# Walden University

> American for-profit online university

**Wikidata**: [Q7961486](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7961486)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walden_University)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/walden-university

## Summary
Walden University is an American private for-profit online university headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Founded in 1970, it is classified as a doctoral university with moderate research activity that primarily serves graduate and non-traditional students through distance learning.

## Key Facts
- **Founded:** 1970.
- **Location:** 100 Washington Avenue South, Suite 900, Minneapolis, MN, 55401, United States.
- **Institution Type:** Private for-profit educational institution and university.
- **Student Enrollment:** 49,695 students (as of September 2020).
- **Employees:** 4,324 staff (as of September 2020).
- **Academic Structure:** Operates on an academic quarter calendar; classified as a "majority graduate" institution.
- **Carnegie Classification:** Doctoral university with moderate research activity; classified as "four-year, large, primarily nonresidential."
- **Membership:** Member of the Association of American Colleges and Universities.
- **Website:** http://www.waldenu.edu

## FAQs
### Q: Where is Walden University located?
A: While Walden University operates primarily online, its administrative headquarters are located in Minneapolis, Minnesota, specifically at 100 Washington Avenue South, Suite 900.

### Q: Is Walden University a for-profit institution?
A: Yes, Walden University is classified as a private for-profit educational institution.

### Q: How large is Walden University's student body?
A: As of September 2020, the university served 49,695 students and employed 4,324 people.

## Why It Matters
Walden University matters as a significant entity in the landscape of American higher education, specifically within the for-profit and online sectors. It represents a scalable model of education designed for working professionals and non-traditional students, evidenced by its classification as a "four-year, higher part-time" and "primarily nonresidential" institution. By offering programs on an academic quarter calendar, it provides flexibility that differs from traditional semester-based universities. Its classification as a doctoral university with moderate research activity places it among institutions that contribute to academic research while maintaining a strong focus on professional practice. With a student body of nearly 50,000 as of 2020, it plays a substantial role in educating a large demographic of students seeking advanced degrees remotely.

## Notable For
- **Large-Scale Online Education:** Serving 49,695 students as of 2020, making it a major provider of online degrees.
- **Doctoral Research Activity:** Holding a Carnegie Classification as a doctoral university with moderate research activity, which is distinctive for a primarily online, for-profit institution.
- **Professional Focus:** Being classified as "professional-dominant" and a "majority graduate" institution, highlighting its focus on advanced professional degrees.
- **Non-Residential Model:** Being explicitly classified as "primarily nonresidential," catering to students who require distance learning.
- **Long History:** Operating since 1970, pre-dating the modern internet boom by two decades.

## Body

### Operations and Location
Walden University is an academic institution for further education based in the United States. Its physical operations are centered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, at 100 Washington Avenue South, Suite 900 (Postal Code 55401). The geographic coordinates for the institution are 44.981111 latitude and -93.265556 longitude. Despite its physical headquarters, the institution is defined by its online delivery model.

### Institutional Classification
The university holds several specific classifications under the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education:
*   **Doctoral University:** Moderate research activity.
*   **Program Focus:** Research doctoral: professional-dominant; Professions plus arts & sciences, high graduate coexistence.
*   **Size and Setting:** Four-year, large, primarily nonresidential; Four-year, higher part-time.
*   **Enrollment:** Majority graduate.

### Historical and Demographic Data
The institution was founded in 1970. As of September 2020, it maintained a workforce of 4,324 employees to support its operations and student body. The university utilizes an academic quarter calendar system.

### Identifiers and Memberships
Walden University is recognized by multiple academic and organizational databases.
*   **Memberships:** Association of American Colleges and Universities (as of January 2024).
*   **Government IDs:** Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) ID: 125231; SEVIS School ID: 132920.
*   **Research IDs:** ISNI: 0000000085535864; ROR ID: 02qp2hh41; GRID ID: grid.412868.1; Ringgold ID: 10641.
*   **Web Presence:** The university maintains a website at http://www.waldenu.edu and social media presence on Twitter (@waldenu) and Instagram (@waldenuniversity).

## References

1. Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System
2. GRID Release 2017-01-10
3. Virtual International Authority File
4. [Source](https://web.archive.org/web/20240120073011/https://secure.aacu.org/iMIS/AACUR/Membership/MemberListAACU.aspx)
5. Freebase Data Dumps
6. [Source](http://www.waldenu.edu)
7. GRID Release 2015-12-14
8. GRID Release 2016-12-06
9. Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education
10. Aligned ISNI and Ringgold identifiers for institutions
11. Microsoft Academic Knowledge Graph
12. National Center for Education Statistics