
Arlington Baptist University is a private Christian institution in Arlington, Texas, with roots in Baptist ministerial training. It was founded in 1939 and was known for many years as Arlington Baptist College before adopting its current university name in 2017.
Its development from a Bible-focused college into an institution offering undergraduate and graduate study helps explain its academic identity today. Students considering the university should expect religious study and a Baptist institutional perspective to be part of the experience, including in programs aimed at careers outside church ministry.
Arlington Baptist University offers a small, faith-oriented academic portfolio rather than the range of departments found at a large research university. Its areas of study include ministry and biblical studies, education, business, and general or interdisciplinary studies.
Degree options include undergraduate study and graduate-level coursework. Applicants should consult the current academic catalog for the exact credential and curriculum attached to a program: a major in education, for example, is not necessarily the same thing as a state-approved teacher-certification pathway. Likewise, students pursuing counseling or ministry work should check whether a particular degree meets the requirements of the employer, denomination, or licensing authority they have in mind.
The institution reported seven full-time and 25 part-time teaching faculty. Those counts describe staffing, not the number of academic departments or the availability of a particular course in any given term.
Arlington Baptist University is in Arlington, Texas, within the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area. Its setting gives students access to a large regional job market while making transportation an important practical consideration.
Arlington is spread out, and students commuting to classes, work, or field placements should evaluate their actual travel times rather than assume that metropolitan-area transit will cover every trip. First-year students may register or park a car on campus. Dallas Fort Worth International Airport is a useful regional arrival point for students traveling from farther away.
Arlington Baptist University describes its educational purpose in explicitly Christian terms, connecting academic study with biblical teaching and preparation for service. Its Baptist identity is a substantive part of the institution, not merely a historical name.
Prospective students should read the university's current mission statement, statement of faith, and student conduct policies together. Those documents give a clearer picture of how its religious commitments affect coursework, campus activities, and expectations for students than a program title alone can provide. The stated mission describes the university's aims; it is not, by itself, evidence of any particular student outcome.
Name of the institution
Arlington Baptist UniversityLevel of institution
Four or more yearsControl of institution
PrivateSetting type
City: LargeInstitutional Category
Degree - granting, primarily baccalaureate or aboveInstitution size category
Under 1,000Religious affiliation
Protestant (Baptist Church)School type
Comprehensive higher education institutionMain student body
CoeducationalCalendar system
SemestersFoundation year
1939Arlington Baptist University is institutionally accredited by the Association for Biblical Higher Education, an accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Accreditation confirms that the school meets quality standards and is required for students to receive federal financial aid.
Bachelor's degree
Master's degreeData last updated on November 2, 2026
Data sources: IPEDS 2024-25, Peterson 2026, College Scorecard 10/2026, Clery 2024 (2023-24), OpenAlex 2026
Figures on this profile come from federal and third-party datasets in the editions listed above and are refreshed periodically, so they may differ from what the institution currently reports. Confirm costs, deadlines and requirements with the school before making decisions.