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Messiah University

EIN 23-1352661 · Mechanicsburg, PA

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair64 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

THE MISSION OF MESSIAH UNIVERSITY IS TO EDUCATE MEN AND WOMEN TOWARD MATURITY OF INTELLECT, CHARACTER, AND CHRISTIAN FAITH IN PREPARATION FOR LIVES OF SERVICE, LEADERSHIP, AND RECONCILIATION IN CHURCH AND SOCIETY.

Income
$155.4 million
Spending
$157.0 million
Spent on programs
87%
Reserves
2.3 months of spending
Largest source of income
fees for its services, 86%
Employees
2,968
Volunteers
290
Highest pay
$654,287, president

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Fair: 64 out of 100. Higher than 52% of charities in its peer group (education, over $100m).

  • Reserves

    10 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 2.3 months of spending.

  • Debt

    16 of 20

    It owes 28% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    8 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 1% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 4% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    87% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 18 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 41% of charities in its peer group (education, over $100m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    27 of 30 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Impact evidence

Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.

Programs described in its return (1)
  1. $137.3 million spent. MESSIAH UNIVERSITY IS A NATIONALLY RANKED, PRIVATE CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY WITH A STUDENT BODY OF OVER 3,300 UNDERGRADUATE AND GRADUATE STUDENTS. GRADUATE STUDENTS PURSUE ADVANCED DEGREES AND CERTIFICATIONS WITHIN A DISTINGUISHED PORTFOLIO OF PROGRAMS, WHILE UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS ENGAGE IN A COMPREHENSIVE AND ACADEMICALLY RIGOROUS CURRICULUM ENCOMPASSING A BROAD ARRAY OF MAJORS, TEACHER CERTIFICATION PATHWAYS, SPECIALIZED CONCENTRATIONS, AN EXTENSIVE SELECTION OF MINORS, AND A ROBUST SUITE OF CERTIFICATE OFFERINGS. MESSIAH'S HOLISTIC EDUCATIONAL MODEL OF INTEGRATING FAITH INTO EVERY PART OF THE UNIVERSITY EXPERIENCE IS ESSENTIAL TO DEVELOPING STUDENTS' INTELLECT, CHARACTER, AND FAITH IN PREPARATION TO BETTER SERVE THEIR CHURCH AND COMMUNITY. MESSIAH'S MISSION AS A CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY CONTRIBUTES TO A COMMON GOOD ROOTED IN A CHRIST-CENTERED COMMITMENT TO THE DIGNITY, WELFARE AND HUMAN FLOURISHING OF ALL OF OUR NEIGHBORS. ROOTED IN ITS CHRISTIAN IDENTITY, MESSIAH EDUCATES ITS STUDENTS TO BECOME LEADERS IN THEIR COMMUNITY AND THE WORLD BY WORKING FOR JUSTICE, SERVING THE POOR, AND ASSISTING THE NEEDY. MESSIAH STUDENTS ARE MEANINGFUL MEMBERS OF THEIR LOCAL AND GLOBAL COMMUNITIES BOTH DURING AND AFTER THEIR UNIVERSITY EXPERIENCE. MESSIAH UNIVERSITY IS AN IMPORTANT CONTRIBUTOR AND HAS BEEN NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED FOR ITS COMMITMENT TO SERVICE LEARNING, COMMUNITY SERVICE AND CIVIC ENGAGEMENT. MESSIAH UNIVERSITY IS DIRECTLY AND INDIRECTLY RESPONSIBLE FOR A DIVERSE ARRAY OF ECONOMIC ACTIVITY WITHIN PENNSYLVANIA. THIS ACTIVITY RESULTS DIRECTLY FROM MESSIAH'S PROMISE OF HELPING STUDENTS TO SEE ANEW THROUGH TRANSFORMATION AND RECONCILIATION BY VIEWING THEMSELVES, THEIR FAITH, THEIR CAREERS, AND THE WORLD IN A WHOLE NEW LIGHT. MESSIAH UNIVERSITY EDUCATES, CONDUCTS RESEARCH AND PROVIDES ACCESS TO RELEVANT TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES. MESSIAH IS INVOLVED IN COMMUNITY SERVICE OUTREACH PROGRAMS, SERVICE MISSIONS AND NUMEROUS INTERNATIONAL STUDY EXPERIENCES. STUDENTS, FACULTY AND STAFF WORK WITH COMMUNITY-BASED PARTNERS IN LOCAL, NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL SETTINGS TO ADDRESS COMMUNITY NEEDS, TO PROVIDE HOLISTIC LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES AND TO ENCOURAGE STUDENTS TOWARD AN ETHIC OF DISCIPLESHIP, SERVICE AND CIVIC ENGAGEMENT. MESSIAH UNIVERSITY IS A NATIONALLY RANKED, PRIVATE CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY WITH A STUDENT BODY OF OVER 3,300 UNDERGRADUATE AND GRADUATE STUDENTS. GRADUATE STUDENTS PURSUE ADVANCED DEGREES AND CERTIFICATIONS WITHIN A DISTINGUISHED PORTFOLIO OF PROGRAMS, WHILE UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS ENGAGE IN A COMPREHENSIVE AND ACADEMICALLY RIGOROUS CURRICULUM ENCOMPASSING A BROAD ARRAY OF MAJORS, TEACHER CERTIFICATION PATHWAYS, SPECIALIZED CONCENTRATIONS, AN EXTENSIVE SELECTION OF MINORS, AND A ROBUST SUITE OF CERTIFICATE OFFERINGS. MESSIAH'S HOLISTIC EDUCATIONAL MODEL OF INTEGRATING FAITH INTO EVERY PART OF THE UNIVERSITY EXPERIENCE IS ESSENTIAL TO DEVELOPING STUDENTS' INTELLECT, CHARACTER, AND FAITH IN PREPARATION TO BETTER SERVE THEIR CHURCH AND COMMUNITY. MESSIAH'S MISSION AS A CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY CONTRIBUTES TO A COMMON GOOD ROOTED IN A CHRIST-CENTERED COMMITMENT TO THE DIGNITY, WELFARE AND HUMAN FLOURISHING OF ALL OF OUR NEIGHBORS. ROOTED IN ITS CHRISTIAN IDENTITY, MESSIAH EDUCATES ITS STUDENTS TO BECOME LEADERS IN THEIR COMMUNITY AND THE WORLD BY WORKING FOR JUSTICE, SERVING THE POOR, AND ASSISTING THE NEEDY. MESSIAH STUDENTS ARE MEANINGFUL MEMBERS OF THEIR LOCAL AND GLOBAL COMMUNITIES BOTH DURING AND AFTER THEIR UNIVERSITY EXPERIENCE. MESSIAH UNIVERSITY IS AN IMPORTANT CONTRIBUTOR AND HAS BEEN NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED FOR ITS COMMITMENT TO SERVICE LEARNING, COMMUNITY SERVICE AND CIVIC ENGAGEMENT. MESSIAH UNIVERSITY IS DIRECTLY AND INDIRECTLY RESPONSIBLE FOR A DIVERSE ARRAY OF ECONOMIC ACTIVITY WITHIN PENNSYLVANIA. THIS ACTIVITY RESULTS DIRECTLY FROM MESSIAH'S PROMISE OF HELPING STUDENTS TO SEE ANEW THROUGH TRANSFORMATION AND RECONCILIATION BY VIEWING THEMSELVES, THEIR FAITH, THEIR CAREERS, AND THE WORLD IN A WHOLE NEW LIGHT. MESSIAH UNIVERSITY EDUCATES, CONDUCTS RESEARCH AND PROVIDES ACCESS TO RELEVANT TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES. MESSIAH IS INVOLVED IN COMMUNITY SERVICE OUTREACH PROGRAMS, SERVICE MISSIONS AND NUMEROUS INTERNATIONAL STUDY EXPERIENCES. STUDENTS, FACULTY AND STAFF WORK WITH COMMUNITY-BASED PARTNERS IN LOCAL, NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL SETTINGS TO ADDRESS COMMUNITY NEEDS, TO PROVIDE HOLISTIC LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES AND TO ENCOURAGE STUDENTS TOWARD AN ETHIC OF DISCIPLESHIP, SERVICE AND CIVIC ENGAGEMENT.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Legitimacy checks

  1. Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.

    Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  2. Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.

    Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.

    Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated November 6, 2026.

  3. Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.

    On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.

    Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending June 2025.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since January 1945.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  6. Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.

    Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.

    Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated November 4, 2026.

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