Baptist University Of Florida

What Baptist University Of Florida does

Baptist University of Florida (BUF) is a private, non-profit Christian institution headquartered in Graceville, Florida, founded in 1943 as the Florida Baptist Institute and rebranded to Baptist University of Florida in 2023 under President Dr. Clayton P. Cloer. The institution is owned by the Florida Baptist State Convention and operates six Florida campuses (Graceville, Orlando, Miami-Hialeah, Jacksonville, West Palm Beach, Broward) organized around six academic schools: Theology and Ministry, Spangenberg School of Business, Arts and Sciences, Education, Music and Worship, and Nursing. It awards credentials from associate through doctorate, holds SACSCOC institutional accreditation, and delivers online programs across 49 states, DC, Puerto Rico, and USVI under NC-SARA reciprocity.

BUF differentiates through a multi-language program portfolio — English, Spanish (BUF Hispano), Portuguese, French (BUF Français), and Filipino (BUF Filipino) — with BUF Hispano offering a monthly subscription pricing model ($125-$225/month) uncommon in higher education and an AI-powered personalized learning system. The technology stack is built on third-party platforms: Canvas LMS for course delivery, openSIS for admissions, Microsoft 365 for productivity, Coursedog for events, and Typeform for inquiries. Supporting sub-brands include Baptist University Press (publishing), GO BUF Global Outreach (mission trips, established 2025), Pastor Support Fellowship, and an NCCAA Division II athletics program with six teams.

Revenue derives primarily from tuition and fees across residential, online, and dual credit ($100/credit hour) formats, supplemented by BUF Hispano subscriptions, Baptist University Press book sales (via Amazon), athletics sponsorships and merchandise, and donations processed through Givebutter. Customer acquisition relies on a hybrid GTM combining Florida Baptist Convention church networks, field admissions teams at each campus, centralized online enrollment, dual credit high school partnerships, and mission-trip-based recruitment. No audited revenue figure is publicly disclosed.

Name

Baptist University Of Florida

Legal name

Baptist University of Florida, Inc.

Website

https://buf.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1943

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Baptist University of Florida is a private, Baptist-affiliated university operating six Florida campuses and online programs in 49 states, offering associate-through-doctoral degrees in English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, and Filipino to traditional, graduate, dual credit, and ministry students.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDAHAKAG

Christian Colleges with Theological Programs

Education/Higher Education (Colleges & Universities)/Religious & Theological Colleges

SECONDARYEDAHAKAM

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

Education/Higher Education (Colleges & Universities)/Religious & Theological Colleges

SECONDARYEDAHACAF

Religiously Affiliated Liberal Arts Colleges

Education/Higher Education (Colleges & Universities)/Liberal Arts Colleges

Keywords

• Christian higher education
• Theological degree programs
• Online university programs
• Dual enrollment courses
• Faith-based education

Headquarters

HQ city

Graceville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Fees: Traditional tuition-based revenue from associate, bachelor, master, education specialist, and doctoral degree programs. Pricing varies by program and delivery format (residential vs online).
2. BUF Hispano Subscription Model: Monthly subscription pricing for Spanish-language programs: Pregrado (Undergraduate) at $225/month and Posgrado (Graduate) at $125/month, with pay-as-you-go flexibility allowing students to pause without penalties.
3. Dual Credit Program Revenue: Discounted tuition for high school students taking college courses at $100 per credit hour.
4. Baptist University Press Publishing: Publishing revenue from book sales through Baptist University Press, including academic journals, books on theology, church history, and Christian living. Publishes books aligning with Baptist Faith and Message 2000.
5. Athletics and Events: Revenue from athletics programs including the BUF Talon Classic golf tournament (sponsorships at $250-$10,000 levels), athletic gear sales, and event hosting.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Baptist University of Florida is a private, nonprofit Christian university offering associate, baccalaureate, master's, educational specialist, and doctoral degrees across six academic schools (Theology and Ministry, Business, Arts and Sciences, Education, Music and Worship, Nursing). Programs are delivered through residential campuses in Florida, fully online via NC-SARA authorization covering 49 states, and multi-language channels (BUF Hispano in Spanish, BUF Français, BUF Português, BUF Filipino), plus a dual credit program for high school students at $100 per credit hour.

Product overview

Baptist University of Florida is a private Christian university offering a comprehensive portfolio of educational products and services through six academic schools: School of Theology and Ministry, Spangenberg School of Business, School of Arts and Sciences, School of Education, School of Music and Worship, and School of Nursing. The institution provides associate through doctoral degrees, certificates, and professional programs delivered in residential, online, and hybrid formats. Supporting the core academic offerings are specialized sub-brands including BUF Hispano (Spanish-language programs with AI-powered learning), BUF Filipino (Filipino-language initiative), GO BUF (global missions outreach), and Baptist University Press (publishing). The university operates learning management via Canvas LMS, student information through openSIS, and uses Coursedog for events. Additional services include a Writing Center, athletics program (NCCAA Division II), and dual credit opportunities for high school students.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• GO BUF: Global Outreach program that equips and sends students on mission with vision to make global service accessible to all students.
• BUF Hispano
• Baptist University Press
• Pastor Support Fellowship
• BUF Français
• BUF Portuguese
• BUF Filipino

Products and services

• School of Theology and Ministry Offers undergraduate through doctoral programs in theology, ministry, and related theological studies including Associate of Divinity, Bachelor of Arts in Christian Studies/Ministry Studies/Missions, Master of Divinity, Master of Theological Studies, Master of Arts in Christian Studies, and Doctor of Ministry for ministry professionals and students seeking theological credentials.
• Spangenberg School of Business Business college offering Bachelor of Arts in Business Leadership, Master of Business Administration (with Data Analytics and Hospitality Management concentrations), Master of Arts in Leadership, and Master of Science in Management for students pursuing business and leadership careers.
• School of Arts and Sciences Liberal arts college offering degrees in General Studies, History and Social Studies, Psychology, Allied Health Studies, Cybersecurity, Computer Science, Data Science, Health Informatics, and Counseling for undergraduate and graduate students.
• School of Education Education college offering Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education and Education Studies, Master of Education, Education Specialist, and Doctor of Education programs with Florida teaching certification pathways for aspiring teachers and education leaders.
• School of Music and Worship Music college offering Associate of Arts in Music, Bachelor of Arts in Music, Bachelor of Music in Worship Leadership, Bachelor of Music Education, and Master of Arts in Music and Worship Leadership for musicians and worship leaders.
• School of Nursing Nursing school offering Associate of Science in Nursing (ASN) and Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) programs preparing students for NCLEX-RN licensure and nursing careers.
• Baptist University Press Publishing arm of BUF producing theological books, journals, and resources aligned with the Baptist Faith and Message 2000, covering theology, church history, biblical studies, missiology, and Christian living for pastors, scholars, and lay readers.
• BUF Hispano Spanish-language division of BUF offering certificate, undergraduate, and graduate programs in Spanish with AI-powered personalized learning, monthly subscription pricing ($225/month undergraduate, $125/month graduate), and Hispanic community focus.
• BUF Filipino Filipino-language educational initiative offering theological certificates and programs designed to honor Filipino heritage while providing globally-relevant curricula with focus on community and leadership for Filipino communities.
• BUF Français French-language program delivery offering Christian higher education in French for French-speaking communities globally seeking faith-based degrees and certificates.
• BUF Português Portuguese-language program delivery offering Christian higher education in Portuguese for Portuguese-speaking communities globally seeking faith-based degrees and certificates.
• GO BUF Global Outreach Global missions outreach program equipping and sending students on mission trips to various international locations with training resources and partnership support, including Fall 2026 destinations in Utah, Nashville, and Fayetteville, Georgia.
• Dual Credit Program Early college credit program allowing high school students from homeschool, Christian, and public schools to earn accredited college credits at $100 per credit hour in a Christ-centered online environment, with seamless credit transfer to BUF degree programs.
• BUF Athletics Program Athletic program competing in NCCAA Division II with six teams: Men's and Women's Cross Country, Women's Volleyball, Men's Basketball, Baseball, and Softball, serving enrolled students with athletic competition and community engagement.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 4,500 degrees awarded to graduates serving worldwide
• +2 more outcomes

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration12 records

AI capability3 records

Feature1 record

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Dallas Baptist University: Dallas Baptist University is a private Baptist university in Texas offering undergraduate, graduate, and online programs with a Christ-centered focus. It is the closest direct peer in denomination, mission, multi-modal delivery, and Christian higher education positioning to BUF.
• Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary: Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary is an SBC-affiliated graduate theological institution in Fort Worth, Texas offering ministry and theological degrees. Highly comparable to BUF's School of Theology and Ministry in denomination, Baptist identity, and ministerial training mission.
• Regent University: Regent University is a private, Christian university in Virginia Beach offering online and on-campus programs across multiple schools including business, law, divinity, and education. Comparable in multi-modal online delivery, Christian higher education positioning, and emphasis on graduate and professional programs.
• Houston Christian University: Houston Christian University (formerly Houston Baptist University) is a private Baptist university in Texas offering undergraduate and graduate programs with online options. Direct peer in denomination, scale, and faith-based program mix.
• Bob Jones University: Bob Jones University is a private, non-denominational fundamentalist Christian university in Greenville, South Carolina. Comparable in faith-based higher education positioning, residential campus model, and traditional Christian liberal arts curriculum.
• Southeastern University: Southeastern University is a private Christ-centered university in Lakeland, Florida affiliated with the Assemblies of God. Strongly comparable to BUF in Florida location, multi-school structure, faith-based identity, and emphasis on ministry preparation.
• Lee University: Lee University is a private, Christ-centered university in Cleveland, Tennessee affiliated with the Church of God. Comparable to BUF in faith-based mission, residential campus model, multiple academic schools, and graduate program offerings.
• Anderson University: Anderson University is a private, Christian university in Anderson, South Carolina affiliated with the South Carolina Baptist Convention. Directly comparable to BUF in Baptist denominational affiliation, faith-based curriculum, residential and online delivery, and multi-school structure.

Broad incumbents

• Liberty University: Liberty University is the largest private, nonprofit, faith-based university in the U.S. with extensive online programs serving students nationwide. It competes in the same faith-based online higher education space but at significantly greater scale and brand recognition than BUF.
• Oral Roberts University: Oral Roberts University is a charismatic faith-based private university in Tulsa, Oklahoma offering undergraduate and graduate programs with a Spirit-empowered mission. Comparable to BUF in faith-based identity, multi-school structure, and emphasis on theological/ministry preparation.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/baptist-university-of-florida

Compliance7 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Subsidiaries8 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 Baptist University Of Florida