Butler University
Butler University reported $365.4 million in revenue and $356.7 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending May 31, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $84.69 went to program services, $14.07 to management and general costs and $1.24 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was program service revenue such as fees, sales and contracts: 80.5% of the total. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $2,702,141 (Men's Basketball Head Coach). 285 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 33% between FY2020 and FY2025. Source: Form 990, FY2025.
Where $100 of spending went
The fiscal year ending May 31, 2025 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $357MFor context, the median across 5,499 covered education charities: $85.56 programs, $13.59 management, $0.85 fundraising (medians computed separately, so they may not sum to $100).
Where $100 of revenue came from
The fiscal year ending May 31, 2025 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $365MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 84.7% | 84.4% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 14.1% | 13.4% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 1.2% | 0.8% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.08 | $0.04 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 15.8% | 19.1% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 0.3% | 1.1% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 80.5% | 69.9% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $2,702,141 | $331,578 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 0.76% | 1.28% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 285 | 8 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 19.0 | 13.3 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 29 of 31 | 100.0% |
A median is context, not a target: hospitals, universities, food banks and grantmakers spend in very different ways. What these measures can and can't tell you.
What the money paid for, in its own words
FY2025 · Form 990, Part III · the three largest programs by expenseEducation: Butler University delivers an outstanding education steeped in the liberal arts and coupled with experiential learning opportunities that include internships, study abroad, service projects, and scholarly research. Through this comprehensive approach, we prepare students to step directly into a career or graduate school with confidence. The university's most recent placement rate was 98 percent, including 25 percent that went on to attend graduate school or participate in a gap-year program. In its rankings for 2026, U.S. News and world report named butler the no. 1 school among…
Highest reported compensation
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section A · roles as filed; names are in the filing, not here| Role | From this org | From related orgs | Other | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Men's Basketball Head Coach Highest compensated employee, 50.0 hrs/week | $2,649,530 | $0 | $52,611 | $2,702,141 |
| President Officer, 50.0 hrs/week | $925,823 | $0 | $66,131 | $991,954 |
| Provost/EVP - Academic Affairs Highest compensated employee, 50.0 hrs/week | $346,201 | $0 | $53,204 | $399,405 |
| General Counsel/Asst Secretary Officer, 50.0 hrs/week | $289,713 | $0 | $94,224 | $383,937 |
| Women's Basketball Coach Highest compensated employee, 50.0 hrs/week | $319,717 | $0 | $49,537 | $369,254 |
| EVP - Finance & Admin/COO/Asst Treas. Officer, 50.0 hrs/week | $315,437 | $0 | $50,166 | $365,603 |
| Men's Basketball Assistant Coach Highest compensated employee, 50.0 hrs/week | $313,285 | $0 | $43,401 | $356,686 |
| VP and Athletics Director Highest compensated employee, 50.0 hrs/week | $305,565 | $0 | $48,058 | $353,623 |
285 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Butler University (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $1.7M (Part IX, line 5).
6 years of filings
Form 990, Parts I, VII, IX and X · each row is that year's own filing, linkedGovernance answers, as filed
FY2025 · the organization's own yes/no answers; explanations, if any, are in Schedule O of the filing · what each means- Voting board members, and how many are independent Part VI, lines 1a–1b31 · 29 independent
- Audited financial statements Part XII 2bYes
- Conflict-of-interest policy Part VI 12aYes
- Whistleblower policy Part VI 13Yes
- Document retention policy Part VI 14Yes
- Independent process for top executive pay Part VI 15aYes
- Board given the 990 before filing Part VI 11aYes
- Family or business ties among insiders Part VI 2No
- Aware of a significant diversion of assets Part VI 5No
- Excess benefit transaction with an insider Part IV 25aNo
- Loans to or from insiders outstanding Part IV 26No
- Lobbying, or a 501(h) election in effect Part IV 4Yes
- Over $15,000 of professional fundraising services Part IV 18Yes
- Over $10,000 of activity outside the U.S. Part IV 14bYes
- Employees Part I, line 53,749
- Volunteers Part I, line 61,000
Largest outside contractors
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| Bon Appetit Management Company Board/Catering | $11,678,502 |
| American Campus Communities Student Housing | $11,149,142 |
| US Bank Corporate Payment System Card Servicer | $8,605,797 |
| Huron Consulting Group Inc Consulting | $2,585,875 |
| Turner Construction Company Construction | $2,125,181 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 159 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
49 private foundations reported grants to Butler University totaling $2.3M on their tax year 2023 Form 990-PF returns. See which foundations, on WHOFUNDS.
Source: WHOFUNDS open grant graph, matched from Form 990-PF Part XV.
Correct a figure or respond
Every number above is copied from Butler University's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Butler University, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
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Of every $100 Butler University spent in FY2025, $84.69 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- Pratt InstituteBrooklyn, NY · revenue $365M · programs 86.3% · FY2025
- Trustees of the College of the Holy CrossWorcester, MA · revenue $367M · programs 84.1% · FY2025
- Oberlin CollegeOberlin, OH · revenue $363M · programs 93.3% · FY2025
- Adelphi UniversityGarden City, NY · revenue $369M · programs 89.5% · FY2025
- The Trustees of Grinnell CollegeGrinnell, IA · revenue $362M · programs 90.2% · FY2025
Questions people ask
How much of Butler University's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending May 31, 2025, Butler University reported that 84.7% of its $356.7 million in expenses went to program services, 14.1% to management and general and 1.2% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Butler University pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Butler University reported for one person in the fiscal year ending May 31, 2025 was $2,702,141, for the role of Men's Basketball Head Coach (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Butler University get its money?
Of $365.4 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending May 31, 2025, 15.8% came from contributions and grants (including 0.3% from government grants) and 80.5% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Butler University a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 35-0867977 as a 501(c)(3) organization (school), and its records show contributions as tax-deductible. Form 990 filings on record here cover tax years 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024. A filing shows what the organization reported; it doesn't by itself show whether a program works.
Sources
- FY2025: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending May 31, 2025, object 202611059349301471 · read the filing · XML
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending May 31, 2024, object 202511029349300801 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending May 31, 2023, object 202431069349301558 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending May 31, 2022, object 202341069349300014 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending May 31, 2021, object 202210959349300706 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending May 31, 2020, object 202121039349301552 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 35-0867977: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.