What Hesston College does

Hesston College is a private, nonprofit, Mennonite-affiliated two-year liberal arts college headquartered in Hesston, Kansas, founded in 1909. It serves approximately 394 students (Fall 2025), 85.8% of whom live on campus, with a student-faculty ratio of 12:1. The institution has expanded beyond its associate-degree heritage to offer bachelor's programs in Aviation, Nursing, Business Management, Engineering, Health Science, Health and Human Performance, and Sports Management, alongside performing arts and a Summer Theatre Camp. Roughly 14% of students are international, drawn from more than 25 countries, supported by a dedicated international admissions pipeline.

The college's technology stack is conventional and entirely vendor-supplied: Jenzabar powers the myHesston student information system, Moodle serves as the learning management system, Google Workspace and Microsoft Office 365 cover productivity, PaperCut manages print, and Zoom handles video conferencing. There are no proprietary software products, no APIs or SDKs, and no AI/ML capabilities disclosed in the input data. The college also operates the 13-acre Dyck Arboretum of the Plains (with an adjacent 18-acre prairie reconstruction) as an educational and community asset.

Revenue is generated primarily through tuition and fees charged for academic programs, supplemented by donations across multiple programs (Partner Program, GEM Program, Endowed Scholarships, Planned Giving, Phonathon), auxiliary services (dining, housing, Summer Theatre Camp), and episodic government grants such as HEERF I and HEERF II under the CARES Act and CRRSAA. Pricing is structured as annual tuition, fees, room, and board; detailed cost figures are published on the website but not disclosed in the extracted data. Marketing is conducted directly to prospective students via the hesston.edu website, social media, campus visits, and an athletics-focused site (hclarks.com).

Name

Hesston College

Legal name

Hesston College

Website

https://hesston.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1909

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Hesston College is a private, nonprofit, Mennonite-affiliated two-year liberal arts college in Hesston, Kansas, serving about 394 residential undergraduate students through associate and bachelor's programs in nursing, aviation, engineering, business, and related fields, with a student-faculty ratio of 12:1.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Private Liberal Arts Higher Education

NAICS

Junior Colleges (6112), Junior Colleges (611210), Junior Colleges (61121), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Private/Independent Community & Junior Colleges (EDAHADAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Junior Colleges (Associate-Degree Granting) (EDAHADAC), Secular/Nonsectarian Liberal Arts Colleges (EDAHACAG)

Keywords

• Higher education
• Liberal arts college
• Nursing programs
• Associate degrees
• Aviation education

Headquarters

HQ city

Hesston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Fees: Hesston College generates revenue primarily through tuition and fees charged to students for educational programs including bachelor's degrees, associate degrees, and certificate programs.
2. Donations and Fundraising: The college receives donations through various programs including the Partner Program, GEM Program, Endowed Scholarships, Planned Giving, Phonathon, and other giving methods.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Hesston College is a private two-year Mennonite-affiliated liberal arts college that delivers residential, campus-based higher education. It sells associate degrees, bachelor's degrees (Aviation Pilot, Nursing B.S.N., Business Management, Engineering, Health Science, Health and Human Performance, Sports Management), certificates, fine arts programming, and select continuing education such as Weekend College. Students attend classes in person at the Hesston, Kansas campus and pay tuition and fees per academic term, with financial aid, scholarships, and federal grants supporting enrollment.

Product overview

Hesston College is a higher education institution offering associate and bachelor's degree programs in fields including Aviation, Nursing, Business Management, Engineering, Health Science, Health and Human Performance, and Sports Management. The college also provides Fine Arts programs (Theatre, Music, Art) and Summer Theatre Camp for youth. As an educational institution, Hesston College does not offer technology products or software services in the traditional SaaS sense.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Aviation - Pilot (B.S.) Bachelor of Science degree in Aviation with a Pilot concentration, preparing students for careers as professional pilots. Hosted at the Hesston, Kansas campus.
• Nursing (B.S.N) Bachelor of Science in Nursing program with a 94.44% NCLEX-RN first-time pass rate in 2024, preparing students for RN licensure and bedside or specialty nursing careers.
• Business Management (B.A.) Bachelor of Arts in Business Management providing undergraduate business education, awarded to four students at the 2026 commencement.
• Engineering (B.S.) Bachelor of Science in Engineering undergraduate program; one such degree was conferred at the 2026 commencement.
• Health Science (B.S.) Bachelor of Science in Health Science undergraduate program preparing students for health-related careers.
• Health and Human Performance (B.S.) Bachelor of Science in Health and Human Performance program focused on exercise science and related health fields.
• Sports Management (B.A.) Bachelor of Arts in Sports Management undergraduate program preparing students for careers in athletics administration and sports-related fields.
• Associate Degrees Two-year associate degree programs across multiple disciplines, with 53 associate degrees awarded at the 2026 commencement.
• Fine Arts Programs (Theatre, Music, Art) Fine arts programming spanning Theatre, Music, and Art, including performing arts scholarships and a fine arts calendar of campus events.
• Missional Leadership Certificate One missional leadership certificate was conferred at the 2026 commencement as part of the college's continuing education and leadership training offerings.
• Weekend College Weekend-format continuing education program for adult learners including church leadership, providing flexible scheduling around work and ministry responsibilities.
• Summer Theatre Camp Pre-college summer program in theatre for prospective students and youth, led by the Theatre Professor Rachel Jantzi, contributing to recruitment and community engagement.
• Dyck Arboretum of the Plains 13-acre arboretum with native gardens, pond, and educational facilities, plus 18 acres of prairie reconstruction, wholly operated by Hesston College; hosts the largest native plant sale in Kansas and educational programs for students and the wider community.

Quantifiable outcome

• Nursing NCLEX-RN first-time pass rate of 94.44% (2024)
• +3 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Harold and Elva Mae (Evie) DyckcoreOthers · 1 January 1981Harold and Evie Dyck gifted the Dyck Arboretum of the Plains to the people of Kansas and entrusted Hesston College with its management and care. The arboretum began with a tree planting in October 1981 with a mission to foster appreciation of Kansas natural beauty. It features 13 acres of native gardens, a pond, and educational facilities, with an 18-acre prairie reconstruction.
• Envision Workforce Innovation CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHesston College partnered with the Envision Workforce Innovation Center in Wichita, Kansas for guidance on web accessibility issues, supporting their commitment to WCAG 2.2 AA compliance.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Tabor College: Private Christian liberal arts college in Hillsboro, Kansas, affiliated with Mennonite Brethren. Closely comparable to Hesston in denomination, regional Kansas footprint, faith-based mission, and small residential student body.
• Alice Lloyd College: Private work-study liberal arts college in Pippa Passes, Kentucky. Comparable to Hesston as a small private two-year residential college serving a rural Appalachian region with a faith-inspired, community-based mission.
• McPherson College: Private four-year liberal arts college in McPherson, Kansas, affiliated with the Church of the Brethren. Similar Kansas location, faith-based heritage, and small residential profile to Hesston.
• Bethel College: Private four-year liberal arts college in North Newton, Kansas, affiliated with Mennonite Brethren. Operates in the same geography and faith-based segment as Hesston College, competing for Kansas Mennonite students and overlapping on community/residential positioning.
• Sterling College: Private Christian liberal arts college in Sterling, Kansas. Comparable as a small faith-affiliated Kansas institution competing for similar regional students and offering a similar scale of residential programs.
• Lackawanna College: Private two-year college in Scranton, Pennsylvania. Directly comparable as a private two-year institution delivering associate degrees with a mix of traditional and non-traditional learners.
• Barclay College: Private Christian college in Haviland, Kansas, affiliated with the Friends (Quaker) tradition. Operates at a similar small scale in Kansas with a faith-based mission, overlapping Hesston's recruitment geography.
• Central Christian College of the Bible: Private faith-based Bible college in Moberly, Missouri. Comparable to Hesston as a small private religious institution emphasizing ministry, biblical studies, and faith formation, though with a more narrowly vocational focus.
• Cottey College: Private women's two-year liberal arts college in Nevada, Missouri. Closely comparable to Hesston as a small private two-year residential institution focused on associate-level liberal arts education.

Broad incumbents

• Berea College: Private liberal arts work-college in Berea, Kentucky, with a long-standing tuition-free model and a mission to serve low-income Appalachian students. Comparable to Hesston as a small private residential liberal arts college with a distinctive mission-driven model, though larger in scale and resources.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@HesstonCollege
• Facebookfacebook.com/7043256769
• Instagraminstagram.com/hesstoncollege
• Xx.com/HesstonCollege
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/dyck-arboretum-of-the-plains

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 Hesston College