Dallas Baptist University 
The information on this page was last updated 1/15/2026. If you see errors or omissions, please email: [email protected]
Summary
Dallas Baptist University is a Christ-centered liberal arts university that fully integrates Biblical faith and academic learning and is dedicated to developing servant leaders.
Contact information
Mailing address:
Dallas Baptist University
3000 Mountain Creek Parkway
Dallas, TX 75211
Website: dbu.edu
Phone: 214-333-7100
Email: [email protected]
Organization details
EIN: 756001300
CEO/President: Dr. Adam C. Wright
Chairman: Dr. Gary Cook
Board size: 40
Founder:
Ruling year: 1946
Tax deductible: Yes
Fiscal year end: 05/31
Member of ECFA: No
Member of ECFA since:
Purpose
Building a great Christian university that is pleasing to God by producing Christ-centered servant leaders who are transforming the world.
Mission statement
The mission of Dallas Baptist University is to provide Christ-centered quality higher education in the arts, sciences, and professional studies at both the undergraduate and graduate levels to traditional age and adult students in order to produce servant leaders who have the ability to integrate faith and learning through their respective callings.
Statement of faith
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 | | 352 of 1423 | 37 of 155 |
| Fund acquisition rating | | 117 of 1423 | 23 of 155 |
| Resource allocation rating | | 1014 of 1423 | 109 of 155 |
| Asset utilization rating | | 406 of 1424 | 45 of 155 |
According to the organization's Form 990, it received $2,825,303 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% | 4% | 10% | 11% | 8% | 5% |
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% | 23% | 10% | 9% | 14% | 16% |
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% | 77% | 90% | 91% | 86% | 84% |
| Operating ratios | Sector median | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
Program expense ratio Program expense ratio = Program services / Total expenses | 84% | 79% | 80% | 80% | 80% | 80% |
Spending ratio Spending ratio = Total expenses / Total revenue | 96% | 87% | 100% | 101% | 103% | 94% |
Program output ratio Program output ratio = Program services / Total revenue | 81% | 69% | 79% | 81% | 82% | 76% |
Savings ratio Savings ratio = Surplus (deficit) / Total revenue | 4% | 13% | 0% | -1% | -3% | 6% |
Reserve accumulation rate Reserve accumulation rate = Surplus (deficit) / Net assets | 2% | 9% | 0% | -1% | -2% | 3% |
General and admin ratio General and admin ratio = Management and general expense / Total expenses | 14% | 20% | 19% | 19% | 19% | 19% |
| Investing ratios | Sector median | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
Total asset turnover Total asset turnover = Total expenses / Total assets | 0.52 | 0.60 | 0.65 | 0.65 | 0.63 | 0.55 |
Degree of long-term investment Degree of long-term investment = Total assets / Total current assets | 2.73 | 6.01 | 12.38 | 12.99 | 12.67 | 9.18 |
Current asset turnover Current asset turnover = Total expenses / Total current assets | 1.45 | 3.62 | 8.02 | 8.48 | 8.02 | 5.05 |
| Liquidity ratios | Sector median | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
Current ratio Current ratio = Total current assets / Total current liabilities | 8.18 | 6.94 | 3.19 | 2.37 | 2.59 | 3.72 |
Current liabilities ratio Current liabilities ratio = Total current liabilities / Total current assets | 0.12 | 0.14 | 0.31 | 0.42 | 0.39 | 0.27 |
Liquid reserve level Liquid reserve level = (Total current assets - Total current liabilities) / (Total expenses / 12) | 6.99 | 2.84 | 1.03 | 0.82 | 0.92 | 1.74 |
| Solvency ratios | Sector median | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
Liabilities ratio Liabilities ratio = Total liabilities / Total assets | 20% | 5% | 5% | 6% | 6% | 6% |
Debt ratio Debt ratio = Debt / Total assets | 10% | 1% | 2% | 2% | 2% | 2% |
Reserve coverage ratio Reserve coverage ratio = Net assets / Total expenses | 148% | 158% | 146% | 144% | 149% | 171% |
Financials
| Balance sheet | |||||
| Assets | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
| Cash | $17,922,063 | $12,593,734 | $12,247,795 | $12,894,024 | $20,262,888 |
| Receivables, inventories, prepaids | $24,846,092 | $6,047,634 | $5,089,332 | $5,357,335 | $5,725,519 |
| Short-term investments | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Other current assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total current assets | $42,768,155 | $18,641,368 | $17,337,127 | $18,251,359 | $25,988,407 |
| Long-term investments | $86,823,654 | $79,618,102 | $71,187,535 | $72,383,731 | $72,330,936 |
| Fixed assets | $118,003,106 | $123,461,620 | $129,305,014 | $132,991,683 | $131,759,179 |
| Other long-term assets | $9,598,919 | $9,089,939 | $7,426,486 | $7,582,788 | $8,431,381 |
| Total long-term assets | $214,425,679 | $212,169,661 | $207,919,035 | $212,958,202 | $212,521,496 |
| Total assets | $257,193,834 | $230,811,029 | $225,256,162 | $231,209,561 | $238,509,903 |
| Liabilities | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
| Payables and accrued expenses | $4,243,355 | $3,850,292 | $3,822,504 | $4,483,994 | $4,520,579 |
| Other current liabilities | $1,919,459 | $1,992,689 | $3,484,733 | $2,558,261 | $2,469,316 |
| Total current liabilities | $6,162,814 | $5,842,981 | $7,307,237 | $7,042,255 | $6,989,895 |
| Debt | $3,848,490 | $4,065,407 | $4,274,868 | $4,477,818 | $4,674,106 |
| Due to (from) affiliates | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Other long-term liabilities | $2,342,726 | $2,248,342 | $2,144,240 | $2,182,199 | $2,241,634 |
| Total long-term liabilities | $6,191,216 | $6,313,749 | $6,419,108 | $6,660,017 | $6,915,740 |
| Total liabilities | $12,354,030 | $12,156,730 | $13,726,345 | $13,702,272 | $13,905,635 |
| Net assets | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
| Without donor restrictions | $127,916,943 | $135,751,114 | $141,717,279 | $146,667,404 | $153,577,599 |
| With donor restrictions | $116,922,861 | $82,903,185 | $69,812,538 | $70,839,885 | $71,026,669 |
| Net assets | $244,839,804 | $218,654,299 | $211,529,817 | $217,507,289 | $224,604,268 |
| Revenues and expenses | |||||
| Revenue | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
| Total contributions | $40,532,393 | $15,651,120 | $13,074,125 | $20,334,394 | $21,672,420 |
| Program service revenue | $130,925,705 | $130,053,731 | $127,723,307 | $118,500,369 | $114,328,770 |
| Membership dues | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Investment income | $5,046,903 | $3,546,976 | $3,529,319 | $2,478,334 | $2,512,961 |
| Other revenue | $1,058,575 | $702,917 | $1,377,031 | $807,291 | $371,236 |
| Total other revenue | $137,031,183 | $134,303,624 | $132,629,657 | $121,785,994 | $117,212,967 |
| Total revenue | $177,563,576 | $149,954,744 | $145,703,782 | $142,120,388 | $138,885,387 |
| Expenses | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
| Program services | $122,018,658 | $119,204,462 | $117,680,760 | $116,889,825 | $104,964,065 |
| Management and general | $31,362,898 | $28,737,017 | $27,762,945 | $27,766,913 | $25,006,016 |
| Fundraising | $1,438,520 | $1,490,637 | $1,493,326 | $1,632,920 | $1,190,159 |
| Total expenses | $154,820,076 | $149,432,116 | $146,937,031 | $146,289,658 | $131,160,240 |
| Change in net assets | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
| Surplus (deficit) | $22,743,500 | $522,628 | ($1,233,249) | ($4,169,270) | $7,725,147 |
| Other changes in net assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total change in net assets | $22,743,500 | $522,628 | ($1,233,249) | ($4,169,270) | $7,725,147 |
Compensation
| Name | Title | Compensation |
| Wright Adam C | President | $812,445 |
| Heefner Daniel J | Head Baseball Coach | $669,714 |
| Cook Gary R | Chancellor | $612,924 |
| Teat Jonathan S | Vice President For Administration | $316,862 |
| Murrah Matthew T | Vice President For Financial Affairs | $292,368 |
| Hedin Norma S | Vice President and Provost | $269,068 |
| Kavli Suzanne | Professor | $223,198 |
| Goodyear Jack T | Dean | $202,132 |
| Van der Merwe Christa G | General Counsel | $189,055 |
| Park Joseph | Professor | $188,218 |
| Lemons James | Professor | $187,536 |
| Killingsworth V Blake | Vice President For Communications | $184,638 |
| Hefton Ryan M | Vice President For Advancement | $171,704 |
| Harley James R | Vice President For Student Affairs | $147,865 |
| Byers Randall D | Vice President For International Affairs | $145,188 |
| Dowd Denny | Trustee | $47,219 |
| Linam Gail | Trustee | $28,500 |
| Ammons Greg | Trustee | $22,133 |
| Taylor Ronald Brent | Trustee | $20,750 |
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
DBU's forerunner, Decatur Baptist College, was founded in 1898 as the first junior college in Texas. For years, the school called the small town of Decatur home, producing outstanding young men and women who filled churches, classrooms, hospitals, and businesses around the nation.
In 1965, the school relocated to the scenic foothills of southwest Dallas, becoming a four-year institution and eventually being renamed Dallas Baptist University when it began offering graduate-level degrees.
Today, DBU has a variety of degrees on the undergraduate, master's, and doctoral levels. Well into our second century, DBU continues to press forward in our mission to produce servant leaders who will transform the world.
Program accomplishments
Dallas Baptist University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award associate, bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees.