Education
(B430)
IRS Verified
DX Registered
990 on File
NATIONAL-LOUIS UNIVERSITY
Financial strength (30%)
87/100
Reliability (20%)
84/100
Effectiveness (25%)
100/100
Impact (25%)
60/100
71
CharityAI™ Score
out of 100
Mission Statement
National Louis University (NLU) is an inclusive, innovative community providing educational opportunities that inspire and empower all learners as they prepare for and advance in meaningful lives and productive careers. NLU serves over 13,000 students annually, offering 80+ undergraduate, graduate, and certificate programs across seven colleges and divisions. A private, broad-access, Minority-Serving Institution, NLU has three campuses in Illinois, one in Florida, and a large online presence.
Financial Overview — FY 2025
$136.7M
Annual Budget
$156.2M
Total Revenue
$139.9M
Total Expenses
$143.9M
Net Assets
1912
Employees
Revenue Sources
Expense Breakdown
Program Expense Ratio
90.4%
Fundraising Efficiency
N/A
Operating Reserve
12.35x
Liability-to-Asset
29.7%
Revenue Diversification
83.1%
Executive Compensation
$1.5M
Compared with Peers
FY 2025
Compared with 237 similar organizations
(United States, Education, $100M and over in expenses), FY 2025.
This organization
Middle half of peers (P25–P75)
Peer median
| Ratio | This org | Peer median | Position (P10 → P90) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Program expense ratio
Program expenses / total expenses
· higher is better
|
90.4% | 87.7% |
P10P90
|
Above median |
|
Admin expense ratio
Management and general / total expenses
· lower is better
|
8.3% | 10.5% |
P10P90
|
Above median |
|
Fundraising expense ratio
Fundraising expenses / total expenses
· lower is better
|
1.3% | 1.3% |
P10P90
|
Above median |
|
Operating reserve
Months of expenses covered by net assets
· higher is better
|
12.4 mo | 20.9 mo |
P10P90
|
Below median |
|
Liabilities to assets
Total liabilities / total assets
· lower is better
|
29.7% | 26.1% |
P10P90
|
Below median |
|
Revenue concentration
Share of revenue from the largest source
· lower is better
|
83.1% | 82.9% |
P10P90
|
Below median |
|
Revenue growth
Year over year revenue growth
|
6.8% | 6.6% |
P10P90
|
|
|
Expense growth
Year over year expense growth
|
9.3% | 4.7% |
P10P90
|
|
|
Surplus margin
Surplus as a share of revenue
|
10.5% | 3.6% |
P10P90
|
CharityAI™ Evaluation — 2025
71 / 10092
Financial
84
Reliability
100
Effectiveness
5
Impact
Financial Strength (30%)
92
Reliability & Transparency (20%)
84
Program Effectiveness (25%)
100
Impact & Outcomes (25%)
5
1 programs
800 staff
IRS Verified Form 990 on File 95% Data Complete
Impact
1 program| Outcome / Program | People Served | Cost / Service | # Completed | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total students served in FY25 compared to total program costs (audited). | 12,678 | $8,582.51 | — | Per Year |
Financial History
| Year | Revenue | Expenses | Net Assets | Program % | Staff |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $156.2M | $139.9M | $143.9M | 90.4% | 1912 |
| 2024 | $146.3M | $128.0M | N/A | — | 1898 |
| 2023 | $126.8M | $118.5M | $104.7M | 89.7% | 1936 |
| 2022 | $126.6M | $118.9M | $92.5M | 89.9% | 1747 |
| 2021 | $119.1M | $109.1M | N/A | — | 1736 |
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