University of Northwestern-St Paul
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
Points to look into
- It reported loans to or from officers, directors or other insiders.
These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.
What it says it does
SEE SCHEDULE O. FOUNDED IN 1902, UNIVERSITY OF NORTHWESTERN - ST. PAUL IS A NONDENOMINATIONAL CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY THAT INTEGRATES THE EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY OF "FAITH, LEARNING AND LIVING" THROUGH TWO FOCUSES: HIGHER EDUCATION AND MEDIA. THE MISSION OF THE UNIVERSITY IS TO EQUIP BELIEVERS TO GROW INTELLECTUALLY AND SPIRITUALLY, TO SERVE EFFECTIVELY IN THEIR PROFESSIONS, AND TO GIVE GOD-HONORING LEADERSHIP IN THE HOME, CHURCH, COMMUNITY AND WORLD. NORTHWESTERN MEDIA EXISTS TO LEAD PEOPLE TO CHRIST AND TO NURTURE BELIEVERS IN THEIR SPIRITUAL GROWTH THROUGH CHRIST CENTERED MEDIA.
- Income
- $127.0 million
- Spending
- $117.6 million
- Spent on programs
- 87%
- Reserves
- 4.6 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 62%
- Employees
- 1,679
- Volunteers
- 609
- Highest pay
- $374,443, 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
Good: 85 out of 100. Higher than 78% of charities in its peer group (education, over $100m).
Reserves
20 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 4.6 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 14% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 7% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 5% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1587% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 10 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: 90 out of 100. Higher than 14% of charities in its peer group (education, over $100m).
Independent board
25 of 2523 of 24 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
0 of 10Reports at least one of: diversion of assets, excess benefits, 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 (3)
- $46.6 million spent. SEE SCHEDULE O.ACADEMIC INSTRUCTION AND SUPPORT:THE HIGHER EDUCATION FOCUS OFFERS A VAST ARRAY OF OPPORTUNITIES WITHIN A STRONG ACADEMIC PROGRAM. NORTHWESTERN OFFERS MORE THAN 60 AREAS OF STUDY RANGING FROM ELEMENTARY EDUCATION AND PASTORAL STUDIES TO BROADCASTING/ELECTRONIC MEDIA AND PSYCHOLOGY. THE CORE COMPONENT IS THE TRADITIONAL UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAM, WHICH ENROLLS OVER 1,400 STUDENTS. THE COLLEGE OF ADULT & GRADUATE STUDIES, WHICH SERVES AN ADDITIONAL 210 STUDENTS, INCLUDES THE ADULT UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAM AND GRADUATE STUDIES. DUAL ENROLLMENT, INCLUDING PSEO/EARLY COLLEGE AND ONLINE LEARNING TOGETHER SERVE APPROXIMATELY 1,930, BRINGING TOTAL ENROLLMENT TO OVER 3,540 STUDENTS ACROSS ALL VENUES. NORTHWESTERN'S 107-ACRE LAKESIDE CAMPUS IS LOCATED IN SUBURBAN SAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA. NORTHWESTERN IS A COMMUNITY IN WHICH ALL LEARNING IS FRAMED WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF A BIBLICAL WORLDVIEW. STUDENTS WHO ENROLL AS FRESHMAN ARE REQUIRED TO COMPLETE 22 CREDITS OF BIBLE COURSES AS PART OF THEIR CORE CURRICULUM, THEREBY MAKING THEM ELIGIBLE FOR A SECOND MAJOR IN BIBLE FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF BIBLICAL AND THEOLOGICAL STUDIES. DAILY CHAPEL IS AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE TRADITIONAL PROGRAM WHERE STUDENTS HEAR WORLD-RENOWNED SPEAKERS AND PARTICIPATE IN PRAISE AND WORSHIP. NORTHWESTERN'S 36,000-PLUS ALUMNI POSITIVELY IMPACT SOCIETY THROUGH CAREERS IN LAW, EDUCATION, MEDICINE, GOVERNMENT, COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY AND FORTUNE 500 BUSINESSES, AS WELL AS IN MISSIONS, CHURCHES AND PARACHURCH MINISTRIES.
- $30.6 million spent. SEE SCHEDULE O.NORTHWESTERN MEDIATHE UNIVERSITY BEGAN ITS MEDIA MINISTRY, KNOWN TODAY AS NORTHWESTERN MEDIA, IN 1949. ITS INCEPTION IS ATTRIBUTED TO FORMER NORTHWESTERN PRESIDENT WILLIAM F. BILLY GRAHAM, WHO BEGAN KTIS (LIFE 98.5) RADIO WITH $44,000 GENERATED FROM STUDENT DONATIONS. TODAY, THE UNIVERSITY OWNS AND OPERATES 126 FCC LICENSES THAT ARE LISTENER-SUPPORTED CHRISTIAN RADIO STATIONS, COVERING 14 MARKETS IN MINNESOTA, NORTH AND SOUTH DAKOTA, IOWA, WISCONSIN, MISSOURI, KANSAS, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, NEBRASKA, CONNECTICUT, AND MONTANA WITH A CONSOLIDATED AUDIENCE OF MORE THAN 1,400,000 LISTENERS PER WEEK. NORTHWESTERN MEDIA EXISTS TO LEAD PEOPLE TO CHRIST AND TO NURTURE BELIEVERS IN THEIR SPIRITUAL GROWTH THROUGH CHRIST-CENTERED MEDIA, INCLUDING MAJOR SPONSORSHIP OF CHRISTIAN CONCERTS IN OUR LISTENING AREA. THE UNIVERSITY'S MEDIA MINISTRY REACHES BEYOND THE UNITED STATES THROUGH FINANCIAL AND TECHNOLOGICAL PARTNERSHIPS WITH CHRISTIAN RADIO STATIONS IN BELIZE, ECUADOR, KENYA, GUAM, INDONESIA, MONGOLIA AND THAILAND.
- $25.1 million spent. SEE SCHEDULE O. STUDENT AND AUXILIARY SERVICES:NORTHWESTERN STUDENTS ARE OFFERED A HOST OF ACADEMIC AND PERSONAL SUPPORT SERVICES AND RESOURCES TO HELP STUDENTS SUCCEED. STUDENT SERVICES INCLUDE DEGREE PLANNING, CAREER DEVELOPMENT, COUNSELING, PERSONAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS, ATHLETICS, MINISTRY OPPORTUNITIES, AND MORE. NORTHWESTERN OFFERS 4 RESIDENCE HALLS THAT ACCOMMODATE THE VARIED NEEDS OF OUR STUDENT POPULATION. DURING THE YEAR 2024-2025, ON-CAMPUS RESIDENTS TOTALED OVER 880 STUDENTS AND DINING SERVICES WERE PROVIDED TO MORE THAN 1,390 STUDENTS VIA OUR CAMPUS DINING PARTNER. OTHER AUXILIARY SERVICES PROVIDED ON CAMPUS INCLUDE TICKETING/EVENTS AND A CAMPUS STORE.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since January 1965.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
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.
Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.