Southern Nazarene University 
The information on this page was last updated 2/2/2025. If you see errors or omissions, please email: [email protected]
Summary
Founded in 1899, Southern Nazarene University is a private, Christian, liberal arts university-a service of the Church of the Nazarene. Located on a 44-acre campus just west of Oklahoma City, SNU grew out of several small colleges committed to training people for service to God and to one another.
Contact information
Mailing address:
Southern Nazarene University
6729 NW 39th Expressway
Bethany, OK 73008
Website: snu.edu
Phone: 405-789-6400
Email: [email protected]
Organization details
EIN: 730587210
CEO/President: Dr. J Keith Newman
Chairman: Dr. Terry Roland
Board size: 16
Founder:
Ruling year: 1959
Tax deductible: Yes
Fiscal year end: 06/30
Member of ECFA: No
Member of ECFA since:
Purpose
We are a sent people, responding to the call of Christ and empowered by the Holy Spirit to go into all the world, witnessing to the Lordship of Christ and participating with God in the building of the Church and the extension of His kingdom. Our mission begins in worship, ministers to the world in evangelism and compassion, encourages believers toward Christian maturity through discipleship and prepares women and men for Christian service through Christian higher education.
Mission statement
To make Christlike disciples through higher education in Christ-centered community.
As a Christian community of scholars, we model the hospitality of grace, the pursuit of truth, and the practice of discipleship, all within the Wesleyan-holiness tradition, as we prepare graduates who think with clarity, act with integrity, and serve with purpose.
Statement of faith
Donor confidence score
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 | | 755 of 1123 | 93 of 128 |
| Fund acquisition rating | | 704 of 1124 | 91 of 128 |
| Resource allocation rating | | 968 of 1124 | 103 of 128 |
| Asset utilization rating | | 328 of 1123 | 36 of 128 |
According to the organization's Form 990, it received $1,381,998 in government grants in 2023.
Financial ratios
| Funding ratios | Sector median | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 |
Return on fundraising efforts Return on fundraising efforts = Fundraising expense / Total contributions | 13% | 17% | 6% | 8% | 13% | 18% |
Fundraising cost ratio Fundraising cost ratio = Fundraising expense / Total revenue | 2% | 2% | 2% | 2% | 1% | 1% |
Contributions reliance Contributions reliance = Total contributions / Total revenue | 16% | 13% | 28% | 21% | 12% | 8% |
Fundraising expense ratio Fundraising expense ratio = Fundraising expense / Total expenses | 2% | 2% | 2% | 2% | 2% | 1% |
Other revenue reliance Other revenue reliance = Total other revenue / Total revenue | 84% | 87% | 72% | 79% | 88% | 92% |
| Operating ratios | Sector median | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 |
Program expense ratio Program expense ratio = Program services / Total expenses | 85% | 76% | 77% | 75% | 75% | 74% |
Spending ratio Spending ratio = Total expenses / Total revenue | 98% | 115% | 93% | 93% | 98% | 98% |
Program output ratio Program output ratio = Program services / Total revenue | 82% | 87% | 72% | 69% | 74% | 73% |
Savings ratio Savings ratio = Surplus (deficit) / Total revenue | 2% | -15% | 7% | 7% | 2% | 2% |
Reserve accumulation rate Reserve accumulation rate = Surplus (deficit) / Net assets | 1% | -15% | 7% | 7% | 2% | 2% |
General and admin ratio General and admin ratio = Management and general expense / Total expenses | 13% | 22% | 21% | 24% | 23% | 24% |
| Investing ratios | Sector median | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 |
Total asset turnover Total asset turnover = Total expenses / Total assets | 0.53 | 0.64 | 0.57 | 0.52 | 0.53 | 0.56 |
Degree of long-term investment Degree of long-term investment = Total assets / Total current assets | 2.66 | 3.56 | 3.12 | 3.00 | 3.41 | 3.74 |
Current asset turnover Current asset turnover = Total expenses / Total current assets | 1.45 | 2.29 | 1.78 | 1.55 | 1.83 | 2.11 |
| Liquidity ratios | Sector median | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 |
Current ratio Current ratio = Total current assets / Total current liabilities | 7.81 | 7.38 | 7.43 | 8.56 | 6.26 | 5.46 |
Current liabilities ratio Current liabilities ratio = Total current liabilities / Total current assets | 0.13 | 0.14 | 0.13 | 0.12 | 0.16 | 0.18 |
Liquid reserve level Liquid reserve level = (Total current assets - Total current liabilities) / (Total expenses / 12) | 7.31 | 4.53 | 5.82 | 6.85 | 5.52 | 4.66 |
| Solvency ratios | Sector median | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 |
Liabilities ratio Liabilities ratio = Total liabilities / Total assets | 24% | 44% | 42% | 45% | 52% | 52% |
Debt ratio Debt ratio = Debt / Total assets | 11% | 36% | 34% | 35% | 41% | 40% |
Reserve coverage ratio Reserve coverage ratio = Net assets / Total expenses | 151% | 88% | 101% | 107% | 90% | 86% |
Financials
| Balance sheet | |||||
| Assets | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 |
| Cash | $6,814,946 | $5,999,709 | $11,673,346 | $11,197,525 | $6,929,147 |
| Receivables, inventories, prepaids | $1,308,606 | $10,277,662 | $2,088,770 | $2,900,660 | $3,961,733 |
| Short-term investments | $23,469,747 | $22,802,896 | $27,282,974 | $20,800,535 | $20,404,501 |
| Other current assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total current assets | $31,593,299 | $39,080,267 | $41,045,090 | $34,898,720 | $31,295,381 |
| Long-term investments | $745,109 | $796,168 | $1,229,639 | $1,640,131 | $1,890,199 |
| Fixed assets | $79,717,908 | $81,839,593 | $80,660,160 | $82,417,822 | $83,374,781 |
| Other long-term assets | $535,271 | $58,983 | $74,361 | $189,777 | $420,426 |
| Total long-term assets | $80,998,288 | $82,694,744 | $81,964,160 | $84,247,730 | $85,685,406 |
| Total assets | $112,591,587 | $121,775,011 | $123,009,250 | $119,146,450 | $116,980,787 |
| Liabilities | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 |
| Payables and accrued expenses | $3,253,137 | $3,621,469 | $2,892,888 | $3,325,840 | $3,109,929 |
| Other current liabilities | $1,029,527 | $1,641,695 | $1,900,913 | $2,252,454 | $2,623,263 |
| Total current liabilities | $4,282,664 | $5,263,164 | $4,793,801 | $5,578,294 | $5,733,192 |
| Debt | $40,120,801 | $41,787,218 | $43,359,308 | $49,064,342 | $46,473,360 |
| Due to (from) affiliates | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Other long-term liabilities | $4,806,369 | $4,528,148 | $6,963,111 | $7,352,355 | $8,388,586 |
| Total long-term liabilities | $44,927,170 | $46,315,366 | $50,322,419 | $56,416,697 | $54,861,946 |
| Total liabilities | $49,209,834 | $51,578,530 | $55,116,220 | $61,994,991 | $60,595,138 |
| Net assets | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 |
| Without donor restrictions | $39,196,603 | $47,391,787 | $42,556,107 | $37,589,537 | $36,681,925 |
| With donor restrictions | $24,185,150 | $22,804,694 | $25,336,923 | $19,561,922 | $19,703,724 |
| Net assets | $63,381,753 | $70,196,481 | $67,893,030 | $57,151,459 | $56,385,649 |
| Revenues and expenses | |||||
| Revenue | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 |
| Total contributions | $8,278,773 | $21,033,953 | $14,422,815 | $7,635,000 | $5,150,807 |
| Program service revenue | $52,068,682 | $51,781,892 | $52,637,454 | $53,908,204 | $56,170,723 |
| Membership dues | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Investment income | $379,051 | $418,210 | $266,457 | $394,336 | $1,775,479 |
| Other revenue | $2,131,285 | $1,500,993 | $922,910 | $2,849,949 | $4,116,936 |
| Total other revenue | $54,579,018 | $53,701,095 | $53,826,821 | $57,152,489 | $62,063,138 |
| Total revenue | $62,857,791 | $74,735,048 | $68,249,636 | $64,787,489 | $67,213,945 |
| Expenses | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 |
| Program services | $54,725,348 | $53,614,626 | $47,361,885 | $47,853,833 | $49,074,359 |
| Management and general | $16,118,683 | $14,862,506 | $15,014,296 | $14,908,657 | $15,885,821 |
| Fundraising | $1,433,507 | $1,215,281 | $1,131,656 | $963,852 | $928,241 |
| Total expenses | $72,277,538 | $69,692,413 | $63,507,837 | $63,726,342 | $65,888,421 |
| Change in net assets | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 |
| Surplus (deficit) | ($9,419,747) | $5,042,635 | $4,741,799 | $1,061,147 | $1,325,524 |
| Other changes in net assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total change in net assets | ($9,419,747) | $5,042,635 | $4,741,799 | $1,061,147 | $1,325,524 |
Compensation
| Name | Title | Compensation |
| Dr Keith Newman | University President | $272,522 |
| Dr Tim Eades | Unversity Provost & Chief | $163,482 |
| Dr Scott Strawn | VP For Business & Finance | $140,764 |
| Dr Mike Redwine | Executive Vice President | $115,980 |
Compensation data as of: 6/30/2023
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 2/2/2025. To update the information below, please email: [email protected]
History
Our rich history as a Christian liberal arts university dates back to 1899. Serving the mission of the Church of the Nazarene, we believe in the inherent worth of all people. We work to help every student find their unique purpose. Our 44-acre main campus is just west of Oklahoma City and grew out of several small colleges committed to training people to achieve their highest potential. More than 32,000 alumni work and serve the mission of God throughout the United States and the world.