# Ave Maria University

> university in Florida, USA

**Wikidata**: [Q542498](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q542498)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ave_Maria_University)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/ave-maria-university

## Summary
Ave Maria University is a private, Catholic higher education institution located in Ave Maria, Florida, USA. Founded in 1998 by Tom Monaghan, the university is a residential liberal arts college focused on integrating faith and reason. It is recognized for its conservative Catholic identity and its unique establishment as part of a planned community.

## Key Facts
- **Location**: 5050 Ave Maria Blvd, Ave Maria, Florida, USA (Coordinates: 26.33649, -81.43987).
- **Founded**: Inception in 1998; operations began in 2003.
- **Founder**: Tom Monaghan.
- **Type**: Private not-for-profit educational institution; University.
- **Religious Affiliation**: Catholic Church; member of the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities.
- **Enrollment**: Approximately 600 students (source: German Wikipedia).
- **Employees**: 226 staff (as of Sept 2020).
- **Financials**: Endowment of $6,523,539 and total assets of $276,017,133 (as of June 30, 2020).
- **Admission**: 92% admission rate with a 21% yield rate (as of 2020).
- **Academic Calendar**: Semester system.
- **Carnegie Classification**: Baccalaureate Colleges: Arts & Sciences Focus; Four-year, small, highly residential.
- **Digital Identifiers**: GRID ID `grid.449270.c`, ROR ID `00xwqff48`, IPEDS ID `446048`.
- **Social Media**: YouTube subscribers: 177,000 (as of Nov 2025); Twitter followers: 3,679 (as of Apr 2020).

## FAQs
### Q: Who founded Ave Maria University and when was it established?
A: The university was founded by Tom Monaghan in 1998, with official operations starting in 2003.

### Q: What is the religious nature of the university?
A: It is a Catholic institution affiliated with the Catholic Church and is a member of the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities.

### Q: What are the admission statistics for the university?
A: As of 2020, the university reported a 92% admission rate and a 21% admission yield rate.

### Q: What defines the campus setting and academic focus?
A: The university is classified as a "four-year, small, highly residential" institution with a primary focus on "Arts & Sciences" at the baccalaureate level.

## Why It Matters
Ave Maria University serves as a distinct example of faith-based higher education in the United States, specifically catering to the Catholic community. It matters in the educational landscape for its explicit mission to combine academic rigor with Catholic theology and morality. Founded by a prominent Catholic philanthropist, it represents a significant modern effort to create a university town centered around religious values, impacting the local geography and community structure in Florida.

## Notable For
- **Faith-Based Integration**: A curriculum and campus life deeply rooted in the Catholic worldview.
- **Unique Origin**: Founded by Tom Monaghan (founder of Domino's Pizza) with a vision for a distinctively Catholic educational environment.
- **Architectural Landmark**: Home to the Ave Maria Oratory, a significant structure featured in university imagery.
- **Residential Character**: Classified as "highly residential," fostering a close-knit student community.
- **Selective Admissions**: Identified as a "selective" institution with a "higher transfer-in" rate compared to some peers.

## Body
### History and Foundation
The university was legally established in **1998** by **Tom Monaghan**, though its operational "start time" is recorded as **2003**. It operates as a **private not-for-profit educational institution**. The legal form is identified by the ID `Q130264548`.

### Location and Facilities
The university is geolocated in **Florida, United States**, specifically within the town of Ave Maria. The street address is **5050 Ave Maria Blvd, Ave Maria, FL, 34142-9505**. The campus coordinates are latitude **26.33649** and longitude **-81.43987**. A prominent visual feature of the campus is the **Ave Maria Oratory**, the facade of which serves as a representative image for the institution.

### Academic Structure and Classification
Ave Maria University functions as a **university** with a specific focus on **higher education**. It follows a **semester**-based academic calendar. According to the **Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education**, it is categorized under multiple descriptors:
- **Baccalaureate Colleges: Arts & Sciences Focus**
- **Four-year, small, highly residential**
- **Very high undergraduate** enrollment profile
- **Selective, higher transfer-in**

### Institutional Data and Finance
As of **June 30, 2020**, the university reported **total assets** of **$276,017,133** and an **endowment** of **$6,523,539**. The workforce consisted of **226 employees** as of September 2020. The student body was recorded as **600 students** by a German Wikipedia source.

### Admissions
For the year **2020**, the university recorded an **admission rate of 0.92** (92%) and an **admission yield rate of 0.21** (21%).

### Digital Presence and Social Media
The university maintains a website at `https://www.avemaria.edu/`. Its social media footprint includes:
- **YouTube**: Handle `avemariauniversityfl` with **177,000 subscribers** (as of Nov 2025).
- **Twitter/X**: Handle `avemariauniv` with **3,679 followers** (as of Apr 2020).
- **Facebook**: Page `AveMariaUniv`.
- **Instagram and Threads**: Username `avemariauniv`.

### Identifiers and Databases
The institution is indexed in numerous databases with the following IDs:
- **GRID**: `grid.449270.c`
- **ISNI**: `0000000406010517`
- **ROR**: `00xwqff48`
- **PermID**: `4297001348`
- **Ringgold**: `53713`
- **IPEDS**: `446048`
- **KISTI**: `K000206760`
- **Library of Congress**: `no2016030660`
- **LEI**: `549300J7VILS90LX4G63`

## References

1. Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System
2. [The Domino’s Pizza founder created a Catholic 'paradise' town with no birth control or pornography](https://www.businessinsider.com/dominos-founders-catholic-paradise-2016-1?international=true&r=US&IR=T)
3. Open ISNI for Organizations
4. ROR release v1.19
5. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
6. Global LEI Index
7. GeoNames
8. [Source](http://www.avemaria.edu)
9. [Source](http://km.aifb.kit.edu/services/crunchbase/)
10. [Source](https://www.avemaria.edu/)
11. GRID Release 2016-05-31
12. Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education
13. Quora
14. Aligned ISNI and Ringgold identifiers for institutions
15. Microsoft Academic Knowledge Graph
16. YouTube API
17. National Center for Education Statistics