Cornell College
91% goes to programs $17 to raise $100 Strong reserves
Cornell College is a 501(c)(3) organization based in Mount Vernon, Iowa, registered in 1935, with $87,741,912 in FY2024 revenue. CharityIndex grades it A, and it directs about 91% of spending to programs.
600 1st St Sw, Mount Vernon, IA, 52314 EIN 42-0680335 Since 1935
Revenue (FY2024)
$87.7M
▼ 0.2% vs prior year
Education median: $200K
Expenses (FY2024)
$86.3M
Net assets
$200.1M
Employees
983
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 · $17 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 Cornell College: 91% to programs · $17 to raise $100 earns a A on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
AFinancial health25% of the rating28 mo reserves · +2% 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 Cornell College: 28 mo reserves · +2% 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 Cornell College: 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 Cornell College: 5 of 5 disclosure signals earns a A+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
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Mission
To create a space where students can develop intellectual curiosity, creativity and moral courage.
What they do
Student aid and financial assistance: students invest in their education at cornell college, and cornell invests in their futures. cornell college graduates are getting jobs and not burdened by debt, as shown by our low average loan default rate. compared to graduates of other four-year institutions, cornellians are twice as likely to have the means to pay off student loans. 92% of cornell's 2025 graduating class completed their degrees in four years or less. cornell's medical school acceptace rate is 79% for first time applicants (2008-2025); the national average for those years is 40%. 89% of our teacher education program students become certified teachers after graduation
Auxiliary enterprises (housing, dining, student union and service center): founded in 1853, cornell's picturesque hilltop campus contains a mix of historic and modern facilities, ranging from the majestic king chapel to the newly renovated thomas commons. it is located in mount vernon, iowa-an urban fringe community recognized by frommer's as one of "america's coolest small towns and located in the heart of iowa's creative corridor. cornell's hilltop cafe was named the second best dining hall in the nation by bestcolleges.com in 2015.
Contact & location
- Address
- 600 1st St Sw, Mount Vernon, IA, 52314
- City
- Mount Vernon
- State
- Iowa
- Category
- Education
- Subcategory
- Colleges & Universities
- Phone
- …
- Website
- …
Financial trends
Revenue grew from $71.6M (FY2013) to $87.7M (FY2024) across 12 reported years.
Financial snapshot
Financial health & position (FY2024)
Liabilities $30.2MNet assets $200.1M
Operating margin
1.6%
Revenue exceeded expenses in the latest fiscal year.
Total assets
$230.2M
Total liabilities
$30.2M
Net assets
$200.1M
Salaries & benefits
$22.9M
27% of expenses
Board members
18
18 independent
Financials by year
| Fiscal year | Revenue | Expenses | Net assets | Total assets | Form |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $87,741,912▼0.2% | $86,343,392▲0.1% | $200,071,525▲4.6% | $230,242,441▲2.4% | 990 |
| 2023 | $87,874,205▲10.1% | $86,294,890▲2.8% | $191,238,590▲5.6% | $224,822,754▼0.8% | 990 |
| 2022 | $79,829,305▼4.8% | $83,940,077▲4.9% | $181,071,329▲1.4% | $226,689,943▲0.2% | 990 |
| 2021 | $83,850,862▼4.4% | $80,018,230▲16.8% | $178,624,757▼7.2% | $226,333,007▼2.6% | 990 |
| 2020 | $87,743,634▲15.3% | $68,501,856▼0.7% | $192,460,002▲15.2% | $232,351,142▲8.3% | 990 |
| 2019 | $76,089,428▲16.5% | $69,015,044▲4.2% | $167,092,542▲3.3% | $214,513,669▲7.5% | 990 |
| 2018 | $65,337,896▼4.4% | $66,206,115▲5.5% | $161,719,922▼0.6% | $199,631,191▼1.6% | 990 |
| 2017 | $68,348,365▲8.4% | $62,742,497▲4.3% | $162,769,930▲2.4% | $202,831,733▲6.7% | 990 |
| 2016 | $63,043,143▲12.6% | $60,158,974▲0.7% | $159,015,250▲5.5% | $190,027,293▲3.0% | 990 |
| 2015 | $55,983,040▼28.7% | $59,753,472▲2.0% | $150,704,602▼3.5% | $184,413,049▼3.3% | 990 |
| 2014 | $78,513,553▲9.7% | $58,590,189▼4.4% | $156,135,967▲10.3% | $190,612,434▲7.6% | 990 |
| 2013 | $71,603,174 | $61,262,868▲5.0% | $141,551,234▲10.7% | $177,221,199▲15.6% | 990 |
| 2012 | — | $58,325,181▲0.7% | $127,855,259▲4.2% | $153,284,211▲2.7% | 990 |
| 2011 | — | $57,915,609▲6.2% | $122,645,791▼0.7% | $149,319,557▼0.9% | 990 |
| 2010 | — | $54,531,469▲10.3% | $123,523,625▲3.0% | $150,734,632▲1.1% | 990 |
| 2009 | — | $49,432,246 | $119,903,984 | $149,164,117 | 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: Brand Jonathan — $348,958 (0.40% of total expenses)
| Name | Title | Hours/week | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brand Jonathan | President | 40 | $348,958 |
| Beckemeyer Wendy | Vp For Enrollment Management | 40 | $234,657 |
| Flege Kelly | Vp, Cfo/coo | 40 | $216,685 |
| Crawford Ilene | Vp For Academic Affairs | 40 | $164,560 |
| Schafer Jodi | Senior Director | 40 | $122,545 |
| Harp John | Special Assistant To the President | 40 | $109,016 |
| Hejeebu Santhi | Professor of Economics and Business | 40 | $103,541 |
| Baynard Tahllee | Chair, Governance Committee | 1 | — |
| Buchmeyer Gretchen | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Deangeles Steven | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Durham Thomas | Chair, Audit/risk Assess. Committee | 1 | — |
| Epps Felecia | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Froehlich Stephanie | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Jensen Jeffrey | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Johnson Maureen | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Kao Frances | At-large, Executive Committee | 1 | — |
| Kelleher Makayla | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Mack Warren | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Maitland Kimberly | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Mcgrane John | Chair, Finance Committee | 3 | — |
Top vendors & contractors (FY2024)
| Contractor | Services | Paid |
|---|---|---|
| Bon Appetit | Campus Food Service | $3,945,797 |
| Southeast Service Corporation | Campus Cleaning Service | $1,059,948 |
| Eab Global Inc DBA Eab | Consulting Services | $861,813 |
| Johnson Controls Inc | Construction Services | $546,612 |
| Ma Mortenson Company | Construction Services | $332,260 |
Grants received · $7.5M total
80 grants to Cornell College totaling $7.5M, reported by foundations on their Schedule I filings — showing the 15 most recent.
| Grantmaker | Purpose | Year | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Morgan Stanley Global Impact Funding Trust Inc | Unrestricted general support | 2024 | $333,000 |
| American Endowment Foundation | Educational | 2024 | $40,250 |
| American Online Giving Foundation Inc | General support | 2024 | $27,216 |
| Minneapolis Foundation | Education | 2024 | $25,000 |
| Charities Aid Foundation America | Charitable donation | 2024 | $14,157 |
| Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund | For grant recipient's exempt purposes | 2023 | $211,672 |
| National Philanthropic Tr | Education | 2023 | $157,500 |
| Morgan Stanley Global Impact Funding Trust Inc | Unrestricted general support | 2023 | $100,000 |
| Minneapolis Foundation | Donor-advised, education | 2023 | $50,000 |
| American Online Giving Foundation Inc | General support | 2023 | $40,915 |
| American Endowment Foundation | Educational | 2023 | $40,000 |
| Donor Advised Charitable Giving | Education | 2023 | $17,575 |
| Vanguard Charitable Endowment Program | For recipient's exempt purpose | 2023 | $9,500 |
| Charities Aid Foundation America | Charitable donation | 2023 | $6,128 |
| Minneapolis Foundation | Donor-recommended, general | 2022 | $225,000 |
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Compare Cornell College
Frequently asked questions
- Is Cornell College a legitimate nonprofit?
- Yes. Cornell College is a 501(c)(3) organization registered with the U.S. Internal Revenue Service under EIN 42-0680335, based in Mount Vernon, Iowa. Donations are tax-deductible.
- What is Cornell College's EIN?
- Cornell College's Employer Identification Number (EIN) is 42-0680335.
- How much revenue does Cornell College report?
- Cornell College reported $87,741,912 in total revenue on its fiscal year 2024 IRS Form 990 filing.
- How much of Cornell College's spending goes to programs?
- Cornell College spends about 91% of its total expenses on programs, based on its latest IRS Form 990.
- What financial grade does Cornell College have?
- CharityIndex grades Cornell College A, based on program efficiency and fundraising cost.
- How much does Cornell College's highest-paid employee make?
- The highest reported compensation on Cornell College's latest Form 990 is $348,958, paid to Brand Jonathan (President).
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Data for Cornell College (EIN 42-0680335) 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.