John Brown University 
The information on this page was last updated 1/28/2026. If you see errors or omissions, please email: [email protected]
Summary
John Brown University is a leading private Christian university, training students to honor God and serve others since 1919. Arkansas' top-ranked university (The Wall Street Journal) and top-ranked regional university (U.S. News), JBU enrolls more than 2,100 students from 38 states and 53 countries.
JBU is a Christian university committed to providing quality academics within a distinctly Christian community. The university has no denominational affiliation and admits students of any faith. JBU is a vibrant and growing independent Christian university of the arts, sciences and professions.
Contact information
Mailing address:
John Brown University
2000 West University St
Siloam Springs, AR 72761
Website: jbu.edu
Phone: 479-524-9500
Email: [email protected]
Organization details
EIN: 710239576
CEO/President: Dr. Charles W. Pollard
Chairman: Marvin G. Spees
Board size: 27
Founder: Dr. John E. Brown Sr.
Ruling year: 1936
Tax deductible: Yes
Fiscal year end: 06/30
Member of ECFA: Yes
Member of ECFA since: 1979
Purpose
A Christ-centered, interdenominational university that leads the nation in integrating faith and learning, fostering holistic spiritual formation, promoting pragmatic liberal arts education, and preparing people to follow Christ's call to serve others in all areas of life.
Mission statement
John Brown University provides Christ-centered education that prepares people to honor God and serve others by developing their intellectual, spiritual and professional lives. JBU's mission is summarized in its two historic mottos: "Christ Over All" and "Head, Heart and Hand."
Statement of faith
We believe the Bible to be the inspired, the only infallible, authoritative word of God.
We believe that there is one God, eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
We believe in the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ, in His virgin birth, in His sinless life, in His miracles, in His vicarious and atoning death through His shed blood, in His bodily resurrection, in His ascension to the right hand of the Father, and in His personal return in power and glory.
We believe that, for the salvation of lost and sinful people, regeneration by the Holy Spirit is absolutely necessary.
We believe in the present ministry of the Holy Spirit by whose indwelling the Christian is enabled to live a godly life.
We believe in the resurrection of both the saved and the lost; they that are saved unto the resurrection of life and they that are lost unto the resurrection of damnation.
We believe in the spiritual unity of believers in our Lord Jesus Christ.
Donor confidence score
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Transparency grade
C
To understand our transparency grade, click here.
Financial efficiency ratings
Sector: Colleges/Universities
| Category | Rating | Overall rank | Sector rank |
| Overall efficiency rating | | 591 of 1435 | 81 of 155 |
| Fund acquisition rating | | 527 of 1435 | 59 of 155 |
| Resource allocation rating | | 568 of 1435 | 62 of 155 |
| Asset utilization rating | | 863 of 1436 | 110 of 155 |
According to the organization's Form 990, it received $2,558,155 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% | 10% | 8% | 10% | 9% | 6% |
Fundraising cost ratio Fundraising cost ratio = Fundraising expense / Total revenue | 2% | 2% | 2% | 2% | 2% | 2% |
Contributions reliance Contributions reliance = Total contributions / Total revenue | 15% | 23% | 28% | 23% | 22% | 36% |
Fundraising expense ratio Fundraising expense ratio = Fundraising expense / Total expenses | 2% | 3% | 3% | 2% | 2% | 3% |
Other revenue reliance Other revenue reliance = Total other revenue / Total revenue | 85% | 77% | 72% | 77% | 78% | 64% |
| Operating ratios | Sector median | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
Program expense ratio Program expense ratio = Program services / Total expenses | 84% | 87% | 86% | 86% | 87% | 87% |
Spending ratio Spending ratio = Total expenses / Total revenue | 96% | 86% | 90% | 94% | 89% | 79% |
Program output ratio Program output ratio = Program services / Total revenue | 81% | 74% | 78% | 81% | 78% | 69% |
Savings ratio Savings ratio = Surplus (deficit) / Total revenue | 4% | 14% | 10% | 6% | 11% | 21% |
Reserve accumulation rate Reserve accumulation rate = Surplus (deficit) / Net assets | 2% | 4% | 3% | 2% | 3% | 7% |
General and admin ratio General and admin ratio = Management and general expense / Total expenses | 14% | 11% | 11% | 11% | 11% | 10% |
| Investing ratios | Sector median | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
Total asset turnover Total asset turnover = Total expenses / Total assets | 0.52 | 0.24 | 0.25 | 0.25 | 0.26 | 0.23 |
Degree of long-term investment Degree of long-term investment = Total assets / Total current assets | 2.73 | 1.53 | 1.61 | 1.64 | 1.69 | 1.54 |
Current asset turnover Current asset turnover = Total expenses / Total current assets | 1.45 | 0.36 | 0.40 | 0.42 | 0.44 | 0.36 |
| Liquidity ratios | Sector median | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
Current ratio Current ratio = Total current assets / Total current liabilities | 8.18 | 52.43 | 63.07 | 45.30 | 45.88 | 29.59 |
Current liabilities ratio Current liabilities ratio = Total current liabilities / Total current assets | 0.12 | 0.02 | 0.02 | 0.02 | 0.02 | 0.03 |
Liquid reserve level Liquid reserve level = (Total current assets - Total current liabilities) / (Total expenses / 12) | 6.99 | 32.69 | 29.71 | 28.14 | 26.84 | 32.62 |
| Solvency ratios | Sector median | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
Liabilities ratio Liabilities ratio = Total liabilities / Total assets | 20% | 3% | 3% | 3% | 4% | 5% |
Debt ratio Debt ratio = Debt / Total assets | 10% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 2% | 2% |
Reserve coverage ratio Reserve coverage ratio = Net assets / Total expenses | 148% | 414% | 393% | 380% | 372% | 413% |
Financials
| Balance sheet | |||||
| Assets | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
| Cash | $11,932,617 | $15,307,398 | $13,308,507 | $12,870,986 | $23,030,950 |
| Receivables, inventories, prepaids | $3,602,478 | $5,484,832 | $5,958,682 | $6,652,161 | $2,323,482 |
| Short-term investments | $209,978,636 | $174,877,499 | $160,772,254 | $144,931,005 | $163,233,256 |
| Other current assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total current assets | $225,513,731 | $195,669,729 | $180,039,443 | $164,454,152 | $188,587,688 |
| Long-term investments | $38,272,988 | $38,328,575 | $33,905,573 | $28,918,032 | $16,804,653 |
| Fixed assets | $79,415,561 | $78,223,736 | $79,191,925 | $82,672,145 | $81,966,086 |
| Other long-term assets | $1,855,377 | $1,946,325 | $1,963,114 | $1,335,029 | $2,712,254 |
| Total long-term assets | $119,543,926 | $118,498,636 | $115,060,612 | $112,925,206 | $101,482,993 |
| Total assets | $345,057,657 | $314,168,365 | $295,100,055 | $277,379,358 | $290,070,681 |
| Liabilities | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
| Payables and accrued expenses | $3,235,465 | $2,132,971 | $2,916,868 | $2,196,376 | $2,640,789 |
| Other current liabilities | $1,066,007 | $969,646 | $1,057,819 | $1,387,906 | $3,733,072 |
| Total current liabilities | $4,301,472 | $3,102,617 | $3,974,687 | $3,584,282 | $6,373,861 |
| Debt | $3,466,920 | $3,917,471 | $4,426,396 | $4,925,320 | $5,434,245 |
| Due to (from) affiliates | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Other long-term liabilities | $1,485,344 | $1,432,949 | $1,181,257 | $1,233,688 | $1,315,481 |
| Total long-term liabilities | $4,952,264 | $5,350,420 | $5,607,653 | $6,159,008 | $6,749,726 |
| Total liabilities | $9,253,736 | $8,453,037 | $9,582,340 | $9,743,290 | $13,123,587 |
| Net assets | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
| Without donor restrictions | $139,716,674 | $132,860,058 | $137,070,696 | $125,239,651 | $123,054,510 |
| With donor restrictions | $196,087,247 | $172,855,270 | $148,447,019 | $142,396,417 | $153,892,584 |
| Net assets | $335,803,921 | $305,715,328 | $285,517,715 | $267,636,068 | $276,947,094 |
| Revenues and expenses | |||||
| Revenue | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
| Total contributions | $22,017,460 | $24,108,337 | $18,418,279 | $17,992,537 | $31,029,127 |
| Program service revenue | $60,696,758 | $56,994,311 | $53,095,362 | $51,201,036 | $49,565,704 |
| Membership dues | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Investment income | $11,022,503 | $4,705,916 | $5,798,580 | $5,487,767 | $4,611,874 |
| Other revenue | $887,878 | $581,994 | $2,745,339 | $5,677,111 | $184,711 |
| Total other revenue | $72,607,139 | $62,282,221 | $61,639,281 | $62,365,914 | $54,362,289 |
| Total revenue | $94,624,599 | $86,390,558 | $80,057,560 | $80,358,451 | $85,391,416 |
| Expenses | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
| Program services | $70,327,489 | $67,049,323 | $64,815,617 | $62,553,542 | $58,584,932 |
| Management and general | $8,674,659 | $8,768,793 | $8,473,824 | $7,759,874 | $6,674,057 |
| Fundraising | $2,203,125 | $1,972,991 | $1,788,785 | $1,597,988 | $1,778,449 |
| Total expenses | $81,205,273 | $77,791,107 | $75,078,226 | $71,911,404 | $67,037,438 |
| Change in net assets | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
| Surplus (deficit) | $13,419,326 | $8,599,451 | $4,979,334 | $8,447,047 | $18,353,978 |
| Other changes in net assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total change in net assets | $13,419,326 | $8,599,451 | $4,979,334 | $8,447,047 | $18,353,978 |
Compensation
| Name | Title | Compensation |
| Dr Charles Pollard | President | $521,804 |
| Dr Robert Norwood | Vice President For Academic Affairs | $226,715 |
| Dr James Krall | Senior Vice President of University Advancement | $226,199 |
| Dr Kimberly M Hadley | Executive Vice President | $222,213 |
| Dr Ryan Ladner | Vice President of Enrollment Management | $198,914 |
| Dr Kenneth Hahn | Department Chair, General Science; Professor of Ph | $167,000 |
| Paul Nast | Chief Information Officer | $162,310 |
| Samuel Heinrich | Professor of Finance & Economics | $152,248 |
| Steve Beers | VP For Student Development (part Year) | $124,182 |
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 1/28/2026. To update the information below, please email: [email protected]
History
Established in 1919 by evangelist Dr. John E. Brown Sr., JBU was created to combine Christian liberal arts education with an emphasis on specialized vocational training. While we may not train airplane mechanics today, a "head, heart, hand" education with "Christ over all" is still our focus.
Program accomplishments
Arkansas' #1 University - Wall Street Journal 2020 U.S. College Rankings
Nearly 1,400 students are enrolled in one of JBU's 41 traditional undergraduate programs where we are committed to providing them with an academically-challenging educational experience. In the last few years, JBU's academic programs have been recognized with research and other grant awards from organizations like NASA, the National Science Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts. JBU has one of the highest graduation rates in the South among Southern Regional Colleges, according to U.S. News and World Report.