Whitworth University
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
SINCE 1890, WHITWORTH HAS HELD FAST TO ITS FOUNDING MISSION OF PROVIDING "AN EDUCATION OF MIND AND HEART" THROUGH RIGOROUS INTELLECTUAL INQUIRY GUIDED BY DEDICATED CHRISTIAN SCHOLARS.
- Income
- $164.2 million
- Spending
- $150.9 million
- Spent on programs
- 78%
- Reserves
- -5.1 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 76%
- Employees
- 2,053
- Volunteers
- 77
- Highest pay
- $418,111, trustee & 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: 61 out of 100. Higher than 43% of charities in its peer group (education, over $100m).
Reserves
0 of 35Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 27% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 8% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 12% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1578% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 26 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 2528 of 30 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
0 of 10Did not give 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
10 of 10Reports 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 (3)
- $111.4 million spent. EDUCATION: WHITWORTH UNIVERSITY'S ENROLLMENT (FALL 2025): UNDERGRADUATE: 2,046 GRADUATE: 373. SIX-YEAR GRADUATION RATE (2024-25): 66.7 PERCENT OF FIRST-TIME, FULL-TIME STUDENTS ENROLLED IN FALL 2019 GRADUATED WITHIN SIX YEARS. FRESHMAN-TO-SOPHOMORE RETENTION RATE (2024-25): 83.6 PERCENT. THE UNIVERSITY UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT BODY HAS A COMPOSITION OF 64%/36% WHITE/NON-WHITE; 56%/44% FEMALE/MALE AND REPRESENTATION OF 37 FOREIGN NATIONS. THE UNIVERSITY OFFERS MORE THAN 100 UNDERGRADUATE, 30 GRADUATE DEGREE PROGRAMS, AND 2 DOCTORATE PROGRAMS; THE MOST PROMINENT UNDERGRADUATE DEGREES ARE BUSINESS/ECONOMICS, HEALTH SCIENCE, EDUCATION, PSYCHOLOGY, BIOLOGY, AND MATH AND COMPUTER SCIENCE. FISCAL YEAR 2024-25 IS ALSO THE 24TH CONSECUTIVE YEAR THAT WHITWORTH UNIVERSITY HAS BEEN IN THE TOP RANKINGS OF U.S. NEWS AND WORLD REPORT.
- $3.7 million spent. AUXILIARY SERVICES: WHITWORTH UNIVERSITY PROVIDES DINING SERVICES TO APPROXIMATELY 1,100 RESIDENT STUDENTS (FALL 2025) AND TO THE MANY OTHER STUDENTS WHO LIVE OFF CAMPUS. IN FISCAL YEAR 2024-25, ROOM AND BOARD SERVICES GENERATED GROSS REVENUES OF OVER $13 MILLION, WHICH HELPED SUPPORT THE ACADEMIC AND STUDENT SERVICES PROVIDED TO THE APPROXIMATELY 2,400 UNDERGRADUATE AND GRADUATE STUDENTS REGISTERED AT THE UNIVERSITY.
- $2.7 million spent. STUDENT SERVICES: WHITWORTH'S RESIDENCE HALLS, ON-CAMPUS HOUSES, AND APARTMENTS ACCOMMODATE APPROXIMATELY 1,000 STUDENTS (FALL 2025). WHITWORTH HAS A TWO-YEAR RESIDENCY REQUIREMENT. THE UNIVERSITY OFFERS 8 HALLS AND 26 THEME HOUSES. STUDENT CLUBS AND ORGANIZATIONS: WHITWORTH HAS OVER 40 STUDENT CLUBS, RANGING FROM AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL TO THE HAWAIIAN CLUB.
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 June 1942.
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.