Columbia International University 
The information on this page was last updated 3/26/2026. If you see errors or omissions, please email: [email protected]
Summary
For nearly a century, CIU has educated people from a biblical worldview to impact the nations with the message of Christ. Today, we continue that effort, offering 24 undergraduate majors, graduate and seminary programs, professional certificates, and convenient online programs for working adults.
Contact information
Mailing address:
Columbia International University
7435 Monticello Road
Columbia, SC 29203
Website: ciu.edu
Phone: 800-777-2227
Email: [email protected]
Organization details
EIN: 570352247
CEO/President: Dr. Bill Jones
Chairman:
Board size: 21
Founder: Emily Dick
Ruling year: 1937
Tax deductible: Yes
Fiscal year end: 06/30
Member of ECFA: No
Member of ECFA since: 1979
Purpose
CIU focuses on developing leaders while affirming the Bible as the foundation for all learning. We live by our motto "To Know Him and to Make Him Known."
Mission statement
Columbia International University educates people from a Biblical worldview to impact the nations with the message of Christ.
Statement of faith
Teaching at Columbia International University is based on the great fundamentals of the Christian faith, all of which center in the person of Jesus Christ, our crucified, risen, and glorified Savior and Lord. The following, together with other Christian principles of doctrine and practice, including the affirmation of the full trustworthiness of Scripture, which in its original writing was verbally inspired and without error, shall be the basis of the faith and doctrine of the Columbia International University:
The Bible is the inspired Word of God, the written record of His supernatural revelation of Himself to man, absolute in its authority, complete in its revelation, final in its content, and without any errors in its teachings.
All men in their natural state are lost, alienated from God, spiritually dead: "All have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God" (Rom. 3:23).
Salvation is only by grace, a free gift of God, through faith in the Lord Jesus, who died for our sins according to the Scriptures (1 Cor. 15:3). Those who thus receive Christ by faith have their sins forgiven (Eph. 1:7), their hearts cleansed (Acts 15:9), are born of the Spirit, become children of God (Jn. 1:12, 13), and are made new creatures in Christ (II Cor. 5:17).
God is One God, Who reveals Himself in three Persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Jesus Christ, as the Scriptures affirm, is the Son of God and Son of man. He was born of a virgin and is Himself very God. The Scriptures also declare the deity and personality of the Holy Spirit.
Our Lord Jesus rose from the dead in the same body that was laid to rest in the tomb (Jn. 20:25-27). The bodies of all believers who die will be raised from the dead, and they will receive an incorruptible body like unto His glorious body (I Cor. 15:53; Phil. 3:21). All other men shall be raised unto "the resurrection of judgment" (Jn. 5:28, 29).
Christians, born of the Spirit, are to live the new life in the present power of the Spirit. "If we live by the Spirit, by the Spirit let us also walk" (Gal. 5:16-25; Col. 2:6). The Christian's responsibility and his normal attitude of life is to yield himself to God (Rom. 6:13), trusting God to keep him.
Christian "living" includes Christian service, the winning of souls around us, and the preaching of the Gospel in the uttermost parts of the earth. In carrying on this work there is needed the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit which is granted to every believer as he yields and trusts (Acts 1:8; I Cor. 12:7; Eph. 3:20; Acts 5:32). And in all of this service, prayer is to have the central place (Jn. 14:12-14; Eph. 6:18, 19).
Jesus Christ will come again to earth the second time (Heb. 9:28), personally (Acts 1:11; I Thess. 4:16), bodily (Acts 1:11; Col. 2:9), and visibly (Matt. 26:64; Rev. 1:7). His coming will precede the age of universal peace and righteousness foretold in the Scriptures (Matt. 24:29, 30, 42; II Thess. 2:7, 8; Rev. 20:1-6). (Candidates for graduation need not affirm the premillennial position.)
Donor confidence score
Show donor confidence score details
To understand our donor confidence score, click here.
Transparency grade
D
To understand our transparency grade, click here.
Financial efficiency ratings
Sector: Colleges/Universities
| Category | Rating | Overall rank | Sector rank |
| Overall efficiency rating | | 987 of 1435 | 125 of 155 |
| Fund acquisition rating | | 1077 of 1435 | 129 of 155 |
| Resource allocation rating | | 1078 of 1435 | 117 of 155 |
| Asset utilization rating | | 450 of 1436 | 54 of 155 |
According to the organization's Form 990, it received $527,911 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% | 21% | 12% | 22% | 12% | 24% |
Fundraising cost ratio Fundraising cost ratio = Fundraising expense / Total revenue | 2% | 3% | 2% | 4% | 5% | 5% |
Contributions reliance Contributions reliance = Total contributions / Total revenue | 15% | 14% | 15% | 16% | 39% | 19% |
Fundraising expense ratio Fundraising expense ratio = Fundraising expense / Total expenses | 2% | 3% | 2% | 3% | 5% | 4% |
Other revenue reliance Other revenue reliance = Total other revenue / Total revenue | 85% | 86% | 85% | 84% | 61% | 81% |
| Operating ratios | Sector median | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
Program expense ratio Program expense ratio = Program services / Total expenses | 84% | 78% | 78% | 72% | 81% | 82% |
Spending ratio Spending ratio = Total expenses / Total revenue | 96% | 98% | 96% | 111% | 88% | 117% |
Program output ratio Program output ratio = Program services / Total revenue | 81% | 76% | 76% | 79% | 71% | 96% |
Savings ratio Savings ratio = Surplus (deficit) / Total revenue | 4% | 2% | 4% | -11% | 12% | -17% |
Reserve accumulation rate Reserve accumulation rate = Surplus (deficit) / Net assets | 2% | 2% | 3% | -9% | 12% | -11% |
General and admin ratio General and admin ratio = Management and general expense / Total expenses | 14% | 19% | 20% | 25% | 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 | 0.63 | 0.64 | 0.59 | 0.53 |
Degree of long-term investment Degree of long-term investment = Total assets / Total current assets | 2.73 | 2.35 | 2.42 | 2.52 | 2.43 | 2.51 |
Current asset turnover Current asset turnover = Total expenses / Total current assets | 1.45 | 1.56 | 1.52 | 1.62 | 1.42 | 1.34 |
| Liquidity ratios | Sector median | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
Current ratio Current ratio = Total current assets / Total current liabilities | 8.18 | 26.23 | 16.45 | 6.66 | 6.54 | 8.70 |
Current liabilities ratio Current liabilities ratio = Total current liabilities / Total current assets | 0.12 | 0.04 | 0.06 | 0.15 | 0.15 | 0.11 |
Liquid reserve level Liquid reserve level = (Total current assets - Total current liabilities) / (Total expenses / 12) | 6.99 | 7.40 | 7.43 | 6.29 | 7.14 | 7.94 |
| Solvency ratios | Sector median | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
Liabilities ratio Liabilities ratio = Total liabilities / Total assets | 20% | 28% | 28% | 31% | 33% | 33% |
Debt ratio Debt ratio = Debt / Total assets | 10% | 20% | 21% | 24% | 24% | 25% |
Reserve coverage ratio Reserve coverage ratio = Net assets / Total expenses | 148% | 109% | 114% | 107% | 114% | 126% |
Financials
| Balance sheet | |||||
| Assets | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
| Cash | $1,751,315 | $934,157 | $1,870,923 | $309,200 | $348,924 |
| Receivables, inventories, prepaids | $7,286,056 | $7,241,545 | $7,792,214 | $15,404,201 | $2,694,489 |
| Short-term investments | $35,463,843 | $34,539,784 | $31,581,453 | $30,420,605 | $41,814,012 |
| Other current assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total current assets | $44,501,214 | $42,715,486 | $41,244,590 | $46,134,006 | $44,857,425 |
| Long-term investments | $0 | $0 | $2,129,627 | $2,047,777 | $1,964,257 |
| Fixed assets | $58,116,783 | $58,762,242 | $58,620,544 | $59,976,964 | $61,465,154 |
| Other long-term assets | $1,903,453 | $1,834,467 | $2,018,234 | $3,788,860 | $4,289,765 |
| Total long-term assets | $60,020,236 | $60,596,709 | $62,768,405 | $65,813,601 | $67,719,176 |
| Total assets | $104,521,450 | $103,312,195 | $104,012,995 | $111,947,607 | $112,576,601 |
| Liabilities | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
| Payables and accrued expenses | $1,696,331 | $2,596,374 | $2,415,943 | $3,884,065 | $3,604,997 |
| Other current liabilities | $0 | $0 | $3,773,870 | $3,170,040 | $1,549,354 |
| Total current liabilities | $1,696,331 | $2,596,374 | $6,189,813 | $7,054,105 | $5,154,351 |
| Debt | $21,273,860 | $21,255,386 | $24,834,288 | $27,197,193 | $27,840,568 |
| Due to (from) affiliates | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Other long-term liabilities | $6,028,629 | $5,504,859 | $1,420,254 | $2,712,183 | $4,113,943 |
| Total long-term liabilities | $27,302,489 | $26,760,245 | $26,254,542 | $29,909,376 | $31,954,511 |
| Total liabilities | $28,998,820 | $29,356,619 | $32,444,355 | $36,963,481 | $37,108,862 |
| Net assets | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
| Without donor restrictions | $39,662,205 | $73,955,576 | $34,194,967 | $36,855,453 | $39,267,111 |
| With donor restrictions | $35,860,425 | $0 | $37,373,673 | $38,128,673 | $36,200,628 |
| Net assets | $75,522,630 | $73,955,576 | $71,568,640 | $74,984,126 | $75,467,739 |
| Revenues and expenses | |||||
| Revenue | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
| Total contributions | $9,983,300 | $9,823,384 | $9,785,886 | $28,952,964 | $9,600,520 |
| Program service revenue | $57,985,964 | $53,489,660 | $49,261,201 | $44,322,047 | $40,756,409 |
| Membership dues | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Investment income | $1,164,386 | $2,431,427 | $1,055,479 | $874,575 | $422,633 |
| Other revenue | $1,879,766 | $1,406,117 | $408,465 | $909,002 | $698,139 |
| Total other revenue | $61,030,116 | $57,327,204 | $50,725,145 | $46,105,624 | $41,877,181 |
| Total revenue | $71,013,416 | $67,150,588 | $60,511,031 | $75,058,588 | $51,477,701 |
| Expenses | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
| Program services | $54,272,632 | $50,740,863 | $48,065,924 | $53,146,949 | $49,463,065 |
| Management and general | $13,101,096 | $12,838,948 | $16,628,321 | $9,024,721 | $8,239,363 |
| Fundraising | $2,072,634 | $1,183,841 | $2,175,597 | $3,522,237 | $2,334,660 |
| Total expenses | $69,446,362 | $64,763,652 | $66,869,842 | $65,693,907 | $60,037,088 |
| Change in net assets | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
| Surplus (deficit) | $1,567,054 | $2,386,936 | ($6,358,811) | $9,364,681 | ($8,559,387) |
| Other changes in net assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total change in net assets | $1,567,054 | $2,386,936 | ($6,358,811) | $9,364,681 | ($8,559,387) |
Compensation
| Name | Title | Compensation |
| Dr William Jones | President | $390,514 |
| Dr Ricky Christman | Exec Vice Pr | $295,662 |
| Dr James Lanpher | Provost | $219,160 |
| Diane Mull | Vice Preside | $117,867 |
| David Sayers | CFO | $105,000 |
| Eric Froistad | CFO | $105,000 |
Compensation data as of: 6/30/2025
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 3/26/2026. To update the information below, please email: [email protected]
History
What is now Columbia International University exists because of the power of prayer. Thanks to the prayers of a Sunday school teacher and her friends, CIU has been a catalyst for preparing students for ministry and missions.
Emily Dick - concerned for the spiritual needs of Columbia's mill workers and their families - attended Moody Bible Institute in 1913 to better learn Scripture. Five years later and now back home; she and her circle of six other "praying women" saw their dream of a local Bible school come true. The man of God who would lead the new work was Robert C. McQuilkin, CIU's first president.
The school began classes in the fall of 1922 in rented rooms at the former Colonia Hotel in downtown Columbia and at the YMCA, and officially became Columbia Bible School in 1923. Two hotel rooms served as the classroom and the office, and the hotel's sunroom was used for popular Friday evening classes open to the public. In 1929, the school's name changed to Columbia Bible College and six years later, the school began offering graduate courses. The college moved to its current location on Monticello Road in 1960 and the name was changed again in 1994 to Columbia International University.
In 1929, the school's name changed to Columbia Bible College and six years later, the school began offering graduate courses. The college moved to its current location on Monticello Road in 1960 and the name was changed again in 1994 to Columbia International University.