Yale Divinity School

What Yale Divinity School does

Yale Divinity School is a private graduate theological school within Yale University, founded in 1822 and located on the Sterling Divinity Quadrangle at 409 Prospect Street, New Haven, Connecticut. It delivers three core degree programs: the 72-credit Master of Divinity (MDiv, typically 3 years), the 48-credit Master of Arts in Religion (MAR, typically 2 years), and the 24-credit Master of Sacred Theology (STM, typically 3 semesters), supplemented by denominational certificates spanning 40+ faith traditions and a Center for Continuing Education that runs the Yale Youth Ministry Institute, Yale Bible Study, and Yale Summer Study. The school employs 36 full-time faculty, all holding doctoral degrees, and reports 51-100 total staff.

Its business model rests on tuition from degree programs, annual fund and endowment gifts managed through Yale's development office, and continuing-education revenue, with full-tuition scholarships (Marquand, Nickerson, William Sloane Coffin programs) offered to all admitted students with demonstrated need. Distribution is exclusively residential and on-campus, supplemented by cross-enrollment with Yale professional schools (Forestry, Management, Medicine, Law, Nursing, Social Work) and the Partners-on-the-Quad network (Andover Newton Seminary, Berkeley Divinity School, Institute of Sacred Music). Technology is limited to an internal educational delivery platform, SIS, YaleConnect, Yale Hub, Parchment for transcripts, and the Cross Campus alumni network; no public API or AI-enabled products are disclosed. Strategic priorities include the August 2025 opening of the Living Village (the education sector's largest living-building residential complex) and a planned Ph.D. program launch in 2029.

Name

Yale Divinity School

Legal name

Yale Divinity School

Website

https://divinity.yale.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1822

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Yale Divinity School is a private graduate theological school within Yale University, founded in 1822 in New Haven, offering MDiv, MAR, and STM degrees to students preparing for ministry, chaplaincy, and academic leadership across 40+ denominations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Theological Education / Graduate Seminary

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (611310), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Seminaries (Graduate Theology & Ministry) (EDAHAKAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Christian Colleges with Theological Programs (EDAHAKAG), Faith-Based Education & Formation (Seminaries, Religious Schools, Catechesis) (BPAGAJAD)

Keywords

• Theological education
• Graduate seminary
• Ministerial training
• Divinity school
• Religious studies

Headquarters

HQ city

New Haven

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Fees: Revenue from tuition charges for degree programs including MDiv (72 credits), MAR (48 credits), and STM (24 credits). Students pay tuition for their theological education.
2. Donations and Fundraising: Annual gifts, endowment gifts, capital gifts, and planned gifts from alumni, parents, friends, and congregations. Yale University's federal tax identification number is 06-0646973.
3. Financial Aid as Scholarship Support: Full-tuition scholarships and modest living allowances provided through the Marquand Scholarship Program, Nickerson Scholarship Program, and William Sloane Coffin Scholarship to attract top candidates.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Yale Divinity School delivers graduate theological education through three core degree programs: the 72-credit Master of Divinity (M.Div., 3 years) for ordained ministry and religious leadership, the 48-credit Master of Arts in Religion (M.A.R., 2 years) for academic preparation and specialized ministry, and the 24-credit Master of Sacred Theology (S.T.M., 3 semesters) for advanced theological study. The school supplements these with denominational certificates, summer intensive language courses (Biblical Greek, Hebrew, Ecclesiastical Latin), a Supervised Ministries internship program, and the Center for Continuing Education (Yale Youth Ministry Institute, Yale Bible Study, Yale Summer Study). Instruction is delivered on-campus at the Sterling Divinity Quadrangle, with full-tuition scholarships available for all students with demonstrated need.

Product overview

Yale Divinity School offers a portfolio of graduate theological education programs centered around three core degree programs: the Master of Divinity (M.Div.), Master of Arts in Religion (M.A.R.), and Master of Sacred Theology (S.T.M.). These are supplemented by denominational certificates for students pursuing ordination in specific traditions. The institution operates the Center for Continuing Education, which houses the Yale Youth Ministry Institute, Yale Bible Study, and Yale Summer Study as educational outreach programs. The Living Village represents an innovative residential living-learning facility. Summer intensive language courses in biblical languages are also offered. Together, these programs form an integrated approach to theological education and ministry formation within an ecumenical Christian community that is open to all faiths.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Andover Newton Seminary at Yale Divinity School: Theological education and ministry formation program transferred from Andover Newton Theological School following the 2017 merger.
• Berkeley Divinity School at Yale
• Institute of Sacred Music

Products and services

• Master of Divinity (M.Div.) A 72-credit professional degree program typically completed in 3 years, preparing students for ordained ministry, chaplaincy, and various religious leadership roles in church and world. Includes a required Supervised Ministries component of two consecutive terms in church, social, educational, or clinical ministry.
• Master of Arts in Religion (M.A.R.) A 48-credit academic degree program typically completed in 2 years, with both comprehensive and concentrated tracks available. Some students may apply for an optional third year of concentrated study. Designed for academic preparation, teaching, or specialized ministry paths.
• Master of Sacred Theology (S.T.M.) A 24-credit advanced degree program typically completed in 3 semesters, designed for students seeking advanced theological study beyond the M.Div. or M.A.R. level.
• Denominational Certificates

Quantifiable outcome

• Full-tuition coverage for students with demonstrated need achieved in 2022
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Andover Newton Seminary at Yale Divinity SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHistoric merger in 2017 brought Andover Newton Theological School to Yale Divinity School. Continues its mission as Andover Newton Seminary at YDS, specializing in ministry formation for congregational faith traditions. Located on the Sterling Divinity Quadrangle.
• Berkeley Divinity SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEpiscopal Seminary at Yale training lay and ordained leaders for the Episcopal Church and wider Anglican Communion. Partners on the Quad providing distinctive opportunities for students.
• Institute of Sacred MusiccoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPremier center for interdisciplinary study of sacred music, worship, and related arts. Partners on the Quad enriching student experiences through specialized programs.
• Yale University Professional SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint degree programs with Yale's professional schools including Forestry, Management, Epidemiology and Public Health, Medicine, Nursing, Law, and University of Connecticut School of Social Work (MSW/MDiv).
• Yale University Graduate School of Arts and SciencescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPh.D. program in Religion offered through the Department of Religious Studies in the Graduate School. Doctoral Studies Liaisons program connects YDS students with PhD students in Graduate School.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Princeton Theological Seminary: Major ecumenical Reformed seminary offering MDiv and ThM degrees. Direct peer in graduate theological education with similar prestige tier and competing faculty and student pipeline.
• Duke Divinity School: Top-tier research-university divinity school offering MDiv, MTS, and ThM degrees with Methodist heritage and ecumenical reach. Direct peer in the elite divinity school category.
• Boston University School of Theology: Research-university Methodist seminary offering MDiv, MTS, and STM equivalents. Comparable scope and degree offerings; competing for ordainable students from mainline Protestant backgrounds.
• Emory Candler School of Theology: United Methodist-affiliated seminary at Emory University offering MDiv and similar graduate theology degrees. Comparable scale and degree offerings; competing for ordinands and academic-track students in the Southeast.
• Vanderbilt Divinity School: Non-denominational divinity school at a research university offering MDiv and MTS degrees. Direct peer with comparable interdisciplinary model and competing for similar student demographics.
• Harvard Divinity School: Elite Ivy League divinity school offering MDiv, MTS, and ThM degrees with broad ecumenical positioning. Direct peer given similar selectivity, secular-host-university model, and competing for the same top applicants as YDS.
• Fuller Theological Seminary: Large multi-program evangelical seminary offering MDiv and ThM equivalents with hybrid/online options. Comparable graduate theological education offering but with broader evangelical (vs. ecumenical mainline) focus and larger scale.
• Union Theological Seminary: Ecumenical seminary in New York affiliated with Columbia University offering MDiv, MAR, and STM equivalents. Comparable scope and degree offerings, competing for ecumenically-minded students in the Northeast.
• University of Chicago Divinity School: PhD-emphasizing divinity school at a top research university offering AM and PhD in religion. Strong peer for academic-track students and faculty recruitment, with similar research-university positioning.

Emerging players

• Wake Forest University School of Divinity: Newer non-denominational divinity school offering MDiv degrees with a progressive orientation. Comparable scope at smaller scale; competes for ordinands seeking non-traditional theological formation.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xbsky.app/profile/yaledivinityschool.bsky.social
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/YaleDivinitySchool
• Facebookfacebook.com/yaledivinityschool
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/yale-divinity-school
• Instagraminstagram.com/yaledivinityschool

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles20 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 Yale Divinity School