Trinity International University 
The information on this page was last updated 2/9/2026. If you see errors or omissions, please email: [email protected]
Summary
Trinity International University is a private, Christian university comprised of Trinity Law School and TIU Online.
Contact information
Mailing address:
Trinity International University
2065 Half Day Rd
Deerfield, IL 60015
Website: tiu.edu
Phone: 800-822-3225
Organization details
EIN: 362216176
CEO/President: Eric Halvorson
Chairman: Bill Braddish
Board size: 20
Founder:
Ruling year: 1949
Tax deductible: Yes
Fiscal year end: 04/30
Member of ECFA: No
Member of ECFA since:
Purpose
We are here to model and to engender Christ centeredness in all that we do. The lordship of Christ should affect and be evident in every aspect of education, relationship, and endeavor at Trinity.
Mission statement
Trinity's mission is to educate men and women to engage in God's redemptive work in the world by cultivating academic excellence, Christian faithfulness, and lifelong learning. As an institution committed to inerrant Scripture, given by God as our final authority for faith and life, we hold ourselves accountable to it and to each other with regard to these values as we cultivate the mission mentioned above.
Statement of faith
Trinity International University holds to the statement of faith of the Evangelical Free Church of America. The EFCA is an association of autonomous churches united around the following theological convictions:
GOD
We believe in one God, Creator of all things, holy, infinitely perfect, and eternally existing in a loving unity of three equally divine Persons: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Having limitless knowledge and sovereign power, God has graciously purposed from eternity to redeem a people for Himself and to make all things new for His own glory.
THE BIBLE
We believe that God has spoken in the Scriptures, both Old and New Testaments, through the words of human authors. As the verbally inspired Word of God, the Bible is without error in the original writings, the complete revelation of His will for salvation, and the ultimate authority by which every realm of human knowledge and endeavor should be judged. Therefore, it is to be believed in all that it teaches, obeyed in all that it requires, and trusted in all that it promises.
THE HUMAN CONDITION
We believe that God created Adam and Eve in His image, but they sinned when tempted by Satan. In union with Adam, human beings are sinners by nature and by choice, alienated from God, and under His wrath. Only through God's saving work in Jesus Christ can we be rescued, reconciled and renewed.
JESUS CHRIST
We believe that Jesus Christ is God incarnate, fully God and fully man, one Person in two natures. Jesus-Israel's promised Messiah-was conceived through the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. He lived a sinless life, was crucified under Pontius Pilate, arose bodily from the dead, ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father as our High Priest and Advocate.
THE WORK OF CHRIST
We believe that Jesus Christ, as our representative and substitute, shed His blood on the cross as the perfect, all-sufficient sacrifice for our sins. His atoning death and victorious resurrection constitute the only ground for salvation.
THE HOLY SPIRIT
We believe that the Holy Spirit, in all that He does, glorifies the Lord Jesus Christ. He convicts the world of its guilt. He regenerates sinners, and in Him they are baptized into union with Christ and adopted as heirs in the family of God. He also indwells, illuminates, guides, equips and empowers believers for Christ-like living and service.
THE CHURCH
We believe that the true church comprises all who have been justified by God's grace through faith alone in Christ alone. They are united by the Holy Spirit in the body of Christ, of which He is the Head. The true church is manifest in local churches, whose membership should be composed only of believers. The Lord Jesus mandated two ordinances, baptism and the Lord's Supper, which visibly and tangibly express the gospel. Though they are not the means of salvation, when celebrated by the church in genuine faith, these ordinances confirm and nourish the believer.
CHRISTIAN LIVING
We believe that God's justifying grace must not be separated from His sanctifying power and purpose. God commands us to love Him supremely and others sacrificially, and to live out our faith with care for one another, compassion toward the poor and justice for the oppressed. With God's Word, the Spirit's power, and fervent prayer in Christ's name, we are to combat the spiritual forces of evil. In obedience to Christ's commission, we are to make disciples among all people, always bearing witness to the gospel in word and deed.
CHRIST'S RETURN
We believe in the personal, bodily and glorious return of our Lord Jesus Christ. The coming of Christ, at a time known only to God, demands constant expectancy and, as our blessed hope, motivates the believer to godly living, sacrificial service and energetic mission.
RESPONSE AND ETERNAL DESTINY
We believe that God commands everyone everywhere to believe the gospel by turning to Him in repentance and receiving the Lord Jesus Christ. We believe that God will raise the dead bodily and judge the world, assigning the unbeliever to condemnation and eternal conscious punishment and the believer to eternal blessedness and joy with the Lord in the new heaven and the new earth, to the praise of His glorious grace. Amen.
Donor confidence score
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Transparency grade
D
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Financial efficiency ratings
Sector: Colleges/Universities
| Category | Rating | Overall rank | Sector rank |
| Overall efficiency rating | | 1289 of 1423 | 147 of 155 |
| Fund acquisition rating | | 1373 of 1423 | 147 of 155 |
| Resource allocation rating | | 1416 of 1423 | 155 of 155 |
| Asset utilization rating | | 486 of 1424 | 57 of 155 |
According to the organization's Form 990, it received $162,493 in government grants in 2025.
To understand our financial efficiency ratings, click here.
Financial ratios
| Funding ratios | Sector median | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
Return on fundraising efforts Return on fundraising efforts = Fundraising expense / Total contributions | 13% | 33% | 27% | 29% | 10% | 10% |
Fundraising cost ratio Fundraising cost ratio = Fundraising expense / Total revenue | 2% | 8% | 7% | 4% | 3% | 3% |
Contributions reliance Contributions reliance = Total contributions / Total revenue | 15% | 23% | 26% | 13% | 26% | 24% |
Fundraising expense ratio Fundraising expense ratio = Fundraising expense / Total expenses | 2% | 4% | 5% | 3% | 3% | 2% |
Other revenue reliance Other revenue reliance = Total other revenue / Total revenue | 85% | 77% | 74% | 87% | 74% | 76% |
| Operating ratios | Sector median | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
Program expense ratio Program expense ratio = Program services / Total expenses | 84% | 57% | 77% | 80% | 83% | 84% |
Spending ratio Spending ratio = Total expenses / Total revenue | 96% | 184% | 134% | 147% | 97% | 103% |
Program output ratio Program output ratio = Program services / Total revenue | 81% | 104% | 103% | 118% | 80% | 86% |
Savings ratio Savings ratio = Surplus (deficit) / Total revenue | 4% | -84% | -34% | -47% | 3% | -3% |
Reserve accumulation rate Reserve accumulation rate = Surplus (deficit) / Net assets | 2% | -116% | -31% | -41% | 3% | -2% |
General and admin ratio General and admin ratio = Management and general expense / Total expenses | 14% | 39% | 18% | 17% | 14% | 14% |
| Investing ratios | Sector median | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
Total asset turnover Total asset turnover = Total expenses / Total assets | 0.52 | 0.66 | 0.67 | 0.78 | 0.58 | 0.52 |
Degree of long-term investment Degree of long-term investment = Total assets / Total current assets | 2.73 | 1.62 | 1.90 | 1.73 | 1.74 | 1.72 |
Current asset turnover Current asset turnover = Total expenses / Total current assets | 1.45 | 1.07 | 1.28 | 1.35 | 1.00 | 0.90 |
| Liquidity ratios | Sector median | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
Current ratio Current ratio = Total current assets / Total current liabilities | 8.18 | 7.01 | 5.91 | 7.08 | 8.56 | 11.86 |
Current liabilities ratio Current liabilities ratio = Total current liabilities / Total current assets | 0.12 | 0.14 | 0.17 | 0.14 | 0.12 | 0.08 |
Liquid reserve level Liquid reserve level = (Total current assets - Total current liabilities) / (Total expenses / 12) | 6.99 | 9.64 | 7.81 | 7.61 | 10.56 | 12.27 |
| Solvency ratios | Sector median | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
Liabilities ratio Liabilities ratio = Total liabilities / Total assets | 20% | 74% | 45% | 40% | 34% | 35% |
Debt ratio Debt ratio = Debt / Total assets | 10% | 63% | 33% | 28% | 26% | 27% |
Reserve coverage ratio Reserve coverage ratio = Net assets / Total expenses | 148% | 39% | 82% | 77% | 114% | 126% |
Financials
| Balance sheet | |||||
| Assets | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
| Cash | $29,241,141 | $26,857,248 | $36,021,503 | $6,723,473 | $5,794,386 |
| Receivables, inventories, prepaids | $4,517,852 | $3,907,275 | $4,618,824 | $4,275,696 | $3,732,937 |
| Short-term investments | $0 | $0 | $0 | $44,973,086 | $50,502,142 |
| Other current assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total current assets | $33,758,993 | $30,764,523 | $40,640,327 | $55,972,255 | $60,029,465 |
| Long-term investments | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Fixed assets | $20,227,017 | $26,390,448 | $27,500,899 | $39,385,043 | $41,728,839 |
| Other long-term assets | $870,509 | $1,421,216 | $2,231,487 | $2,218,640 | $1,790,647 |
| Total long-term assets | $21,097,526 | $27,811,664 | $29,732,386 | $41,603,683 | $43,519,486 |
| Total assets | $54,856,519 | $58,576,187 | $70,372,713 | $97,575,938 | $103,548,951 |
| Liabilities | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
| Payables and accrued expenses | $2,518,059 | $2,308,606 | $2,667,166 | $2,556,587 | $2,955,200 |
| Other current liabilities | $2,297,593 | $2,895,621 | $3,070,734 | $3,979,454 | $2,108,109 |
| Total current liabilities | $4,815,652 | $5,204,227 | $5,737,900 | $6,536,041 | $5,063,309 |
| Debt | $34,708,333 | $19,500,000 | $19,500,000 | $25,015,792 | $28,474,586 |
| Due to (from) affiliates | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Other long-term liabilities | $1,111,934 | $1,799,316 | $2,876,632 | $1,857,503 | $2,231,863 |
| Total long-term liabilities | $35,820,267 | $21,299,316 | $22,376,632 | $26,873,295 | $30,706,449 |
| Total liabilities | $40,635,919 | $26,503,543 | $28,114,532 | $33,409,336 | $35,769,758 |
| Net assets | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
| Without donor restrictions | ($9,071,409) | $6,555,711 | $16,927,626 | $16,345,709 | $12,625,634 |
| With donor restrictions | $23,292,009 | $25,516,933 | $25,330,555 | $47,820,893 | $55,153,559 |
| Net assets | $14,220,600 | $32,072,644 | $42,258,181 | $64,166,602 | $67,779,193 |
| Revenues and expenses | |||||
| Revenue | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
| Total contributions | $4,452,403 | $7,588,076 | $4,877,514 | $15,364,620 | $12,726,200 |
| Program service revenue | $18,284,301 | $21,318,076 | $36,160,369 | $38,391,241 | $37,815,315 |
| Membership dues | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Investment income | ($3,160,072) | $327,480 | ($3,493,870) | $4,227,258 | $1,632,688 |
| Other revenue | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total other revenue | $15,124,229 | $21,645,556 | $32,666,499 | $42,618,499 | $39,448,003 |
| Total revenue | $19,576,632 | $29,233,632 | $37,544,013 | $57,983,119 | $52,174,203 |
| Expenses | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
| Program services | $20,402,264 | $30,171,362 | $44,270,240 | $46,550,777 | $45,057,961 |
| Management and general | $14,160,150 | $7,100,286 | $9,357,017 | $8,020,433 | $7,363,061 |
| Fundraising | $1,474,487 | $2,019,480 | $1,423,349 | $1,603,810 | $1,317,580 |
| Total expenses | $36,036,901 | $39,291,128 | $55,050,606 | $56,175,020 | $53,738,602 |
| Change in net assets | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
| Surplus (deficit) | ($16,460,269) | ($10,057,496) | ($17,506,593) | $1,808,099 | ($1,564,399) |
| Other changes in net assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total change in net assets | ($16,460,269) | ($10,057,496) | ($17,506,593) | $1,808,099 | ($1,564,399) |
Compensation
| Name | Title | Compensation |
| Eric H Halvorson | TLS Dean | $226,386 |
| Kevin Kompelien | PRESIDENT | $226,364 |
| Adeline Allen | Professor | $200,770 |
| Nicholas Perrin | President (LEFT 02/2024) | $190,505 |
| David B Magnuson | Chief Advancement Officer | $175,396 |
| Dana C Clark | Associate Dean | $161,709 |
| Karen Wrobbel | Dean for TC and TGS | $158,149 |
| Andrew De Loach | Assistant Professor Not Tenured | $156,023 |
| Michael Peterson | COO/Secretary | $142,619 |
| Robert N Rodgers | Professor | $136,170 |
| Paul Eisenmenger | CFO/Treasury | $125,828 |
Compensation data as of: 4/30/2025
Response from ministry
No response has been provided by this ministry.
The information below was provided to MinistryWatch by the ministry itself. It was last updated 2/9/2026. To update the information below, please email: [email protected]
History
DEEP ROOTS, STRONG FOUNDATION
Trinity International University traces its roots to 1897 when the Swedish Evangelical Free Church began a ten-week Bible course in the basement of a Chicago church. This soon developed into the Bible Institute of the Swedish Evangelical Free Church of America. In 1910 the Norwegian-Danish Free Church established the Norwegian-Danish Bible Institute and Academy. It was first located in Rushford, Minnesota, and then later in Minneapolis with the name Trinity Seminary and Bible Institute. Between 1946 and 1949 the Swedish school merged with the Norwegian-Danish school to form Trinity Seminary and Bible College, located in Chicago.
MANY SCHOOLS-ONE UNIVERSITY
During the 1960s, the seminary (renamed Trinity Evangelical Divinity School) and the college (renamed Trinity College) moved to their present Deerfield Campus. In 1992 the college established a regional center in Davie, Florida, where the former Miami Christian College became Trinity College at Miami. In 1995, Trinity College, Trinity College at Miami, and Trinity Evangelical Divinity School were united to form Trinity International University. With the inauguration of the university, Trinity College in Deerfield became the College of Arts and Sciences and Trinity College at Miami became Trinity International University-Florida Campus. In 1997 the first class entered Trinity Graduate School. Trinity Law School, located in Santa Ana, California, incorporated into Trinity International University in January 1998. Trinity Law School is accredited with the State Bar of California and is moving toward application for American Bar Association accreditation. The residential undergraduate program in Miami closed in 2000 and the undergraduate and graduate programs were renamed the Trinity International University-Florida Regional Center. In 2002 the College of Arts and Sciences was renamed Trinity College.
TIU TODAY
Trinity International University (TIU) is composed of a a law school in California and online courses.
TIU holds to the statement of faith of the Evangelical Free Church of America (EFCA).
EFCA AFFILIATION
Trinity International University is affiliated with the EFCA, an association of some 1,500 autonomous and interdependent churches and church plants united by a mutual commitment to serve the Lord Jesus Christ under the guidance of the Holy Spirit and obedience to the Word of God. The EFCA is seeking to fulfill the Great Commission which Christ has entrusted to His Church. The growing ministry of the EFCA currently extends to some 50 countries of the world.
The EFCA regards Trinity as its gift to the wider evangelical community, making its educational offerings accessible to students from a wide variety of denominations. Indeed, the majority of Trinity students represent non-EFCA churches. The nature of the university allows breadth for Christians from many different backgrounds to study, worship, and serve together.