What Trinity Christian College does

Trinity Christian College is a private, nonprofit Christian liberal arts college founded in 1959 and located on a 130-acre wooded campus in Palos Heights, Illinois, approximately 20 miles southwest of Chicago. The institution delivers biblically-informed undergraduate and graduate education across 70+ degree paths, including traditional four-year residential programs, accelerated adult undergraduate evening formats, and master's degrees in fields such as Clinical Mental Health Counseling, education, and nursing. Core technology infrastructure is limited to standard educational tools: Brightspace LMS for course delivery, a student portal (Trollweb), and video conferencing for virtual campus visits, with no proprietary technology or AI/ML capabilities disclosed.

The college operated a direct-to-consumer enrollment model targeting prospective students through campus visits, virtual visits, and community college transfer partnerships (Guaranteed Admission Partnership agreements with five community colleges including Arrupe, Black Hawk, City Colleges of Chicago, College of DuPage, and College of Lake County). Primary revenue streams were tuition ($20,580/year after a 40% reduction as part of a transparency initiative), room and board ($10,305-$12,580), and student fees, supplemented by auxiliary income from the Bootsma Bookstore and facility rentals. The institution served approximately 985 students (766 traditional undergraduates, 219 adult and graduate) with a 10:1 student-faculty ratio and 36-person average class size.

On November 4, 2025, the Board of Trustees voted to permanently close the college at the end of the 2025-26 academic year, citing financial struggles driven by declining enrollment. The college announced plans to sell its campus buildings and land to meet debt obligations, with final commencement scheduled for May 7, 2026. Trinity's closure is consistent with a broader sector trend in which 40+ small private colleges have closed since 2020 amid a demographic cliff, with Huron Consulting projecting up to 400 additional closures over the coming decade.

Name

Trinity Christian College

Legal name

Trinity Christian College

Website

https://trnty.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1959

Operating status

Closed

Short description

Trinity Christian College is a private Christian liberal arts college in Palos Heights, Illinois, serving approximately 985 undergraduate and graduate students through biblically-informed degree programs. The college's board voted in November 2025 to permanently close the institution at the end of the 2025-26 academic year due to declining enrollment.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education (Christian Liberal Arts)

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Religiously Affiliated Liberal Arts Colleges (EDAHACAF)

Keywords

• Christian liberal arts education
• Undergraduate degree programs
• Graduate education programs
• Study abroad programs
• Adult accelerated degrees

Headquarters

HQ city

Palos Heights

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

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: Primary revenue stream from undergraduate and graduate tuition. Undergraduate tuition is $20,580 per year (reduced from previous pricing as part of a transparency initiative). Additional fees include student support fees (wellness, health, IT, academic portal), room and board ranging from $10,305-$12,580, and Foundations fee for new students.
2. Financial Aid Processing: Institutional aid distributed through grants, scholarships, and work-study programs. This includes Trinity Grants, institutional scholarships, and matching Yellow Ribbon program funds for eligible veterans.
3. Bookstore Operations: Revenue from textbook sales, rentals, apparel, gifts, and graduation merchandise at the Bootsma Bookstore Cafe. Due to closure, all sales are final with no returns/refunds.
4. Campus Facility Rental: Revenue from renting campus facilities to external parties through the Rent A Facility program.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Trinity Christian College is a private Christian liberal arts college that delivers biblically-informed higher education to approximately 985 students through 70+ degree paths. The college offers traditional four-year residential undergraduate programs, accelerated adult undergraduate programs (evening format), and graduate/master's programs, supplemented by off-campus study programs in multiple international locations. Auxiliary services include an on-campus bookstore (Bootsma Bookstore Cafe), student portal access (Trollweb), and campus facility rentals.

Product overview

Trinity Christian College is a Christian liberal arts institution offering a unified portfolio of educational programs and student services. The core offerings include Traditional Undergraduate Programs (four-year residential degrees), Adult Undergraduate Programs (accelerated evening formats for working adults), and Graduate Programs (master's degrees). Supporting programs include Off-Campus/Study Abroad Programs spanning multiple international locations, Student Portal systems, and campus amenities such as the Bookstore and Dining Services. A distinctive feature is Wellbeing Wednesdays, a four-day academic schedule leaving Wednesdays open for student wellness and professional development. The institution utilizes Brightspace as its learning management system. Note: The college announced closure at the end of the 2025-2026 academic year.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Traditional Undergraduate Programs Four-year residential bachelor's degree programs for traditional college-age students, offering majors and minors across liberal arts, business, education, nursing, psychology, and social work disciplines. Average class size is 36 with a 10:1 student-faculty ratio, delivered on a 130-acre campus in Palos Heights, Illinois.
• Adult Undergraduate Programs Accelerated evening and weekend programs for adult learners to complete bachelor's degrees or teaching credentials, featuring business administration, education, psychology, social work, and special education majors. Designed for working adults balancing career and family obligations.
• Graduate Programs Master's degree programs including MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, Curriculum and Instruction with multiple concentrations, and Special Education programs for career advancement and licensure.
• Off-Campus Study Programs Study abroad and off-campus study opportunities across multiple international and domestic locations including Semester in Spain, Netherlands Studies Program, Semester in Ecuador, Semester in Rome, Scholars' Semester in Oxford, Uganda Studies Program, Romania Semester, Nashville Contemporary Music Center, Los Angeles Film Studies Center, and Semester in London. Trinity institutional financial aid applies to Semester in Spain and Semester in Chicago.
• Bookstore Services (Bootsma Bookstore Cafe) On-campus and online bookstore offering textbooks (including rentals), apparel, gifts, and graduation supplies through the Bootsma Bookstore Cafe. Operates as an auxiliary revenue stream.
• Rent A Facility (Campus Facility Rental) Campus facility rental program allowing external parties to rent Trinity's facilities (including the Ozinga Chapel Auditorium) for events, conferences, and gatherings on the Palos Heights campus.

Quantifiable outcome

• 98% of graduates are employed, in graduate school, or in comparable situation within one year of graduation
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 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

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Arrupe CollegeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGuaranteanteed Admission Partnership (GAP) agreement for students completing associate degrees at Arrupe College before transferring to Trinity. Students may transfer up to 75 semester hours. Trinity offers stackable $1,000 GAP Scholarship.
• Black Hawk CollegeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGAP agreement with transfer guides for Business, Criminal Justice, Elementary Education, Exercise Science, Physical Education, Psychology, and Nursing. Stackable $1,000 GAP Scholarship available for transfers.
• City Colleges of ChicagominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGAP agreement with stackable $1,000 GAP Scholarship. Additional $1,000 Chicago Star Scholarship for CPS students from Big Shoulders schools with 2.5 cumulative GPA.
• College of DuPageminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGAP agreement with transfer guides for Business, Criminal Justice, Elementary Education, Exercise Science, Physical Education, Psychology, and Nursing. Stackable $1,000 GAP Scholarship available.
• College of Lake CountyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGAP agreement allowing students to transfer up to 75 semester hours. Stackable $1,000 GAP Scholarship available for transfers.
• U.S. Department of Veterans AffairscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerYellow Ribbon program participant matching GI Bill benefits. Eligible veterans can attend tuition-free with combined Post 9/11 GI Bill funding (up to $26,381.37) and Trinity Yellow Ribbon funding (up to $3,139.03).
• VIAA (Netherlands)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCooperative program partner for Studies Program in Contemporary Europe (SPICE) in Zwolle, Netherlands, engaging students in language, culture, and art.
• Landau (Off-Campus Programs)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEndorsed off-campus program provider for Semesters in Rome, Ecuador, London, and other international locations with Christian worldview education.
• Nashville Contemporary Music CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCMC prepares students for entertainment industry careers, challenging them to live out faith as Christ-followers. 'Final Exam' is a week-long Road Tour.
• Los Angeles Film Studies CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStudents live in Hollywood, take classes with industry professionals, intern in film/TV industry, and develop faith-based community with like-minded individuals.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Calvin University: Christian liberal arts university in Grand Rapids, Michigan with comparable size, traditional undergraduate focus, and Reformed/evangelical orientation; closely mirrors Trinity's mission and program portfolio.
• Hope College: Reformed Christian liberal arts college in Holland, Michigan with similar enrollment scale and traditional residential undergraduate model; directly comparable in mission and student outcomes focus.
• Wheaton College: Major evangelical Christian liberal arts college in Wheaton, Illinois, in the same Chicago metropolitan market; serves as the closest direct peer to Trinity in faith tradition, size profile, and undergraduate focus.
• Greenville University: Small Christian liberal arts university in Greenville, Illinois offering comparable undergraduate programs; a near-clone comparator in size, faith tradition, and regional draw.
• Trinity International University: Evangelical Christian university in Deerfield, Illinois offering undergraduate, graduate, and seminary programs with overlapping mission and Chicago-area footprint; direct overlap on faith tradition and degree-path structure.
• Taylor University: Interdenominational Christian liberal arts university in Upland, Indiana with traditional undergraduate emphasis, comparable enrollment scale, and similar biblically-informed liberal arts identity.
• Judson University: Christian liberal arts university in Elgin, Illinois, comparable in size and faith-based mission; similar small-campus, suburban-Chicago profile with strong traditional undergraduate enrollment.
• Concordia University Chicago: Lutheran (LCMS) Christian university located in River Forest, also in the Chicago metro, operating traditional undergraduate, adult, and graduate programs; the most direct faith-tradition and geographic peer.

Regional players

• North Central College: Residentially focused liberal arts college in Naperville, Illinois competing for the same Chicago-area traditional undergraduate pool; comparable size and outcomes reporting but non-sectarian.
• Elmhurst University: Private liberal arts university in Elmhurst, Illinois competing directly in the Chicago suburban market for traditional undergraduates; comparable enrollment scale though non-sectarian in mission.

Market position

Strengths3 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/trinitytroll
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/trntychristian
• Facebookfacebook.com/14976193879
• Instagraminstagram.com/trinitytrolls
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/trinity-christian-college

Compliance3 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 Trinity Christian College