Alpha Phi Sigma
Alpha Phi Sigma is a 501(c)-style nonprofit criminal justice honor society, founded in 1942 and headquartered at Nova Southeastern University, that accredits and serves student members across hundreds of U.S. and Canadian university chapters. It is the only ACHS-accredited honor society in the discipline.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1942
- HeadquartersFort Lauderdale, United States
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Alpha Phi Sigma does
Alpha Phi Sigma is a U.S.-based nonprofit honor society serving undergraduate and graduate students in criminal justice and criminology programs. Founded in 1942 and headquartered at Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, the society operates chapters at hundreds of accredited institutions across the United States and Canada, making it the only honor society in criminal justice to hold accreditation from the Association of College Honor Societies (ACHS). The organization is also affiliated with the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences (ACJS), the principal academic association in the field, which reinforces its standing within the discipline.
The society's core product is membership itself, conferred on students who meet GPA and criminal justice coursework thresholds at participating institutions. Members receive a credential recognized by federal employers (notably for hiring credit in GS-7 criminal investigation positions) and gain access to a distributed alumni network. Beyond the membership credential, the organization operates an honor regalia and merchandise program (stoles, cords, graduation items), an annual newsletter that accepts paid advertising, and a recurring national conference that rotates across U.S. cities on a multi-year schedule extending into the mid-2030s.
The business model is a classic nonprofit dues-and-events structure: a one-time $85 membership fee per inductee, merchandise sales around graduation cycles, conference registration revenue, and a small newsletter advertising channel priced at approximately $1,300 per annual placement. There is no proprietary technology platform, no digital subscription product, and no third-party integrations referenced in the available data. Growth is functionally constrained by the size of the criminal justice student pipeline at accredited U.S. and Canadian universities rather than by competitive dynamics, given the ACHS accreditation moat.
Alpha Phi Sigma firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Alpha Phi Sigma
- Legal name
- Alpha Phi Sigma
- Website
- https://alphaphisigma.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1942
- Operating status
- Operating
- Short description
- Alpha Phi Sigma is a 501(c)-style nonprofit criminal justice honor society, founded in 1942 and headquartered at Nova Southeastern University, that accredits and serves student members across hundreds of U.S. and Canadian university chapters. It is the only ACHS-accredited honor society in the discipline.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Alpha Phi Sigma industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Academic Honor Society Services
- NAICS
- Educational Support Services (611710)
- SIC
- Services-Membership Organizations (8600)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Alumni Communications, Marketing & Publications (EDALAOAF)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Merit-Based Scholarships (Academic Excellence) (EDAIAOAA)
Keywords
Where Alpha Phi Sigma is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Fort Lauderdale
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Alpha Phi Sigma business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Membership Fees: One-time membership fee of $85 for collegiate members, $30 annual fee for active alumni, $300 one-time fee for Lifetime Golden Alumni status. Professional members receive a certificate and merchandise package.
- Honor Regalia Sales: Sale of graduation regalia including honor stoles ($35), medallions ($25), cords ($20), and 3-piece sets ($76). Sales to graduates and chapter advisors.
- Conference Fees: Annual conferences held at various locations with registration fees. The 2026 conference in Philadelphia was co-located with ACJS Annual Meeting at $229/night hotel rate.
- Publication Advertising: Advertising package for $1,300 per year in The Docket newsletter including full-page print ads in three issues, website advertising, and email distribution to Junior and Senior members.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Collegiate Membership - One-time fee for undergraduate/graduate criminal justice students |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Honor Regalia - Graduation symbols for members |
| Subscription | Annual | Active Alumni Membership - Annual alumni engagement |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Lifetime Golden Alumni - One-time elite alumni package |
| Subscription | Annual | The Docket Advertising - Newsletter and website advertising package |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Conference Hotel - ACJS group rate at Philadelphia Marriott |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
Alpha Phi Sigma product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Alpha Phi Sigma is the only accredited honor society in criminal justice, recognizing academic excellence of undergraduate, graduate, and Juris Doctor students. The society offers paid membership, graduation honor regalia, scholarships and awards, annual professional conferences, an alumni engagement program, and a newsletter that serves as a communication and advertising platform.
Product overview
Alpha Phi Sigma is the only accredited honor society in criminal justice, offering a portfolio of member-focused products and services built around academic recognition and professional development. The core offering is the Student Membership Program for undergraduate, graduate, and Juris Doctor students, supplemented by Honor Regalia (stoles, medallions, cords) for graduation ceremonies. Supporting products include The Docket semiannual newsletter, annual conferences at rotating locations, scholarships and awards programs, tutorial resources, Alumni Circles for continued engagement, employment resources linking members to federal opportunities, and a Top Graduate Schools advertising platform. An official merchandise shop sells regalia and commemorative items. The organization operates chapters at colleges and universities and is affiliated with the Association of College Honor Societies and the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Student Membership Program Recognition and certification program for undergraduate, graduate, and Juris Doctor students in criminal justice who meet academic excellence criteria; one-time membership fee of $85 entitles students to recognition, GS-7 federal employment qualification, and access to scholarships, conferences, and alumni circles.
- Honor Regalia Graduation ceremony merchandise including honor stoles ($35), medallions ($25), cords ($20), and 3-piece sets ($76) symbolizing membership and academic achievement. Sold through chapter advisors for current students and directly from headquarters for graduated members.
- Annual Conferences Annual professional conferences held at rotating locations offering networking, awards, competitions such as Crime Scene Investigation, and professional development programming for members and chapters.
- The Docket Newsletter Official newsletter published in Spring, Summer, and Fall issues featuring chapter initiatives, scholarship announcements, conference programs, and organizational news; also carries an annual advertising package priced at $1,300 per year.
- Scholarships and Awards Multiple scholarship programs including V.A. Leonard Scholarships, Regina B. Shearn Scholarships, Nay-Latocki Military Veteran Scholarships, Student Member Achievement Awards, and Best Paper Competition for undergraduate and graduate members.
- Alumni Circles Local alumni networks offering continued engagement through mentoring, service projects, and chapter support, with options for active alumnus status ($30/year) or Lifetime Golden Alumni status ($300 one-time).
- Employment Resources Job board and career resources connecting members with federal employment opportunities, including GS-7 eligibility information and links to USAJobs.gov and the Office of Personnel Management.
- Top Graduate Schools Featured graduate program listings and advertising platform for universities, including featured programs such as Kennesaw State University Master of Criminal Justice and Nova Southeastern University programs, with advertising packages available for The Docket publication.
- Official Merchandise Shop Online storefront offering official merchandise including honor regalia, apparel, and commemorative items for members.
Quantifiable outcome
- Alpha Phi Sigma meets the requirements for GS-7 Superior Academic Achievement recognition in federal employment
Companies that use Alpha Phi Sigma
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Alpha Phi Sigma technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Alpha Phi Sigma partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- Association of College Honor SocietiescoreAlpha Phi Sigma is a certified member of the Association of College Honor Societies (ACHS). This certification means Alpha Phi Sigma meets the minimum requirements established by ACHS and is recognized among national scholastic honor societies. Membership in Alpha Phi Sigma qualifies students for Superior Academic Achievement consideration under GS-7 federal employment provisions.
- Academy of Criminal Justice SciencescoreAlpha Phi Sigma is affiliated with the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences (ACJS). The organizations co-locate their annual conferences, with Alpha Phi Sigma conferences often held alongside the ACJS Annual Meeting, providing shared programming and networking opportunities.
- Nova Southeastern UniversitycoreAlpha Phi Sigma headquarters is located at Nova Southeastern University in Davie, Florida. This partnership provides office space and institutional support for the honor society's operations.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Alpha Phi Sigma competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Phi Alpha: National honor society for social work students, accredited by ACHS, with similar chapter-based membership model, scholarships, and conventions. Comparable as a discipline-specific honor society serving students at universities nationwide.
- Mortar Board: National honor society recognizing college seniors for scholarship, leadership, and service. Operates through university chapters with conventions and scholarships, paralleling Alpha Phi Sigma's chapter-based recognition model.
- Alpha Kappa Delta: National honor society for sociology students, accredited by ACHS and structured similarly to Alpha Phi Sigma with chapter-based membership, scholarships, and conventions. Directly comparable as a discipline-specific academic honor society serving undergraduate and graduate students.
- Pi Gamma Mu: International honor society in social sciences, accredited by ACHS. Operates with chapter-based membership, scholarly journal, and conventions — a direct structural analog to Alpha Phi Sigma in adjacent academic disciplines.
- Alpha Chi: National honor society for junior and senior students across disciplines, accredited by ACHS. Comparable as a general academic honor society operating through university chapters with scholarships and conventions.
Broad incumbents
- Phi Beta Kappa: The oldest and most prestigious academic honor society in the US, recognizing excellence in the liberal arts. Comparable as an ACHS-certified honor society operating through elite university chapters, though with broader disciplinary scope.
- Golden Key International Honour Society: Large international honor society recognizing top-performing students across disciplines. Comparable as a multi-discipline honor society with membership-based revenue model, though broader in scope than Alpha Phi Sigma.
- Sigma Xi: International honor society for scientific research with a much larger and more established footprint. Comparable as an ACHS-affiliated discipline-specific honor society, but at greater scale and broader research scope than Alpha Phi Sigma.
Others
- Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences (ACJS): Professional association for criminal justice scholars and educators, with which Alpha Phi Sigma is affiliated and co-locates annual conferences. Comparable as an ecosystem partner in the same field rather than a direct competitor.
- Association of College Honor Societies (ACHS): Certifying body for national college honor societies; Alpha Phi Sigma is a certified member. ACHS establishes standards for honor societies and is the regulatory infrastructure underlying Alpha Phi Sigma's accredited status.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Alpha Phi Sigma social profiles
Digital presenceAlpha Phi Sigma compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Alpha Phi Sigma financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Alpha Phi Sigma leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Alpha Phi Sigma funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Alpha Phi Sigma 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 Alpha Phi Sigma
What does Alpha Phi Sigma do?
Alpha Phi Sigma is the only accredited honor society in criminal justice, recognizing academic excellence of undergraduate, graduate, and Juris Doctor students. The society offers paid membership, graduation honor regalia, scholarships and awards, annual professional conferences, an alumni engagement program, and a newsletter that serves as a communication and advertising platform.
Is Alpha Phi Sigma a public or private company?
Alpha Phi Sigma is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Alpha Phi Sigma founded?
Alpha Phi Sigma was founded in 1942.
Where is Alpha Phi Sigma based?
Alpha Phi Sigma is headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, United States, in the North America region.
How does Alpha Phi Sigma make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Membership Fees are the primary driver. The others are honor Regalia Sales, conference Fees and publication Advertising.
Who are Alpha Phi Sigma's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Phi Alpha, Mortar Board, Alpha Kappa Delta, Pi Gamma Mu and Alpha Chi. Broad incumbents are Phi Beta Kappa, Golden Key International Honour Society and Sigma Xi. Others are Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences (ACJS) and Association of College Honor Societies (ACHS).
Does Alpha Phi Sigma have an API?
No public API is recorded for Alpha Phi Sigma.
What industry is Alpha Phi Sigma in?
Alpha Phi Sigma's product category is Academic Honor Society Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDALAOAF, Alumni Communications, Marketing & Publications, with a secondary code of EDAIAOAA, Merit-Based Scholarships (Academic Excellence). Its NAICS code is 611710 and its SIC code is 8600.