Payne Theological Seminary

What Payne Theological Seminary does

Payne Theological Seminary is a private, nonprofit, ATS-accredited theological institution founded in 1894 and headquartered in Wilberforce, Ohio, with 32 employees. It serves primarily working African-American clergy and ministry leaders by offering three fully online graduate degree programs: the Master of Divinity (MDiv), the Master of Arts in Religious Leadership (MARL), and the Doctor of Ministry (DMin). The curriculum is distinctly Africentric, weaving African-American history, liberation theology, social justice, and reconciliation through every program, and is differentiated from generic seminaries by its deep alignment with the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church, which provides scholarship funding through its General Scholarship Fund and Episcopal Districts.

The institution runs on a conventional higher-education technology stack: Jenzabar SONIS (Version 2025) for the Student Information System, Blackboard for learning management, Google Workspace for institutional email, and Parchment for transcript ordering. It is governed by a small executive team led by President and Academic Dean Dr. Betty W. Holley, with a Director of Finance, Director of Admissions and Recruitment, and a faculty of distinguished professors in Christian ethics, historical theology, ecological theology, and biblical studies. Course capacity is intentionally small — typically 10-20 students per section — across a Fall 2026 catalog of 45 offerings.

Revenue is generated principally through tuition and fees for the three degree programs, supplemented by ancillary streams including $10 official transcript fees, $100/year alumni association dues, and Zazzle-powered merchandise sales. Federal financial aid is available for students taking at least 6 credit hours per semester. The seminary's distribution is entirely digital, with no on-campus residency requirement, enabling national enrollment of working ministry professionals rather than limiting it to the Wilberforce, Ohio catchment. The institution is regulated by the Association of Theological Schools and the Ohio Department of Higher Education.

Name

Payne Theological Seminary

Legal name

Payne Theological Seminary

Website

https://payneseminary.edu

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Payne Theological Seminary is a 1894-founded, ATS-accredited private seminary in Wilberforce, Ohio, offering three fully online graduate degrees (MDiv, DMin, MARL) with an Africentric curriculum for working African-American clergy and ministry leaders affiliated with the AME Church.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Theological Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (61131), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (611310)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Seminaries (Graduate Theology & Ministry) (EDAHAKAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Denominational Theological Colleges (e.g., Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant, Evangelical) (EDAHAKAM)

Keywords

• Theological education
• Online seminary
• Africentric curriculum
• Religious leadership
• Ministry training

Headquarters

HQ city

Wilberforce

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

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Fees: Revenue generated from tuition for three degree programs: Master of Divinity (MDiv), Master of Arts in Religious Leadership (MARL), and Doctor of Ministry (DMin). Tuition is structured per program with separate fee schedules for each degree level.
2. Transcript Services: Official transcripts are sold for $10 each; unofficial transcripts are provided free of charge as a student service
3. Alumni Membership Dues: Alumni Association membership dues at $100 per year, with options for online or mail-in payment

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Payne Theological Seminary delivers fully online graduate theological degree programs—Master of Divinity (MDiv), Master of Arts in Religious Leadership (MARL), and Doctor of Ministry (DMin)—through a Blackboard LMS and Jenzabar SIS. The Africentric curriculum prepares working professionals for ministry leadership in the African-American tradition of liberation, social justice, and reconciliation. The seminary also offers ancillary services including official transcripts and alumni membership.

Product overview

Payne Theological Seminary offers a unified theological education platform centered on three degree programs (Master of Divinity, Doctor of Ministry, and Master of Arts in Religious Leadership), all delivered fully online. The institution operates a Jenzabar-powered Student Information System (SIS) for administrative functions, a Blackboard learning management system for course delivery, and provides library discovery services. The seminary's offerings are characterized by an Africentric curriculum with emphasis on African-American liberation theology, social justice, and reconciliation. All programs are designed for working professionals with flexible online delivery.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Master of Divinity (MDiv) Comprehensive theological degree program preparing students for ministry leadership in the African-American tradition. Fully available online for working professionals, with Africentric curriculum emphasizing liberation theology, social justice, and reconciliation. Designed for ordination preparation and ministerial credentials.
• Doctor of Ministry (DMin) Advanced professional doctorate for experienced ministry practitioners seeking advanced leadership skills with emphasis on social justice and liberation theology. Available fully online with course sections typically sized for 10-20 students.
• Master of Arts in Religious Leadership (MARL) Graduate degree focused on religious leadership development with Africentric curriculum. Designed for working professionals with flexible online delivery enabling degree completion while maintaining ministry responsibilities.
• Official Transcript Services Official transcripts are sold for $10 each through the Parchment platform; unofficial transcripts are provided free of charge as a student service. Available to alumni and former students.
• Alumni Association Membership Annual alumni membership at $100 per year, with options for online or mail-in payment. Provides ongoing connection to the seminary community and access to alumni events and networks.

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• JenzabarcoreTechnology or IntegrationJenzabar provides the Student Information System (SIS) software powering Payne Theological Seminary's academic administration, including admissions, registration, student records, and alumni management. The SIS platform enables online applications, course registration, and institutional operations management.
• BlackboardcoreTechnology or IntegrationBlackboard provides the Learning Management System (LMS) for online course delivery at Payne Theological Seminary, enabling students to access course materials, submit assignments, and engage in virtual learning for all degree programs.
• African Methodist Episcopal (AME) ChurchflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe AME Church is the primary denominational partner, with the seminary historically serving AME clergy. The AME Church provides scholarship funding through its General Scholarship Fund for A.M.E. residential students and supports students through Episcopal Districts. The seminary's curriculum is rooted in African-American religious traditions central to the AME Church.
• Wilberforce UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHistorically affiliated institution located in Wilberforce, Ohio. Faculty member Betty W. Holley, Ph.D. served as adjunct professor at Wilberforce University. The geographic proximity and shared community context create an educational ecosystem in Wilberforce, Ohio.
• Association of Theological Schools (ATS)coreOthersAccrediting agency for theological schools in North America. Students may bring complaints regarding fraudulent activity to ATS if not resolved through internal processes.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Asbury Theological Seminary: Asbury is a large ATS-accredited evangelical seminary offering extensive online graduate theology programs. Competitor in the online seminary category but without Payne's HBCU/AME niche focus.
• Wesley Theological Seminary: Wesley is a larger, well-resourced Methodist seminary in Washington, D.C. offering fully online MDiv and DMin programs. Broader incumbent competing with Payne for online ministry students, though without Payne's Africentric specialization.
• Chicago Theological Seminary: Chicago Theological Seminary is a progressive, multi-denominational seminary offering MDiv, DMin, and MA programs with online/hybrid options. Overlaps with Payne in graduate theology and online delivery, but serves a broader ecumenical audience.
• Iliff School of Theology: Iliff is a United Methodist seminary in Denver offering online MDiv and DMin programs. Overlaps with Payne on ATS-accredited graduate theological education and online delivery, with a more progressive, multi-denominational positioning.

Direct peers

• Gammon Theological Seminary: Gammon is the AME-related member of the ITC, making it the closest denominational peer to Payne. Both seminaries train AME clergy, share Africentric content, and compete for the same scholarship-funded AME student pool.
• Interdenominational Theological Center (ITC): ITC is a consortium of historically Black seminaries in Atlanta, including Gammon Theological Seminary (the AME-member school). ITC directly competes with Payne for AME-affiliated students seeking African-American theological education.
• Shaw University Divinity School: Shaw University Divinity School is an HBCU-affiliated seminary in Raleigh, NC offering MDiv and DMin programs. Comparable to Payne as a historically Black seminary with a denominational footprint and graduate theology curriculum.
• Howard University School of Divinity: Howard University School of Divinity is an ATS-accredited HBCU seminary in Washington, D.C. offering MDiv, DMin, and MA programs with African-American theological focus. Directly comparable to Payne as a Black-denominational/non-denominational seminary serving similar student segments.
• Samuel DeWitt Proctor School of Theology at Virginia Union University: Virginia Union's Proctor School of Theology is an HBCU seminary offering MDiv, DMin, and MA programs with African-American theological emphasis. Has overlapping faculty backgrounds with Payne (e.g., the DMin Director trains there) and serves a similar student profile.
• Turner Theological Seminary: Turner Theological Seminary is housed at the Interdenominational Theological Center and is affiliated with the AME Church. It is a direct denominational peer to Payne, preparing African-American ministers within the ITC consortium.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/payne-theological-seminary

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Payne Theological Seminary