What Joliet Catholic Academy does

Joliet Catholic Academy (JCA) is a private Catholic coeducational college preparatory high school operating from a single campus at 1200 N. Larkin Avenue, Joliet, Illinois. The school serves prospective families across the Midwest, offering a four-year college preparatory curriculum that includes 35 Honors, Dual Credit, and Advanced Placement courses, with a 12:1 student-to-faculty ratio, a 67% AP exam pass rate, and a reported 100% college, university, trade, or vocational school placement rate for graduating classes (e.g., $19.1 million in scholarships awarded to the Class of 2026). The institution's identity is grounded in the Carmelite and Franciscan religious charisms, supported by a Campus Ministry program, 60+ hours of required Christian Service per student, and a long-running Kairos retreat program (300+ retreats conducted since 1975, for which JCA is recognized as a national pioneer).

JCA is registered as an Illinois nonprofit, employs 101–250 people, and is governed without a parent company. Its core technology stack is built on a Microsoft Showcase School designation (1 of 3 in Illinois, 1 of 32 in the U.S.) with a 1-to-1 device program, a Finalsite-powered website, and FACTS for tuition management and financial aid. The product surface is education-centric and bundled: academic departments, athletics (including summer camps), arts (music, band, theatre, visual arts), counseling and wellness, retreats, and alumni/lifelong engagement via a 28,000+ alumni network, the Hall of Champions, and Tradition Magazine.

The business model is a recurring annual tuition model, supplemented by fundraising through The Legacy Campaign, annual giving, and alumni donations; financial aid and scholarships are used to manage affordability. Go-to-market is direct-to-consumer: a structured Inquire–Visit–Apply–Freshman Registration funnel with shadow visits for 7th and 8th graders, supported by a multi-channel presence (Facebook, Instagram, X, LinkedIn, YouTube, email newsletter, Tradition Magazine). Revenue, tuition rates, and detailed enrollment are not publicly disclosed.

Name

Joliet Catholic Academy

Legal name

Joliet Catholic Academy

Website

https://jca-online.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Joliet Catholic Academy is a private Catholic coeducational college preparatory high school in Joliet, Illinois, serving regional families with a four-year curriculum, 35 advanced courses, a 12:1 student-to-faculty ratio, faith formation rooted in Carmelite and Franciscan charisms, and 100% college placement.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Private Secondary Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Charter College-Prep & Advanced Academics Schools (EDAJACAJ)

Keywords

• College preparatory education
• Catholic secondary education
• Private high school
• Faith-based education
• K-12 academic programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Joliet

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Fees: Private Catholic school revenue primarily from tuition payments. Financial aid and scholarships are available to offset costs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Joliet Catholic Academy is a Catholic coeducational college preparatory high school delivering college preparatory academics with 35 Honors, Dual Credit, and AP courses, faith formation rooted in Carmelite and Franciscan charisms, and a full slate of athletics, arts, and student life services. The school emphasizes personalized instruction at a 12:1 student-to-faculty ratio, integrates Microsoft Showcase School technology, and requires 60+ hours of Christian Service per student over four years.

Product overview

Joliet Catholic Academy is a Catholic coeducational college preparatory high school offering educational programs including AP courses, honors courses, and dual credit courses. The institution provides academic departments across various disciplines, campus ministry, athletics programs, arts programs (music, band, theatre, visual arts), student life services, and faith formation. The school operates as a unified educational institution rather than a modular product platform. Students can access academic resources, counseling services, clubs and organizations, and participate in community service programs totaling 60+ hours over four years. The school is recognized as a Microsoft Showcase School and maintains partnerships with universities for dual credit opportunities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• College Preparatory Academic Program
• Athletics Program
• Arts Program
• Campus Ministry and Faith Formation
• Christian Service Program
• Summer Athletic Camps
• Counseling and Student Wellness Services

Quantifiable outcome

• 67% AP exam pass rate - students earn college credit while in high school
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 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 core.

• MicrosoftcoreTechnology or IntegrationJoliet Catholic Academy is designated as a Microsoft Showcase School - 1 of only 3 schools in Illinois and 1 of 32 in the U.S. This prestigious status recognizes innovative use of technology to enhance learning with cutting-edge tools integrated into the classroom.
• Carmelite OrdercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of the founding charisms of JCA. The Carmelites live by three main charisms: Living in God's Presence, Living in Community, and Living in Service to Others. This contemplative tradition deeply influences school culture.
• Sisters of St. FranciscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFranciscan charism inspiration for JCA, embracing the Gospel way of life under the patronage of Mary Immaculate, opening the school community to the Spirit of God.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Marian Catholic High School: Dominican Catholic college-prep high school in Chicago Heights, IL with coeducational enrollment and similar AP/college-credit offerings. Comparable faith-based brand, college-outcomes story, and Chicago-south-suburban market position.
• Nazareth Academy: Catholic college-prep high school in LaGrange Park, IL (Sisters of Charity). Comparable Catholic mission, college-prep academics, and coeducational model serving Chicago-area families competing for the same applicant pool.
• St. Rita of Cascia High School: Augustinian Catholic college-prep high school on Chicago's south side. Comparable coeducational Catholic college-prep model, advanced-curriculum emphasis, and Chicago-area competitive footprint.
• Benet Academy: Catholic (Benedictine) college-preparatory high school in Lisle, IL serving the western Chicago suburbs. Closely comparable on faith-based identity, college-prep curriculum, and dual-credit/AP offerings for the same catchment area as JCA.
• Loyola Academy: Jesuit Catholic college-prep high school in Wilmette, IL. Strong peer on rigorous college-prep academics, faith-formation programming, and 100%-college-bound outcomes narrative targeting competitive Chicago families.
• DePaul College Prep: Catholic Vincentian college-prep high school in Chicago (River North). Comparable Catholic mission, broad AP course catalog, and metropolitan-Chicago coeducational model that competes for the same college-bound Catholic families.
• De La Salle Institute: Lasallian Catholic college-prep high school on Chicago's south side serving similar college-prep, faith-formation families. Same broader Catholic secondary market with overlapping curricula and 12:1-class-size narrative.
• Providence Catholic High School: Catholic college-preparatory high school in New Lenox, IL, only ~10 miles from JCA. Most direct local competitor given overlapping Catholic identity, dual-credit/AP programming, and coeducational admissions model.
• Marmion Academy: Catholic (Benedictine) college-prep high school in Aurora, IL operating within the same Diocese of Rockford footprint. Directly comparable Catholic college-prep model, military/ministerial tradition, and suburban Chicago-southwest market overlap with Joliet.
• Brother Rice High School: Catholic (Christian Brothers) college-prep high school on Chicago's south side. Comparable size, faith-based identity, AP/college-credit programming, and Chicago Catholic secondary marketing landscape to JCA.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/JCAonline
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@jolietcatholicacademy110
• Facebookfacebook.com/jolietcatholic
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/joliet-catholic-academy
• Instagraminstagram.com/jolietcatholic

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Joliet Catholic Academy