Cleary University

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
381393841
IRS 990 coverage
2010–2024
Official website data refreshed
Sep 2026
Forms available
Form 990 2024, Form 990-T 2024
Location
Howell, MI, US
Phone
800.686.1883
Rating
78
Verdict
SUPPORTED
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Undergraduate College (4-year)

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$29,270,502
Expenses
$28,890,154
Assets
$40,957,344
Liabilities
$30,934,700

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Amounts in USD.

Leadership & pay

31 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • DR ALAN DRIMMER (PRESIDENT & CEO)

Highest reported compensation

  • DR ALAN DRIMMER (PRESIDENT & CEO): $411,930 total reported compensation
  • DOUGLAS STEIN (PROVOST): $174,084 total reported compensation
  • JEREMY WALKER (VP OF ENROLLMENT): $171,425 total reported compensation

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.

Overview

Mission

Cleary University's mission is to provide a transformative, student-centered education that prepares learners for professional success and lifelong learning through innovative programs and a supportive community.

What it reported doing in 2024

Instruction and room & board - the teaching of higher education courses to students and enabling them to sustain residency on campus in order to attend classes, achieve a bachelor's degree and enjoy the full college experience. At cleary university, our commitment to enhancing the college experience for our students remains first and foremost. This year, cleary university is proud to announce the following achievements: (continued on schedule o)#1 in Michigan for rate of return (roi) among private, nonprofit business schools #1 in Michigan for earnings one year after graduation and 10 years after graduation for a degree in business #2 in the nation for best online business degree #4 in Michigan for best business college #5 in Michigan for lowest tuition rates among private colleges cleary also received more than $300,000 in grant funding for its arthur secunda museum immersive experience, an opportunity to expand the university's art culture. Funds are being used to restore, preserve, enrich and enhance the art collection of arthur secunda on display on the campus. In addition, cleary expanded its cleary direct connect program to include all Michigan high school graduates. Eligible students automatically are admitted to the university without going through a tedious admission process. Cleary attributes its ongoing sustainability to many factors, particularly the alignment of our curriculum with the labor market.

Operating model

Revenue model
Earned-program. 97% of the money available for current operations came from fees and other program revenue.
Distribution model
Grant intermediary. The nonprofit sent 62% of its reported program spending out as grants.

The verdict

SUPPORTED - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and the filed numbers largely add up. Fundraising costs are high for each dollar raised and expenses are high relative to revenue.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 66
  • Transparency & Controls: 83
  • Accountability: 100
  • Sustainability: 40
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 73.5%; rating input score 73
  • Program expense ratio: 74.5%; rating input score 75
  • Fundraising efficiency: $1.74 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 5; 5th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 62nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: 3 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 50
    • Compensation committee: Pass
    • Independent consultant: Missing
    • Other Form 990s reviewed: Missing
    • Written employment contract: Missing
    • Compensation survey or study: Pass
    • Board or committee approval: Pass
  • Foreign activity oversight: Limited
  • Grant itemization coverage: 100%; rating input score 100; 72nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
  • Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 66th percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 9 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 100
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: Pass
    • Other executive compensation review process: Pass
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Pass
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: 1.3%; rating input score 39; 39th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 1.42; rating input score 49; 49th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.76; rating input score 15; 15th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 5.4%; rating input score 48; 48th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 15% per year; rating input score 100; 83rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 9.6% per year; rating input score 100; 72nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 6.4% per year; rating input score 100; 45th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • What they do: 3 programs and campaigns described on the official site · 2 operating locations identified
  • Where the money goes: 73.5% of revenue deployed · 74.5% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 17 of 17 board members independent · 9 of 9 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $21.5M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $412K · 31 people listed · 3 of 6 pay-setting controls reported
  • Highest-paid contractors: 2 contractors listed · $349K reported
  • Consistency: 37 of 37 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 8 filed schedules · includes major donors, grants, and executive pay
  • Filing history: 15 filing years from 2010 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 10 filed money-flow records
  • Grant readiness: Federal tax and exclusion status, award history, and grant-maker relationships.
  • People: Everyone the filings name, and which of them the filings identify by more than a name.

Key Signals

Signals prioritize questions for review. They are not findings of misconduct.

  • High — Financial Efficiency: Fundraising efficiency scored 5/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 39/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 49/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 15/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 48/100.