Pepperdine University is a christian University committed to the highest standards of academic excellence and christian values, where students are strengthened for lives of purpose, service, and leadership. See schedule o for more information.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
78¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$10.0M 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

FY2020 · 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
6 of 6
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $74.8M a year · 11% of revenue · last 6 filings
Looks good: a surplus in 6 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
78%
of spending
Looks good: 78% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$10.0M
to officers and key staff · 2% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 2% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
3 mo
of spending, in cash
Plus $1.14B in investments, Pt X · Ln 11–13
Fine: 2.8 months of spending in cash; 1 to 3.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
8
named funders · $1.7M
Looks good: 8 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$687.2M
34% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 34% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
24
of 30 voting members
Looks good: 24 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
$580.2M
Spent
$555.4M
To programs
78%
Net assets
$1.4B
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$580.2M
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$580.2M
FY2021$724.2M
FY2022$719.1M
FY2023$699.8M
FY2024$705.5M
FY2025$755.1M
Expenses
$555.4M
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$555.4M
FY2021$559.6M
FY2022$639.6M
FY2023$649.4M
FY2024$664.7M
FY2025$666.5M
Net assets
$1.4B
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$1.4B
FY2021$1.7B
FY2022$1.7B
FY2023$1.7B
FY2024$1.9B
FY2025$2.0B

From the FY2020 Form 990 (year ending July 2020) · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

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You’re viewing the FY2020 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 Dec 1940.

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

Where the money goes

78 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 78% · $433.7M Management & general 20% · $113.2M Fundraising 2% · $8.5M

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

69 people listed on the 990; $10.0M paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2019); the FY2020 filing did not itemize Part VII
President Emeritus
$1,133,559Pt VII · Sec A
Head Coach, Basketball
$750,845Pt VII · Sec A
SVP for Investments & CIO
$624,484Pt VII · Sec A
Dean, Graziadio Business Schoo
$462,179Pt VII · Sec A
Executive VP
$429,402Pt VII · Sec A
Provost & Chief Academic Off
$427,244Pt VII · Sec A
Darling Chair in Law & Profess
$342,219Pt VII · Sec A
Dean's Distinguished Professor
$332,519Pt VII · Sec A

James Gash’s $918K as President & CEO is at the 71st percentile of top reported officer pay among 674 $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
Andrew Benton———$293,691$632,050$1,133,559
James Gash$917,815$793,965$778,582$586,932$440,146$218,214
Lorenzo Romar$461,602$801,490$772,329$774,442$769,468$750,845
Charles Pippin———$323,750$533,390$624,484
Gary Hanson$237,358$518,684$487,520$589,202$489,137$429,402
Edmund Schilling$558,269—————
Deryck Janse Van Rensburg—$396,428$464,941$502,711$471,077$462,179
Sara Young Jackson$498,205$470,952$440,811$396,012$325,124$242,623

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 2No
  • Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aYes
  • Loans to or from officersSch L · Pt II4 listed

Programs and updates

Provides Christian higher education and research opportunities to undergraduate and graduate students through campuses in California and international study programs.

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Provided by the organization

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3 programs · $413.3M · in their own filed words · FY2019
01

Student Services, Including Scholarships to Enrolled Students

There are many auxiliary services offered to the students to promote their intellectual, emotional, and spiritual development. Pepperdine university maintains multiple dining and housing facilities, a bookstore, banking services, parking facilities located all over campus, transportation services, recreational fields, and mail services.

$200.2Mprogram expense
02

Instruction and Research

Pepperdine university is a top christian institution for higher education, and serves approximately 3,600 undergraduate students and 5,200 graduate students. In addition to the university's campuses in california, pepperdine university maintains several student learning programs in locations such as europe, asia (program ended during…

$116.9Mprogram expense
03

Academic Support

Pepperdine university equips students with academic support to ensure students reach their educational goals. University services such as the library, tech central, pepperdine counseling center, the health center, and one stop, which is the primary academic advising center, assist in the well-being and academic progress of the…

$96.2Mprogram 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 8 funders →
Grants paid · 9 grants · $834.0M · 2019–2024
Unitemized GrantFY2024$141,630,402
Forever FoundCA · FY2024$6,250
Unitemized GrantFY2023$139,069,817
Unitemized GrantFY2022$142,455,113
Unitemized GrantFY2021$146,803,410
Wave Services INCCA · FY2021$908,377
Unitemized GrantFY2020$135,564,686
Unitemized GrantFY2019$122,497,422
Wave Services INCCA · FY2019$5,040,096

By the numbers

The FY2020 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$580.2M
Ln 12
Fees for servicesLn 2g$465.0M
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$55.8M
Investment incomeLn 3$49.2M
Money outPt IX
$555.4M
Ln 25
Programscol B$433.7M
Managementcol C$113.2M
Fundraisingcol D$8.5M
Owns and owesPt X
$1.4B
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$129.0M
Total assetsLn 16$2.0B
LiabilitiesLn 26$687.2M
PeoplePt VI, VII
69
listed · VII A
PaidVII A33
Voting boardVI 1a30
IndependentVI 1b24
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$55.8M
Government grantsLn 1e$6.5M
Noncash giftsLn 1g$8.1M
Fundraising eventsLn 1c$871K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$465.0M
Investment incomeLn 3$49.2M
Other incomeLn 4–11$10.1M
Gains on assetsLn 7$17.8M
Total revenueLn 12$580.2M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$3.0M
SavingsLn 2$126.0M
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$129.0M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$1.14B
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$521.2M
Other assetsLn 15$181.9M
Total assetsLn 16$2.0B
LiabilitiesLn 26$687.2M
Net assetsLn 32$1.4B
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 55,155
VolunteersI 620
Fiscal year endsHeaderJuly
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 FY20End FY20
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$150.4M$129.0M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$948.2M$1.14B
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$447.5M$521.2M
Total assetsLn 16$1.93B$2.05B
LiabilitiesLn 26$536.2M$687.2M
Net assetsLn 32$1.39B$1.36B
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$5.0M$5.0M
Grants to domestic individualsLn 2$122.5M$122.5M
Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsLn 3$8.3M$8.3M
Benefits paid to or for membersLn 4$0
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$9.2M$2.6M$5.5M$1.1M
Pay of disqualified personsLn 6$2.7M$1.3M$904K$527K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$154.2M$116.9M$32.8M$4.5M
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$10.9M$7.7M$2.9M$330K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$31.1M$21.8M$8.4M$916K
Payroll taxesLn 10$11.1M$7.7M$3.0M$376K
Management feesLn 11a$0
Legal feesLn 11b$1.1M$90K$986K$1K
Accounting feesLn 11c$948K$3K$945K
Lobbying feesLn 11d$103K$103K
Professional fundraising feesLn 11e$0
Investment management feesLn 11f$6.5M$6.5M
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$42.3M$35.0M$7.1M$213K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$6.1M$4.6M$1.5M$63K
Office expensesLn 13$8.8M$4.5M$4.2M$162K
Information technologyLn 14$9.7M$3.9M$5.8M$150
RoyaltiesLn 15$0
OccupancyLn 16$12.1M$8.6M$3.4M$4K
TravelLn 17$6.6M$5.8M$752K$34K
Travel and entertainment for public officialsLn 18$0
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$12.5M$11.4M$1.1M$35K
InterestLn 20$18.1M$14.8M$3.2M$72K
Payments to affiliatesLn 21$0
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$27.9M$22.8M$5.0M$112K
InsuranceLn 23$3.6M$103K$3.5M$21
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$21.6M$6.1M$15.4M$3K
All other expensesLn 24e$22.5M$22.1M$250K$140K
Total functional expensesLn 25$555.4M$433.7M$113.2M$8.5M

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest $755.1M$666.5M$88.7M$2.0B 990 PDF
FY2024 $705.5M$664.7M$40.7M$1.9B 990 PDF
FY2023 $699.8M$649.4M$50.4M$1.7B 990 PDF
FY2022 $719.1M$639.6M$79.5M$1.7B 990 PDF
FY2021 $724.2M$559.6M$164.6M$1.7B 990 PDF
FY2020 Viewing $580.2M$555.4M$24.8M$1.4B 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 F · Foreign M · Noncash J · Pay O · Explanations
See the full FY2020 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $580,174,202 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $34,179,043$55,834,209
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $435,858,309$465,020,833
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $63,810,698$49,222,083
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $9,538,651$10,097,077
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $543,386,701$580,174,202
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $121,289,831$135,876,149
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $207,596,289$219,172,425
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $38,808$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $192,379,880$200,373,680
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $521,304,808$555,422,254
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $22,081,893$24,751,948
Part VI · Governance 24 of 30 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body30
VI-1b Independent voting members24
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsNo
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 $580,174,202 across 14 lines filed
Lines not itemized here account for $5,808,649 of total revenue; see the IRS return.
VIII-1c Fundraising events$870,755
VIII-1d Related organizations$7,162,324
VIII-1e Government grants$6,531,574
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$41,269,556
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$8,107,438
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$55,834,209
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $465,020,833$465,020,833
VIII-3 Investment incomeUnrelated business $2,831,794 · Excluded from tax $28,602,563$31,434,357
VIII-5 Royalties$0
VIII-6 Net rental income or lossExcluded from tax $850,071$850,071
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsExcluded from tax $17,787,726$17,787,726
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising eventsExcluded from tax −$807,393−$807,393
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Unrelated business $459,041 · Excluded from tax $3,786,709$4,245,750
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $465,020,833 · Unrelated business $3,290,835 · Excluded from tax $56,028,325$580,174,202
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $555,422,254 across 31 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $5,043,596$5,043,596
IX-2 Grants to domestic individualsPrograms $122,497,422$122,497,422
IX-3 Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsPrograms $8,335,131$8,335,131
IX-4 Benefits paid to or for members$0
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $2,595,344 · Management $5,511,685 · Fundraising $1,091,699$9,198,728
IX-6 Pay of disqualified personsPrograms $1,315,947 · Management $903,873 · Fundraising $527,273$2,747,093
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $116,880,091 · Management $32,817,767 · Fundraising $4,468,795$154,166,653
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $7,722,614 · Management $2,887,678 · Fundraising $329,699$10,939,991
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $21,771,594 · Management $8,370,293 · Fundraising $915,702$31,057,589
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $7,669,515 · Management $3,017,198 · Fundraising $375,658$11,062,371
IX-11a Management fees$0
IX-11b Legal feesPrograms $90,305 · Management $985,825 · Fundraising $1,134$1,077,264
IX-11c Accounting feesPrograms $2,725 · Management $944,889$947,614
IX-11d Lobbying feesManagement $102,516$102,516
IX-11f Investment management feesManagement $6,520,198$6,520,198
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $35,024,612 · Management $7,108,941 · Fundraising $212,972$42,346,525
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $4,578,339 · Management $1,470,480 · Fundraising $63,052$6,111,871
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $4,452,397 · Management $4,206,664 · Fundraising $161,906$8,820,967
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $3,884,552 · Management $5,793,377 · Fundraising $150$9,678,079
IX-15 Royalties$0
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $8,649,141 · Management $3,411,494 · Fundraising $4,366$12,065,001
IX-17 TravelPrograms $5,789,175 · Management $752,139 · Fundraising $33,773$6,575,087
IX-18 Travel and entertainment for public officials$0
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $11,444,983 · Management $1,068,640 · Fundraising $34,613$12,548,236
IX-20 InterestPrograms $14,818,008 · Management $3,224,457 · Fundraising $72,460$18,114,925
IX-21 Payments to affiliates$0
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $22,805,728 · Management $4,962,793 · Fundraising $111,519$27,880,040
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $102,653 · Management $3,453,965 · Fundraising $21$3,556,639
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $6,116,660 · Management $15,449,140 · Fundraising $3,233$21,569,033
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $22,069,663 · Management $249,974 · Fundraising $140,048$22,459,685
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $433,660,195 · Management $113,213,986 · Fundraising $8,548,073$555,422,254
Part X · Balance sheet $2,047,744,709 assets, 24 lines filed
Asset lines not itemized here account for $6,567,885; see the IRS return.
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $3,257,617$3,007,646
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $147,112,036$125,999,205
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $49,925,199$57,697,009
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $12,680,862$7,700,482
X-8 Inventories for sale or useStart of year $0$0
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $3,998,851$4,810,727
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $447,499,519$521,166,834
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $268,215,507$556,027,466
X-12 Other securitiesStart of year $662,237,691$566,808,653
X-13 Program-related investmentsStart of year $17,718,046$16,014,162
X-14 Intangible assetsStart of year $0$0
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $311,529,955$181,944,640
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $1,930,853,615$2,047,744,709
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $48,202,020$62,001,347
X-18 Grants payableStart of year $0$0
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $18,131,219$19,045,050
X-20 Tax-exempt bond liabilitiesStart of year $296,999,021$217,696,552
X-24 Unsecured notes and loans payableStart of year $0$0
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $137,835,510$356,096,954
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $536,232,962$687,224,852
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $848,967,083$823,004,296
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $545,653,570$537,515,561
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $1,394,620,653$1,360,519,857
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $1,930,853,615$2,047,744,709
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $1,360,519,857 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$580,174,202
XI-2 Total expenses$555,422,254
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$24,751,948
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$1,394,620,653
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments−$55,032,510
XI-8 Prior period adjustments$1,714,414
XI-9 Other changes in net assets−$5,534,648
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$1,360,519,857

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2020 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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