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Filing year 2023

Western Governors University

Salt Lake City, Utah·EIN 47-4365018·NTEE B03 · Education·501(c)(3)
Total revenue
$1.5B
Total assets
$658.3M
Total expenses
$1.3B
Reported officers
34
Mission

WGU'S MISSION IS TO CHANGE LIVES FOR THE BETTER BY CREATING PATHWAYS TO OPPORTUNITY. WGU DOES THIS BY OPERATING AND ADMINISTERING AN INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION AND LEARNING.

Executive compensation, broken down

Form 990 · Part VII & Schedule J · 17 reported individuals · Filing year 2023

Percentile bands compare each position's total pay with the same role at Education organizations nationwide.

Sr Vp, Business College
Board Vice President
Above 90th percentile
$529k
$579k
Base
$385k
Bonus
$75k
Other
Benefits
$49k
Sr Vp, Student Success
Board Vice President
Above 90th percentile
$471k
$515k
Base
$328k
Bonus
$55k
Other
$24k
Benefits
$34k
Sr Vp, School of Education
Board Vice President
Above 90th percentile
$451k
$494k
Base
$327k
Bonus
$66k
Other
Benefits
$28k
Sr Vp, Program Development
Board Vice President
Above 90th percentile
$438k
$480k
Base
$347k
Bonus
$41k
Other
Benefits
$28k
Sr Vp, Regional Operations
Board Vice President
Above 90th percentile
$432k
$473k
Base
$306k
Bonus
$63k
Other
$19k
Benefits
$29k
Sr Vp, School of Technology
Board Vice President
Above 90th percentile
$405k
$444k
Base
$364k
Bonus
Other
Benefits
$11k
Sr Vp, School of Technology
Board Vice President
Above 90th percentile
$391k
$428k
Base
$316k
Bonus
$45k
Other
Benefits
Sr Vp, Marketing
Board Vice President
Above 90th percentile
$390k
$427k
Base
$283k
Bonus
$72k
Other
Benefits
$25k
Sr Vp, Leavitt School of Hlth
Board Vice President
Above 90th percentile
$380k
$415k
Base
$346k
Bonus
$23k
Other
Benefits
$10k
Vice Provost
Highest Compensated Employee
Above 90th percentile
$371k
$406k
Base
$286k
Bonus
$46k
Other
Benefits
$9k
Executive Director
Above 90th percentilevs Education peers in Utah
$370k
$405k
Base
$281k
Bonus
$35k
Other
Benefits
$34k
Vp, Dean-school of Technology
Board Vice President
Above 90th percentile
$353k
$386k
Base
$268k
Bonus
$38k
Other
Benefits
$30k
Regional Vice President
Board Vice President
75th to 90th percentile
$341k
$373k
Base
$272k
Bonus
$41k
Other
Benefits
$9k
Sr Vp, General Counsel, Secr.
Vice President
25th percentile to median
$87k
$95k
Chief Operating Officer
10th to 25th percentile
$73k
$80k
Trustee/president
25th percentile to medianvs Education peers in Utah
$62k
$68k
CFO & Treasurer
25th percentile to median
$52k
$57k

Teal figures restate each filed amount in 2026 dollars.

Estimated with BLS CPI-U for the West region, restating filed pay into May 2026 dollars. A restatement of past pay, not current or projected pay.

Plus 17 unpaid individuals.

Browse compensation in Education

Pay in context

Top pay as a share of expenses

In 2023, the highest total compensation at Western Governors University equaled 0.0% of the organization's total expenses. The median for education organizations is 7%.

This organization (2023)
0.0%
Sector median
7%
Middle half of sector
2% to 17%

Based on 26,320 education organizations, each measured at its most recent filing year with reported expenses and compensation.

Funded by

Private foundations whose Form 990-PF Part XV grants matched this organization.

Down 73%
from 2022

From $2M in 2022 to $529k in 2023.

$2M
2022
$529k
2023
In today's dollarsEst.
Down 74% in real terms$2.3M to $579k

Estimated with BLS CPI-U for the West region, restating filed pay into May 2026 dollars. A restatement of past pay, not current or projected pay.

Pay for the position

Board Vice President pay rose 2% from 2022 to 2023, while revenue rose 123%.

$517k in 2022 to $529k in 2023.
  • Highest Compensated Employee pay fell 12% from 2022 to 2023.
  • Chief Executive Officer pay fell 81% from 2022 to 2023.

Pay for the position itself, not any one person. The officeholder may have changed between 2022 and 2023.

Highest reported compensation in each year. Volunteer board members and partial-year payouts are filtered out.
Financial trend

Revenue and expenses over time

Western Governors University reported revenue and expenses across 2 filing years.

RevenueExpenses
$654.4M
$619.1M
2022
$1.5B
$1.3B
2023
Total revenue and total expenses from IRS Form 990 filings.
Sector benchmark

What Education executives earn in Utah

Comparable education organizations in Utah pay their highest-earning executive a median of $106,138.

25th percentile
$46k
Median
$106,138
75th percentile
$151k
90th percentile
$209k

These are education sector-wide figures, not this organization's reported pay. Based on 225 organizations across 225 filings (2021 – 2024).

See full Education pay data for Utah
FAQ

Common questions about Western Governors University

What does the Board Vice President of Western Governors University earn?

In 2023, the Board Vice President of Western Governors University received $528,548 in total compensation. This pay is in the top 10% for Board Vice President roles among Education organizations nationwide: at least 9 in 10 comparable filings report less. Based on IRS Form 990 data.

How does Board Vice President pay at Western Governors University compare with similar nonprofits?

Compared with the same role at Education organizations nationwide, the 2023 pay of the Board Vice President at Western Governors University falls in the top 10%. In 2023, the highest total compensation at Western Governors University equaled 0.0% of the organization's total expenses. The median for education organizations is 7%.

What are Western Governors University's revenue and expenses?

In 2023, Western Governors University reported $1.5B in total revenue and $1.3B in total expenses on its IRS Form 990.

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