Khan Academy
Mountain View, CA · EIN 261544963 · FY2023 is the latest filing on record · pre-cached
Khan Academy's 67% compensation share isn't a red flag; it's the engine of their educational impact.
Khan Academy is in a strong financial position, consistently operating with a healthy surplus. They have built up substantial reserves, providing a solid buffer for future operations. The vast majority of their funding comes from donations, supplemented by earned revenue.
Myth
A high percentage of spending on compensation means less money for the mission.
Reality
Khan Academy dedicates 67% of its spending to compensation, placing it in the 99th percentile among its peers. This investment in human capital has fueled 14 years of consistent operating surpluses and a robust educational platform.
Myth
Charities should minimize their operating reserves to maximize immediate impact.
Reality
Khan Academy holds 22.6 months of operating reserves, indicating strong financial planning and resilience. This is a healthy buffer, placing them at the 55th percentile compared to other education organizations.
Multi-year trend
Operating reserve months
Net assets ÷ monthly expenses — how long the org could run on savings alone.
Operating margin
(Revenue − expenses) ÷ revenue, per fiscal year.
How it compares to peers
Percentile rank among 73 Education organizations. Higher is framed as better on every bar here — including reserves and staff investment, which conventional overhead-ratio scoring would penalize.
Dashed line = peer median (50th percentile)
Ask about Khan Academy
Answers are grounded only in this org's filed financial data above -- it won't guess at their programs, leadership, or anything not shown on this page.
Source: latest Form 990 PDF via ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer.