Adtalem to Acquire Online Health Education Provider Walden University for $1.48 Billion

Adtalem, a publicly-traded provider of workforce education services and owner of vocational postsecondary institutions, has agreed to acquire online health education provider Walden University in an all-cash, $1.48 billion deal. The deal is subject to regulatory approval that could take 12 to 18 months, according to a statement from Walden President Dr. Ward Ulmer.

Founded in 1970, Walden University is currently owned by Laureate Education, a publicly traded company that operates two dozen colleges and universities across the world. Last week, Laureate, based in Baltimore, also sold its Chilean operations in deals worth over $218 million.

Adtalem currently owns five institutions that provide healthcare education and training programs, and said that the addition of Walden University would bolster its online offerings for this industry. Should the deal pass, Adtalem will have 26 campuses across four countries, with 6,100 faculty members serving more than 90,000 students.