Palo Alto University
Palo Alto University reported $42.4 million in revenue and $42.6 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending July 31, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $75.12 went to program services, $24.18 to management and general costs and $0.70 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was program service revenue such as fees, sales and contracts: 94.3% of the total. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $629,807 (PRES.(THRU 6/25)/PRES. EM.(EFF 7/25)). 101 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 22% between FY2020 and FY2025. Source: Form 990, FY2025.
Where $100 of spending went
The fiscal year ending July 31, 2025 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $43MFor 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 July 31, 2025 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $42M- Contributions & grants (non-government)$1.52 $646K
- Government grants$2.72 $1.2M
- Program service revenue$94.23 $40M
- Investment income$1.53 $648K
Other revenue was negative: −$19,362. The bar shows the positive sources only.
The 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 75.1% | 84.4% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 24.2% | 13.4% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 0.7% | 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 | 4.2% | 19.1% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 2.7% | 1.1% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 94.3% | 69.9% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $629,807 | $331,578 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 1.48% | 1.28% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 101 | 8 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 6.9 | 13.3 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 23 of 24 | 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 expensePsyd 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…
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…
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…
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PRES.(THRU 6/25)/PRES. EM.(EFF 7/25) Director/trustee, officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $485,191 | $0 | $144,616 | $629,807 |
| VP OF CONTINUING & PROF STUDIES Key employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $394,133 | $0 | $84,610 | $478,743 |
| PROVOST, VP ACAD STDNT AFFAIRS Key employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $307,010 | $0 | $34,215 | $341,225 |
| CFO, VP OF FINANCE AND OPERATIONS Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $297,999 | $0 | $37,423 | $335,422 |
| PROFESSOR Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $249,559 | $0 | $19,952 | $269,511 |
| DIR., OFFICE OF PROF. ADVISING & DEVELP Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $227,765 | $0 | $27,837 | $255,602 |
| PROFESSOR Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $234,165 | $0 | $16,237 | $250,402 |
| PROFESSOR Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $221,247 | $0 | $26,526 | $247,773 |
101 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Palo Alto University (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $2.0M (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–1b24 · 23 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 4No
- Over $15,000 of professional fundraising services Part IV 18No
- Over $10,000 of activity outside the U.S. Part IV 14bNo
- Employees Part I, line 5602
- Volunteers Part I, line 654
Largest outside contractors
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| STANFORD UNIVERSITY Consortium agreement | $3,403,257 |
| JENZABAR Erp services | $276,734 |
| SCELC Library consortium | $202,441 |
| CARNEGIE DEARTLET LLC Higher education marketing | $195,825 |
| PROTECT INTERNATIONAL RISK & SAFETY SERV Faculty serv, royalty agrmt | $168,791 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 12 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
2 private foundations reported grants to Palo Alto University totaling $4,040 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 Palo Alto 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 Palo Alto University, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 Palo Alto University spent in FY2025, $75.12 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- Academy in ManayunkConshohocken, PA · revenue $42M · programs 82.5% · FY2025
- The Accelerated SchoolsLos Angeles, CA · revenue $42M · programs 77.5% · FY2025
- US Chamber of Commerce FoundationWashington, DC · revenue $42M · programs 87.7% · 2024
- The Leadership NetworkWest Hollywood, CA · revenue $42M · programs 98.4% · 2024
- Clarke University of Dubuque IowaDubuque, IA · revenue $42M · programs 87.9% · FY2025
Questions people ask
How much of Palo Alto University's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending July 31, 2025, Palo Alto University reported that 75.1% of its $42.6 million in expenses went to program services, 24.2% to management and general and 0.7% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Palo Alto University pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Palo Alto University reported for one person in the fiscal year ending July 31, 2025 was $629,807, for the role of PRES.(THRU 6/25)/PRES. EM.(EFF 7/25) (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Palo Alto University get its money?
Of $42.4 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending July 31, 2025, 4.2% came from contributions and grants (including 2.7% from government grants) and 94.3% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Palo Alto University a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 94-2340692 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 July 31, 2025, object 202611609349301851 · read the filing · XML
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending July 31, 2024, object 202541679349300929 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending July 31, 2023, object 202441669349300929 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending July 31, 2022, object 202321989349300512 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending July 31, 2021, object 202241669349302104 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending July 31, 2020, object 202131619349300818 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 94-2340692: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.