Vanderbilt Peabody College

What Vanderbilt Peabody College does

Vanderbilt Peabody College of Education and Human Development is a private graduate education college within Vanderbilt University, headquartered at 230 Appleton Place in Nashville, Tennessee. Founded in 1875 as George Peabody College for Teachers and merged with Vanderbilt in 1979, Peabody offers undergraduate majors, M.Ed. and Ed.D. professional degrees, and Ph.D. research degrees spanning special education, educational leadership, applied behavior analysis, multilingual education, education policy, human and organizational development, and community research. The college operates both residential programs at its Nashville campus and a portfolio of asynchronous and synchronous online programs designed for working professionals, including a #1-ranked online Ed.D. (Fortune) and #1-ranked Special Education graduate program (U.S. News & World Report). Faculty mentorship, early classroom field experience, and a master-apprentice research training model are central to program design, supported by a 35,000+ alumni network and multiple affiliated research and field-practice subsidiaries.

Name

Vanderbilt Peabody College

Legal name

Peabody College of Education and Human Development at Vanderbilt University

Website

https://peabody.vanderbilt.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1875

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Vanderbilt Peabody College is a private graduate college of education and human development within Vanderbilt University, offering M.Ed., Ed.D., Ph.D., and online degree programs in special education, leadership, and applied behavior analysis, with a 35,000+ alumni network and #1/#5 national rankings.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Graduate Schools of Education (M.Ed., Ed.D., Ph.D.) (EDAHAFAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Undergraduate Teacher Education Colleges (EDAHAFAA)

Keywords

• Higher education
• Graduate education
• Teacher preparation
• Education research
• Special education

Headquarters

HQ city

Nashville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Fees: Revenue generated from undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral program tuition. Tuition varies by program level and delivery format (residential vs. online). Financial aid and scholarships are available, with 97.4% of admitted students seeking aid receiving scholarship offers in 2025.
2. Online Program Tuition: Online professional degree programs including M.Ed. and Ed.D. programs generate revenue through tuition. Programs are designed for working professionals and offered in asynchronous/synchronous hybrid formats.
3. Application Fees: Peabody College does not charge application fees for professional masters and Ed.D. programs, though application processing is part of the enrollment revenue model.
4. Ph.D. Student Funding: Admitted Ph.D. students receive funding for up to five years including full tuition, monthly stipends, and health insurance. This represents an inverse revenue model where the college invests in doctoral student education.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Peabody College offers graduate and undergraduate degree programs in education and human development, including Master of Education (M.Ed.), Doctor of Education (Ed.D.), and Ph.D. programs across specializations such as Special Education, Educational Leadership, Applied Behavior Analysis, Multilingual Education, and Innovative Design and Technology in Education. Programs are delivered through residential, online, and weekend cohort formats targeting prospective students, working professionals, and academic researchers.

Product overview

Vanderbilt Peabody College offers a comprehensive portfolio of graduate education programs through a unified platform. The core offerings include multiple Master's of Education (M.Ed.) programs with specializations in Applied Behavior Analysis, Educational Leadership, Innovative Design and Technology in Education, Multilingual Education, Special Education (with High Incidence, Severe Disabilities, and Visual Disabilities tracks), and Integrated Early Childhood Education. Doctoral programs include Ph.D. tracks in Community Research and Action, Education Policy and Leadership, Psychological Sciences, and Special Education; Ed.D. programs in K-12/Higher Education Leadership and Policy (residential weekend-based) and Leadership and Learning in Organizations (online). Online programs provide flexible access to select M.Ed. programs and the online Ed.D. for working professionals. All programs emphasize research-based curriculum, field experiences, and faculty mentorship.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Applied Behavior Analysis Online (M.Ed.) An online master's program offering rigorous preparation for individuals pursuing Applied Behavior Analysis careers in clinics, schools, and other education settings. Students learn the philosophical underpinnings of behavior analysis, applications for behavior assessment, and behavior change procedures.
• Educational Leadership and Organizational Effectiveness Online (M.Ed.) Designed for professionals who want to develop skills in leadership behavior, organizational change, data analytics, and strategic improvement to take on more leadership roles and expand influence within educational organizations.
• Innovative Design and Technology in Education Online (M.Ed.) For students interested in how technology is applied in learning environments by leveraging learning theories, human-centered design, learning and data analytics, AI, and other emerging technologies.
• Multilingual Education Online (M.Ed.) A fully online master of education program that prepares professionals to excel in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL), improving learning through applied research, and advancing leadership in language education.
• Online Doctor of Education in Leadership and Learning in Organizations (Ed.D.) Developed by faculty within Vanderbilt Peabody College, designed for mid-career professionals with at least three years of leadership experience who are inspired to drive positive systemic change. Bridges the divide between theory and practice, equipping students with understanding and contextual experience needed to lead organizational change across industries.
• Special Education (M.Ed.) A master's degree in special education for students eager to become educators focusing on high-incidence, severe disabilities, or visual disabilities. Ranked #1 by U.S. News & World Report.
• K-12 and Higher Education Leadership and Policy (Ed.D.) An intensive Ed.D. program allowing pursuit of doctorate while continuing full-time work, with two academic concentrations: K-12 Educational Leadership and Policy, and Higher Education Leadership and Policy. Weekend-based, cohort-based 36-month program. Ranked #1 Best Educational Administration Program by U.S. News & World Report 2026.
• Community Research and Action (Ph.D.) Prepares action-oriented researchers for academic or policy-related careers in applied community studies with a social justice orientation. Areas include community psychology, community development, social program evaluation, organizational change, health or mental health policy, prevention, urban change, and social policy.
• Education Policy and Leadership (Ph.D.) Examines education policy and problems through an interdisciplinary lens incorporating economics, political science, sociology, and international and comparative education. Formerly Leadership and Policy Studies.
• Special Education (Ph.D.) Individually crafted program of study preparing students for faculty and leadership positions in colleges, universities, research institutes, or human service agencies. Competency-based with specific emphases on research and teaching.
• Integrated Early Childhood Education (M.Ed.) For students who want to serve infants, toddlers, and young children (birth through kindergarten) with a wide range of needs, in home, community, and school settings. Offers licensure and endorsement pathways and optional Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) specialization.
• High Incidence (M.Ed.) Specialization For students interested in serving K-12 grade students with learning disabilities and/or emotional behavior disorders in academic settings. Prepares intervention specialists for children and young adults with reading and math disabilities and persistent behavior problems.
• Low Incidence: Severe Disabilities (M.Ed.) Specialization Prepares master's level scholars to teach children and young adults with autism, intellectual disability, multiple disabilities, and other developmental disabilities using evidence-based strategies.
• Visual Disabilities (M.Ed.) Specialization Trains individuals to become teachers of students with visual impairments/teachers of the visually impaired, spanning from preK through 12th grade education.

Quantifiable outcome

• 95% professional student job placement rate in 2025
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Columbia University Teachers College: Teachers College is one of the oldest and most prestigious graduate schools of education in the U.S., offering M.Ed., Ed.D., and Ph.D. programs across psychology, special education, leadership, and policy — overlapping heavily with Peabody's program portfolio. Both compete in U.S. News rankings for best education schools and special education programs.
• Harvard Graduate School of Education: Harvard's education school is the most direct peer — elite private research university graduate school of education offering M.Ed., Ed.D., and Ph.D. programs with similar faculty-mentorship model and competing top-tier national rankings. Peabody competes with Harvard for the same pool of prospective doctoral and professional students in education and human development.
• Stanford Graduate School of Education: Stanford GSE is a top-ranked private graduate school of education offering doctoral, master's, and teacher credential programs with a research-practice integration model nearly identical to Peabody's. It competes directly for faculty, research funding, and the same applicant pool in education policy, leadership, and learning sciences.
• UCLA School of Education & Information Studies: UCLA Ed&IS is a leading public university graduate school offering M.Ed., Ed.D., and Ph.D. programs in education and information studies. It is a top-ranked public alternative to Peabody and competes for the same doctoral applicants in education policy and human development.
• University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education: Penn GSE is a top-ranked Ivy League graduate school of education offering M.Ed., Ed.D., and Ph.D. programs with similar research-practice integration, urban education focus, and faculty mentorship structure. Both institutions compete in policy, leadership, and applied research rankings.
• NYU Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development: NYU Steinhardt is a major urban private university school offering M.Ed., Ed.D., and Ph.D. programs in education, with comparable focus on human development and applied research. It competes directly with Peabody in the Northeast market for graduate students in education leadership and special education.
• University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Education: Wisconsin's School of Education is consistently top-ranked in U.S. News and offers comparable graduate programs in educational leadership, policy, and special education. It is a leading public university peer that competes with Peabody for faculty and research funding.
• Boston College Lynch School of Education and Human Development: Boston College's Lynch School is a leading private university education school with parallel naming ('Education and Human Development'), top rankings in counseling and applied programs, and a Catholic university setting that parallels Peabody's elite private research university positioning.
• University of Michigan Marsal Family School of Education: Michigan's School of Education is a top-ranked public university education school offering doctoral and master's programs in education policy, leadership, and learning sciences. It competes with Peabody for faculty recruitment, research funding, and graduate student applicants.

Emerging players

• Southern New Hampshire University College of Education: SNHU has rapidly scaled online M.Ed. and Ed.D. programs at significantly lower price points, competing for the same working-professional market segment that Peabody's online programs target. While not a prestige competitor, SNHU represents the rising online-first threat to Peabody's premium-priced online portfolio.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/vupeabody
• YouTubeyoutube.com/playlist?list=PL37BB775E30EC166B
• Facebookfacebook.com/vanderbiltpeabody
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/vanderbilt-peabody-college
• Instagraminstagram.com/vupeabody
• TikToktiktok.com/@vupeabody

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Subsidiaries7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Vanderbilt Peabody College