Thiel College empowers individuals to reach their full potential by creating a diverse and inclusive learning environment that ensures educational excellence, stimulates global awareness, and promotes ethical leadership. In doing so, Thiel prepares students for careers and lives of meaning and purpose.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
93¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$1.3M paid to officers and key staff.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · Pay: Part VII

Before you give

FY2021 · Form 990Independent: from IRS data, not the org
Download 990
IRS status
501(c)(3)
not on the IRS revocation list
Looks good: listed by the IRS and not on the revocation list.
IRS BMF · Auto-Revocation List
Tax-deductible gifts
Yes
Donations are tax-deductible
Looks good: the IRS lists gifts to it as deductible.
IRS Pub. 78 · IRS BMF
Latest return
FY2025
latest Form 990
Looks good: the latest return is for FY2025, 1 tax year back; within 2 tax years.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
5 of 6
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $2.2M a year · 4% of revenue · last 6 filings
Fine: a surplus in 5 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
93%
of spending
Looks good: 93% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$1.3M
to officers and key staff · 3% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 3% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
4 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 3.6 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
4
named funders · $264K
Looks good: 4 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$41.0M
42% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 42% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
29
of 30 voting members
Looks good: 29 of 30 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$47.5M
+36% vs prior year
Spent
$43.2M
To programs
93%
Net assets
$56.5M
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$47.5M
FY2021▲ +36%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$35.0M
FY2021$47.5M
FY2022$54.8M
FY2023$53.3M
FY2024$52.7M
FY2025$62.5M
Expenses
$43.2M
FY2021▲ +11%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$39.0M
FY2021$43.2M
FY2022$49.9M
FY2023$53.2M
FY2024$52.7M
FY2025$54.5M
Net assets
$56.5M
FY2021▲ +22%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$46.2M
FY2021$56.5M
FY2022$53.5M
FY2023$57.2M
FY2024$61.5M
FY2025$73.0M

From the FY2021 Form 990 (year ending June 2021) · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

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You’re viewing the FY2021 filing — not the latest on file. See the latest (FY2025) →

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Aug 1963.

IRS Pub. 78 · IRS Auto-Revocation List · IRS Business Master File

Where the money goes

93 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 93% · $40.2M Management & general 6% · $2.5M Fundraising 1% · $469K

Form 990 Part IX, line 25, columns B–D. Every line is in By the numbers.

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Who runs it and what they're paid

58 people listed on the 990; $1.3M paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2020); the FY2021 filing did not itemize Part VII
$249,267Pt VII · Sec A
SVP Finance & Management
$175,929Pt VII · Sec A
VP Enrollment Management
$144,452Pt VII · Sec A
VP Academic Affairs & Dean
$135,114Pt VII · Sec A
VP for College Advancement
$123,532Pt VII · Sec A
Professor, Sl Program Dir.
$122,696Pt VII · Sec A
Professor, Dept. Chair
$109,639Pt VII · Sec A
VP Student Life & Dean
$103,061Pt VII · Sec A

Dr Susan Traverso’s $259K as President is at the 55th percentile of top reported officer pay among 3683 $10–100M education nonprofits. Peer set: organizations in the same NTEE major field of work and revenue-size band, compared on each org’s own highest-paid officer/key-employee, from Form 990 Part VII / 990-PF Part VIII. Descriptive placement, not a verdict on whether the pay is appropriate.

Compensation history total reportable pay by year · 8 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Dr Susan Traverso$258,737$302,486$334,713$231,161$249,267$257,036
Amy Arbogast$176,927$176,927$177,217$97,210——
Robert Schmoll———$93,775$175,929$167,699
James Tkacik$171,577—————
Roberta Leonard$139,014$159,014$128,997$121,090$123,532$122,588
Lynn Williams—$155,666$140,360———
Ashley Zullo$137,033$138,408$151,140$121,872$144,452$122,516
Mary Beth Mason$142,774$144,652$137,474$123,030$122,696—

Total reportable compensation (Form 990 Part VII column D / Schedule J column E) by filing year, matched by name within this organization. The Schedule J base / bonus / deferred breakdown is not parsed into this dataset.

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Questions the 990 asks

The form asks each of these directly. These are the filed answers.

  • Family or business ties among officersPt VI · Ln 2Yes
  • Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aYes

Programs and updates

Provides higher education opportunities for students.

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Provided by the organization

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1 program · $40.2M · in their own filed words · FY2020
01

Thiel college was founded in 1866 as a coeducational institution in western pennsylvania and is an independent liberal arts college rooted in the lutheran tradition offering distinctive programs in the arts and humanities, social and natural sciences, and professional studies together with engaging co-curricular and athletic…

$40.2Mprogram expense

Funders

Who pays for it.

From grant filings on record. Receipts are incomplete: individual donors are never listed.

Grants

Schedule I · received and paid
Grants received · FY2025
See all 4 funders →
Grants paid · 17 grants · $116.4M · 2019–2024
Unitemized GrantFY2024$20,880,923
Unitemized GrantFY2024$2,152,330
Unitemized GrantFY2023$18,894,005
Unitemized GrantFY2023$2,392,365
Unitemized GrantFY2023$37,596
Unitemized GrantFY2022$17,254,673
Unitemized GrantFY2022$2,863,736
Unitemized GrantFY2022$675,322
Unitemized GrantFY2021$16,320,794
Unitemized GrantFY2021$2,333,938
Unitemized GrantFY2021$493,373
Unitemized GrantFY2020$15,221,248
Unitemized GrantFY2020$1,437,112
Unitemized GrantFY2020$465,877
Unitemized GrantFY2019$8,448,141
Unitemized GrantFY2019$6,074,743
Unitemized GrantFY2019$465,877

By the numbers

The FY2021 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$47.5M
Ln 12
Fees for servicesLn 2g$32.7M
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$10.5M
Investment incomeLn 3$3.4M
Money outPt IX
$43.2M
Ln 25
Programscol B$40.2M
Managementcol C$2.5M
Fundraisingcol D$469K
Owns and owesPt X
$56.5M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$13.1M
Total assetsLn 16$97.6M
LiabilitiesLn 26$41.0M
PeoplePt VI, VII
58
listed · VII A
PaidVII A10
Voting boardVI 1a30
IndependentVI 1b29
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$10.5M
Government grantsLn 1e$4.5M
Noncash giftsLn 1g$31K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$32.7M
Investment incomeLn 3$3.4M
Other incomeLn 4–11$863K
Gains on assetsLn 7$2.2M
Total revenueLn 12$47.5M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$2K
SavingsLn 2$13.1M
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$13.1M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$33.4M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$35.4M
Other assetsLn 15$9.5M
Total assetsLn 16$97.6M
LiabilitiesLn 26$41.0M
Net assetsLn 32$56.5M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 5575
VolunteersI 620
Fiscal year endsHeaderJune
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13Yes
Records policyVI 14Yes
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY21End FY21
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$1.3M$13.1M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$28.0M$33.4M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$33.7M$35.4M
Total assetsLn 16$74.8M$97.6M
LiabilitiesLn 26$28.6M$41.0M
Net assetsLn 32$46.2M$56.5M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic individualsLn 2$17.1M$17.1M
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$1.1M$532K$404K$119K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$9.8M$9.1M$464K$219K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$32K$30K$2K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$1.6M$1.5M$59K$18K
Payroll taxesLn 10$772K$671K$76K$25K
Legal feesLn 11b$21K$21K
Accounting feesLn 11c$65K$65K
Investment management feesLn 11f$133K$133K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$3.4M$3.1M$235K$56K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$442K$422K$20K$6
Office expensesLn 13$1.1M$639K$465K$25K
Information technologyLn 14$376K$376K
OccupancyLn 16$1.1M$1.1M$35K
TravelLn 17$187K$183K$2K$1K
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$85$85
InterestLn 20$1.6M$1.6M
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$3.0M$3.0M
InsuranceLn 23$452K$448K$4K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$733K$713K$20K
All other expensesLn 24e$222K$142K$80K
Total functional expensesLn 25$43.2M$40.2M$2.5M$469K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest $62.5M$54.5M$8.0M$73.0M 990 PDF
FY2024 $52.7M$52.7M$30K$61.5M 990 PDF
FY2023 $53.3M$53.2M$59K$57.2M 990 PDF
FY2022 $54.8M$49.9M$4.9M$53.5M 990 PDF
FY2021 Viewing $47.5M$43.2M$4.3M$56.5M 990 PDF
FY2020 $35.0M$39.0M−$4.0M$46.2M 990 PDF

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Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons I · Grants A · Public support M · Noncash J · Pay O · Explanations
See the full FY2021 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $47,464,141 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $5,661,009$10,544,166
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $28,313,351$32,679,896
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $831,017$3,376,603
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $176,946$863,476
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $34,982,323$47,464,141
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $14,988,761$17,124,237
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $12,822,776$13,235,998
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $11,208,771$12,816,140
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $39,020,308$43,176,375
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year −$4,037,985$4,287,766
Part VI · Governance 29 of 30 board members independent, 1 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body30
VI-1b Independent voting members29
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsYes
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyYes
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyYes
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $47,464,141 across 11 lines filed
Lines not itemized here account for $43,556 of total revenue; see the IRS return.
VIII-1e Government grants$4,454,312
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$6,089,854
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$30,600
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$10,544,166
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $32,679,896$32,679,896
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $1,158,488$1,158,488
VIII-6 Net rental income or lossExcluded from tax $1,447$1,447
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsExcluded from tax $2,218,115$2,218,115
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising eventsExcluded from tax $6,504$6,504
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Excluded from tax $811,969$811,969
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $32,679,896 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $4,240,079$47,464,141
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $43,176,375 across 21 lines filed
IX-2 Grants to domestic individualsPrograms $17,124,237$17,124,237
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $532,390 · Management $403,957 · Fundraising $119,118$1,055,465
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $9,083,454 · Management $464,441 · Fundraising $218,944$9,766,839
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $30,274 · Fundraising $2,101$32,375
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $1,532,489 · Management $59,425 · Fundraising $17,775$1,609,689
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $670,943 · Management $75,506 · Fundraising $25,181$771,630
IX-11b Legal feesManagement $20,510$20,510
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $64,745$64,745
IX-11f Investment management feesManagement $132,571$132,571
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $3,116,313 · Management $235,099 · Fundraising $55,739$3,407,151
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $421,857 · Management $19,925 · Fundraising $6$441,788
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $638,878 · Management $464,971 · Fundraising $25,078$1,128,927
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $376,336$376,336
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $1,080,058 · Management $34,529$1,114,587
IX-17 TravelPrograms $183,409 · Management $2,337 · Fundraising $1,113$186,859
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $85$85
IX-20 InterestPrograms $1,581,789$1,581,789
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $2,953,225$2,953,225
IX-23 InsuranceManagement $448,224 · Fundraising $4,150$452,374
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $712,641 · Management $20,435$733,076
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $141,931 · Management $80,186$222,117
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $40,180,309 · Management $2,526,861 · Fundraising $469,205$43,176,375
Part X · Balance sheet $97,550,860 assets, 20 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $1,600$1,638
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $1,270,885$13,123,298
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $2,060,795$3,022,838
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $1,693,703$2,430,172
X-8 Inventories for sale or useStart of year $96,024$109,932
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $654,169$503,452
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $33,726,488$35,419,795
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $27,037,897$32,699,185
X-13 Program-related investmentsStart of year $962,394$737,323
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $7,334,821$9,503,227
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $74,838,776$97,550,860
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $1,616,806$1,863,097
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $1,403,542$524,880
X-20 Tax-exempt bond liabilities$31,325,584
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $4,619,121$4,768,086
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $28,626,240$41,011,209
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $8,536,708$7,404,880
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $37,675,828$49,134,771
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $46,212,536$56,539,651
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $74,838,776$97,550,860
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $56,539,651 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$47,464,141
XI-2 Total expenses$43,176,375
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$4,287,766
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$46,212,536
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$6,121,548
XI-9 Other changes in net assets−$82,199
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$56,539,651

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2021 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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