The Corporation of Mercer University
The Corporation of Mercer University reported $484.7 million in revenue and $453.8 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $95.55 went to program services, $3.69 to management and general costs and $0.76 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was program service revenue such as fees, sales and contracts: 78.8% of the total. Government grants made up 9.7%. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $970,596 (SENIOR ASSOCIATE DEAN/SCHOOL OF MEDICINE). 425 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 19% 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 $454MFor 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 $485MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 95.5% | 84.4% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 3.7% | 13.4% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 0.8% | 0.8% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.05 | $0.04 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 14.4% | 19.1% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 9.7% | 1.1% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 78.8% | 69.9% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $970,596 | $331,578 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 0.21% | 1.28% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 425 | 8 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 20.8 | 13.3 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 49 of 50 | 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: the university has 12 colleges and schools. The university's programs include liberal arts, business, engineering, education, medicine, nursing, pharmacy, law, theology, music and health professions. These expenses are related to the direct instruction of higher education. The university serves of 9,000 degree seeking students in the 12 colleges and schools. The university bestowed over 2,600 degrees for the 2024-2025 school year. The peace corps is one of many instructional programs provided at mercer. Mercer currently ranks 4th nationally among peace corps prep certificate…
Scholarships: these expenses are related to the support provided to the university's students based on donor stipulation, need, and merit. The university provides scholarship aid within 4 categories. Mercer based aid scholarships are based on academic credentials and the scholarships are renewable up to 4 years. Talent based aid scholarships are either athletic scholarships or music scholarships. Need based aid scholarships are based on economic need. Competitive aid scholarships are based on merit. Over 90% of the university's students received scholarships and discounts
Auxiliary services: the university's auxiliary services facilitates the creation of community, extends the learning environment beyond the classroom, and enhances the quality of campus life through the delivery of quality goods and services including residence, dining services, clinic operations, as well as athletic and retail operations for over 9,000 students. Auxiliary services maintain the bear card system which provides for a variety of different dining options and easier access for students to pay for those options. Auxiliary services also provides mail and document services as well as…
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SENIOR ASSOCIATE DEAN/SCHOOL OF MEDICINE Highest compensated employee, 40.0 hrs/week | $942,494 | $0 | $28,102 | $970,596 |
| PRESIDENT/PROFESSOR Director/trustee, officer, 40.0 hrs/week | $558,447 | $0 | $54,937 | $613,384 |
| ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR Highest compensated employee, 40.0 hrs/week | $491,169 | $0 | $54,504 | $545,673 |
| DEAN/PROFESSOR Key employee, 40.0 hrs/week | $462,294 | $0 | $54,266 | $516,560 |
| EXEC VP-ADMIN & FINANCE Officer, 40.0 hrs/week | $357,169 | $0 | $53,374 | $410,543 |
| PROVOST Officer, 40.0 hrs/week | $348,262 | $0 | $53,375 | $401,637 |
| Executive VP FOR ENROLLMENT MANAGEMENT Officer, 40.0 hrs/week | $316,300 | $0 | $50,905 | $367,205 |
| PROFFESSOR Highest compensated employee, 40.0 hrs/week | $304,991 | $0 | $50,002 | $354,993 |
425 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from The Corporation of Mercer University (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $4.0M (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–1b50 · 49 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 2Yes
- 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 18No
- Over $10,000 of activity outside the U.S. Part IV 14bYes
- Employees Part I, line 54,514
- Volunteers Part I, line 6570
Largest outside contractors
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| Aramark Services Inc Food Services | $11,106,022 |
| Orbis Education Services LLC Program Management Services | $4,648,057 |
| National Management Resources Corporation Facilities Management | $4,613,886 |
| Conditioned Air Inc HVAC Services | $2,082,684 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 170 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
56 private foundations reported grants to The Corporation of Mercer University totaling $3.7M 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 The Corporation of Mercer 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 The Corporation of Mercer University, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
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Of every $100 The Corporation of Mercer University spent in FY2025, $95.55 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- California Baptist UniversityRiverside, CA · revenue $483M · programs 86.7% · FY2025
- Wellesley CollegeWellesley, MA · revenue $487M · programs 77.2% · FY2025
- KIPP TexasHouston, TX · revenue $479M · programs 91.9% · FY2025
- Colgate UniversityHamilton, NY · revenue $491M · programs 87.3% · FY2025
- University of Nebraska FoundationLincoln, NE · revenue $479M · programs 81.1% · FY2025
Questions people ask
How much of The Corporation of Mercer University's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, The Corporation of Mercer University reported that 95.5% of its $453.8 million in expenses went to program services, 3.7% to management and general and 0.8% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does The Corporation of Mercer University pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation The Corporation of Mercer University reported for one person in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 was $970,596, for the role of SENIOR ASSOCIATE DEAN/SCHOOL OF MEDICINE (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does The Corporation of Mercer University get its money?
Of $484.7 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, 14.4% came from contributions and grants (including 9.7% from government grants) and 78.8% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is The Corporation of Mercer University a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 58-0566167 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 202611279349301536 · read the filing · XML
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024, object 202521359349302797 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023, object 202411319349304971 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022, object 202321359349306462 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2021, object 202241269349303019 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2020, object 202111349349304916 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 58-0566167: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.