Campbell University 
The information on this page was last updated 1/15/2026. If you see errors or omissions, please email: [email protected]
Summary
Campbell University is a university of the liberal arts, sciences, and professions that is committed to helping students develop an integrated Christian personality characterized by a wholeness of body, mind and spirit.
Contact information
Mailing address:
Campbell University
143 Main Street
Buies Creek, NC 27506
Website: campbell.edu
Phone: (800) 334-4111
Email: [email protected]
Organization details
EIN: 560529940
CEO/President: William Downs
Chairman: James Eugene (Gene) Lewis III
Board size: 45
Founder: James Archibald Campbell
Ruling year: 1939
Tax deductible: Yes
Fiscal year end: 05/31
Member of ECFA: No
Member of ECFA since:
Purpose
Fueled by a higher calling, we provide a transformational learning experience that prepares students for servant leadership and equips them with skills and habits to make a difference in the lives of others.
Mission statement
The mission of Campbell University is to graduate students with exemplary academic and professional skills who are prepared for purposeful lives and meaningful service. The University is informed and inspired by its Baptist heritage and three basic theological and biblical presuppositions: learning is appointed and conserved by God as essential to the fulfillment of human destiny; in Christ all things consist and find ultimate unity; and the Kingdom of God in this world is rooted and grounded in Christian community. The University embraces the conviction that there is no conflict between the life of faith and the life of inquiry.
Statement of faith
The University is informed and inspired by its Baptist heritage and three basic theological and biblical presuppositions: learning is appointed and conserved by God as essential to the fulfillment of human destiny; in Christ all things consist and find ultimate unity; and the Kingdom of God in this world is rooted and grounded in Christian community. The University embraces the conviction that there is no conflict between the life of faith and the life of inquiry.
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 | | 644 of 1423 | 78 of 155 |
| Fund acquisition rating | | 847 of 1423 | 99 of 155 |
| Resource allocation rating | | 405 of 1423 | 31 of 155 |
| Asset utilization rating | | 780 of 1424 | 99 of 155 |
According to the organization's Form 990, it received $422,188 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% | 18% | 23% | 16% | 11% | 9% |
Fundraising cost ratio Fundraising cost ratio = Fundraising expense / Total revenue | 2% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% |
Contributions reliance Contributions reliance = Total contributions / Total revenue | 15% | 7% | 6% | 7% | 8% | 10% |
Fundraising expense ratio Fundraising expense ratio = Fundraising expense / Total expenses | 2% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% |
Other revenue reliance Other revenue reliance = Total other revenue / Total revenue | 85% | 93% | 94% | 93% | 92% | 90% |
| Operating ratios | Sector median | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
Program expense ratio Program expense ratio = Program services / Total expenses | 84% | 88% | 89% | 93% | 92% | 91% |
Spending ratio Spending ratio = Total expenses / Total revenue | 96% | 93% | 102% | 100% | 89% | 88% |
Program output ratio Program output ratio = Program services / Total revenue | 81% | 82% | 91% | 93% | 82% | 80% |
Savings ratio Savings ratio = Surplus (deficit) / Total revenue | 4% | 7% | -2% | 0% | 11% | 12% |
Reserve accumulation rate Reserve accumulation rate = Surplus (deficit) / Net assets | 2% | 3% | -1% | 0% | 6% | 7% |
General and admin ratio General and admin ratio = Management and general expense / Total expenses | 14% | 10% | 9% | 6% | 7% | 8% |
| Investing ratios | Sector median | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
Total asset turnover Total asset turnover = Total expenses / Total assets | 0.52 | 0.36 | 0.36 | 0.36 | 0.36 | 0.34 |
Degree of long-term investment Degree of long-term investment = Total assets / Total current assets | 2.73 | 1.91 | 1.98 | 2.11 | 2.11 | 2.05 |
Current asset turnover Current asset turnover = Total expenses / Total current assets | 1.45 | 0.69 | 0.71 | 0.76 | 0.75 | 0.70 |
| Liquidity ratios | Sector median | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
Current ratio Current ratio = Total current assets / Total current liabilities | 8.18 | 15.07 | 13.67 | 17.51 | 18.66 | 21.86 |
Current liabilities ratio Current liabilities ratio = Total current liabilities / Total current assets | 0.12 | 0.07 | 0.07 | 0.06 | 0.05 | 0.05 |
Liquid reserve level Liquid reserve level = (Total current assets - Total current liabilities) / (Total expenses / 12) | 6.99 | 16.25 | 15.62 | 14.90 | 15.15 | 16.43 |
| Solvency ratios | Sector median | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
Liabilities ratio Liabilities ratio = Total liabilities / Total assets | 20% | 21% | 23% | 25% | 26% | 27% |
Debt ratio Debt ratio = Debt / Total assets | 10% | 7% | 9% | 11% | 12% | 12% |
Reserve coverage ratio Reserve coverage ratio = Net assets / Total expenses | 148% | 219% | 214% | 209% | 207% | 215% |
Financials
| Balance sheet | |||||
| Assets | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
| Cash | $50,155,326 | $50,240,733 | $34,675,142 | $61,640,301 | $55,550,737 |
| Receivables, inventories, prepaids | $9,044,680 | $9,237,600 | $10,319,589 | $9,711,275 | $16,946,650 |
| Short-term investments | $288,919,428 | $271,293,316 | $256,227,022 | $237,213,535 | $259,337,764 |
| Other current assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total current assets | $348,119,434 | $330,771,649 | $301,221,753 | $308,565,111 | $331,835,151 |
| Long-term investments | $16,106 | $16,106 | $16,106 | $16,106 | $568,674 |
| Fixed assets | $300,852,816 | $307,674,489 | $316,443,344 | $324,269,310 | $335,958,762 |
| Other long-term assets | $15,506,090 | $15,469,476 | $17,723,378 | $17,227,599 | $10,379,849 |
| Total long-term assets | $316,375,012 | $323,160,071 | $334,182,828 | $341,513,015 | $346,907,285 |
| Total assets | $664,494,446 | $653,931,720 | $635,404,581 | $650,078,126 | $678,742,436 |
| Liabilities | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
| Payables and accrued expenses | $13,048,293 | $10,493,458 | $11,005,702 | $10,856,603 | $8,006,865 |
| Other current liabilities | $10,056,237 | $13,709,029 | $6,201,065 | $5,683,387 | $7,171,992 |
| Total current liabilities | $23,104,530 | $24,202,487 | $17,206,767 | $16,539,990 | $15,178,857 |
| Debt | $48,226,807 | $57,877,690 | $68,717,299 | $77,552,382 | $81,461,541 |
| Due to (from) affiliates | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Other long-term liabilities | $66,640,152 | $68,899,268 | $71,292,583 | $76,277,512 | $84,057,946 |
| Total long-term liabilities | $114,866,959 | $126,776,958 | $140,009,882 | $153,829,894 | $165,519,487 |
| Total liabilities | $137,971,489 | $150,979,445 | $157,216,649 | $170,369,884 | $180,698,344 |
| Net assets | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
| Without donor restrictions | $272,832,054 | $269,498,031 | $265,749,296 | $266,510,771 | $258,569,625 |
| With donor restrictions | $253,690,903 | $233,454,244 | $212,438,636 | $213,197,471 | $239,474,467 |
| Net assets | $526,522,957 | $502,952,275 | $478,187,932 | $479,708,242 | $498,044,092 |
| Revenues and expenses | |||||
| Revenue | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
| Total contributions | $19,043,018 | $13,260,008 | $16,663,329 | $20,201,207 | $27,410,206 |
| Program service revenue | $210,231,606 | $207,318,733 | $206,275,814 | $209,536,461 | $215,269,960 |
| Membership dues | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Investment income | $21,858,097 | $6,949,222 | $3,609,317 | $25,372,273 | $18,576,882 |
| Other revenue | $7,211,956 | $3,725,103 | $2,689,452 | $4,175,402 | $2,520,418 |
| Total other revenue | $239,301,659 | $217,993,058 | $212,574,583 | $239,084,136 | $236,367,260 |
| Total revenue | $258,344,677 | $231,253,066 | $229,237,912 | $259,285,343 | $263,777,466 |
| Expenses | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
| Program services | $212,246,433 | $210,090,988 | $212,082,255 | $213,203,980 | $210,658,745 |
| Management and general | $24,295,781 | $22,371,660 | $13,880,778 | $15,836,162 | $18,026,611 |
| Fundraising | $3,487,050 | $3,069,896 | $2,699,207 | $2,234,134 | $2,538,995 |
| Total expenses | $240,029,264 | $235,532,544 | $228,662,240 | $231,274,276 | $231,224,351 |
| Change in net assets | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
| Surplus (deficit) | $18,315,413 | ($4,279,478) | $575,672 | $28,011,067 | $32,553,115 |
| Other changes in net assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total change in net assets | $18,315,413 | ($4,279,478) | $575,672 | $28,011,067 | $32,553,115 |
Compensation
| Name | Title | Compensation |
| J Bradley Creed | President | $584,853 |
| Brian A Kessler | Dean School of Medicine | $452,041 |
| John T Roberson | Executive VP & BOARD SECRETARY | $395,306 |
| James E Powers | Associate Dean Clinical Integration | $346,077 |
| J Rich Leonard | Dean School of Law | $341,933 |
| David Tolentino | Associate Dean For Clinical Affairs | $306,427 |
| Nicholas Pennings | Chair Family Practice Medicine | $305,190 |
| Michael L Adams | VP For Academic Affairs & Provost | $302,725 |
| Sandra P Connolly | VP For Business & CFO | $297,295 |
| David P Mee | VP For Enrollment Management | $296,475 |
| Mark L Hammond | VP For Academic Affairs & Provost | $248,420 |
| Faithe C Beam | VP Spiritual Life & Campus Ministry | $191,635 |
| Sherri Yerk-Zwickl | VP For Info Tech & CIO | $189,254 |
| Julie A Byrd | Comptroller & Board Treasurer | $173,730 |
| Britt J Davis | VP Institutional Advancement (thru 8/24) | $154,972 |
Compensation data as of: 5/31/2025
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 1/15/2026. To update the information below, please email: [email protected]
History
On Jan. 5, 1887, James Archibald Campbell, a 26-year-old Baptist minister, welcomed 16 students to a small church in Buies Creek, N.C., for the first day of classes for the school he founded: Buies Creek Academy. By the end of the first term, there were 92 students.
Since then, Buies Creek Academy has evolved to become Campbell Junior College (1926), Campbell College (1961), and Campbell University (1979). Throughout these transformations, the university has remained true to its founding principles to address the most pressing needs of North Carolina and to educate men and women for Christian service around the world.
1887 - Opened as Buies Creek Academy when there were no other schools in the area
1967 - Started the first trust and wealth management program in the U.S
1976 - Opened the first law school in North Carolina in 35 years
1986 - Opened the first pharmacy school in the U.S. in 40 years
2013 - Started North Carolina's first bachelor's degree in homeland security
2013 - Opened the first medical school in North Carolina in 35 years
Program accomplishments
Ranked "A Best in the Southeast" college by Princeton Review, and among Best Universities in the South by U.S. News & World Report