Tennessee Wesleyan Coll

What Tennessee Wesleyan Coll does

Tennessee Wesleyan University is a private, non-profit institution of higher education founded in 1857 and headquartered in Athens, Tennessee, affiliated with the United Methodist Church. It delivers undergraduate, graduate, and degree-completion programs across more than 30 fields of study, with notable concentrations in nursing, occupational therapy, and social work — disciplines that carry specialized accreditations (CCNE, ACOTE, CSWE) in addition to the institution's regional SACSCOC accreditation.

The university operates a multi-campus footprint anchored by its Athens main campus, with satellite locations in Knoxville (focused on nursing and occupational therapy), Cleveland, and Dayton (the Kilbride Nature Sanctuary). It fields 20+ athletic teams and supports 25+ student organizations, indicating a traditional residential undergraduate experience alongside its adult and graduate learner populations. Six community college articulation agreements provide a structured transfer-student pathway into the institution.

Revenue is generated primarily through tuition (listed at approximately $30,590 per semester for undergraduates) supplemented by auxiliary services, athletics, and donor contributions. The institution reports awarding more than $11 million in institutional aid annually, with 100% of traditional undergraduates receiving some form of aid and an average net cost of $13,183 per year. Average graduate loan debt is approximately $20,649, reported as 40% below the Tennessee state average — a positioning element in the institution's recruitment messaging.

Name

Tennessee Wesleyan Coll

Legal name

Tennessee Wesleyan University

Website

https://tnwesleyan.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1857

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Tennessee Wesleyan University is a private, non-profit United Methodist-affiliated university founded in 1857 in Athens, Tennessee, offering 30+ undergraduate, graduate, and degree-completion programs across campuses in Athens, Knoxville, and Cleveland.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (611310)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Faith-Affiliated Private Research Universities (EDAHABAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

Online Nonprofit Universities (EDAHALAK)

Keywords

• Private higher education
• Undergraduate degree programs
• Graduate degree programs
• Online degree completion
• Healthcare professional education

Headquarters

HQ city

Athens

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Undergraduate Tuition: Full-time undergraduate tuition charged per semester for Athens campus students. Tuition rates for 2025-2026: $30,590/semester; 2026-2027: $31,820/semester
2. Graduate Tuition: Graduate programs charged per credit hour or per semester depending on program (MBA, MSED, MAT, MSN, MOT, MSSL)
3. Room and Board: On-campus housing and dining services including residence halls (Keith, Fowler, Nocatula, Wesley Commons, Miller Hall) with various meal plans
4. Degree Completion Programs: Online degree completion programs charged per course at $1,160-$1,210 per course
5. Executive Graduate Programs: Executive MBA and graduate programs charged at $560-$600 per credit hour with technology fees
6. Application and Enrollment Fees: Enrollment deposits ($200 for day students, $300 for resident students), graduation fees ($100 undergraduate, $150 graduate)
7. Financial Aid Distribution: University distributes over $11 million annually in institutional aid to qualified students; receives federal and state aid on behalf of students

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Tennessee Wesleyan University is a private, nonprofit higher education institution founded in 1857 that delivers undergraduate bachelor's degrees, graduate master's degrees, and online degree-completion programs across business, education, healthcare, and the sciences. It also offers dual enrollment for high school students, NAIA athletics, student life services, and operates additional instructional sites in Knoxville (nursing and occupational therapy) and Cleveland.

Product overview

Tennessee Wesleyan University is a higher education institution offering a comprehensive portfolio of educational programs and student services. The university provides undergraduate degrees across business, science, health professions, and education; graduate programs at the master's level including business (MBA), education (MSED, MAT), nursing (MSN), occupational therapy (MOT), and sport leadership (MSSL); and online degree completion programs for working adults. Additional services include dual enrollment for high school students, campus visit programs, over 20 NAIA athletic teams, more than 25 student organizations, and the Kilbride Nature Sanctuary for environmental education. The institution operates campuses in Athens (main), Knoxville (nursing and OT programs), and Cleveland, with online offerings for flexibility.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Undergraduate Programs
• Graduate Programs

Quantifiable outcome

• Average student pays $13,183 per year after all factors considered (tuition, room, board, aid)
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles7 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Walters State Community CollegeminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorArticulation agreement with equivalency table for course transfers from Walters State to TWU.
• Fort Sanders Regional Medical CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLongtime partnership providing healthcare profession students with first-class, hands-on clinical experiences. TWU nursing students network with future co-workers and managers from their first day of classes. Located in heart of Knoxville's medical district.
• Cleveland State Community CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDual admission agreement allowing students automatically admitted to TWU upon completing associate's degree. Students receive TWU student ID with library access, athletic/event access, and reserved scholarship awards based on higher of high school or transfer GPA. Partnership promotes seamless bachelor's degree completion.
• Cleveland State Community CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to create seamless transfer pathway for STEM education students. Aims to establish programs promoting successful experiences for students wishing to complete their bachelor's degree.
• Chattanooga State Technical Community CollegeminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorArticulation agreement with equivalency table for course transfers from Chattanooga State to TWU.
• Motlow State Community CollegeminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorArticulation agreement with equivalency table for course transfers from Motlow State to TWU.
• Pellissippi State Community CollegeminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorArticulation agreement with equivalency table for course transfers from Pellissippi State to TWU.
• Roane State Community CollegeminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorArticulation agreement with equivalency table for course transfers from Roane State to TWU.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Lee University: Private Christian university in Cleveland, Tennessee — the same community where TWU's Cleveland instructional site operates. Lee offers comparable undergraduate and graduate programs in business, education, and the arts, and competes head-to-head for the same East Tennessee student pool.
• Carson-Newman University: Private Baptist-affiliated university in Jefferson City, Tennessee, with similar undergraduate/graduate portfolio (business, education, nursing) and similar size and tuition positioning. Direct competitor for East Tennessee traditional undergraduates and adult learners.
• Maryville College: Small private liberal arts college in Maryville, Tennessee, affiliated with the Presbyterian Church (USA). Comparable size, tuition tier, and faith-affiliated positioning, competing for the same regional undergraduate pool east of Knoxville.
• Bryan College: Private Christian college in Dayton, Tennessee — TWU's same region. Comparable program breadth, tuition level, and faith-based institutional identity; competes for the same faith-oriented and Appalachian undergraduate market.
• Trevecca Nazarene University: Private Nazarene-affiliated university in Nashville, Tennessee, offering undergraduate and graduate programs (including an MBA and education tracks). Comparable comprehensive private-university model with faith affiliation and similar tuition band.
• University of the Cumberlands: Large private Baptist-affiliated university in Williamsburg, Kentucky, with a strong online and graduate portfolio. Directly comparable on faith-affiliated positioning, program mix, and adult-learner outreach strategy.
• Milligan University: Private Christian (independent/Stone-Campbell) university in Johnson City, Tennessee — TWU's neighboring region. Similar scale, tuition tier, faith-based mission, and program mix including nursing and education.
• Southern Wesleyan University: Private Wesleyan-affiliated university in Central, South Carolina, with comparable comprehensive programs and faith-based identity. Mirrors TWU's emphasis on online adult degree completion and graduate professional programs.
• King University: Private Presbyterian-affiliated (affiliated with ECCU) university in Bristol, Tennessee, with comparable undergraduate and graduate offerings in business, nursing, and education. Direct competitor for East Tennessee and Southwest Virginia traditional and adult students.

Broad incumbents

• Union University: Larger private Baptist-affiliated university in Jackson, Tennessee, with a comparable undergraduate/graduate portfolio spanning business, education, nursing, and Christian studies. Broader resource base but operates in the same faith-affiliated private-university space in Tennessee.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/TNWesleyan
• Facebookfacebook.com/TNWesleyan
• Instagraminstagram.com/tnwesleyan

Compliance7 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 Tennessee Wesleyan Coll