Southwestern Adventist University

What Southwestern Adventist University does

Southwestern Adventist University (SWAU) is a private, nonprofit 501(c)(3) higher-education institution founded in 1893 and located in Keene, Texas. It is affiliated with the Seventh-day Adventist Church and serves primarily undergraduate students in liberal arts, sciences, and professional programs (notably nursing and education), plus master's degrees in education and psychology. The institution is regionally accredited by SACSCOC and holds three additional accreditations (Adventist Schools, IACBE for business, and the Texas Education Agency), and was ranked #29 in Regional Colleges West and #3 for Social Mobility by U.S. News in 2023. Recent outcomes include a 95% NCLEX nursing pass rate (2025), a 100% TEA teacher-certification pass rate, and a 73% IPEDS retention rate with a 40% six-year graduation rate.

The institution's product portfolio includes traditional on-campus undergraduate and graduate degrees, the SWAUonline distance-learning platform, dual-credit programs with area high schools, and professional certifications. Distinctive physical and digital assets include the Dinosaur Science Museum, which houses what the university describes as the #1 database for digitally documented fossils globally, the Thomsen Observatory, the Chan Shun Centennial Library, and the KJRN on-campus radio station. The Student Missions Program places students in 9-12 month faith-based service roles domestically and internationally, and the Adventist Colleges Abroad partnership supports study-abroad immersion.

SWAU's revenue model rests on three streams: tuition and fees, donations and fundraising, and auxiliary services (housing, dining, bookstore). Eighty-four percent of students receive some form of financial aid, and the university administers more than 120 named endowed scholarships disbursing roughly $250,000 annually. Fundraising is supported by a Givebutter-powered giving platform that has raised approximately $670,000 from 767 supporters. The institution is governed by a Board of Trustees chaired by Carlos J. Craig under President Ana Patterson, with a full senior leadership team refreshed across 2024-2025.

Name

Southwestern Adventist University

Legal name

Southwestern Adventist University

Website

https://swau.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1893

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Southwestern Adventist University is a private, nonprofit Seventh-day Adventist institution in Keene, Texas, offering accredited undergraduate, graduate, and online degrees plus a unique digital fossil database, serving a regional five-state southwestern US student base.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Junior Colleges (6112)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Religiously Affiliated Liberal Arts Colleges (EDAHACAF)

Keywords

• Higher education
• Undergraduate programs
• Graduate degrees
• Distance learning
• Christian university

Headquarters

HQ city

Keene

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Fees: The university charges tuition and fees for undergraduate and graduate programs. Financial aid is available including grants, loans, institutional scholarships, and merit-based awards.
2. Donations and Fundraising: The university raises funds through the Southwestern Fund, departmental needs, scholarship endowments (over 120 named endowments), student missions, and planned giving programs. The giving platform shows $670k raised from 767 supporters.
3. Auxiliary Services: Revenue from housing, dining, the campus bookstore, and other student services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Southwestern Adventist University delivers Christ-centered higher education through on-campus associate, baccalaureate, and master's degree programs, supplemented by the SWAUonline distance-learning platform. The institution provides dual-credit courses for high school students, professional certifications, faith-based student missionary placements, and access to specialty educational facilities including the Dinosaur Science Museum, Thomsen Observatory, Chan Shun Centennial Library, and KJRN radio station. Financial aid and 120+ named endowed scholarships support affordability for enrolled students.

Product overview

Southwestern Adventist University offers a Christ-centered higher education experience through a portfolio of educational products and services. The core offerings include traditional on-campus undergraduate and graduate degree programs, supplemented by SWAUonline for distance learning. Additional services include professional certifications, dual credit programs for high school students, and specialized facilities such as the Dinosaur Science Museum, Thomsen Observatory, and KJRN radio station. The university provides comprehensive student support through its Library, Office of Student Success, and Financial Aid Services. Spiritual development programs include Student Missions (9-12 month missionary service) and the Adventist Colleges Abroad program. The institution is accredited by SACSCOC to award associate, baccalaureate, and master's degrees.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SWAU: University athletics and sports teams known as the SWAU Knights
• SWAUonline
• KJRN

Products and services

• Traditional Undergraduate Programs On-campus baccalaureate degree programs across liberal arts, sciences, nursing, education, and professional fields, offered to residential students at the Keene, Texas campus.
• Graduate Degrees and Programs Master's degree programs in education and psychology offered on campus to students seeking advanced credentials for career advancement.
• SWAUonline Online learning platform providing distance education courses and programs for remote students unable to attend the Keene campus in person.
• Professional Certifications Vocational and professional certification programs designed for career advancement, complementing the university's academic degree offerings.
• Dual Credit Program Program allowing high school students to earn college credits while still completing secondary education, delivered in partnership with area high schools.

Quantifiable outcome

• 95% student satisfaction rate
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Texas Health HuguleyminorOthersTexas Health Huguley provides a mobile health unit that visits campus, offering health services to students and the community.
• Adventist Colleges Abroad (ACA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThrough ACA, qualifying Southwestern students may take a year out of their curriculum to become immersed in a foreign culture and learn a foreign language at international Adventist institutions.
• Loma Linda UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMany graduates who continue with their education do so at Loma Linda University, indicating an institutional pathway and collaborative relationship for graduate education.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• Houston Christian University: Private Baptist university in Houston, Texas, with similar size, mission, and academic mix. A regional competitor for Christian higher education students in Texas.
• Lubbock Christian University: Small private Christian university in West Texas with similar enrollment scale, faith-based mission, and broad liberal arts/professional program mix. Competes for similar value-conscious Southwest students but is non-Adventist.
• Dallas Baptist University: Larger private Christian university in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, competing for similar students in SWAU's core geographic market. Comparable on faith-based mission and professional programs, but at a different scale and denomination.

Direct peers

• Walla Walla University: Seventh-day Adventist university on the West Coast with similar enrollment scale, degree offerings, and faith-based mission. Comparable on academic programs, denominational affiliation, and small-campus student experience.
• Oakwood University: HBCU-affiliated Adventist university in Alabama with comparable enrollment size, faith-based mission, and liberal arts focus. Direct denominational peer competing for Adventist students in the Southeast.
• Washington Adventist University: Suburban Adventist university on the East Coast, similar in scale and liberal arts/professional program mix. A direct denominational peer and a documented graduate-school pipeline for SWAU alumni.
• Pacific Union College: Adventist liberal arts college in California with comparable size, mission, and academic profile. Direct competitor for Adventist-aligned students in the western U.S.
• Southern Adventist University: Another Seventh-day Adventist university of comparable size, mission, and academic scope. The most direct peer within the Adventist higher education system, with overlapping programs (liberal arts, nursing, business) and the same denominational hiring constraints.

Broad incumbents

• Andrews University: The flagship Seventh-day Adventist university, larger and more research-oriented. Competes for the same Adventist student pool while offering a much broader set of graduate and professional programs.
• Loma Linda University: Larger Adventist institution with a strong health sciences focus and a documented graduate pathway for SWAU students. Competes for the same Adventist-aligned pre-health students.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/southwesternau
• Xx.com/SouthwesternAU
• Facebookfacebook.com/162839830456078
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/southwestern-adventist-university

Compliance4 records

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 Southwestern Adventist University