Universidad Americana

What Universidad Americana does

Universidad Americana (UAM) is a private for-profit university founded in 1999 in Costa Rica, legally named Universidad Americana de Costa Rica, operating as part of a network that includes Universidad Latina de Costa Rica. The institution offers undergraduate bachelor's and licentiate degrees, master's degree programs, short-term technical programs, and free elective courses across six disciplines: Business, Health, Engineering, Law, Education, and Design. It holds CONESUP approval for 40+ career programs and SINAES accreditation for 4 programs, and serves a base of more than 10,000 active students through three physical campuses in Cartago, Heredia, and San José, as well as 100% online and hybrid modalities. UAM's primary customer segments are working adults seeking flexible higher education and recent high school graduates; secondary segments include enterprise clients, SMEs, and education sector professionals.

The institution operates an integrated ecosystem of academic and service offerings beyond traditional degree programs. The Moodle-based Campus Virtual platform, integrated with Microsoft Office 365 and digital library providers (EBSCO, elibro, ProQuest, ebrary), underpins online and hybrid learning. Complementary operating units include Clínica Universitaria (a physical therapy and rehabilitation clinic serving the general public while providing clinical practice for students), Consultorio Empresarial (a business consulting center linking faculty and students with enterprises), Observatorio de la Educación (an education research initiative), and El Hormiguero (a student support community). These units also generate non-tuition revenue through professional services.

UAM's revenue model is anchored by recurring tuition and enrollment fees, supplemented by fees from Clínica Universitaria services and Consultorio Empresarial engagements. Pricing is not publicly disclosed; however, the institution offers interest-free monthly installment plans, CONAPE state educational credit covering up to 100% of tuition, and partnerships with 15+ financial institutions to reduce affordability friction. Its go-to-market combines sales-led enrollment (academic advisors responding within 24 hours to information requests) with community-led growth through testimonials, enterprise partnerships, and events hosted by the Observatory of Education. Distribution channels include the website, WhatsApp, a toll-free call center, academic advisors, on-campus and corporate seminars, and three physical campuses plus an online platform.

Name

Universidad Americana

Legal name

Universidad Americana de Costa Rica

Website

https://uam.ac.cr

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Universidad Americana is a private Costa Rican university founded in 1999 offering undergraduate, graduate, and technical programs across six disciplines to over 10,000 active students through three campuses and online modalities, complemented by a clinic, consulting center, and education research observatory.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

San José

HQ country

Costa Rica

HQ region

Latin America

Offices3 records

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 Enrollment Fees: Primary revenue from tuition fees for bachelor's degrees, master's degrees, technical programs, and free courses. Payment plans available with monthly installments without interest. CONAPE financing covers up to 100% of tuition costs.
2. Clínica Universitaria Services: Revenue from physical therapy and rehabilitation services offered to the general public, with 20% discount for returning patients.
3. Consultorio Empresarial Services: Free initial diagnosis, with subsequent consulting services prioritized by project scope and academic availability.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Universidad Americana is a private Costa Rican university that delivers undergraduate and graduate degree programs, technical careers, and free elective courses across disciplines such as Business, Health, Engineering, Law, Education, and Design. It supplements its academic offerings with applied learning units, including a physical therapy clinic (Clínica Universitaria) and a business consulting center (Consultorio Empresarial), enabling students to practice in real clinical and business environments. Programs are delivered in-person, hybrid, and fully online across three campuses in Costa Rica.

Product overview

Universidad Americana (UAM) operates as a comprehensive private university in Costa Rica with a multi-product educational service portfolio. The core academic offerings include undergraduate and graduate degree programs (Bachilleratos y Licenciaturas), master's degrees (Maestrías), technical programs (Técnicos), and free elective courses (Cursos Libres). Supporting these academic products are specialized services including the Clínica Universitaria for physical therapy and rehabilitation services, the Consultorio Empresarial for business consulting, and the Observatorio de la Educación for education research. The institution also publishes academic journals and operates the El Hormiguero student support service. A virtual learning platform based on Moodle underpins distance and hybrid learning modalities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Bachilleratos y Licenciaturas (Bachelor's and Licentiate Degree Programs) Undergraduate and graduate degree programs offering bachelor's and licentiate degrees across 22 programs in Business, Health, Engineering, Law, Education, and Design. Designed for prospective undergraduate students and working adults seeking to complete or advance their higher education.
• Maestrías (Master's Degree Programs) Graduate-level master's degree programs designed to specialize and enhance students' professional profiles with advanced academic training. Targeted at professionals seeking postgraduate credentials.
• Técnicos (Technical Career Programs) Short-term technical career programs that enable rapid entry into the labor market, designed to be completed in less time than traditional degree programs. Aimed at students seeking practical vocational qualifications.
• Cursos Libres (Free Elective Courses) Free elective courses covering English, Excel, Graphic Design, and LESCO (Costa Rican Sign Language), available at no cost to enrolled UAM students. Targeted at enrolled students seeking supplementary skills.
• Clínica Universitaria (University Physical Therapy Clinic) University-affiliated physical therapy and rehabilitation clinic offering services to the general public, with 20% discount for returning patients. Provides supervised clinical practice for Physical Therapy students from the first trimester. Equipped with electrotherapy and specialized rehabilitation equipment. Open to the general public.
• Consultorio Empresarial (Business Consulting Center) Academic-business consulting service that connects faculty and students with enterprises, entrepreneurs, and educational centers to provide actionable business solutions and growth strategies. Free initial diagnosis with subsequent consulting services prioritized by project scope. Targeted at SMEs, entrepreneurs, and educational centers.

Quantifiable outcome

• 90% of students work while studying
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• CONESUP (Consejo Nacional de Rectores)coreOthersCONESUP is the national higher education council that approves university programs. UAM has 40 programs approved by CONESUP, representing the official recognition of academic standards and quality.
• SINAES (Sistema Nacional de Acreditación de la Educación Superior)coreOthersSINAES is the national accreditation system for higher education. UAM has 4 programs accredited by SINAES, demonstrating commitment to quality assurance in specific programs.
• CONAPE (Comisión Nacional de Préstamos para la Educación)coreOthersCONAPE is Costa Rica's state educational credit agency. UAM offers financing through CONAPE where students can finance up to 100% of their education costs with state-backed loans.
• Financial Institutions (15+)minorOthersUAM has agreements with over 15 financial institutions for student financing options, providing flexible payment plans and credit options for tuition coverage.
• Enterprise PartnersminorOthersCompanies with agreements with UAM that offer special benefits to their employees for education, including scholarships and preferential tuition rates.
• Educational CentersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational centers supported through the Consultorio Empresarial's attention to educational centers, fostering early entrepreneurship education and leadership development.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Universidad de Costa Rica (UCR): Costa Rica's flagship public university and the most prestigious higher education institution in the country. Competes for top high school graduates and sets the quality benchmark that UAM must match in selected programs.
• Tecnológico de Costa Rica (TEC): Leading Costa Rican public technical university, particularly strong in engineering and sciences. Directly competes with UAM's engineering and technical programs at lower price points.
• Universidad Nacional (UNA): Costa Rica's largest public university offering comprehensive programs across all major disciplines. Represents the dominant public-sector competition for UAM's domestic enrollment base and pricing.
• INCAE Business School: Top-ranked Latin American business school with campuses in Costa Rica and Nicaragua offering MBA and executive education. Competes with UAM's master's programs for professional and executive segments.

Others

• Universidad para la Paz (UPEACE): UN-mandated graduate institution based in Costa Rica focused on peace, governance, and sustainability. Not a direct competitor but a peer Costa Rican higher education institution with international orientation.

Direct peers

• Universidad Latina de Costa Rica: Parent company and direct peer operating a private multi-campus university in Costa Rica with similar program offerings (bachelor's, master's, technical programs) and a comparable for-profit model targeting working adults.
• ULACIT: Private Costa Rican university offering bachelor's, master's, and technical programs with strong focus on technology and business. Competes directly with UAM for working adult and recent graduate segments.
• Universidad San Marcos: Private Costa Rican university with multi-campus presence offering undergraduate and graduate programs. Direct competitor to UAM in the domestic private higher education market.
• UCIMED: Private Costa Rican medical university offering health sciences programs. Comparable private-sector model to UAM and competes for the same domestic student pool in health-related fields.

Emerging players

• Universidad EARTH: Private Costa Rican university specialized in agricultural sciences and natural resources. Comparable in private-for-profit structure and Costa Rica-based, though focused on a narrower discipline.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCw9QoITL3-qJjIEjDRyWgdQ
• Xx.com/uam_cr
• Facebookfacebook.com/uamcr
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/universidad-americana-cr

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries4 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 Universidad Americana