Oak Valley College

What Oak Valley College does

Oak Valley College is a California-based, nonprofit 501(c)(3) Christian college founded in 2016 by Eric Blum, a former higher education administrator at UCLA, UC Riverside, and the University of Redlands. The institution delivers a single WASC-accredited Bachelor of Arts in Business degree at two physical campuses in Rialto (Inland Empire) and Santa Ana (Orange County), completed in 2 years and 8 months through a year-round cohort structure with a 7:1 student-to-faculty ratio. Curriculum integrates a Christian worldview throughout and emphasizes experiential learning through required internships (3,000+ hours of practical experience), a structured mentoring program, more than 30 professional presentations, and a three-course Launch Pad capstone where students develop a product or service for a real organization.

The college's business model is hybrid tuition-plus-philanthropy. It charges students only "a few hundred dollars per month," with the remaining educational cost — approximately $15,000 per student per year, 40% below CSU and 80% below private universities — covered by a combination of Pell and Cal Grants, and donor-funded institutional scholarships averaging roughly $5,000 per student per year. Oak Valley does not offer student loans and guarantees that all students graduate debt-free; 100% of students receive some form of financial aid. Go-to-market is direct-to-consumer via field admissions counselors who visit public and Christian high schools across Southern California, supported by a required campus visit, online application, and holistic admissions review.

The institution has formalized pipeline partnerships with California Baptist University, Hope International University, and Gateway Seminary to channel graduates into MBA and graduate programs, and has achieved WASC Senior College and University Commission accreditation, enabling Title IV aid eligibility. Revenue is not publicly disclosed, and the institution is not a target for traditional PE/VC investment given its nonprofit structure; any growth investment would take the form of philanthropic capital or program-related grants.

Name

Oak Valley College

Legal name

Oak Valley College

Website

https://oakvalleycollege.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Oak Valley College is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) Christian college operating two Southern California campuses that delivers a WASC-accredited BA in Business in 2 years 8 months through cohort-based learning, with guaranteed debt-free tuition funded by grants and donor scholarships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Business Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (61131)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Christian Colleges with Theological Programs (EDAHAKAG)

Keywords

• Business education
• Higher education
• Christian college education
• Accelerated degree programs
• Student financial aid

Headquarters

HQ city

Rialto

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Fees: Oak Valley College is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) public benefit corporation that charges tuition and a modest student service fee. The college uses a combination of government grants (Pell and Cal Grants), institutional scholarships funded by donor donations, and small semester or monthly payments from students. 100% of students receive financial aid. Cal Grant recipients receive full-tuition scholarships. Other students pay a few hundred dollars per month.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Oak Valley College is a nonprofit Christian college that offers a WASC-accredited Bachelor of Arts in Business degree. The degree is delivered in person through a cohort model, completed in 2 years and 8 months across eight semesters, and does not require student loans. Tuition is supported by government grants, donor-funded scholarships, and modest student payments.

Product overview

Oak Valley College offers a single focused educational product: the WASC-accredited BA in Business degree, designed to be completed in 2 years and 8 months with zero student loans. The program is delivered through a cohort-based model where students progress through eight semesters together. Supporting services include the Launch Pad Capstone (three-course culminating project), required Internship Program, and Mentoring Program. Administrative tools such as the Net Price Calculator and Student Catalog support the student journey.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• BA in Business Current WASC-accredited Bachelor of Arts in Business degree program completed in 2 years and 8 months through eight semesters of in-person, cohort-based courses, with no student loans.

Quantifiable outcome

• Graduate with NO student loans - guaranteed
• +8 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• California Baptist UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGraduate school partnership providing Oak Valley graduates with pathways and discounts to earn MBA and other graduate degrees at California Baptist University.
• Hope International UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGraduate school partnership providing Oak Valley graduates with pathways and discounts to earn MBA and other graduate degrees at Hope International University.
• Gateway SeminaryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGraduate school partnership providing Oak Valley graduates with pathways and discounts to earn graduate degrees at Gateway Seminary.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Biola University: Private Christian university in La Mirada, CA offering a Crowell School of Business and other professional programs. Comparable as a faith-based, SoCal private university emphasizing Christian worldview integration across degree programs.
• The Master's University: Private Christian university in Santa Clarita, CA offering undergraduate business and other programs with a biblical worldview emphasis. Comparable as a faith-based private university in Southern California.
• Azusa Pacific University: Private Christian university in Azusa, CA offering a School of Business and Management alongside multiple other majors. Comparable as a faith-based, SoCal private university, though materially larger and broader than Oak Valley.
• La Sierra University: Private Seventh-day Adventist university in Riverside, CA (Inland Empire) with an undergraduate business program. Comparable to Oak Valley in faith-based mission, Inland Empire footprint, and SoCal private-university structure.
• William Jessup University: Private Christian university in Rocklin, CA (Sacramento area) offering undergraduate business programs. Comparable as a faith-based private university serving students seeking Christian-integrated business education in California.
• Hope International University: Private Christian university in Fullerton, CA with an undergraduate business degree and graduate programs. Closely comparable faith-based mission, SoCal location, and an existing graduate pathway partner of Oak Valley.
• Concordia University Irvine: Private Lutheran (LCMS) university in Irvine, CA offering undergraduate business degrees with Christian integration. Comparable as a smaller faith-based private university in Southern California.
• California Baptist University: Private Christian university in Riverside, CA (Inland Empire) offering undergraduate and graduate business programs. Most directly comparable local peer: shares faith-based mission, Southern California geography, and a graduate pathway partnership with Oak Valley.
• Vanguard University: Private Christian university in Costa Mesa, CA (Orange County) offering undergraduate business degrees integrated with a Christian worldview. Comparable to Oak Valley in faith-based positioning and Southern California catchment.

Broad incumbents

• University of La Verne: Private nonprofit university in La Verne, CA offering undergraduate and graduate business programs (College of Business and Public Management) with values-based education. Comparable as a broader SoCal private institution, though not faith-specific.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 Oak Valley College