DePaul Driehaus College of Business

What DePaul Driehaus College of Business does

DePaul Driehaus College of Business is the business school of DePaul University, a private nonprofit Catholic institution founded in 1898 in Chicago. The college traces its lineage to the School of Commerce established in 1921, was renamed the College of Business in 1998, and became the Driehaus College of Business in 2012 following a naming gift. It offers undergraduate business degrees, MBA and specialized master's programs (MS in Accounting, Business Analytics, Finance, Marketing, among others), a Doctor of Business Administration (DBA), and executive education, serving a diverse student body that includes 47% students of color and 45% first-generation college students at the undergraduate level.

The college generates revenue primarily through tuition (graduate tuition listed at $1,228 per credit hour for 2025-2026) and supplemental executive education, corporate partnerships, and employer-sponsored programs. AACSB-accredited and a CFA Institute University Affiliated Program, Driehaus operates from DePaul's Loop campus at 1 E. Jackson Blvd in downtown Chicago. The college reports 93% employment or continuing education placement within six months of graduation and maintains a recruiting pipeline of 500+ companies annually. Infrastructure investments include the BETA Hub (equipping students with AI tools such as ChatGPT Plus, Copilot, Adobe, and Tableau), a Neuro-Business Lab with eye-tracking technology, an Extended Reality Suite, and the Coleman Entrepreneurship Center housing the Halperin Emerging Company Growth Fund launched in 2023, which has backed early-stage ventures such as Visual Feeder, Mooski, and Alphathena.

The institution also stewards an alumni network of approximately 74,000 across 50 states and 60+ countries, with 16,000+ Driehaus graduates working in the Chicago metropolitan area, providing a regional distribution channel for internships and placements. Corporate partnerships with Deloitte Foundation, Morningstar, PwC, Greenwood Project, and 1871 extend the recruiting and entrepreneurship surface beyond the classroom.

Name

DePaul Driehaus College of Business

Legal name

DePaul University

Website

https://business.depaul.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1898

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

DePaul Driehaus College of Business is an AACSB-accredited business school within DePaul University in Chicago, offering undergraduate, MBA/MS, DBA, and executive education programs to a diverse student body with strong employer recruiting and a 74,000-member alumni network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Business Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Business & Management Research Universities (EDAHABAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Management Research Institutes & Doctoral (PhD/DBA) Programs (EDAHAHAO), Undergraduate Business Schools (BBA/BSBA Programs) (EDAHAHAA), Online Professional Schools (MBA/MPA/MPH/Etc.) (EDAHALAE)

Keywords

• Business education
• Graduate business programs
• MBA programs
• Executive education
• Undergraduate business degrees

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Graduate Tuition: Tuition-based revenue from MBA and specialized master's degree programs. Graduate tuition is $1,228 per credit hour for the 2025-2026 academic year.
2. Undergraduate Tuition: Tuition revenue from undergraduate business students. Rates are consistent with DePaul University undergraduate tuition.
3. Executive Education: Certificate programs for individuals and custom leadership development programs for organizations.
4. Corporate Partnerships: Customized degree and leadership development programs delivered to employees of partner organizations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

DePaul Driehaus College of Business is a private business school within DePaul University offering undergraduate business majors, full-time and part-time MBA programs, 12 specialized master's degrees, a Doctorate in Business Administration (DBA), and Executive Education certificates and custom corporate leadership programs. Programs are delivered on the Chicago Loop campus and online, with curriculum integrated with the BETA Hub's AI/analytics tools and the Coleman Entrepreneurship Center's mentorship and startup funding resources.

Product overview

DePaul Driehaus College of Business is a business school offering a comprehensive portfolio of academic programs and experiential learning initiatives. The institution provides undergraduate business majors, combined bachelor's + master's degree programs (accelerated 5-year paths), full-time and part-time MBA programs, specialized master's degrees in 12 disciplines (including Finance, Business Analytics, Marketing, Supply Chain, Real Estate, and Sustainability), a Doctorate in Business Administration (DBA), and Executive Education. Key centers and institutes include the Coleman Entrepreneurship Center (with the Halperin Emerging Company Fund for startup investments), the BETA Hub (providing access to AI and analytics tools including ChatGPT Plus, Copilot, Adobe Creative Suite, and Tableau), and the Kellstadt Career Management Center for graduate career support. Programs emphasize Chicago business partnerships, live case studies, and career preparation with 500+ companies recruiting on campus annually.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Coleman Entrepreneurship Center: Center supporting entrepreneurial pursuits, providing mentorship, workshops, pitch competitions, and funding opportunities like the Halperin Emerging Company Fund for DePaul students and alumni.
• BETA Hub
• Kellstadt Graduate School of Business
• Halperin Emerging Company Growth Fund
• Arditti Center for Risk Management
• Driehaus Center for Behavioral Finance
• Kellstadt Marketing Center
• Real Estate Center
• Center for Sales Leadership
• John L. Keeley Jr. Center for Financial Services
• Institute for Business & Professional Ethics
• Women in Entrepreneurship Institute
• Hay Center for Leadership Development
• The Institute for Housing Studies
• Entrepreneur and Family Business Council
• Center for International Business
• Driehaus Summer Business Institute
• BIBF

Products and services

• Undergraduate Business Programs Bachelor's degree programs in business preparing students for careers through rigorous academics and Chicago business partnerships.
• Combined Bachelor's + Master's Degree Programs Accelerated degree programs allowing students to earn both undergraduate and graduate degrees in five years, combining BS and MS in disciplines such as Business Analytics, Digital Marketing, Finance, Real Estate, Sustainability, and Supply Chain Management.
• Full-Time MBA Full-time MBA program with day classes designed for early career professionals and career changers, completable in 18 months; GMAT/GRE scores are optional.
• Part-Time MBA Flexible evening MBA offered in two formats: Flexible (self-paced weekday evenings) and Cohort (network-building with peer group in set course schedule), for professionals with at least two years of experience.
• Specialized Master's Degree Programs Twelve specialized master's programs including Accountancy (MS), Audit and Advisory Services (MS), Business Analytics (MS), Digital Marketing (MS), Economics and Quantitative Analysis (MS), Finance (MS), Human Resources (MSHR), Marketing Analysis (MSMA), Real Estate (MS), Supply Chain Management (MS), Sustainability in Business (MS), and Taxation & Analytics (MSTAX).
• Doctorate in Business Administration (DBA) A three-year, part-time doctoral program for senior business leaders seeking to become agents of change from the C-suite and for teaching professionals with business school experience transitioning to academia, focusing on sophisticated applied research.
• Executive Education Professional education for individuals and corporate leadership development, including certificate programs and custom programs designed for organizations seeking to develop their business leadership capabilities.
• Corporate Partnership Programs Customized degree programs and leadership development delivered to employees of corporate partner organizations.

Quantifiable outcome

• 93% of graduates employed or continuing education within six months
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• MorningstarcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMorningstar sponsors the Driehaus Cup Pitch Competition, a business pitch competition for DePaul undergraduate business students. The partnership was facilitated by advisory council member Laura Kohl, Morningstar's Chief Information Officer.
• Deloitte FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Deloitte Foundation funds academic scholarships for DePaul graduate accounting students in the Master of Science in Audit and Advisory Services (MSAA) program. The effort supports a racially and ethnically diverse student population and strengthens the pipeline of diverse CPA talent.
• Greenwood ProjectcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDePaul partnered with the Greenwood Project to deliver a finance summer program to over 200 Black and Latinx youth, connecting students of color to careers in finance.
• PwCminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPwC grant funded an accounting boot camp that introduced students of color to accounting concepts and careers.
• ProtivitiminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProtiviti co-sponsored the 2022 Summer Investment Challenge hosted by DePaul's Arditti Center for Risk Management, a four-day boot camp for Chicago-area high school students.
• 1871coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDePaul maintains memberships in 1871, Chicago's premier business and technology start-up hub, as part of the Coleman Entrepreneurship Center's programming to connect students with the startup ecosystem.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Babson College: Nationally ranked #1 for entrepreneurship business school with undergraduate and MBA programs. Most direct peer in Driehaus's entrepreneurship positioning (#15 Princeton Review), and competes for similar student-entrepreneur and donor profiles.
• Loyola University Chicago Quinlan School of Business: Catholic, Chicago-based business school with undergraduate, MBA, and specialized master's programs targeted at similar working-professional and traditional student segments. Closest direct competitor by mission, geography, and price tier.
• Illinois Institute of Technology Stuart School of Business: Chicago-based business school with strong analytics/tech orientation, including MS in Finance and MS in Business Analytics. Competes directly with Driehaus's specialized master's programs, especially in analytics and finance, on the same Chicago talent pool.
• DeVry University / Keller Graduate School of Management: For-profit Chicago-area graduate school offering MBA and specialized master's programs targeted at working adults. Competes with Driehaus's part-time MBA and online MS segments on price, schedule flexibility, and employer tuition-reimbursement partnerships.
• University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) Business: Public Chicago business school offering undergraduate, MBA, MS, and executive programs at price points below private peers. Directly competes for Chicago-area undergraduates, part-time MBA students, and corporate tuition reimbursement clients.

Broad incumbents

• Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management: Top-tier Chicago-area business school offering full-time, evening, and executive MBA programs plus specialized master's. Competes with Driehaus for part-time MBA, executive education, and corporate partnership clients in the Chicago metro.
• University of Michigan Ross School of Business: Elite Big Ten business school offering BBA, full-time MBA, and specialized master's. Competes with Driehaus for high-achieving Midwestern undergraduates and corporate partners, though at a higher rank and price point.
• University of Chicago Booth School of Business: Elite Chicago-based business school offering full-time MBA, executive MBA, and specialized master's programs. Operates in the same Chicago Loop labor market and competes directly for the same MBA and executive education prospects, but at a meaningfully higher rank and price point.
• Indiana University Kelley School of Business: Top-ranked Midwestern business school with direct-admit undergraduate program and online MBA. Comparable in size and program mix to Driehaus and competes for the same regional undergraduate, online MBA, and corporate partner audiences.

Emerging players

• Western Governors University (WGU) College of Business: Nonprofit online-first university with accredited, low-cost competency-based business degrees. Increasingly competes with Driehaus's online MS programs (e.g., MS in Accountancy) on price and flexibility, particularly for cost-sensitive working adults.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/DePaulBusiness
• Facebookfacebook.com/DePaulBiz

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles23 records

Subsidiaries20 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 DePaul Driehaus College of Business