Wayland Academy

What Wayland Academy does

Wayland Academy is an independent, nonprofit, coeducational college-preparatory boarding and day school founded in 1855 and operated from a single 55-acre campus at 101 North University Avenue, Beaver Dam, Wisconsin. It serves students in grades 9 through 12, plus a postgraduate year, with an international student body representing more than 30 countries and 15 US states. The school operates a liberal-arts curriculum delivered at three instructional levels (College Preparatory, Honors, and Advanced Placement), offering 24 AP courses and anchored by three signature programs in STEAM, Media Studies, and Environmental Science, supported by dedicated program directors. Co-curricular offerings include Big Red Athletics (20+ sports teams competing in the WIAA Trailways Conference), performing and visual arts, and a College Counseling program that begins individualized guidance in grade 9.

The business model is subscription-recurring tuition combined with philanthropic fundraising. Published FY2026-2027 tuition is $73,950 for boarding students and $26,750 for day students, with merit and endowed scholarships of $2,500–$25,000 layered on top of need-based financial aid processed via the Clarity platform; the school distributed over $6,000,000 in tuition assistance last year. Ancillary revenue is generated through a two-week Summer Experience program for grades 7-11 (priced $1,500–$3,250 by residency) and a robust advancement operation including annual giving, planned giving, the annual Gala & Auction, the Big Red Classic, and naming opportunities such as Janik Field House. Distribution is sales-led via a dedicated Admission Office that conducts on-campus tours, travels to 40+ cities annually for information sessions and interviews, and supplements with virtual Zoom interviews.

Operationally the school employs approximately 49 faculty and staff with a 6:1 student-teacher ratio, and 90% of faculty live on campus serving as dorm supervisors, mentors, and coaches. Technology is limited and not differentiated: Finalsite powers the website and communications, Clarity handles financial-aid workflows, and no AI, API, mobile-app, or proprietary platform components were disclosed. The institution is governed by a Board of Trustees with a Parents Council and Alumni Board, holds ISACS accreditation, and is privately funded with no parent company, private-equity ownership, or venture-capital backing.

Name

Wayland Academy

Legal name

Wayland Academy

Website

https://wayland.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1855

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Independent Boarding and Day School Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Elementary and Secondary Schools (611110), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Nonsectarian Independent Day Schools (EDAJABAA)

Keywords

• College preparatory education
• Boarding school programs
• Independent private school
• Postgraduate year program
• Summer experience program

Headquarters

HQ city

Beaver Dam

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

Revenue model

1. Tuition - Boarding: Primary revenue from boarding student tuition covering room and board, academic instruction, athletics, and activities. Annual tuition for 2026-2027 school year is $73,950 for boarding students.
2. Tuition - Day Students: Revenue from day student tuition covering academic instruction, athletics, and activities without residential services. Annual tuition for 2026-2027 school year is $26,750 for day students.
3. Financial Aid Distribution: Over $6,000,000 in tuition assistance distributed annually through financial aid and scholarships to admitted students, reducing net revenue per student.
4. Summer Experience Program: Two-week summer program for students grades 7-11 offering academic enrichment, outdoor adventures, and character development. Pricing varies by residency: Wisconsin boarding $2,000, day students $1,500, non-Wisconsin boarding $3,250.
5. Donations and Fundraising: Annual giving, planned giving, event sponsorships, and Gala & Auction events generate charitable contributions to support the Academy's mission and endowment.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Wayland Academy is an independent, coed college-preparatory boarding and day school for students in grades 9-12 with an optional postgraduate year, located on a 55-acre campus in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin. The school provides residential and day education through a liberal arts curriculum with three instructional levels (CP, Honors, AP), 24 AP courses, and signature programs in STEAM, Media Studies, and Environmental Science, alongside college counseling, athletics, and arts. A two-week Summer Experience program extends the offering to students in grades 7-11, while tuition ($73,950 boarding; $26,750 day for 2026-2027) and over $6 million in annual financial aid support enrollment.

Product overview

Wayland Academy is an independent, coed college preparatory boarding and day school for grades 9-12, founded in 1855. The school offers a unified educational program built around its liberal arts curriculum and four Corinthian pillars (Scholarship, Faith, Health, and Service). Core offerings include the College Preparatory Program with AP/Honors levels, complemented by three signature programs: STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, math), Media Studies (multimedia and film production), and Environmental Science (fieldwork and classroom studies). Additional programs include a Postgraduate Year for college prep enhancement, Summer Experience for grades 7-11, and comprehensive College Counseling. The school also operates Big Red Athletics with 20+ sports teams and extensive arts programs including performing and visual arts.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• College Preparatory Program Wayland Academy's main academic program for grades 9-12 with a liberal arts curriculum, three levels of instruction (CP, Honors, AP), 24 AP courses, and a 6:1 student-teacher ratio.
• STEAM Program Signature program integrating science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics through hands-on experiments, robotics, 3D modeling, and creative engineering.
• Media Studies Program Comprehensive program covering multimedia advertising campaigns, website creation, film and TV analysis, video production, and podcast production housed in Swan Library.
• Environmental Science Program Hands-on program combining fieldwork with classroom studies, leveraging Wayland's proximity to natural resources including the Horicon Marsh.
• Postgraduate (PG) Year Program One-year program for high school graduates seeking additional time to explore college options, develop athletic skills, and prepare for the transition to college through structured independence.
• Summer Experience Two-week summer program for students in grades 7-11 featuring academic enrichment, outdoor adventures, excursions to Wisconsin destinations, and character development activities, with pricing varying by residency ($1,500 day, $2,000 Wisconsin boarding, $3,250 non-Wisconsin boarding).
• College Counseling Program Personalized one-on-one college guidance starting in grade 9, offering customized college lists, test preparation support, campus visit coordination, and application assistance for Wayland Academy students.
• Big Red Athletics Athletic program with 20 sports teams competing in the Trailways Conference and WIAA, including traditional sports, rowing, fencing, and powerlifting.

Quantifiable outcome

• Class of 2026: 52 graduates from across the US and 16 different countries
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

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

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Midwest Boarding School AssociationcoreOthersMember of regional association connecting independent boarding schools in the Midwest for collaboration, best practices sharing, and collective marketing efforts.
• Small Boarding School Association (SBSA)coreOthersNational association representing small boarding schools, providing advocacy, resources, and networking opportunities for member institutions.
• National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS)coreOthersMembership organization representing independent private schools nationwide, offering resources, advocacy, and professional development.
• The Association of Boarding Schools (TABS)coreOthersNational organization dedicated to boarding schools, providing marketing platforms, student recruitment resources, and industry standards.
• Parents League of New YorkminorOthersOrganization supporting families with children in independent schools, providing resources and networking for parents of boarding school students.
• Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association (WIAA)coreOthersState athletic association governing high school sports competitions in Wisconsin. Wayland competes in Trailways Conference as WIAA member.
• Trailways ConferencecoreOthersAthletic conference for member schools competing in various sports. Wayland Academy is a member competing against regional schools.
• ClaritycoreTechnology or IntegrationFinancial aid application platform used by Wayland for processing need-based assistance applications from US and international families.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• The Hotchkiss School: Elite Connecticut boarding school with college-prep curriculum and signature programs. Directly comparable on coed boarding and day structure, faculty mentoring model, and college counseling intensity.
• Deerfield Academy: Independent boarding and day school in Massachusetts serving grades 9-12 with a postgraduate year option. Strong match on residential model, signature academic programs, and global student recruitment.
• Lawrenceville School: New Jersey boarding/day college-preparatory school with house system and signature academic programs. Comparable coed boarding mission and premium tuition structure.
• Choate Rosemary Hall: Connecticut boarding/day college-prep school with extensive signature programs and international enrollment. Closely comparable on small-residential-college model and AP offerings.
• Shattuck-St. Mary's: Minnesota coed boarding and day college-prep school. Closest Midwest geographic peer to Wayland, sharing rural-lakes-region setting, signature programs (including athletic and academic centers of excellence), and boarding model.
• Tabor Academy: Massachusetts waterfront boarding/day college-preparatory school with signature marine science and humanities programs. Comparable on small-school intimacy, signature-program strategy, and boarding tuition positioning.
• Peddie School: New Jersey coed boarding and day college-preparatory school. Comparable residential/intimate model, signature programs in STEM and arts, and similar scale of student body.
• Phillips Exeter Academy: Elite New England boarding and day college-preparatory school with grades 9-12 plus PG. Comparable to Wayland on college-prep mission, boarding model, AP curriculum, and college counseling focus.
• Cranbrook Schools: Michigan boarding/day college-preparatory school with strong arts and STEM signature programs. Directly comparable Midwest-region peer with similar boarding scale, campus footprint, and signature-program strategy.
• Culver Academies: Indiana boarding college-prep school with strong military-style leadership tradition and signature programs. Directly comparable on coed boarding/day model, college-prep mission, and prominent athletics program.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/WABigRedSports
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/WaylandAcademy
• Facebookfacebook.com/WaylandAcademy1855
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wayland-academy
• Instagraminstagram.com/wayland1855

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 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 Wayland Academy