Emma Willard School
Emma Willard School is a 211-year-old independent, nonprofit boarding and day school for girls in grades 9-12, located on a 137-acre campus in Troy, NY, serving 362 students from 35 countries with tuition ranging from $48,180 to $77,325.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1814
- HeadquartersTroy, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Emma Willard School does
Emma Willard School is a private, independent, nonprofit boarding and day school serving approximately 362 girls in grades 9-12, located on a 137-acre historic campus in Troy, New York. Founded in 1814 as the first school of higher learning for women in the United States, the institution draws students from 35 countries and 19 U.S. states, with international enrollment at 28% of the student body. Its academic offering comprises 139 courses including 21 Advanced Studies, supported by signature experiential programs (Practicum, Signature, Jestermester) and an operating platform that combines the MyEmma school management system with a Finalsite web/CMS layer — both third-party SaaS tools rather than proprietary technology.
The school's business model rests on two revenue streams: tuition (boarding at $77,325 and day at $48,180 for 2025-2026) and philanthropic giving (FY24-25 contributions of $15,051,607 from 1,489 donors). The Infinite Horizon capital campaign, launched in 2022, surpassed its $175M goal in January 2025. Financial aid of $6.6M reaches 44% of students, indicating a meaningful access-mission component that constrains net tuition capture. The school is supported by a $211.9M endowment (as of 5/31/25) and an 8,000+ alumnae network, with 90% of faculty full-time and 94% holding advanced degrees.
Strategic execution in 2024-2025 included the opening of the Alice Dodge Wallace Center for Performing Arts (April 2025) and Tangeman Commons faculty housing (May 2025), as well as the headship transition to Dr. Karen C. Lassey as the 18th Head of School in July 2025. The 2025-2026 operating budget is $30.7M, with a firmographic headcount estimate in the 51-100 range. Revenue concentration is structurally low given the per-family tuition model and distributed donor base, and there is no disclosed AI/ML capability beyond commodity administrative SaaS.
Emma Willard School firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Emma Willard School
- Legal name
- Emma Willard School
- Website
- https://emmawillard.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1814
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Emma Willard School is a 211-year-old independent, nonprofit boarding and day school for girls in grades 9-12, located on a 137-acre campus in Troy, NY, serving 362 students from 35 countries with tuition ranging from $48,180 to $77,325.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Emma Willard School industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Private Secondary Education
- NAICS
- Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Independent Charter Schools (Single-Site) (EDAJACAB)
Keywords
Where Emma Willard School is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Troy
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Emma Willard School business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Tuition - Boarding: Annual tuition for boarding students in grades 9-12
- Tuition - Day Students: Annual tuition for day students in grades 9-12
- GirlSummer Program: Summer enrichment program for campers entering grades 2-9, offered in two-week sessions
- Donations and Fundraising: The Emma Fund, 1814 Association, Planned Giving, Reunion Giving - supports financial aid and school operations
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Boarding Tuition (Grades 9-12) |
| Subscription | Annual | Day Student Tuition (Grades 9-12) |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | GirlSummer Regular Session |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | GirlSummer Writer's Retreat |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | GirlSummer Theatre Intensive |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Leadership in Training Program |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels10 records
Emma Willard School product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Emma Willard School is an independent, nonprofit boarding and day school for girls in grades 9–12, located on a single campus at 285 Pawling Avenue, Troy, New York. It delivers a college-preparatory academic curriculum augmented by signature experiential programs (Practicum, Signature, Jestermester, Advanced Studies), and also operates GirlSummer, a non-residential summer enrichment program for middle school girls. Tuition for boarding students is $72,300 per year and for day students is $53,400 per year, with need-based financial aid available.
Product overview
Emma Willard School is a unified educational institution offering comprehensive boarding and day school programs for girls in grades 9-12. The school provides a 139-course academic curriculum with 21 Advanced Studies courses, complemented by extensive experiential learning programs including Practicum (130+ experiences), Signature (capstone projects), and Jestermester (immersive mini-term). The institution also operates GirlSummer, a summer enrichment program for campers entering grades 2-9. Arts programming includes Visual Arts, Dance, Theatre, and Music, while athletics offers 14 interscholastic sports. The school serves approximately 350 students from 35 countries and 19 states.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- GirlSummer: Emma's signature summer program offering an enriching, personalized, and fun two-week summer experience for campers entering 2nd-9th grades and leadership training for 10th grade and up.
- The Emma Fund
- Infinite Horizon Campaign
Products and services
- Emma Willard School (Boarding) Residential college-preparatory boarding program for girls in grades 9-12 at the Troy, NY campus, with annual tuition of $72,300 and need-based financial aid available. Includes the core academic program plus signature experiential offerings (Practicum, Signature, Jestermester, Advanced Studies).
- Emma Willard School (Day Program) Non-residential day college-preparatory program for girls in grades 9-12 attending the Troy, NY campus during school hours, with annual tuition of $53,400 and the same academic and signature experiential programs as boarding students.
- GirlSummer Non-residential summer enrichment program for middle-school girls, delivered on the Emma Willard School campus during the summer months. Open to participants regardless of enrollment at Emma Willard for the academic year.
- Practicum Signature experiential learning program of Emma Willard School that takes students out of the traditional classroom, including a Washington, D.C.-based practicum experience, as part of the school's college-preparatory curriculum.
- Signature Signature named program of Emma Willard School, part of the school's distinct offerings that differentiate its college-preparatory curriculum.
- Jestermester Jestermester named program of Emma Willard School, part of the school's distinct offerings that differentiate its college-preparatory curriculum.
- Advanced Studies Advanced Studies named program of Emma Willard School, part of the school's distinct offerings that supplement its college-preparatory curriculum for high-achieving students.
Companies that use Emma Willard School
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Emma Willard School technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Emma Willard School partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- VericantcorePartnership with Vericant for conducting virtual interviews with candidates from Mainland China. Candidates use Vericant platform to schedule appointments, with interviews submitted to Emma Willard by December 1 deadline.
- SAO (Standard Application Online)coreAccepts applications through the Standard Application Online platform, one of four application methods available to prospective students.
- Gateway to Prep SchoolsminorAccepts applications through Gateway application platform as an alternative application method.
- TABS (The Association of Boarding Schools)minorAccepts applications through TABS application portal as one of four application options available.
Scale indicators10 records
Recent moves11 records
Expansion highlights3 records
Emma Willard School competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Garrison Forest School: Private girls' boarding and day school in Owings Mills, MD, founded 1910. Comparable all-girls model with boarding option; overlaps in experiential learning and college-preparatory focus.
- The Brearley School: Highly selective independent girls' day school in New York City, grades K-12. Operates at a similar prestige tier and tuition level, attracting New York families evaluating girls' secondary options.
- The Ethel Walker School: Private girls' boarding and day school in Simsbury, CT, founded 1911. Closely comparable in size, mission, and program mix; competes for similar boarding applicants in the Northeast.
- The Madeira School: Private girls' boarding and day school in McLean, VA, founded 1906. Comparable independent single-sex boarding model, similar tuition tier, and overlapping competition for East Coast boarding students.
- Miss Porter's School: Prestigious private girls' boarding and day school in Farmington, CT, founded 1843. Most direct peer: similar all-girls boarding model, comparable tuition pricing, overlapping applicant pool of affluent families seeking elite secondary education.
- Holton-Arms School: Independent girls' school in Bethesda, MD, grades 3-12. Similar all-girls college-preparatory model and competition for Washington, D.C. area families seeking elite secondary education.
- The Spence School: Elite independent girls' day school in New York City, grades K-12. Comparable prestige and tuition tier; competes for New York metropolitan families considering all-girls education.
- Foxcroft School: Private girls' boarding and day school in Middleburg, VA, founded 1914. Direct peer in the Mid-Atlantic girls' boarding market with similar experiential learning emphasis and tuition structure.
Broad incumbents
- Choate Rosemary Hall: Highly selective private co-educational boarding school in Wallingford, CT. Competes for the same affluent boarding-school applicant pool but offers co-ed and broader curricular breadth, attracting families who might otherwise choose a single-sex school.
- Deerfield Academy: Elite private co-educational boarding school in Deerfield, MA. Competes for top-tier boarding applicants with broader curricular and athletic offerings; a frequent cross-shop for families considering Emma Willard.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights8 records
Customer concentration
Emma Willard School social profiles
Digital presenceEmma Willard School compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance7 records
Emma Willard School financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Emma Willard School leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
Emma Willard School funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Emma Willard School M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Emma Willard School
What does Emma Willard School do?
Emma Willard School is an independent, nonprofit boarding and day school for girls in grades 9–12, located on a single campus at 285 Pawling Avenue, Troy, New York. It delivers a college-preparatory academic curriculum augmented by signature experiential programs (Practicum, Signature, Jestermester, Advanced Studies), and also operates GirlSummer, a non-residential summer enrichment program for middle school girls. Tuition for boarding students is $72,300 per year and for day students is $53,400 per year, with need-based financial aid available.
Is Emma Willard School a public or private company?
Emma Willard School is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Emma Willard School founded?
Emma Willard School was founded in 1814. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Emma Willard School based?
Emma Willard School is headquartered in Troy, United States, in the North America region.
How does Emma Willard School make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Tuition - Boarding is the primary driver. The others are tuition - Day Students, girlSummer Program and donations and Fundraising.
Who are Emma Willard School's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Garrison Forest School, The Brearley School, The Ethel Walker School, The Madeira School, Miss Porter's School, Holton-Arms School, The Spence School and Foxcroft School. Broad incumbents are Choate Rosemary Hall and Deerfield Academy.
Does Emma Willard School have an API?
No public API is recorded for Emma Willard School.
What industry is Emma Willard School in?
Emma Willard School's product category is Private Secondary Education. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAJACAB, Independent Charter Schools (Single-Site). Its NAICS code is 6111 and its SIC code is 8200.