Skidmore

What Skidmore does

Skidmore College is a private, nonprofit liberal arts college located at 815 North Broadway in Saratoga Springs, New York. Founded in 1903 and celebrating its centennial in 2022, the college enrolls approximately 2,500 undergraduate students and employs 501-1000 faculty and staff. Its core offering is a four-year residential liberal arts education spanning the arts, sciences, humanities, business, education, and social work, organized around the 'Creative Thought Matters' philosophy that emphasizes creative thinking across all disciplines. The college is differentiated by mandatory-to-most experiential learning (85% of students complete at least one internship, 75% complete more than one) and a financial aid commitment to meet 100% of demonstrated need with no gap.

The business model is a hybrid nonprofit education model. Primary revenue derives from tuition and fees charged to undergraduate students (a recurring annual subscription billed per academic year), supplemented by a multi-stream philanthropic engine — the Skidmore Fund, Parent and Family Giving (nearly $2 million annually from families), Planned Giving, and major donor gifts that have funded facilities such as the Arthur Zankel Music Center (opened 2010) and the Frances Young Tang Teaching Museum. A secondary revenue stream comes from year-round summer programming, including the 39-year-old Skidmore Jazz Institute (~65 students per session), sports camps for grades 1-6, the NYS Summer Writers Institute, and pre-college liberal and studio arts programs, supported by state and federal arts funding (NYS Council on the Arts, National Endowment for the Arts) and regional sponsors.

The go-to-market motion is sales-led competitive admissions: Skidmore recruits nationally through the Common Application, Coalition Application, and QuestBridge Application, with no application fees or supplemental essays, and uses Early Decision (I and II) and Regular Decision deadlines to drive yield. It runs student-led campus tours, Summer Open Houses, and admissions fairs as mid-funnel conversion events, while content marketing (Scope Magazine, Creative Thought Works, news coverage) and alumni/parent engagement programs operate as top-of-funnel brand and community-building channels. The college's competitive advantages are concentrated in intangible brand assets (top-ranked liberal arts designation, #1 national ranking for 'Great Financial Aid'), an extensive alumni network of 10,000+, distinctive academic assets such as the first Intergroup Relations minor in the US and the 40-year-old MB 107 business course, and a residential experience anchored by world-class facilities.

Name

Skidmore

Legal name

Skidmore College

Website

https://skidmore.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1903

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Skidmore College is a private nonprofit liberal arts college in Saratoga Springs, New York, serving approximately 2,500 undergraduates with a residential curriculum in arts, sciences, business, and humanities, funded primarily by tuition, donations, and summer programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education (Liberal Arts College)

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Sports and Recreation Instruction (61162)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

University-Led Summer/Winter Schools (Credit/Non-Credit) (EDAIAIAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Pre-College Summer/Winter Academic Programs (High School Students) (EDAIAIAD), Outdoor Recreation & Adventure Programs (Trips, Climbing, Rentals) (EDALAIAG)

Keywords

• Liberal arts education
• Undergraduate education
• Experiential learning
• Summer academic programs
• Higher education institution

Headquarters

HQ city

Saratoga Springs

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Fees: As a private liberal arts college, Skidmore generates primary revenue from tuition and fees charged to undergraduate students.
2. Annual Giving (Skidmore Fund): The Skidmore Fund supports academics and faculty, funding scholarships and internships, strengthening student life and diversity initiatives, enhancing wellness and athletics, and sustaining resources like the Tang Teaching Museum.
3. Parent and Family Giving: Families contribute nearly $2 million annually to support students through the Skidmore Fund and designated priorities.
4. Planned Giving and Gift Planning: The college offers gift planning options including wills, living trusts, beneficiary designations, charitable distributions from IRAs (QCDs up to $111,000/year), and donor advised funds.
5. Summer Programs Revenue: Revenue from summer programs including the Skidmore Jazz Institute, summer studio art, NYS Summer Writers Institute, sports camps (baseball, basketball, lacrosse, soccer, etc.), and Camp Northwoods for children.
6. Alumni Engagement and Events: Alumni engagement programs including reunion events, networking, and volunteer opportunities generate support and maintain alumni connections.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Skidmore College is a private liberal arts college in Saratoga Springs, New York offering undergraduate degree programs across arts, sciences, business, and humanities under its 'Creative Thought Matters' philosophy. It emphasizes experiential learning and internships, and also runs summer enrichment programs, sports camps, and public performances.

Product overview

Skidmore College is a liberal arts institution offering undergraduate education organized around its 'Creative Thought Matters' philosophy. The institution provides a single integrated educational experience combining liberal arts academics with experiential learning opportunities. Core offerings include undergraduate degree programs, with approximately one-third of students taking the MB 107 business course. Summer programs include the Skidmore Jazz Institute and sports camps. Campus facilities include the Arthur Zankel Music Center and Wyckoff Center. Student support services encompass the Career Development Center and Office of Student Diversity and Inclusion.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Skidmore Liberal Arts Education A top-ranked undergraduate liberal arts education emphasizing creative thinking, interdisciplinary learning, and experiential opportunities. Offers multiple application pathways including Common Application, Coalition Application, and QuestBridge Application.
• Experiential Learning and Internships High-impact learning opportunities including internships, undergraduate research, and career preparation, with 85% of students completing an internship or professional experience during their Skidmore career.
• Skidmore Jazz Institute A two-week intensive jazz music program for aspiring young musicians held annually (June 27 - July 11), accommodating approximately 65 students with combo rehearsals, improvisational classes, private lessons, and master classes taught by top jazz practitioners.
• Summer Programs (Academic and Creative Arts) Credit and noncredit programs including Pre-College Program in Liberal and Studio Arts, Summer Sessions, Summer Studio Art Program, and NYS Summer Writers Institute for students and community members.
• Summer Sports Camps Day camp for children entering grades 1-6 and sports camps including baseball, basketball, field hockey, ice hockey, lacrosse, soccer, softball, and volleyball for children of various ages.
• Jazz Teacher Summit A professional learning opportunity for New York State K-12 music teachers preparing to teach jazz ensembles, offering master classes and continuing teacher education hours.
• Arthur Zankel Music Center State-of-the-art music performance venue opened in 2010, featuring the Helen Filene Ladd Concert Hall (600 seats) and Elisabeth Luce Moore Hall (58 seats), hosting ticketed concerts and performances open to the public.
• Career Development Center Career preparation services including guidance for internships, job searching, and connecting students with alumni mentors through programs like the Zankel Experience Network (ZEN).
• Intergroup Relations (IGR) Minor A nationally recognized intergroup relations minor grounded in learning for social justice; the first IGR minor established in the US, helping students become confident leaders and change agents.
• Financial Aid Services Financial assistance programs meeting 100% of demonstrated need for accepted students, including scholarships, grants, and work-study opportunities.
• MB 107 Business Course (Business and Organization Management) The cornerstone course of Skidmore's management and business major, where students present business growth strategies to real-world executives; has operated for 40 years.
• Office of Student Diversity and Inclusion (OSDI) Provides support, resources, programming, leadership development, and advocacy for students using frameworks of equity and social justice, fostering belonging and liberation.

Quantifiable outcome

• 85% of students complete an internship or professional experience during their Skidmore career
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• MLK SaratogaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssociate Professor of Theater Eunice S. Ferreira partners with MLK Saratoga for Theater for Social Justice programming, bringing community conversations on art and activism to the Saratoga community.
• Black Dimensions in Art (BDA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with local Black arts organization for theater and social justice initiatives. Students partner with BDA members to facilitate conversations and archive the legacy of BDA in documentary film for their 50th anniversary.
• John B. Moore Documentary Studies Collaborative (MDOCS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInterdisciplinary documentary studies center at Skidmore that partners with community organizations and academic departments to create documentary works and support student learning.
• International Friendship Family ProgramminorOthersProgram connecting international students with local families for cultural exchange and community integration support.
• RISE SaratogaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership between Skidmore's Social Work Department and Saratoga nonprofit RISE, led by Sybil Newell '00, serving struggling populations with powerful impact on students.
• Saratoga Performing Arts CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSkidmore Jazz Institute students attend the Saratoga Jazz Festival at SPAC as part of the program kickoff, creating connections between the institute and the regional jazz community.
• Caffe LenaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHistoric Saratoga Springs venue where Skidmore Jazz Institute students perform downtown, providing performance experience and community engagement.
• Boys Hope Girls HopeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational nonprofit helping young people from adolescence through college and career launch; Skidmore student Justin Adams '23 is a graduate and mentor in the program.
• Periclean Faculty Leadership ProgramminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCivic engagement program supporting faculty leadership in bringing social justice curriculum into communities.
• Universal Preservation HallminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHistoric Saratoga Springs arts venue partnership with Skidmore's Arts Administration Program providing students with field experiences and networking opportunities.
• The Wild CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNatural partnership between Skidmore and The Wild Center in the Adirondacks demonstrating the power of combining arts and sciences.
• Greater Capital Region Teacher Center for Effective TeachingminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRegional teacher center through which music educators register for the Jazz Teacher Summit to earn continuing education hours (CTLE).

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Williams College: Highly selective private liberal arts college in Massachusetts with similar size, tuition model, and ranking tier. Directly comparable along product (residential undergraduate liberal arts), customer (high-achieving high schoolers), and business model (tuition + endowment + giving).
• Amherst College: Top-ranked private liberal arts college in Massachusetts with need-blind, 100% demonstrated-need met financial aid policy. Closest direct peer to Skidmore's financial aid and selectivity positioning.
• Bates College: Private liberal arts college in Maine with comparable size, selectivity, and 100% demonstrated-need-met financial aid policy. Direct competitor for the same applicant profile.
• Colgate University: Private liberal arts university in upstate New York with similar size, tuition structure, and admissions profile. Closest geographic direct competitor to Skidmore.
• Hamilton College: Private liberal arts college in Clinton, NY with comparable enrollment, selectivity, and need-based aid commitment. Direct peer in the NY/Northeast liberal arts market.
• Pomona College: Top-ranked private liberal arts college in California with similar size, selectivity tier, and financial aid commitment. Comparable West Coast analog in the same national liberal arts market.
• Vassar College: Private liberal arts college in Poughkeepsie, NY with similar enrollment scale, need-based aid, and Creative Thought-adjacent positioning. Geographic and product peer.
• Wellesley College: Top-ranked private women's liberal arts college with comparable selectivity, need-based aid, and emphasis on interdisciplinary experiential learning. Competes for overlapping applicant demographics.
• Middlebury College: Vermont-based private liberal arts college with comparable selectivity, residential model, and strong language/international programs. Competes with Skidmore for Northeast applicants.
• Bowdoin College: Northeast private liberal arts college with similar enrollment scale, need-met financial aid, and emphasis on experiential learning. Direct competitor for the same applicant pool.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubevimeo.com/channels/1629877
• Facebookfacebook.com/ZankelMusicCenter
• Instagraminstagram.com/zankelmusiccenter?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
• Xx.com/SkidmoreCollege

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 Skidmore