Welch College

What Welch College does

Welch College is a private, non-profit Christian college located on a 120-acre campus in Gallatin, Tennessee, just north of Nashville. Founded in 1942 by the National Association of Free Will Baptists as Free Will Baptist Bible College (renamed Welch College in 2012), the institution serves approximately 400 students annually from roughly 25 U.S. states and several international countries, with a 10:1 student-to-faculty ratio and 65% of faculty holding terminal degrees. The college is dually accredited by SACSCOC (regional) and ABHE (national), and approved by the Tennessee State Department of Education for PreK-12 teacher licensure.

Academically, Welch operates four undergraduate schools (Arts and Sciences, Theology, Music, and Education) plus the Welch Divinity School for graduate theological education. It delivers coursework across four modalities: on-campus residential undergraduate programs, Adult and Online Studies for working adults (approximately 60 programs), graduate master's degrees (including the 85-hour M.Div., M.A. in Theology and Ministry, M.A. in Biblical Studies, M.A. in Psychology, M.A. in Organizational Leadership, and M.A.T.), and dual enrollment for high school students via Welch Collegiate Academy. The college also offers a Certificate of Biblical and Ministry Studies and a Spanish-language certificate program.

Revenue is generated through tuition (undergraduate block tuition of $11,021 per semester in 2025-26 rising to $11,352 in 2026-27; graduate at $478/credit hour; adult studies at $414/credit hour), room and board (housing $4,236-$4,598 per semester plus a required freshman meal plan of ~$4,464-$4,598 per semester), and charitable contributions through the Welch Fund, Torchbearer Club, endowed scholarships, and Free Will Baptist church support. Tuition is in the lowest 25% among accredited Tennessee private colleges and approximately 90% of students receive financial aid. Student recruitment runs through denominational church networks, campus visit events (Senior Days, Welcome Days), virtual tours, high school counselor relationships, dual enrollment pipelines, and a digital presence across Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. The college holds no public stock listing, is governed by a Board of Trustees, and is led by President Dr. J. Matthew Pinson (since 2002).

Name

Welch College

Legal name

Welch College

Website

https://welch.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1942

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Welch College is a private, non-profit Christian college in Gallatin, Tennessee, serving approximately 400 students annually through four academic schools and Welch Divinity School, offering 50+ undergraduate, graduate, adult/online, and dual enrollment programs with biblical worldview integration.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Christian Higher Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (61131)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Christian Colleges with Theological Programs (EDAHAKAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Religiously Affiliated Liberal Arts Colleges (EDAHACAF), Divinity Schools (University-Affiliated) (EDAHAKAC)

Keywords

• Christian higher education
• Undergraduate degree programs
• Graduate theological education
• Adult online studies
• Dual enrollment programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Gallatin

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, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Fees: Primary revenue stream from undergraduate, graduate, and adult/online tuition charges. Undergraduate block tuition (12-18 hours) is approximately $11,021-$11,352 per semester; graduate tuition is $478 per credit hour; adult studies is $414 per credit hour.
2. Room and Board: Housing and food services revenue. Required meal plan for freshmen is approximately $4,464-$4,598 per semester. Housing options range from $4,236-$4,598 per semester.
3. Donations and Institutional Advancement: Charitable contributions through the Torchbearer Club, Welch Fund, endowed scholarships, and various designated gift funds. The college receives support from Free Will Baptist churches and generous donors.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Welch College is a private Christian college delivering higher education across undergraduate (associate's and bachelor's), graduate (master's including M.Div.), adult and online, dual enrollment, and certificate programs. Instruction is delivered through four academic schools (Arts and Sciences, Theology, Music, Education), with biblical worldview integration across all programs and a 10:1 student-to-faculty ratio. The college serves residential, commuter, adult, online, and high school dual-enrolled students with over 50 programs of study.

Product overview

Welch College is a private Christian college offering a comprehensive portfolio of educational programs across multiple divisions. The institution operates through four academic schools (Arts and Sciences, Theology, Music, and Education) providing undergraduate associate's and bachelor's degrees, as well as graduate master's degrees including the Master of Divinity (M.Div.) and multiple Master of Arts programs. Additional offerings include Adult and Online Studies for working adults, Welch Collegiate Academy dual enrollment for high school students, and various certificate programs in biblical and ministry studies. The college serves students through on-campus, online, and hybrid delivery formats.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Welch Divinity School: Graduate-level theological education division offering Master of Divinity (M.Div.) and Master of Arts degrees in theology and ministry

Products and services

• School of Arts and Sciences Programs Undergraduate programs in biology, pre-nursing, psychology, history, English, business, computer science, exercise science, and humanities and arts for traditional undergraduate students.
• School of Theology Programs Undergraduate theological studies including general Christian ministries, pastoral ministry, youth and family ministry, and intercultural studies programs for students preparing for ministry vocations.
• School of Music Programs Undergraduate music programs including music education, music performance, and worship ministry degree programs.
• School of Education Programs Teacher education programs including child development (K-5), early childhood (PreK-3), and K-12 secondary licensure, approved by the Tennessee State Department of Education.
• Master of Divinity (M.Div.) An 85-credit-hour graduate theological degree covering biblical studies, systematic theology, ministry, and worldview, with an accelerated B.A.-M.Div. track available, offered through Welch Divinity School.
• Master of Arts in Theology and Ministry A 33-credit-hour master's degree for advanced theological and ministry training offered through Welch Divinity School.
• Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.) Graduate-level teaching degree for those seeking educator licensure in Tennessee.
• Master of Arts in Biblical Studies A 36-credit-hour master's degree focused on biblical studies offered through the graduate programs.
• Master of Arts in Humanities Graduate degree in humanities studies offered through Welch graduate programs.
• Master of Arts in Organizational Leadership Graduate degree focusing on leadership principles and organizational management offered through Welch graduate programs.
• Master of Arts in Psychology A 34-credit-hour master's degree in psychology offered through Welch graduate programs.
• Adult and Online Studies Flexible degree programs for working adults aged 23 and above, offering daytime, evening, and online course options at $402-$414 per credit hour with approximately 60 programs of study.
• Welch Collegiate Academy / Dual Enrollment High school dual enrollment program allowing juniors and seniors to earn college credits simultaneously with their high school coursework, including the Welch Collegiate Academy pathway for completing an associate's degree while in high school at $150 per credit hour.
• Certificate of Biblical and Ministry Studies A 15-credit-hour certificate program supporting volunteers and bi-vocational pastors in local church ministry, available online.
• Associate's Degree Programs Associate degree programs including Associate of Arts, Associate of Science in Biology for Nursing, Business, Teacher Education for Early Childhood, and Theological Studies for Ministry.
• Bachelor's Degree Programs Over 50 undergraduate majors including biology, business, education, exercise science, music, psychology, theology, and various ministry programs offered across the four academic schools.

Quantifiable outcome

• 90% of students receive financial aid and/or jobs to finance their education
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

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

• National Student ClearinghousecoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2026Welch College processes transcripts through the National Student Clearinghouse for efficient and secure academic record transfer. School code: 03001800. This partnership enables seamless transcript requests and verifications for students transferring or applying to graduate programs.
• National Association of Free Will BaptistsflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Founding organization; college was established by the National Association of Free Will Baptists in 1942 to train Christian workers, teachers, ministers, and missionaries. College serves the denomination by preparing leaders for Free Will Baptist churches and the broader Christian Church. College maintains close ties through shared theological positions and denominational recruitment.
• Tennessee State Department of EducationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Welch College is approved by the Tennessee State Department of Education to offer degrees leading to teacher education licensure in grades PreK-12. Graduates may be recommended for professional license to teach in Tennessee public schools.
• Pioneer College CatererscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWelch College contracts its dining services (Celorio Hall) to Pioneer College Caterers. The partnership provides meal plans for dorm and commuter students, with the Food Service Director employed by Pioneer. Consult college catalog for meal plan options.
• Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)flagshipOthersRegional accreditation body. Welch College is accredited by SACSCOC to award associate, baccalaureate, and master degrees. Contact: 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, GA 30033-4097, (404) 679-4500, www.sacscoc.org.
• Association for Biblical Higher Education (ABHE)flagshipOthersNational accreditation body approved by CHEA for Bible colleges. Welch College is accredited at Associate, Bachelors, and Masters levels. Contact: 5850 T.G. Lee Blvd., Suite 130, Orlando, FL 37822, 407-207-0808.
• Tennessee Intercollegiate State Legislature (TISL)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWelch College supports TISL by sending Student Council delegates to annual deliberative sessions at the state capital. Our representative won the 'Best Senator' award in 2011.
• Tennessee Independent Colleges and Universities Association (TICUA)minorOthersWelch College maintains membership in TICUA, representing independent colleges in Tennessee.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Lee University: Cleveland, TN-based private Christian university affiliated with the Church of God (and historically connected to the Free Will Baptist tradition). Closest denominational and geographic peer, offering similar integration of faith and learning across undergraduate and graduate programs.
• Biola University: La Mirada, CA-based private interdenominational evangelical Christian university. Comparable as a faith-integrated institution offering undergraduate, graduate, and online programs with a Talbot Theological Seminary analogous to Welch Divinity School.
• Oral Roberts University: Tulsa, OK-based private charismatic/Pentecostal Christian university with biblical integration across all programs. Comparable as a faith-founded, mission-driven Christian institution offering undergraduate through doctoral programs with spiritual formation emphasis.

Regional players

• Union University: Jackson, TN-based private Baptist-affiliated university with strong graduate and online programs. Comparable on Tennessee footprint, dual-delivery model, and faith-based higher education mission.
• Trevecca Nazarene University: Nashville-area private Christian university affiliated with the Church of the Nazarene, offering undergraduate, graduate, and adult studies programs. Directly comparable on geographic market (Middle Tennessee) and faith-based higher education positioning.
• Lipscomb University: Nashville-based private Christian university affiliated with the Churches of Christ. Comparable on Middle Tennessee market, faith-based mission, and mix of undergraduate/graduate/online delivery, though materially larger in scale.
• Carson-Newman University: Jefferson City, TN-based private Baptist-affiliated university. Comparable as a Tennessee-region, denominationally-affiliated, small-to-mid-size Christian institution with similar program mix and faith-integration model.
• Bryan College: Dayton, TN-based private non-denominational evangelical Christian college. Comparable as a small Tennessee Christian college emphasizing biblical worldview integration and undergraduate teaching-focused pedagogy.

Broad incumbents

• Belmont University: Nashville-based private Christian university with Methodist heritage. Comparable on Nashville market and faith-based mission, though significantly larger and broader in scope than Welch's denominational focus.

Emerging players

• Moody Bible Institute: Chicago-based private evangelical Bible college and theological school. Comparable on the biblical/theological training and missions-preparation side of Welch's offering, particularly the Welch Divinity School and Certificate of Biblical and Ministry Studies programs.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/welchcollege
• YouTubeyoutube.com/welchcollege
• Facebookfacebook.com/WelchCollege
• Instagraminstagram.com/welchcollege
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/welch-college

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 Welch College