California Lutheran University
91% goes to programs $12 to raise $100 Strong reserves
California Lutheran University is a 501(c)(3) organization based in Thousand Oaks, California, registered in 1983, with $204,848,435 in FY2024 revenue. CharityIndex grades it A, and it directs about 91% of spending to programs.
60 W Olsen Rd 1200, Thousand Oaks, CA, 91360 EIN 95-2962604 Since 1983
Revenue (FY2024)
$204.8M
▲ 10.6% vs prior year
Education median: $200K
Expenses (FY2024)
$191.3M
Net assets
$306.5M
Employees
2,266
CharityIndex rating
One independent A+ to F grade from four published criteria, each scored separately from IRS filings and combined by weight.
A
AProgram efficiency40% of the rating91% to programs · $12 to raise $100
Measures how much of every dollar spent actually reaches programs, plus what it costs to raise $100 of donations. The worse of the two measures sets the letter (85%+ to programs is an A; under $15 to raise $100 is an A), averaged over the three most recent filings. For California Lutheran University: 91% to programs · $12 to raise $100 earns a A on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
AFinancial health25% of the rating19 mo reserves · +7% margin
Measures whether the organization is built to last: how many months its reserves would cover expenses (3+ months earns an A-range score, but hoarding 5+ years of budget is capped) and whether it runs a surplus or a deficit. For California Lutheran University: 19 mo reserves · +7% margin earns a A on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
A+Governance25% of the rating6 of 6 checks met
Checks how the organization is run, from its own Form 990: an independent board majority, a board of five or more, conflict-of-interest, whistleblower and document-retention policies, and independently audited financials. The share of disclosed checks that pass sets the letter. For California Lutheran University: 6 of 6 checks met earns a A+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
A+Transparency10% of the rating5 of 5 disclosure signals
Counts five disclosure signals: a recent filing, a mission statement, program descriptions, a listed website, and the full expense breakdown. More disclosure, better letter. For California Lutheran University: 5 of 5 disclosure signals earns a A+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
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Mission
Clu is an institution offering undergraduate and graduate degrees in the liberal arts and sciences.
What they do
Student services: this program provides support for student life activities, athletics, student health and other services to students.
Higher education academic support departments include university library, computer & media labs, and faculty development programs. public service departments include the day care center, kclu (public radio station) and event services to serve the community.
Auxiliary operation: it is california lutheran university's mission to be a residential campus. the majority of the traditional undergraduate student population resides on campus to attend educational programs.
Contact & location
- Address
- 60 W Olsen Rd 1200, Thousand Oaks, CA, 91360
- City
- Thousand Oaks
- State
- California
- Category
- Education
- Subcategory
- Colleges & Universities
- Phone
- …
- Website
- …
Financial trends
Revenue grew from $164.1M (FY2013) to $204.8M (FY2024) across 12 reported years.
Financial snapshot
Financial health & position (FY2024)
Liabilities $71.7MNet assets $306.5M
Operating margin
6.6%
Revenue exceeded expenses in the latest fiscal year.
Total assets
$378.2M
Total liabilities
$71.7M
Net assets
$306.5M
Salaries & benefits
$72.6M
38% of expenses
Board members
24
23 independent
Financials by year
| Fiscal year | Revenue | Expenses | Net assets | Total assets | Form |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $204,848,435▲10.6% | $191,269,448▼0.7% | $306,470,527▲3.5% | $378,184,981▼0.4% | 990 |
| 2023 | $185,136,567▲3.5% | $192,531,196▲1.0% | $296,079,049▲1.7% | $379,668,648▲0.5% | 990 |
| 2022 | $178,848,556▼10.5% | $190,569,267▲6.3% | $291,218,985▼5.5% | $377,672,792▼5.1% | 990 |
| 2021 | $199,868,867▲10.1% | $179,292,464▲5.8% | $308,078,222▲0.4% | $398,038,694▼1.6% | 990 |
| 2020 | $181,463,115▼10.4% | $169,444,800▼8.8% | $306,878,790▲14.2% | $404,684,806▲6.5% | 990 |
| 2019 | $202,542,083▲8.3% | $185,765,906▲1.2% | $268,603,865▲6.6% | $379,855,133▲6.0% | 990 |
| 2018 | $187,034,109▲4.1% | $183,626,806▲6.8% | $251,904,586▼0.2% | $358,322,342▲4.0% | 990 |
| 2017 | $179,600,601▲3.2% | $171,869,654▲5.5% | $252,402,554▲4.0% | $344,559,535▲6.3% | 990 |
| 2016 | $173,990,294▲9.3% | $162,953,217▲5.8% | $242,734,100▲6.8% | $324,141,832▲4.6% | 990 |
| 2015 | $159,146,111▲0.8% | $154,012,094▲4.0% | $227,223,703▲1.5% | $309,875,975▲0.2% | 990 |
| 2014 | $157,937,942▼3.7% | $148,056,549▲7.3% | $223,776,184▲4.7% | $309,246,633▲2.3% | 990 |
| 2013 | $164,090,262 | $138,033,548▲9.2% | $213,642,773▲25.8% | $302,427,863▲18.1% | 990 |
| 2012 | — | $126,410,248▲6.0% | $169,817,398▲11.4% | $256,179,408▲6.9% | 990 |
| 2011 | — | $119,286,839▲7.6% | $152,430,008▲6.3% | $239,666,769▲3.0% | 990 |
| 2010 | — | $110,880,622▲12.1% | $143,390,755▲10.4% | $232,599,098▲3.6% | 990 |
| 2009 | — | $98,939,809 | $129,934,527 | $224,613,924 | 990 |
Original Form 990 PDFs (the Form column) are served by ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer, as filed with the IRS. Create a free account to download the CSV report.
Leadership & compensation (FY2024)
Highest-paid: Varlotta Lori — $1,320,882 (0.69% of total expenses)
| Name | Title | Hours/week | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Varlotta Lori | President (thru 05/24) | 40 | $1,320,882 |
| Neilson Leanne | Provost/vp, Academic Affairs | 40 | $281,646 |
| Nunes John A | President (as of 06/24) | 40 | $263,221 |
| Apfelthaler Gerhard | Dean, School of Management | 40 | $245,166 |
| Ward Matthew - Vp | Enrollment Management, Marketing | 40 | $239,741 |
| Richards Marvin | General Counsel | 40 | $238,777 |
| Biddings-muro Regina | Vp, University Advancement | 40 | $237,149 |
| Ysasi Richard - Treasurer | Vp, Admin. & Fin. (thru 11/24) | 40 | $232,088 |
| Holigrocki Richard | Dean, Graduate School of Psychology | 40 | $210,429 |
| Van Ommeren Ryan | Associate Vp, Facility Operations | 40 | $197,418 |
| Vaiman Vlad | Professor | 40 | $189,340 |
| Hillis Michael | Dean, School of Education | 40 | $189,107 |
| Feinup Matthew | Associate Professor | 40 | $186,714 |
| Roper Melinda - Vp | Student Affairs/dean of Students | 40 | $184,281 |
| Marselian Zareh | Chief Information Officer | 40 | $181,869 |
| Windham-hughes Colleen | Former Faculty Chair/board Member | 40 | $152,894 |
| Kimball Chris | Former President | 40 | $123,801 |
| Wee Allison | Former Faculty Chair/board Member | 40 | $109,165 |
| Anderson Phyllis | Board Member | 1 | — |
| Barker David | Board Member (as of 02/25) | 1 | — |
Top vendors & contractors (FY2024)
| Contractor | Services | Paid |
|---|---|---|
| Sodexo Inc & Affiliates | Food Services Provider | $5,927,948 |
| Christie Building & Development Inc | Construction | $3,986,471 |
| Allcampus | Enrollment Management | $1,838,720 |
| Fieldturf USA Inc | Turf Replacement | $892,195 |
| Kiosk Creative LLC | Media Planning & Buying | $780,922 |
Grants received · $5.9M total
142 grants to California Lutheran University totaling $5.9M, reported by foundations on their Schedule I filings — showing the 15 most recent.
Grants made · $77K in FY2024
1 grant totaling $77K in FY2024. All grants made by California Lutheran University →
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Kingsmen Shakespeare Company | The kingsmen shakespeare company, a 501(c)(3), performs shakespeare plays on the university property. | $76,660 |
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Compare California Lutheran University
Frequently asked questions
- Is California Lutheran University a legitimate nonprofit?
- Yes. California Lutheran University is a 501(c)(3) organization registered with the U.S. Internal Revenue Service under EIN 95-2962604, based in Thousand Oaks, California. Donations are tax-deductible.
- What is California Lutheran University's EIN?
- California Lutheran University's Employer Identification Number (EIN) is 95-2962604.
- How much revenue does California Lutheran University report?
- California Lutheran University reported $204,848,435 in total revenue on its fiscal year 2024 IRS Form 990 filing.
- How much of California Lutheran University's spending goes to programs?
- California Lutheran University spends about 91% of its total expenses on programs, based on its latest IRS Form 990.
- What financial grade does California Lutheran University have?
- CharityIndex grades California Lutheran University A, based on program efficiency and fundraising cost.
- How much does California Lutheran University's highest-paid employee make?
- The highest reported compensation on California Lutheran University's latest Form 990 is $1,320,882, paid to Varlotta Lori (President (thru 05/24)).
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Data for California Lutheran University (EIN 95-2962604) comes from the IRS Business Master File and e-filed Form 990 returns, via CharityIndex. Figures reflect what the organization reported to the IRS for each fiscal year.