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Palo Alto University Inc

EIN 94-2340692 · Palo Alto, CA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair68 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

SEE SCHEDULE O

Income
$42.4 million
Spending
$42.6 million
Spent on programs
75%
Reserves
3.2 months of spending
Largest source of income
fees for its services, 94%
Employees
602
Volunteers
54
Highest pay
$629,807, pres.(thru 6/25)/pres. em.(eff 7/25)

Source: Form 990 for the year ending July 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Fair: 68 out of 100. Higher than 60% of charities in its peer group (education, $10m to $100m).

  • Reserves

    20 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 3.2 months of spending.

  • Debt

    10 of 20

    It owes 48% 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 3% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    75% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 17 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending July 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 50% of charities in its peer group (education, $10m to $100m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    23 of 24 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 July 31, 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 (4)
  1. $4.3 million spent. PSYD IN CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY: THE UNIVERSITY OFFERS A RESIDENTIAL DOCTORAL PROGRAM IN CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY, LEADING TO A DOCTOR OF PSYCHOLOGY DEGREE (PSYD). THIS PROGRAM IS IMPLEMENTED IN COLLABORATION WITH THE STANFORD SCHOOL OF MEDICINE DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHIATRY AND BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES, AND WAS APPROVED BY WASC IN 2002. THE PROGRAM, THE PAU-STANFORD PSYD CONSORTIUM, WAS FIRST ACCREDITED BY APA IN 2006, RE-ACCREDITED IN 2019 BY APA FOR TEN YEARS. DURING THE 2024-25 ACADEMIC YEAR, THIS PROGRAM WELCOMED A NEW COHORT OF 30 STUDENTS, GRADUATED 26 STUDENTS, AND EXPERIENCED 4 WITHDRAWALS OF THE 160 STUDENTS IN THE PROGRAM (2.5% ATTRITION). ADDITIONAL OUTCOMES DATA IS REPORTED ANNUALLY TO WASC, THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, THE AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION, AND OTHER INSTITUTIONS. THE UNIVERSITY MAINTAINS A DETAILED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING OF ATTRITION, TIME TO COMPLETION, INTERNSHIP MATCH RATES AND MORE AT HTTPS://PALOALTOU.EDU/ACADEMIC-PROGRAMS/PAU-STANFORD-PSYD-CONSORTIUM/OUTCOMES-AND-DATA.
  2. $1.9 million spent. PAU'S MASTER'S PROGRAMS:MA IN CLINICAL MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELING: THIS PROGRAM OFFERS A MASTER IN CLINICAL MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELING. THIS PROGRAM HAS BEEN WSCUC ACCREDITED SINCE 2011. THE PROGRAM HAS TWO EMPHASES: CLINICAL MENTAL HEALTH AND MARRIAGE, FAMILY, AND CHILD. THIS PROGRAM HAS BEEN CACREP ACCREDITED SINCE JANUARY 2017, AND PREPARES STUDENTS TO PURSUE LICENSURE IN COUNSELING. DURING THE 2024-25 ACADEMIC YEAR, THIS PROGRAM WELCOMED A NEW COHORT OF 168 STUDENTS, GRADUATED 141 STUDENTS, AND EXPERIENCED 9 WITHDRAWALS OF THE 383 STUDENTS IN THE PROGRAM (2.3% ATTRITION).MS IN PSYCHOLOGY: THE MS IN PSYCHOLOGY IS AN ONLINE PROGRAM WITH FOUR CONCENTRATIONS IN FORENSIC PSYCHOLOGY, TECHNOLOGY AND MENTAL HEALTH, PHD CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY PREP, AND GENERAL. PAU WAS GRANTED WSCUC ACCREDITATION FOR A DISTANCE EDUCATION M.S. IN PSYCHOLOGY DEGREE PROGRAM IN 2000. DURING THE 2024-25 ACADEMIC YEAR, THIS PROGRAM WELCOMED A NEW COHORT OF 44 STUDENTS, GRADUATED 24 STUDENTS, AND EXPERIENCED 9 WITHDRAWALS OF THE 76 STUDENTS IN THE PROGRAM (11.8% ATTRITION).
  3. $2.5 million spent. PHD IN CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY: THE UNIVERSITY HAS OFFERED A RESIDENTIAL DOCTORAL PROGRAM IN CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY, LEADING TO A DOCTOR OF PSYCHOLOGY (PHD) SINCE 1975. THE PHD PROGRAM WAS ACCREDITED BY THE AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION (APA) IN 1988 AND WAS RE-ACCREDITED IN 2025 BY APA FOR TEN YEARS. DURING THE 2024-25 ACADEMIC YEAR, THIS PROGRAM WELCOMED A NEW COHORT OF 56 STUDENTS, GRADUATED 49 STUDENTS, AND EXPERIENCED 5 WITHDRAWALS OF THE 429 STUDENTS IN THE PROGRAM (1.2% ATTRITION). ADDITIONAL OUTCOMES DATA IS REPORTED ANNUALLY TO WASC, THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, THE AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION, AND OTHER INSTITUTIONS. THE UNIVERSITY MAINTAINS A DETAILED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING OF ATTRITION, TIME TO COMPLETION, INTERNSHIP MATCH RATES AND MORE AT HTTPS://PALOALTOU.EDU/ACADEMIC-PROGRAMS/PHD-CLINICAL-PSYCHOLOGY/OUTCOMES-AND-DATA.
  4. $23.3 million spent. PAU'S UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAMS:B.S. IN PSYCHOLOGY: PAU WAS GRANTED WSCUC APPROVAL FOR A BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN PSYCHOLOGY ONSITE DEGREE PROGRAM IN 2006, FOLLOWED BY APPROVAL TO OFFER A DISTANCE EDUCATION VERSION STARTING IN 2011.B.S. IN BUSINESS PSYCHOLOGY: PAU WAS GRANTED WSCUC APPROVAL FOR A BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN BUSINESS PSYCHOLOGY ONSITE DEGREE PROGRAM IN 2009, FOLLOWED BY APPROVAL TO OFFER A DISTANCE EDUCATION VERSION STARTING IN 2011.DURING THE 2024-25 ACADEMIC YEAR, THE UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAM WELCOMED A NEW COHORT OF 16 STUDENTS, GRADUATED 5 STUDENTS, AND EXPERIENCED 7 WITHDRAWALS OF THE 21 STUDENTS IN THE PROGRAM (33.3% ATTRITION).NEW DOCTORAL PROGRAM:PHD IN COUNSELOR EDUCATION & SUPERVISION: THIS PROGRAM ENROLLED ITS FIRST COHORT IN FALL 2024. THE PROGRAM AIMS TO PREPARE DOCTORAL STUDENTS TO BECOME CULTURALLY-AFFIRMING COUNSELOR EDUCATORS AND SUPERVISORS. THE PROGRAM WILL CONDUCT A SELF-STUDY AND SUBMIT THEIR FINDINGS TO CACREP FOR INITIAL ACCREDITATION BY SUMMER 2026. DURING THE 2024-25 ACADEMIC YEAR, THIS PROGRAM WELCOMED A NEW COHORT OF 8 STUDENTS, GRADUATED 0 STUDENTS, AND EXPERIENCED 1 WITHDRAWAL OF THE 8 STUDENTS IN THE PROGRAM (12.5% ATTRITION)THE CLINICS@PAU: THIS CLINICS@PAU IS THE COLLECTIVE OF ALL PAU-OPERATED TRAINING CLINICS. THEY PROVIDE ACCESSIBLE, EVIDENCE-BASED PSYCHOLOGICAL SERVICES TO THE COMMUNITY WHILE SERVING AS CLINICAL TRAINING SITES FOR DOCTORAL STUDENTS UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF LICENSED PSYCHOLOGISTS. THE COMMUNITY CLINIC, FOUNDED IN 1988, OFFERS SLIDING-SCALE COUNSELING AND PSYCHOTHERAPY TO ADULTS, CHILDREN, ADOLESCENTS, COUPLES, FAMILIES, AND OLDER ADULTS. THE SEXUAL AND GENDER IDENTITIES CLINIC (SGIC) PROVIDES AFFIRMING MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO IDENTIFY AS LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL, TRANSGENDER, QUEER, OR QUESTIONING. CLINICA LATINA, PART OF PAU'S COMMITMENT AS A HISPANIC SERVING INSTITUTION, DELIVERS BILINGUAL (ENGLISH/SPANISH) PSYCHOTHERAPY TO THE BAY AREA LATINX COMMUNITY. IN ADDITION, ECLINIC@PAU PROVIDES TELEHEALTH AND DIGITAL THERAPY SERVICES TO STUDENTS, ADULTS, AND OLDER ADULTS ACROSS CALIFORNIA WHILE SERVING AS A TRAINING SITE FOR ADVANCED GRADUATE STUDENTS FAMILIES THROUGH SUPERVISED DOCTORAL TRAINEES.CONTINUING & PROFESSIONAL STUDIES (CAPS): CAPS AT PAU PROVIDES ADVANCED CONTINUING EDUCATION FOR MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS. THEY PROVIDE TRAINING THROUGH LIVE EVENTS, ON-DEMAND, SELF-PACED TRAINING PROGRAMS INCLUDING BUNDLED PROGRAMS, AND CERTIFICATE PATHWAYS, WITH CONTENT CURATED BY SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS. ITS FLEXIBLE, LEARNER-CENTERED PROGRAMS ARE DESIGNED TO MEET THE NEEDS OF WORKING PROFESSIONALS AND SUPPORT SKILL DEVELOPMENT, SPECIALIZATION, AND PROFESSIONAL ADVANCEMENT.IN FY 2024-25:LIVE EVENTS HOSTED: 86TOTAL PARTICIPANTS: 4,868ON-DEMAND PROGRAMS DEVELOPED: 74TOTAL PROGRAM ENROLLMENTS: 7,410TOTAL UNIQUE STUDENTS*: 3,920*OUR CUSTOMERS INCLUDE CAPS PAID CUSTOMERS AND PAU STUDENTS.MASTER OF SOCIAL WORK:MASTER OF SOCIAL WORK IS A NEW PROGRAM THAT ENROLLED ITS FIRST COHORT IN FALL 2025. THIS PROGRAM IS DESIGNED TO LEAD DIRECTLY TO LICENSURE AS A LICENSED CLINICAL SOCIAL WORKER. IT HAS TWO TRACKS: CHILDREN AND YOUTH IN SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY SETTINGS; AND ADULTS IN PUBLIC BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SETTINGS. IT HAS BEEN APPROVED BY WSCUC IN 2025 AND IS IN THE ACCREDITATION PROCESS FOR CSWE.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending July 31, 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 October 13, 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 July 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 April 1976.

    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 October 21, 2026.

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