Same geography as Erikson with overlapping programs but broader portfolio.
• Concordia University Chicago: Chicago-area university with early childhood education and applied behavior analysis graduate programs. Operates in same geographic market with overlapping program offerings.

Broad incumbents

• Harvard Graduate School of Education: Premier graduate education school with early childhood programs. A prestige incumbent whose brand competes with Erikson for top ECE graduate applicants and policy influence.
• University of Illinois Chicago College of Education: Public Chicago institution offering ECE and education graduate degrees with far larger scale. Overlaps with Erikson's Chicago market but offers broader education portfolio and research capacity.
• Columbia University Teachers College: Major graduate education institution in NYC with broad ECE offerings. Comparable as a large, established competitor for ECE graduate students and research talent.
• Loyola University Chicago School of Education: Chicago-based broader university with education graduate programs including early childhood. Same geography as Erikson but with a wider portfolio of programs.

Emerging players

• Relay Graduate School of Education: Graduate school of education focused on teacher preparation with strong K-12 teacher training focus. Comparable as an emerging specialized graduate education institution, though K-12 centric rather than 0-8.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/earlychildhood
• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/EriksonNews
• Facebookfacebook.com/43889075979
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/erikson-institute
• Instagraminstagram.com/eriksoninstitute

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 Erikson Institute