Cornell College
Cornell College reported $87.7 million in revenue and $86.3 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $90.97 went to program services, $5.94 to management and general costs and $3.09 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was program service revenue such as fees, sales and contracts: 77.6% of the total. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $439,679 (PRESIDENT). 7 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 15% between FY2020 and FY2025. Source: Form 990, FY2025.
Where $100 of spending went
The fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $86MFor 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 June 30, 2025 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $88MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 91.0% | 84.4% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 5.9% | 13.4% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 3.1% | 0.8% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.17 | $0.04 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 17.8% | 19.1% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 1.1% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 77.6% | 69.9% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $439,679 | $331,578 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 0.51% | 1.28% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 7 | 8 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 27.8 | 13.3 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 18 of 18 | 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 expenseInstruction, academic support, continuing education and the library:Cornell College, a selective liberal arts college in mount vernon, iowa, is recognized as one of the "colleges that change lives." the academic immersion of its one course at a time curriculum allows students to focus on a single academic subject per 18-day block. Since professors only teach one block at a time, students have more access to professors, and professors can teach students off-campus in whatever venue best fits the material. With a student body from 45 states, puerto rico, and 24 countries outside the US, and…
Student aid and financial assistance: students invest in their education at Cornell College, and cornell invests in their futures. Cornell College graduates are getting jobs and not burdened by debt, as shown by our low average loan default rate. Compared to graduates of other four-year institutions, cornellians are twice as likely to have the means to pay off student loans. 92% of cornell's 2025 graduating class completed their degrees in four years or less. Cornell's medical school acceptace rate is 79% for first time applicants (2008-2025); the national average for those years is 40%. 89%…
Auxiliary enterprises (housing, dining, student union and service center): founded in 1853, cornell's picturesque hilltop campus contains a mix of historic and modern facilities, ranging from the majestic king chapel to the newly renovated thomas commons. It is located in mount vernon, iowa-an urban fringe community recognized by frommer's as one of "america's coolest small towns and located in the heart of iowa's creative corridor. Cornell's hilltop cafe was named the second best dining hall in the nation by bestcolleges.com in 2015
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PRESIDENT Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $348,958 | $0 | $90,721 | $439,679 |
| VP FOR ENROLLMENT MANAGEMENT Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $234,657 | $0 | $42,890 | $277,547 |
| VP, CFO/COO Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $216,685 | $0 | $47,899 | $264,584 |
| VP FOR ACADEMIC AFFAIRS Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $164,560 | $0 | $37,032 | $201,592 |
| SENIOR DIRECTOR Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $122,545 | $0 | $15,030 | $137,575 |
| SPECIAL ASSISTANT TO THE PRESIDENT Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $109,016 | $0 | $5,303 | $114,319 |
| PROFESSOR OF ECONOMICS AND BUSINESS Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $103,541 | $0 | $7,969 | $111,510 |
7 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Cornell College (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $678K (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–1b18 · 18 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 4No
- Over $15,000 of professional fundraising services Part IV 18No
- Over $10,000 of activity outside the U.S. Part IV 14bYes
- Employees Part I, line 5983
- Volunteers Part I, line 6150
Largest outside contractors
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| BON APPETIT Campus food service | $3,945,797 |
| SOUTHEAST SERVICE CORPORATION Campus cleaning service | $1,059,948 |
| EAB GLOBAL INC DBA EAB Consulting services | $861,813 |
| JOHNSON CONTROLS INC Construction services | $546,612 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 14 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
34 private foundations reported grants to Cornell College totaling $1.6M 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 Cornell College's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Cornell College, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 Cornell College spent in FY2025, $90.97 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
Embed on your site
Similar-sized charities in this cause
- Nueva SchoolHillsborough, CA · revenue $88M · programs 79.1% · FY2025
- Hendrix CollegeConway, AR · revenue $88M · programs 73.7% · FY2025
- Coe CollegeCedar Rapids, IA · revenue $88M · programs 92.0% · FY2025
- Poly Prep Country Day SchoolBrooklyn, NY · revenue $88M · programs 81.1% · FY2025
- Lawndale Educational and Regional Network Charter SchoolChicago, IL · revenue $87M · programs 77.9% · FY2025
Questions people ask
How much of Cornell College's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, Cornell College reported that 91.0% of its $86.3 million in expenses went to program services, 5.9% to management and general and 3.1% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Cornell College pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Cornell College reported for one person in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 was $439,679, for the role of PRESIDENT (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Cornell College get its money?
Of $87.7 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, 17.8% came from contributions and grants and 77.6% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Cornell College a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 42-0680335 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 June 30, 2025, object 202600449349300310 · read the filing · XML
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024, object 202510419349301976 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023, object 202400459349300045 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022, object 202301309349305955 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2021, object 202221319349302402 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2020, object 202141139349300049 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 42-0680335: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.