10-Q

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-Q

(Mark One)

☒	QUARTERLY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
	For the quarterly period ended March 31, 2023

or

☐	TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
	For the transition period from to

Commission File Number: 001-34211

GRAND CANYON EDUCATION, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Delaware	20-3356009
(State or other jurisdiction of Incorporation or organization)	(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)

2600 W. Camelback Road

Phoenix, Arizona 85017

(Address, including zip code, of principal executive offices)

(602) 247-4400

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Title of each class	Trading Symbol(s)	Name of each exchange on which registered
Common Stock	LOPE	Nasdaq Global Select Market

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.   Yes   ☒     No   ◻

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files). Yes   ☒    No   ◻

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.:

Large Accelerated Filer     ☒	Accelerated Filer                      ☐
Non-accelerated Filer       ☐	Smaller Reporting Company     ☐
	Emerging Growth Company     ☐

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act).   Yes  ☐    No  ☒

The total number of shares of common stock outstanding as of May 1, 2023, was 30,726,036.

GRAND CANYON EDUCATION, INC.

FORM 10-Q

INDEX

	Page
PART I – FINANCIAL INFORMATION	3
Item 1 Financial Statements	3
Item 2 Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations	20
Item 3 Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk	26
Item 4 Controls and Procedures	26
PART II – OTHER INFORMATION	27
Item 1 Legal Proceedings	27
Item 1A Risk Factors	27
Item 2 Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds	28
Item 3 Defaults Upon Senior Securities	28
Item 4 Mine Safety Disclosures	28
Item 5 Other Information	28
Item 6 Exhibits	29
SIGNATURES	31

2

PART I – FINANCIAL INFORMATION

Item 1.Financial Statements

GRAND CANYON EDUCATION, INC.

Consolidated Income Statements

(Unaudited)

	Three Months Ended
	March 31,
(In thousands, except per share data)	2023		2022
Service revenue	$	250,125	$	244,133
Costs and expenses:
Technology and academic services		37,512		36,306
Counseling services and support		73,349		67,513
Marketing and communication		52,894		50,851
General and administrative		9,788		9,893
Amortization of intangible assets		2,105		2,105
Total costs and expenses		175,648		166,668
Operating income		74,477		77,465
Interest expense		(19)		—
Investment interest and other		2,153		205
Income before income taxes		76,611		77,670
Income tax expense		17,047		19,592
Net income	$	59,564	$	58,078
Earnings per share:
Basic income per share	$	1.96	$	1.67
Diluted income per share	$	1.94	$	1.66
Basic weighted average shares outstanding		30,461		34,806
Diluted weighted average shares outstanding		30,638		34,901

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

3

GRAND CANYON EDUCATION, INC.

Consolidated Balance Sheets

	March 31,		December 31,
(In thousands, except par value)	2023		2022
	(Unaudited)
ASSETS:
Current assets
Cash and cash equivalents	$	105,040	$	120,409
Investments		89,483		61,295
Accounts receivable, net		102,571		77,413
Income tax receivable		2,964		2,788
Other current assets		15,828		11,368
Total current assets		315,886		273,273
Property and equipment, net		150,391		147,504
Right-of-use assets		70,320		72,719
Amortizable intangible assets, net		174,695		176,800
Goodwill		160,766		160,766
Other assets		1,963		1,687
Total assets	$	874,021	$	832,749
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY:
Current liabilities
Accounts payable	$	21,801	$	20,006
Accrued compensation and benefits		21,124		36,412
Accrued liabilities		31,661		22,473
Income taxes payable		26,568		12,167
Deferred revenue		9,678		—
Current portion of lease liability		8,818		8,648
Total current liabilities		119,650		99,706
Deferred income taxes, noncurrent		28,049		26,195
Other long-term liability		429		436
Lease liability, less current portion		66,643		68,793
Total liabilities		214,771		195,130
Commitments and contingencies
Stockholders’ equity
Preferred stock, $0.01 par value, 10,000 shares authorized; 0 shares issued and outstanding at March 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022		—		—
Common stock, $0.01 par value, 100,000 shares authorized; 53,966 and 53,830 shares issued and 30,823 and 31,058 shares outstanding at March 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, respectively		540		538
Treasury stock, at cost, 23,143 and 22,772 shares of common stock at March 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, respectively		(1,752,844)		(1,711,423)
Additional paid-in capital		312,677		309,310
Accumulated other comprehensive loss		(414)		(533)
Retained earnings		2,099,291		2,039,727
Total stockholders’ equity		659,250		637,619
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity	$	874,021	$	832,749

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

4

GRAND CANYON EDUCATION, INC.

Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income

(Unaudited)

	Three Months Ended
	March 31,
(In thousands)	2023		2022
Net income	$	59,564	$	58,078
Other comprehensive income, net of tax:
Unrealized gains (losses) on available-for-sale securities, net of taxes of $37 and $99 for the three months ended March 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively		119		(323)
Comprehensive income	$	59,683	$	57,755

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

5

GRAND CANYON EDUCATION, INC.

Consolidated Statement of Stockholders’ Equity

(In thousands)

(Unaudited)

	Three Months Ended March 31, 2023
									Accumulated
							Additional		Other
	Common Stock			Treasury Stock			Paid-in		Comprehensive		Retained
	Shares	Par Value		Shares	Cost		Capital		Loss		Earnings		Total
Balance at December 31, 2022	53,830	$	538	22,772	$	(1,711,423)	$	309,310	$	(533)	$	2,039,727	$	637,619
Comprehensive income	—		—	—		—		—		119		59,564		59,683
Common stock purchased for treasury	—		—	310		(35,090)		—		—		—		(35,090)
Restricted shares forfeited	—		—	5		—		—		—		—		—
Share-based compensation	136		2	56		(6,331)		3,367		—		—		(2,962)
Balance at March 31, 2023	53,966	$	540	23,143	$	(1,752,844)	$	312,677	$	(414)	$	2,099,291	$	659,250

	Three Months Ended March 31, 2022
									Accumulated
							Additional		Other
	Common Stock			Treasury Stock			Paid-in		Comprehensive		Retained
	Shares	Par Value		Shares	Cost		Capital		Loss		Earnings		Total
Balance at December 31, 2021	53,637	$	536	15,915	$	(1,107,211)	$	296,670	$	—	$	1,855,052	$	1,045,047
Comprehensive income	—		—	—		—		—		(323)		58,078		57,755
Common stock purchased for treasury	—		—	4,575		(394,930)		—		—		—		(394,930)
Restricted shares forfeited	—		—	6		—		—		—		—		—
Share-based compensation	189		2	52		(4,625)		3,188		—		—		(1,435)
Balance at March 31, 2022	53,826	$	538	20,548	$	(1,506,766)	$	299,858	$	(323)	$	1,913,130	$	706,437

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

6

GRAND CANYON EDUCATION, INC.

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows

(Unaudited)

	Three Months Ended
	March 31,
(In thousands)	2023		2022
Cash flows provided by operating activities:
Net income	$	59,564	$	58,078
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Share-based compensation		3,369		3,190
Depreciation and amortization		5,537		5,724
Amortization of intangible assets		2,105		2,105
Deferred income taxes		1,816		1,480
Other, including fixed asset impairments		410		719
Changes in assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable from university partners		(25,158)		(31,943)
Other assets		(4,625)		(5,312)
Right-of-use assets and lease liabilities		419		179
Accounts payable		1,953		5,427
Accrued liabilities		(6,294)		2,377
Income taxes receivable/payable		14,225		16,074
Deferred revenue		9,678		12,162
Net cash provided by operating activities		62,999		70,260
Cash flows used in investing activities:
Capital expenditures		(8,587)		(6,784)
Additions of amortizable content		(244)		(95)
Purchases of investments		(52,556)		(62,834)
Proceeds from sale or maturity of investments		24,253		—
Net cash used in investing activities		(37,134)		(69,713)
Cash flows used in financing activities:
Repurchase of common shares and shares withheld in lieu of income taxes		(41,234)		(399,555)
Net cash used in financing activities		(41,234)		(399,555)
Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash		(15,369)		(399,008)
Cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash, beginning of period		120,409		600,941
Cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash, end of period	$	105,040	$	201,933
Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information
Cash paid for interest	$	19	$	—
Cash paid for income taxes	$	230	$	306
Supplemental disclosure of non-cash investing and financing activities
Purchases of property and equipment included in accounts payable	$	973	$	1,442
ROU Asset and Liability recognition	$	—	$	1,980
Excise tax on treasury stock repurchases	$	187	$	—

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

7

Grand Canyon Education, Inc.

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

(In thousands, except per share data)

1. Nature of Business

Grand Canyon Education, Inc. (together with its subsidiaries, the “Company” or “GCE”) is a publicly traded education services company dedicated to serving colleges and universities. GCE has developed significant technological solutions, infrastructure and operational processes to provide services to these institutions on a large scale. GCE’s most significant university partner is Grand Canyon University (“GCU”), an Arizona non-profit corporation, a comprehensive regionally accredited university that offers graduate and undergraduate degree programs, emphases and certificates across nine colleges both online, on ground at its campus in Phoenix, Arizona and at four off-campus classroom and laboratory sites.

In January 2019, GCE began providing education services to numerous university partners across the United States, through our wholly owned subsidiary, Orbis Education, which we acquired, by merger on January 22, 2019 (the “Acquisition”). Since the Acquisition, GCE, together with Orbis Education, has continued to add additional university partners. In the healthcare field, we work in partnership with a growing number of top universities and healthcare networks across the country, offering healthcare-related academic programs at off-campus classroom and laboratory sites located near healthcare providers and developing high-quality, career-ready graduates who enter the workforce ready to meet the demands of the healthcare industry. In addition, we have provided certain services to a university partner to assist them in expanding their online graduate programs. As of March 31, 2023, GCE provides education services to 27 university partners across the United States.

2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Principles of Consolidation

The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its wholly owned subsidiaries. Intercompany transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.

Unaudited Interim Financial Information

The accompanying unaudited interim consolidated financial statements of the Company have been prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles and pursuant to the rules and regulations of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission and the instructions to Form 10-Q and Article 10, consistent in all material respects with those applied in its financial statements included in its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022. They do not include all of the information and footnotes required by U.S. generally accepted accounting principles for complete financial statements. Such interim financial information is unaudited but reflects all adjustments that in the opinion of management are necessary for the fair presentation of the interim periods presented. Interim results are not necessarily indicative of results for a full year. These consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the Company’s audited financial statements and footnotes included in its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022 from which the December 31, 2022 balance sheet information was derived.

Investments

As of March 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, the Company considered its investments in corporate bonds, agency bonds and commercial paper as available-for-sale securities based on the Company’s intent for the respective securities. Available-for-sale securities are carried at fair value, determined using Level 1 and Level 2 of the hierarchy of valuation inputs, with the use of inputs other than quoted prices that are observable for the assets, with unrealized gains and losses, net of tax, reported as a separate component of other comprehensive income. Unrealized losses considered to be other-than-temporary are recognized currently in earnings. Amortization of premiums, accretion of discounts, interest and dividend income and realized gains and losses are included in interest and other income.

8

Grand Canyon Education, Inc.

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

(In thousands, except per share data)

Arrangements with GCU

On July 1, 2018, the Company consummated an Asset Purchase Agreement (the “Asset Purchase Agreement”) with GCU. In conjunction with the Asset Purchase Agreement, we received a secured note from GCU as consideration for the transferred assets in the initial principal amount of $870,097 (the “Secured Note”) which was repaid by GCU in the fourth quarter of 2021. In connection therewith, the Company and GCU entered into a long-term master services agreement (the “Master Services Agreement”) pursuant to which the Company provides identified technology and academic services, counseling services and support, marketing and communication services, and several back-office services to GCU in return for 60% of GCU’s tuition and fee revenue. Except for identified liabilities assumed by GCU, GCE retained responsibility for all liabilities of the business arising from pre-closing operations.

Internally Developed Software

The Company capitalizes certain costs related to internal-use software, primarily consisting of direct labor associated with creating the software. Software development projects generally include three stages: the preliminary project stage (all costs are expensed as incurred), the application development stage (certain costs are capitalized and certain costs are expensed as incurred) and the post-implementation or operation stage (all costs are expensed as incurred). Costs capitalized in the application development stage include costs of design, coding, integration, and testing of the software developed. Capitalization of costs requires judgment in determining when a project has reached the application development stage and the period over which we expect to benefit from the use of that software. Once the software is placed in service, these costs are amortized straight-line over the estimated useful life of the software, which is generally three years. These assets are a component of our property and equipment, net in our consolidated balance sheets.

Capitalized Content Development

The Company capitalizes certain costs to fulfill a contract related to the development and digital creation of content on a course-by-course basis for each university partner, many times in conjunction with faculty and subject matter experts. The Company is responsible for the conversion of instructional materials to an on-line format, including outlines, quizzes, lectures, and articles in accordance with the educational guidelines provided to us by our university partners, prior to the respective course commencing. We also capitalize the creation of learning objects which are digital assets such as online demonstrations, simulations, and case studies used to obtain learning objectives.

Costs that are capitalized include payroll and payroll-related costs for employees who are directly associated and spend time producing content and payments to faculty and subject matter experts involved in the process.  The Company starts capitalizing content costs when it begins to develop or to convert a particular course, resources have been assigned and a timeline has been set. The content asset is placed in service when all work is complete, and the curriculum could be used for instruction. Capitalized content development assets are included in other assets in our consolidated balance sheets. The Company has concluded that the most appropriate method to amortize the deferred content assets is on a straight-line basis over the estimated life of the course, which is generally four years which corresponds with course’s review and major revision cycle. As of March 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, $1,021 and $910, respectively, net of amortization, of deferred content assets are included in other assets, long-term in the Company’s consolidated balance sheets and amortization is included in technical and academic services where the costs originated.

Long-Lived Assets

The Company evaluates the recoverability of its long-lived assets for impairment, other than goodwill, whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of an asset may not be recoverable. Recoverability of assets to be held and used is measured by a comparison of the carrying amount of an asset to

9

Grand Canyon Education, Inc.

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

(In thousands, except per share data)

undiscounted future net cash flows expected to be generated by the assets. If such assets are considered to be impaired, the impairment to be recognized is measured by the amount by which the carrying amount of the assets exceeds the fair value of the assets.

Leases

The Company determines if an arrangement is a lease at inception and evaluates the lease agreement to determine whether the lease is a finance or operating lease. Right-of-use (“ROU”) assets and lease liabilities are recognized at commencement date based on the present value of lease payments over the lease term. The Company uses its incremental borrowing rate based on the information available at the commencement to determine the present value of lease payments over the lease term. At lease inception, the Company determines the lease term by assuming no exercises of renewal options, due to the Company’s constantly changing geographical needs for its university partners. Leases with an initial term of 12 months or less are not recorded in the consolidated balance sheets and are recognized as lease expense on a straight-line basis over the lease term. The Company has lease agreements with lease and non-lease components, and the non-lease components are accounted for separately and not included in our ROU assets and lease liabilities. Leases primarily consist of off-campus classroom and laboratory site locations and office space.

Business Combinations

The purchase price of an acquisition is allocated to the assets acquired, including tangible and intangible assets, and liabilities assumed, based on their respective fair values at the acquisition date. The excess of the fair value of the purchase price over the fair values of these identifiable assets and liabilities is recorded as goodwill. Transaction costs associated with business combinations are expensed as incurred. The determination of the fair value and useful lives of the intangible assets acquired involves certain judgments and estimates. These judgements can include, but are not limited to, the cash flows that an asset is expected to generate in the future and the appropriate weighted average cost of capital. The net assets and result of operations of an acquired entity are included in the Company’s consolidated financial statements from the acquisition date.

Goodwill and Amortizable Intangible Assets

Goodwill represents the excess of the purchase price of an acquired business over the amount assigned to the tangible and intangible assets acquired and liabilities assumed. Goodwill is assessed at least annually for impairment during the fourth quarter, or more frequently if circumstances indicate potential impairment. Goodwill is allocated to our reporting unit at the education services segment, which is the same as the entity as a whole (entity level reporting unit). The Company has concluded there is one operating segment and one reporting unit for goodwill impairment consideration. The Financial Accounting Standards Board has issued guidance that permits an entity to first assess qualitative factors to determine whether it is necessary to perform the quantitative goodwill impairment test. The Company reviews goodwill at least annually or more frequently if an event occurs or circumstances change that would more likely than not reduce the fair value of the reporting unit below its carrying amount.

Finite-lived intangible assets that are acquired in a business combination are recorded at fair value on their acquisition dates and are amortized using a method that reflects the pattern in which the economic benefits of the intangible assets are consumed or on a straight-line basis over the estimated useful life of the intangible asset if the pattern of economic benefit cannot be reliability determined. Finite-lived intangible assets consist of university partner relationships and trade names. The Company reviews its finite-lived intangible assets for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of an intangible asset may not be recoverable. There were no indicators that the carrying amount of the finite-lived intangible assets were impaired as of March 31, 2023. Recoverability of assets to be held and used is measured by a comparison of the carrying amount of an asset to undiscounted future net cash flows expected to be generated by the assets. If such intangible assets are not recoverable,

10

Grand Canyon Education, Inc.

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

(In thousands, except per share data)

a potential impairment loss is recognized to the extent the carrying amounts of the assets exceeds the fair value of the assets.

Share-Based Compensation

The Company measures and recognizes compensation expense for share-based payment awards made to employees and directors. The fair value of the Company’s restricted stock awards is based on the market price of its common stock on the date of grant. Stock-based compensation expense related to restricted stock grants is expensed over the vesting period using the straight-line method for Company employees and the Company’s board of directors. The Company recognizes forfeitures as they occur.

Fair Value of Financial Instruments

The carrying value of cash and cash equivalents, accounts receivable, accounts payable, accrued compensation and benefits and accrued liabilities expenses approximate their fair value based on the liquidity or the short-term maturities of these instruments.

The fair value of investments was determined using Level 1 and Level 2 of the hierarchy of valuation inputs, with the use of inputs other than quoted prices that are observable for the assets. The unit of account used for valuation is the individual underlying security. The basis for fair value measurements for each level is described below, with Level 1 having the highest priority.

-Level 1 – inputs are quoted prices (unadjusted) in active markets for identical assets or liabilities.

-Level 2 – inputs are quoted prices for similar instruments in active markets; quoted prices for identical or similar instruments in non-active markets; and model-derived valuations whose inputs are observable or whose significant valuation drivers are observable.

-Level 3 – unobservable inputs that are not corroborated by market data.

Investments are comprised of corporate bonds, commercial paper and agency bonds.

Revenue Recognition

The Company generates all of its revenue through services agreements with its university partners (“Services Agreements”), pursuant to which the Company provides integrated technology and academic services, marketing and communication services, and back-office services to its university partners in return for a percentage of tuition and fee revenue.

The Company’s Services Agreements have initial terms ranging from 7-15 years, subject to renewal options, although certain agreements may give the university partners the right to terminate early if certain conditions are met. The Company’s Services Agreements have a single performance obligation, as the promises to provide the identified services are not distinct within the context of these agreements. The single performance obligation is delivered as our partners receive and consume benefits, which occurs ratably over a series of distinct service periods (daily or semester). Service revenue is recognized over time using the output method of measuring progress towards complete satisfaction of the single performance obligation. The output method provides a faithful depiction of the performance toward complete satisfaction of the performance obligation and can be tied to the time elapsed which is consumed evenly over the service period and is a direct measurement of the value provided to our partners. The service fees received from our partners over the term of the agreement are variable in nature in that they are dependent upon the number of students attending the university partner’s program and revenues generated from those students during the service period. Due to the

11

Grand Canyon Education, Inc.

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

(In thousands, except per share data)

variable nature of the consideration over the life of the service arrangement, the Company considered forming an expectation of the variable consideration to be received over the service life of this one performance obligation. However, since the performance obligation represents a series of distinct services, the Company recognizes the variable consideration that becomes known and billable because these fees relate to the distinct service period in which the fees are earned. The Company meets the criteria in the standard and exercises the practical expedient to not disclose the aggregate amount of the transaction price allocated to the single performance obligation that is unsatisfied as of the end of the reporting period. The Company does not disclose the value of unsatisfied performance obligations because the directly allocable variable consideration is allocated entirely to a wholly unsatisfied promise to transfer a service that forms part of a single performance obligation. The service fees are calculated and settled per the terms of the Services Agreements and result in a settlement duration of less than one year for all partners. There are no refunds or return rights under the Services Agreements.

The Company’s receivables represent unconditional rights to consideration from our Services Agreements with our university partners. Accounts receivable, net is stated at net realizable value and contains billed and unbilled revenue. The Company utilizes the allowance method to provide for doubtful accounts based on its evaluation of the expected credit losses. There have been no amounts written off and no reserves established as of March 31, 2023. The Company will continue to review and revise its allowance methodology based on its collection experience with its partners.

For our partners with unbilled revenue, revenue recognition occurs in advance of billings. Billings for some university partners do not occur until after the service period has commenced and final enrollment information is available. Our unbilled revenue of $4,076 and $5,560 as of March 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, respectively, are included in accounts receivable in our consolidated balance sheets. Deferred revenue represents the excess of amounts received as compared to amounts recognized in revenue on our consolidated statements of income as of the end of the reporting period, and such amounts are reflected as a current liability on our consolidated balance sheets. We generally receive payments for our services billed within 30 days of invoice. These payments are recorded as deferred revenue until the services are delivered and revenue is recognized.

Allowance for Credit Losses

The Company records its accounts receivable at the net amount expected to be collected. Our accounts receivable are derived through education services provided to university partners. The Company maintains an allowance for credit losses resulting from our university partners not making payments. The Company determines the adequacy of the allowance by periodically evaluating each university partners balance, considering their financial condition and credit history, and considering current and forecasted economic conditions. Bad debt expense is recorded as a technology and academic services expense in the consolidated income statements. The Company monitors the impact of other factors on expected credit losses.

Technology and Academic Services

Technology and academic services consist primarily of costs related to ongoing maintenance of educational infrastructure, including online course delivery and management, student records, assessment, customer relations management and other internal administrative systems. This also includes costs to provide support for content development, faculty training, development and other faculty support, technology support, rent and occupancy costs for university partners’ off-campus classroom and laboratory sites, and assistance with state compliance. This expense category includes salaries, benefits and share-based compensation, information technology costs, amortization of content development costs and other costs associated with these support services. This category also includes an allocation of depreciation, amortization, and occupancy costs attributable to the provision of certain services, primarily at the Company’s Phoenix, Arizona and Indianapolis, Indiana locations.

12

Grand Canyon Education, Inc.

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

(In thousands, except per share data)

Counseling Services and Support

Counseling services and support consist primarily of costs including team-based counseling and other support to prospective and current students as well as financial aid processing. This expense category includes salaries, benefits and share-based compensation, and other costs such as dues, fees and subscriptions and travel costs. This category also includes an allocation of depreciation, amortization, lease expense, and occupancy costs attributable to the provision of certain services, primarily at the Company’s Phoenix, Arizona and Indianapolis, Indiana locations.

Marketing and Communication

Marketing and communication includes lead acquisition, digital communication strategies, brand identity advertising, media planning and strategy, video, data science and analysis, marketing to potential students and other promotional and communication services. This expense category includes salaries, benefits and share-based compensation for marketing and communication personnel, brand advertising, marketing leads and other promotional and communication expenses. This category also includes an allocation of depreciation, amortization, lease expense, and occupancy costs attributable to the provision of certain services, primarily at the Company’s Phoenix, Arizona and Indianapolis, Indiana locations. Advertising costs are expensed as incurred.

General and Administrative

General and administrative expenses include salaries, benefits and share-based compensation of employees engaged in corporate management, finance, human resources, compliance, and other corporate functions. This category also includes an allocation of depreciation, amortization, lease expense, and occupancy costs attributable to the provision of these services, primarily at the Company’s Phoenix, Arizona and Indianapolis, Indiana locations.

Commitments and Contingencies

The Company accrues for contingent obligations when it is probable that a liability has been incurred and the amount is reasonably estimable. When the Company becomes aware of a claim or potential claim, the likelihood of any loss exposure is assessed. If it is probable that a loss will result and the amount of the loss is estimable, the Company records a liability for the estimated loss. If the loss is not probable or the amount of the potential loss is not estimable, the Company will disclose the claim if the likelihood of a potential loss is reasonably possible and the amount of the potential loss could be material. Estimates that are particularly sensitive to future changes include tax, legal, and other regulatory matters, which are subject to change as events evolve, and as additional information becomes available during the administrative and litigation process. The Company expenses legal fees as incurred.

Concentration of Credit Risk

The Company believes the credit risk related to cash equivalents and investments is limited due to its adherence to an investment policy that requires investments to have a minimum BBB rating, depending on the type of security, by at least one major rating agency at the time of purchase. All of the Company’s cash equivalents and investments as of March 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022 consist of investments rated BBB or higher by at least one rating agency. Additionally, the Company utilizes at least one financial institution to conduct initial and ongoing credit analysis on its investment portfolio to monitor and lower the potential impact of market risk associated with its cash equivalents and investment portfolio. Financial instruments that potentially subject the Company to concentration of credit risk consist principally of cash balances, which are primarily invested in money market funds or on deposit at high credit quality financial institutions in the U.S. Accounts at each institution are insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) up to $250,000. At March 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, the Company had $104,496 and $119,639, respectively, in excess of the FDIC insured limit. The Company is also subject to credit risk for its accounts receivable balance. Our dependence on our most significant university partner, with 88.5% and 87.6% of total service revenue for

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Grand Canyon Education, Inc.

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

(In thousands, except per share data)

the three-month periods ended March 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively, subjects us to the risk that declines in our customer’s operations would result in a sustained reduction in service revenue for the Company.

Use of Estimates

The preparation of consolidated financial statements in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts in the consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Segment Information

The Company operates as a single education services company using a core infrastructure that serves the curriculum and educational delivery needs of its university partners. The Company’s Chief Executive Officer manages the Company’s operations as a whole and no expense or operating income information is generated or evaluated on any component level.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

The Company has determined that no other recent accounting pronouncements apply to its operations or could otherwise have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements.

3. Investments

As of March 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, the Company had investments of $89,483 and $61,295, respectively, classified as available-for-sale securities.

As of March 31, 2023, the Company had available-for-sale investments comprised of the following:

	As of March 31, 2023
			Gross		Gross
	Adjusted		Unrealized		Unrealized		Estimated
	Cost		Gains		(Losses)		Fair Value
Corporate bonds	$	71,007	$	82	$	(583)	$	70,506
Agency bonds		19,020		-		(43)		18,977
Total investments	$	90,027	$	82	$	(626)	$	89,483

For the three months ended March 31, 2023 and 2022, the net unrealized gains (losses) were $119 and $323, respectively, net of taxes. Available-for-sale debt securities are carried at fair value on the consolidated balance sheets. The Company estimates the lifetime expected credit losses for all available-for sale debt securities in an unrealized loss position. If our assessment indicates that an expected credit loss exists, we determine the portion of the unrealized loss attributable to credit deterioration and record a reserve for the expected credit loss in the allowance for credit losses in technology and academic services in our consolidated income statements. The Company has the ability and intent to hold these investments until recovery.

Available-for-sale securities maturing as of December 31:
2023	$	35,526
2024		40,411
2025		13,546
Total	$	89,483

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Grand Canyon Education, Inc.

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

(In thousands, except per share data)

4. Net Income Per Common Share

Basic earnings per common share is calculated by dividing net income available to common stockholders by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding for the period. Diluted earnings per common share reflects the assumed conversion of all potentially dilutive securities, consisting of restricted stock awards, for which the estimated fair value exceeds the exercise price, less shares which could have been purchased with the related proceeds, unless anti-dilutive. For employee equity awards, repurchased shares are also included for any unearned compensation adjusted for tax. The table below reflects the calculation of the weighted average number of common shares outstanding, on an as if converted basis, used in computing basic and diluted earnings per common share.

	Three Months Ended
	March 31,
	2023	2022
Denominator:
Basic weighted average shares outstanding	30,461	34,806
Effect of dilutive stock options and restricted stock	177	95
Diluted weighted average shares outstanding	30,638	34,901

Diluted weighted average shares outstanding excludes the incremental effect of unvested restricted stock in accordance with the treasury stock method. For the three-month periods ended March 31, 2023 and 2022, approximately 100 and 206, respectively, of the Company’s restricted stock awards outstanding were excluded from the calculation of diluted earnings per share as their inclusion would have been anti-dilutive. These restricted stock awards could be dilutive in the future.

5. Property and Equipment

Property and equipment consist of the following:

	March 31,		December 31,
	2023		2022
Land	$	5,098	$	5,098
Land improvements		2,242		2,242
Buildings		51,399		51,399
Buildings and leasehold improvements		22,839		21,911
Computer equipment		119,938		119,316
Furniture, fixtures and equipment		21,781		21,323
Internally developed software		58,855		58,904
Construction in progress		21,945		16,336
		304,097		296,529
Less accumulated depreciation and amortization		(153,706)		(149,025)
Property and equipment, net	$	150,391	$	147,504

6. Amortizable Intangible Assets

In January 2019, GCE completed the Acquisition. The Acquisition was accounted for in accordance with the acquisition method of accounting. Under this method the cost of the target is allocated to the identifiable assets acquired and liabilities assumed based on their estimated fair values at the date of acquisition. Identified intangible assets of

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Grand Canyon Education, Inc.

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

(In thousands, except per share data)

$210,280 consisted primarily of university partner relationships that were valued at $210,000. The fair value of university partner relationships was determined using the multiple-period excess earnings method.

Amortizable intangible assets consist of the following as of:

	March 31, 2023
	Estimated	Gross				Net
	Average Useful	Carrying		Accumulated		Carrying
	Life (in years)	Amount		Amortization		Amount
University partner relationships	25	$	210,000	$	(35,305)	$	174,695
Trade names	1		280		(280)		—
Total amortizable intangible assets, net		$	210,280	$	(35,585)	$	174,695

Amortization expense for university partner relationships and trade names for the years ending December 31:

2023	$	6,314
2024		8,419
2025		8,419
2026		8,419
2027		8,419
Thereafter		134,705
	$	174,695

7. Leases

The Company has operating leases for off-campus classroom and laboratory sites, office space, office equipment, and optical fiber communication lines. These leases have remaining lease terms that range from six months to 10 years and five months. At lease inception, we determine the lease term by assuming no exercises of renewal options due to the Company’s constantly changing geographical needs for its university partners. Leases with an initial term of 12 months or less are not recorded in the consolidated balance sheets and we recognize lease expense for these leases on a straight-line basis over the lease term. The Company had operating lease costs of $3,018 and $2,396 for the three-month periods ended March 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively.

As of March 31, 2023, the Company had $34,106 of non-cancelable operating lease commitments for six off-campus classroom and laboratory sites and $192 for optical fiber communication lines that had not yet commenced. The Company’s weighted-average remaining lease term relating to its operating leases is 7.85 years, with a weighted-average discount rate of 3.35%. As of March 31, 2023, the Company had no financing leases.

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Grand Canyon Education, Inc.

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

(In thousands, except per share data)

Future payment obligations with respect to the Company’s operating leases, which were existing at March 31, 2023, by year and in the aggregate, are as follows:

Year Ending December 31,	Amount
2023	$	8,244
2024		11,143
2025		10,867
2026		10,805
2027		10,193
Thereafter		35,104
Total lease payments	$	86,356
Less interest		10,895
Present value of lease liabilities	$	75,461

8. Commitments and Contingencies

Legal Matters

From time to time, the Company is a party to various lawsuits, claims, and other legal proceedings that arise in the ordinary course of business, some of which are covered by insurance. When the Company is aware of a claim or potential claim, it assesses the likelihood of any loss or exposure. If it is probable that a loss will result and the amount of the loss can be reasonably estimated, the Company records a liability for the loss. If the loss is not probable or the amount of the loss cannot be reasonably estimated, the Company discloses the nature of the specific claim if the likelihood of a potential loss is reasonably possible, and the amount involved could be material. With respect to the majority of pending litigation matters, the Company’s ultimate legal and financial responsibility, if any, cannot be estimated with certainty and, in most cases, any potential losses related to those matters are not considered probable.

Upon resolution of any pending legal matters, the Company may incur charges in excess of presently established reserves. Management does not believe that any such charges would, individually or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the Company’s financial condition, results of operations or cash flows.

Litigation

On May 12, 2020, a securities class action complaint was filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware by the City of Hialeah Employees’ Retirement System naming the Company, Brian E. Mueller and Daniel E. Bachus as defendants for allegedly making false and materially misleading statements regarding the circumstances surrounding the Company’s sale of Grand Canyon University (the “University”) to a non-profit entity on July 1, 2018 and the subsequent decision of the U.S. Department of Education to continue to treat the University as a for-profit institution for education regulatory purposes (collectively, the “Conversion”). The complaint asserted a putative class period stemming from January 5, 2018, the date when the Company announced that it had applied to the University’s accreditor for approval of the Conversion, to January 27, 2020, the date prior to the publication of a short-seller report focused on the Conversion. A substantially similar complaint was filed in the same court by Grant Walsh on June 12, 2020 making similar allegations against the Company, Mr. Mueller and Mr. Bachus. Both complaints alleged violations of Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and Rule 10b-5 promulgated thereunder and sought unspecified monetary relief, interest, and attorneys’ fees.

On August 13, 2020, the two cases were consolidated and the Fire and Police Association of Colorado, the Oakland County Employees’ Retirement System and the Oakland County Voluntary Employees’ Beneficiary Association Trust were appointed as lead plaintiffs. Thereafter, the plaintiffs filed a consolidated amended complaint on October 20, 2020 and the Company filed a motion to dismiss on December 21, 2020. On August 23, 2021, the Court

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Grand Canyon Education, Inc.

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

(In thousands, except per share data)

granted the Company’s motion to dismiss in its entirety but permitted plaintiffs to file a further amended complaint to correct deficiencies in the initial complaint. The plaintiffs filed further amended complaints on September 28, 2021 and January 21, 2022, and the Company filed a further motion to dismiss on March 15, 2022. On March 28, 2023, the Company’s motion to dismiss was denied.

The Company believes that plaintiffs’ claims are without merit and it intends to defend itself in this legal proceeding vigorously. The outcome of this legal proceeding is uncertain at this point. At present, the Company cannot reasonably estimate a range of loss for this action based on the information available to the Company. Accordingly, the Company has not accrued any liability associated with this action.

Other Matters

In May 2022, we received a civil investigative demand (“CID”) from the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) related to the marketing services that we provide on behalf of GCU, and related activities. The CID requests the production of documents and answers to written questions. In January 2023, we received a further CID from the FTC requesting testimony on the same topic. We are cooperating with the FTC in connection with each of these CIDs.

9. Share-Based Compensation

Incentive Plan

The Company makes equity incentive grants pursuant to our 2017 Equity Incentive Plan (the “2017 Plan”) under which a maximum of 3,000 shares may be granted. As of March 31, 2023, 1,085 shares were available for grants under the 2017 Plan.

Restricted Stock

During the three months ended March 31, 2023, the Company granted 136 shares of common stock with a service vesting condition to certain of its executives, officers and employees. The restricted shares have voting rights and vest in five annual installments of 20%, with the first installment vesting in March of the calendar year following the date of grant (the “first vesting date”) and subsequent installments vesting on each of the four anniversaries of the first vesting date. Upon vesting, shares will be withheld in lieu of taxes equivalent to the minimum statutory tax withholding required to be paid when the restricted stock vests. During the three months ended March 31, 2023, the Company withheld 56 shares of common stock in lieu of taxes at a cost of $6,331 on the restricted stock vesting dates.

A summary of the activity related to restricted stock granted under the Company’s Incentive Plan since December 31, 2022 is as follows:

		Weighted Average
	Total	Grant Date
	Shares	Fair Value per Share
Outstanding as of December 31, 2022	476	$	85.32
Granted	136	$	112.90
Vested	(142)	$	86.85
Forfeited, canceled or expired	(5)	$	84.30
Outstanding as of March 31, 2023	465	$	92.94

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Grand Canyon Education, Inc.

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

(In thousands, except per share data)

Share-based Compensation Expense

The table below outlines share-based compensation expense for the three months ended March 31, 2023 and 2022 related to restricted stock granted:

	2023		2022
Technology and academic services	$	678	$	594
Counseling services and support		1,743		1,583
Marketing and communication		48		35
General and administrative		900		978
Share-based compensation expense included in operating expenses		3,369		3,190
Tax effect of share-based compensation		(842)		(798)
Share-based compensation expense, net of tax	$	2,527	$	2,392

10. Treasury Stock

Our Board of Directors has authorized under its existing stock repurchase program, an aggregate authorization for share repurchases since the initiation of our program of $1,845,000. The expiration date on the repurchase authorization is December 31, 2023. Repurchases occur at the Company’s discretion. Repurchases may be made in the open market or in privately negotiated transactions, pursuant to the applicable Securities and Exchange Commission rules. The amount and timing of future share repurchases, if any, will be made as market and business conditions warrant.

During the three months ended March 31, 2023 the Company repurchased 310 shares of common stock, at an aggregate cost of $34,903. As of March 31, 2023, there remained $160,944 available under its current share repurchase authorization. Shares repurchased in lieu of taxes are not included in the repurchase plan totals as they were approved in conjunction with the restricted share awards. Excise taxes of $187 are not included in the repurchase plan totals but are included in the total cost of net share repurchases in the consolidated statement of stockholders’ equity.

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Item 2.   Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

The following discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations should be read in conjunction with the financial statements and related notes that appear elsewhere in this report.

Forward-Looking Statements

This Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, including Item 2, Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations, contains certain “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”). These forward-looking statements include, without limitation, statements regarding: proposed new programs; statements as to whether regulatory developments or other matters may or may not have a material adverse effect on our financial position, results of operations, or liquidity; statements concerning projections, predictions, expectations, estimates, or forecasts as to our business, financial and operational results, and future economic performance; and statements of management’s goals and objectives and other similar expressions concerning matters that are not historical facts. Words such as “may,” “should,” “could,” “would,” “predicts,” “potential,” “continue,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “future,” “intends,” “plans,” “believes,” “estimates” and similar expressions, the negative of these expressions, as well as statements in future tense, identify forward-looking statements. You can also identify forward-looking statements by discussions of strategy, plans or intentions of management.

Forward-looking statements should not be read as a guarantee of future performance or results and will not necessarily be accurate indications of the times at, or by, which such performance or results will be achieved. Forward-looking statements are based on information available at the time those statements are made or management’s good faith belief as of that time with respect to future events and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual performance or results to differ materially from those expressed in or suggested by the forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause our actual performance or results to differ materially from those expressed in or suggested by the forward-looking statements, include, but are not limited to:

● the harm to our business, results of operations, and financial condition, and harm to our university partners resulting from epidemics, pandemics, or public health crises;

● the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstance that could give rise to the termination of any of the key university partner agreements;

● our ability to properly manage risks and challenges associated with strategic initiatives, including potential acquisitions or divestitures of, or investments in, new businesses, acquisitions of new properties and new university partners, and expansion of services provided to our existing university partners;

● our failure to comply with the extensive regulatory framework applicable to us either directly as a third-party service provider or indirectly through our university partners, including Title IV of the Higher Education Act and the regulations thereunder, state laws and regulatory requirements, and accrediting commission requirements;

● the ability of our university partners’ students to obtain federal Title IV funds, state financial aid, and private financing;

● potential damage to our reputation or other adverse effects as a result of negative publicity in the media, in the industry or in connection with governmental reports or investigations or otherwise, affecting us or other companies in the education services sector;

● risks associated with changes in applicable federal and state laws and regulations and accrediting commission standards, including pending rulemaking by the Department of Education applicable to us directly or indirectly through our university partners;

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● competition from other education service companies in our geographic region and market sector, including competition for students, qualified executives and other personnel;

● our expected tax payments and tax rate;

● our ability to hire and train new, and develop and train existing, employees;

● the pace of growth of our university partners’ enrollment and its effect on the pace of our own growth;

● fluctuations in our revenues due to seasonality;

● our ability to, on behalf of our university partners, convert prospective students to enrolled students and to retain active students to graduation;

● our success in updating and expanding the content of existing programs and developing new programs in a cost-effective manner or on a timely basis for our university partners;

● risks associated with the competitive environment for marketing the programs of our university partners;

● failure on our part to keep up with advances in technology that could enhance the experience for our university partners’ students;

● our ability to manage future growth effectively;

● the impact of any natural disasters or public health emergencies; and

● general adverse economic conditions or other developments that affect the job prospects of our university partners’ students.

Additional factors that could cause actual results to differ from those discussed in the forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, those described in this “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and in “Risk Factors” in Part I, Item 1A of our Annual Report on Form 10-K (the “2022 Form 10-K”) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022, as updated in our subsequent reports filed with the SEC, including any updates found in Part II, Item 1A of this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q or our other reports on Form 10-Q. You should not put undue reliance on any forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date the statements are made and we assume no obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect actual results, changes in assumptions, or changes in other factors affecting forward-looking information, except to the extent required by applicable securities laws. If we do update one or more forward-looking statements, no inference should be drawn that we will make additional updates with respect to those or other forward-looking statements.

Explanatory Note

Grand Canyon Education, Inc. (together with its subsidiaries, the “Company” or “GCE”) is a publicly traded education services company dedicated to serving colleges and universities. GCE has developed significant technological solutions, infrastructure and operational processes to provide services to these institutions on a large scale. GCE’s most significant university partner is Grand Canyon University (“GCU”), a comprehensive regionally accredited university that offers graduate and undergraduate degree programs, emphases and certificates across nine colleges both online and on ground at its campus in Phoenix, Arizona, and at four off-campus classroom and laboratory sites.

In January 2019, GCE began providing education services to numerous university partners across the United States, through our wholly owned subsidiary, Orbis Education. GCE, together with Orbis Education, has continued to add additional university partners. In the healthcare field, we work in partnership with a growing number of top

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universities and healthcare networks across the country, offering healthcare-related academic programs at off-campus classroom and laboratory sites located near healthcare providers and developing high-quality, career-ready graduates who enter the workforce ready to meet the demands of the healthcare industry. In addition, we have provided certain services to a university partner to assist them in expanding their online graduate programs. As of March 31, 2023, GCE provides education services to 27 university partners across the United States.

We plan to continue to add additional university partners and to introduce additional programs with both our existing partners and with new partners. We may engage with both new and existing university partners to offer healthcare programs, online only or hybrid programs, or, as is the case for our most significant partner, GCU, both healthcare and other programs. In addition, we have centralized a number of services that historically were provided separately to university partners of Orbis Education. Therefore, we refer to all university partners as “GCE partners” or “our partners”. We do disclose significant information for GCU, such as enrollments, due to its size in comparison to our other university partners.

Critical Accounting Policies and Use of Estimates

Our critical accounting policies are disclosed in the 2022 Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022. During the three months ended March 31, 2023, there were no significant changes in our critical accounting policies.

Results of Operations

The following table sets forth certain income statement data as a percentage of revenue for each of the periods indicated. Amortization of intangible assets has been excluded from the table below:

	March 31,
	2023		2022
Costs and expenses
Technology and academic services	15.0	%	14.9	%
Counseling services and support	29.3		27.7
Marketing and communication	21.1		20.8
General and administrative	3.9		4.1

Three Months Ended March 31, 2023 Compared to Three Months Ended March 31, 2022

Service revenue. Our service revenue for the three months ended March 31, 2023 was $250.1 million, an increase of $6.0 million, or 2.5%, as compared to service revenue of $244.1 million for the three months ended March 31, 2022. The increase year over year in service revenue was primarily due to an increase in GCU traditional campus enrollments of 6.6% and an increase in revenue per student year over year, partially offset by a decrease in students in a university partner’s Occupational Therapy Assistants (“OTA”) program of 19.9%. The increase in revenue per student between years is primarily due to the service revenue impact of the increased room, board and other ancillary revenues at GCU in the first quarter of 2023 as compared to the prior year period. In addition, service revenue per student for Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (“ABSN”) students at off-campus classroom and laboratory sites generates a significantly higher revenue per student than we earn under our agreement with GCU, as these agreements generally provide us with a higher revenue share percentage, the partners have higher tuition rates than GCU and the majority of their students take more credits on average per semester. The increase in revenue per student in the three months ended March 31, 2023 was negatively impacted by the timing of the Spring semester for the ground traditional campus. The Spring semester started two days later in 2023 and extended four more days into April, which had the effect of shifting $4.5 million in service revenue from the first quarter of 2023 to the second quarter of 2023. Partner enrollments totaled 112,588 at March 31, 2023 as compared to 110,217 at March 31, 2022. University partner enrollments at our off-campus classroom and laboratory sites were 4,315, a decrease of 4.0% over enrollments at March 31, 2022, which includes 360 and 283 GCU students at March 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively. This growth rate has slowed over the past year primarily due to the 19.9% decline in OTA students as the university partner stopped admitting new students for most of 2021 due to clinical placement backlog and although that partner is now admitting students, the number of

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admitted students remains below previous levels. Year over year ABSN students decreased 2.9% at March 31, 2023. None of our ABSN partners stopped admitting new students due to the clinical faculty challenges that began during the pandemic, however some locations that were scheduled to open were delayed and some existing partners have experienced reduced incoming cohort sizes which has slowed the growth. We believe the growth in the number of OTA and ABSN students is also being negatively impacted by the strong job market as these students have historically been individuals with already completed bachelor’s degrees choosing to re-career into one of these health professions. To address this challenge, we have been working with a number of our university partners to adjust their programs to allow students with the required education experience but without a complete bachelor’s degree to enter their programs. We did open six new off-campus classroom and laboratory sites in the year ended December 31, 2022 and one site in the three months ended March 31, 2023 increasing the total number of these sites to 36 at March 31, 2023 and we anticipate opening three to four more in 2023 which we hope, along with the program change discussed earlier, will re-accelerate the ABSN student enrollment growth. Enrollments at GCU increased to 108,633 at March 31, 2023, an increase of 2.5% over enrollments at March 31, 2022. Enrollments for GCU ground students were 22,568 at March 31, 2023 up from 21,281 at March 31, 2022 primarily due to a 6.6% increase in traditional ground students between years. GCU online enrollments were 86,065 at March 31, 2023, up from 84,722 at March 31, 2022.

Technology and academic services. Our technology and academic services expenses for the three months ended March 31, 2023 were $37.5 million, an increase of $1.2 million, or 3.3%, as compared to technology and academic services expenses of $36.3 million for the three months ended March 31, 2022. This increase was primarily due to increases in occupancy and depreciation and in employee compensation and related expenses, including share-based compensation of $0.9 million and $0.6 million, respectively, partially offset by a decrease in other technology and academic costs of $0.2 million. These increases were primarily due to the costs associated with the increased number of off-campus classroom and laboratory sites and the increased headcount to support our 27 university partners, and their increased enrollment growth, tenure-based salary adjustments and the increased number of off-campus classroom and laboratory sites year over year. Our technology and academic services expenses as a percentage of revenue increased 0.1% to 15.0% for the three months ended March 31, 2023, from 14.9% for the three months ended March 31, 2022. This increase was primarily due to partnership agreements with university partners that have off-campus classroom and laboratory sites requiring a higher level of technology and academic services than our agreement with GCU. We anticipate that technology and academic services expenses as a percentage of revenue will continue to increase in the future as we open more off-campus classroom and laboratory sites.

Counseling services and support. Our counseling services and support expenses for the three months ended March 31, 2023 were $73.3 million, an increase of $5.8 million, or 8.6%, as compared to counseling services and support expenses of $67.5 million for the three months ended March 31, 2022. This increase was primarily attributable to increases in employee compensation and related expenses including share-based compensation and in other counseling services and support expenses of $4.8 million and $1.3 million, respectively, partially offset by a decrease in occupancy and depreciation of $0.2 million. The increases in employee compensation and related expenses were primarily due to increased headcount to support our university partners, and their planned increases in enrollment, tenure-based salary adjustments and the increased number of off-campus classroom and laboratory sites open year over year. The increase in other counseling services and support expenses is primarily the result of increased travel costs for our 27 university partners. Our counseling services and support expenses as a percentage of revenue increased 1.6% to 29.3% for the three months ended March 31, 2023, from 27.7% for the three months ended March 31, 2022 primarily due to the significant increase year over year in headcount and travel costs. We anticipate that counseling services and support expense as a percentage of revenue will continue to be higher in 2023 than in 2022 as travel expenses continue to increase and we grow our employee base and their compensation to meet our university partners’ growth expectations and retain our employees.

Marketing and communication. Our marketing and communication expenses for the three months ended March 31, 2023 were $52.9 million, an increase of $2.0 million, or 4.0%, as compared to marketing and communication expenses of $50.9 million for the three months ended March 31, 2022. This increase was primarily attributable to the increased cost to market our university partners’ programs and to the marketing of new university partners and new locations which resulted in increased advertising of $2.0 million and increased employee compensation, including share-based compensation of $0.3 million, partially offset by a decrease in other marketing and communication expenses of $0.3 million. Our marketing and communication expenses as a percentage of revenue increased by 0.3% to 21.1% for

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the three months ended March 31, 2023, from 20.8% for the three months ended March 31, 2022, primarily due to the number of university partners and their growth expectations and increased off-campus classroom and laboratory sites opened and sites planned to open in the next 12 months.

General and administrative. Our general and administrative expenses for the three months ended March 31, 2023 were $9.8 million, a decrease of $0.1 million, or 1.1%, as compared to general and administrative expenses of $9.9 million for the three months ended March 31, 2022. Our general and administrative expenses as a percentage of revenue decreased by 0.2% to 3.9% for the three months ended March 31, 2023, from 4.1% for the three months ended March 31, 2022 primarily due to our ability to leverage our other general and administrative expenses across an increasing revenue base.

Amortization of intangible assets. Amortization of intangible assets for the three months ended March 31, 2023 and 2022 were $2.1 million for both periods. As a result of the acquisition of our wholly owned subsidiary, Orbis Education, certain identifiable intangible assets were created (primarily customer relationships) that will be amortized over their expected lives.

Investment interest and other. Investment interest and other for the three months ended March 31, 2023 was $2.2 million, as compared to investment interest and other for the three months ended March 31, 2022 of $0.2 million due to higher investment balances and higher returns on those balances.

Income tax expense. Income tax expense for the three months ended March 31, 2023 was $17.0 million, a decrease of $2.6 million, or 13.0%, as compared to income tax expense of $19.6 million for the three months ended March 31, 2022. This decrease was the result of a decrease in our effective tax rate between periods and a slight decrease in our taxable income. Our effective tax rate was 22.3% during the first quarter of 2023 compared to 25.2% during the first quarter of 2022. In the first quarter of 2023, the effective tax rate was impacted by excess tax benefits of $0.9 million as compared to only $0.1 million in the first quarter of 2022. In the first quarter of 2023 the effective tax rate was favorably impacted by state income tax refunds, while in the first quarter of 2022 the effective tax rate was unfavorably impacted by state audits.

Net income. Our net income for the three months ended March 31, 2023 was $59.6 million, an increase of $1.5 million, or 2.6%, as compared to $58.1 million for the three months ended March 31, 2022, due to the factors discussed above.

Seasonality

Our net revenue and operating results normally fluctuate as a result of seasonal variations in our business, principally due to changes in our university partners’ enrollment. Our partners’ enrollment varies as a result of new enrollments, graduations, and student attrition. Revenues in the summer months (May through August) are lower primarily due to the majority of GCU’s traditional ground university students not attending courses during the summer months, which affects our results for our second and third fiscal quarters. Since a significant amount of our costs are fixed, the lower revenue resulting from the decreased summer enrollment has historically contributed to lower operating margins during those periods. Partially offsetting this summer effect has been the sequential quarterly increase in enrollments that has occurred as a result of the traditional fall school start. This increase in enrollments also has occurred in the first quarter, corresponding to calendar year matriculation. Thus, we experience higher net revenue in the fourth quarter due to its overlap with the semester encompassing the traditional fall school start and in the first quarter due to its overlap with the first semester of the calendar year. A portion of our expenses do not vary proportionately with these fluctuations in service revenue, resulting in higher operating income in the first and fourth quarters relative to other quarters. We expect quarterly fluctuation in operating results to continue as a result of these seasonal patterns.

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Liquidity and Capital Resources

	As of March 31,		As of December 31,
(In thousands)	2023		2022
Cash, cash equivalents and investments	$	194,523	$	181,704

Overview

Our liquidity position, as measured by cash and cash equivalents and investments increased by $12.8 million between December 31, 2022 and March 31, 2023, which was largely attributable to cash flows from operations exceeding share repurchases and capital expenditures during the three months ended March 31, 2023.

Based on our current level of operations and anticipated growth, we believe that our cash flow from operations and other sources of liquidity, including cash and cash equivalents, will provide adequate funds for ongoing operations, planned capital expenditures, and working capital requirements for at least the next 24 months.

Cash Flows from Operating Activities

	Three Months Ended March 31,
(In thousands)	2023		2022
Net cash provided by operating activities	$	62,999	$	70,260

The decrease in cash generated from operating activities between the three months ended March 31, 2022 and the three months ended March 31, 2023 was primarily due to changes in working capital balances, primarily accounts receivable, accounts payable and accrued liabilities. Accounts payable and accrued liabilities decreased by $12.1 million due to the timing of the payrolls and check runs each quarter. This decrease was offset by an increase in account receivable of $6.8 million due to timing of payments from our university partners resulting in lower accounts receivable balances. We define working capital as the assets and liabilities, other than cash, generated through the Company’s primary operating activities. Changes in these balances are included in the changes in assets and liabilities presented in the consolidated statement of cash flows.

Cash Flows from Investing Activities

	Three Months Ended March 31,
(In thousands)	2023		2022
Net cash used in investing activities	$	(37,134)	$	(69,713)

Investing activities consumed $37.1 million of cash in the three months ended March 31, 2023 compared to $69.7 million in the three months ended March 31, 2022.

In the first three months of 2023 and 2022 cash used in investing activities consisted of the purchase of available-for-sale securities, net of proceeds from the sale of investments of $28.3 million and $62.8 million, respectively.

In the first three months of 2023 and 2022 cash used in investing activities also included capital expenditures totaling $8.6 million and $6.8 million, respectively. Capital expenditures for both periods primarily consisted of leasehold improvements and equipment for new off-campus classroom and laboratory sites, as well as purchases of computer equipment, internal use software projects and furniture and equipment to support our increasing employee headcount. The Company incurs upfront expenses and capital expenditures prior to an off-campus classroom and laboratory site being opened. The Company intends to continue to spend approximately $30.0 million to $35.0 million per year for capital expenditures.

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Cash Flows from Financing Activities

	Three Months Ended March 31,
(In thousands)	2023		2022
Net cash used in financing activities	$	(41,234)	$	(399,555)

Financing activities consumed $41.2 million of cash in the three months ended March 31, 2023 compared to $399.6 million in the three months ended March 31, 2022.

During the three months ended March 31, 2023 and 2022, $34.9 million and $394.9 million, respectively was used to purchase treasury stock in accordance with GCE’s share repurchase program. In 2023 and 2022, $6.3 million and $4.6 million, respectively, of cash was utilized to purchase common shares withheld in lieu of income taxes resulting from the vesting of restricted share awards. A significant amount of the share repurchases in 2022 were from the proceeds received on the repayment of the Secured Note. The Company intends to continue using a significant portion of its cash flows from operations to repurchase its shares but share repurchases in future years will be less than in 2022.

Share Repurchase Program

Our Board of Directors has authorized under its existing stock repurchase program, an aggregate authorization for share repurchases since the initiation of the program of $1,845.0 million. The current expiration date on the repurchase authorization by our Board of Directors is December 31, 2023. Repurchases occur at the Company’s discretion and the Company may modify, suspend or discontinue the repurchase authorization at any time.

Under our share repurchase authorization, we may purchase shares in the open market or in privately negotiated transactions, pursuant to the applicable SEC rules. The amount and timing of future share repurchases, if any, will be made as market and business conditions warrant.

We repurchased 309,978 shares of common stock in the three months ended March 31, 2023. At March 31, 2023, there remains $160.9 million available under our share repurchase authorization.

Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements

We do not have any off-balance sheet arrangements that have had or are reasonably likely to have a material current or future effect on our financial condition, changes in financial condition, revenues or expenses, results of operations, liquidity, capital expenditures, or capital resources.

Item 3.   Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk

Market risk. As of March 31, 2023, we have no derivative financial instruments or derivative commodity instruments. We invest cash in excess of current operating requirements in money market instruments and commercial paper at multiple financial institutions.

Interest rate risk. We manage interest rate risk by investing excess funds in cash equivalents, BBB or higher rated corporate bonds, commercial paper, agency bonds, municipal securities, asset backed securities, municipal bonds, and collateralized mortgage obligations bearing variable interest rates, which are tied to various market indices or individual bond coupon rates. Our future investment income may fall short of expectations due to changes in interest rates or we may suffer losses in principal if we are forced to sell securities before their maturity date that have declined in market value due to changes in interest rates. At March 31, 2023, a 10% increase or decrease in interest rates would not have a material impact on our future earnings, fair values, or cash flows.

Item 4.   Controls and Procedures

Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures

We carried out an evaluation, under the supervision and with the participation of our management, including our Chief Executive Officer and the Chief Financial Officer, of the effectiveness of the design and operation of our disclosure controls and procedures, as defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) under the Exchange Act. Based upon

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that evaluation, our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer concluded that our disclosure controls and procedures are effective, as of March 31, 2023, in ensuring that material information relating to us required to be disclosed by us in reports that we file or submit under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the SEC rules and forms. Disclosure controls and procedures include, without limitation, controls and procedures designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by an issuer in reports it files or submits under the Exchange Act is accumulated and communicated to management, including its principal executive officer or officers and principal financial officer or officers, or persons performing similar functions, as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure.

Changes in Internal Control over Financial Reporting.

Based on an evaluation, under the supervision and with the participation of our management, including our Chief Executive Officer (who is our principal executive officer) and our Chief Financial Officer (who is our principal financial officer), there were no changes in our internal control over financial reporting identified in connection with the evaluation required by Rule 13a-15(d) and 15d-15(d) of the Exchange Act that occurred during the period covered by this report that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.

PART II – OTHER INFORMATION

Item 1.   Legal Proceedings

For information regarding our material pending legal proceedings, see the section entitled Litigation within Note 8 Commitments and Contingencies of our notes to consolidated financial statements included in Part I, Item 1 of this report, which section is incorporated by reference into this Part II, Item 1.

Item 1A. Risk Factors

The following additional risk factor should be read in conjunction with the risk factors previously disclosed in Part1, Item 1A, “Risk Factors,” of the 2022 Form 10-K, the information contained in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q and our other reports and registration statements filed with the SEC. Except as described herein, there have been no material changes to the risk factors disclosed in the 2022 Form 10-K.

Our cash and cash equivalents are held at three financial institutions.

Approximately 73% of our cash and cash equivalents are held at a single financial institution and are in excess of amounts insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”). This financial institution is among the largest in the United States, and we therefore believe that such funds are stable and at very low risk. The remaining approximately 27% of our cash and cash equivalents are held at two regional banks. We believe that both of these regional banks have strong balance sheets with high liquidity and low debt, and that their percentage of total uninsured deposits are similar or better than the nation’s largest banks. We believe that we have mitigated as much risk as possible by dispersing the operating funds between three banks. However, we may be subject to losses in excess of the FDIC insured limit in the event of a failure of any of these financial institutions and the subsequent lack of intervention by the federal government.

In the first quarter of 2023, we moved the majority of our operational banking services to one of the aforementioned regional banks; therefore, a larger portion of our cash and cash equivalents will be transferred to the same regional bank’s institutional sweep and depository accounts in the future. We will continually review all three institutions’ financial conditions to ensure that our assets are as safeguarded as possible.

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Item 2.   Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds

Recent Sales of Unregistered Securities

None.

Purchases of Equity Securities by the Issuer and Affiliated Purchasers

Our Board of Directors has authorized under its existing stock repurchase program, an aggregate authorization for share repurchases since the initiation of the program of $1,845.0 million. The current expiration date on the repurchase authorization by our Board of Directors is December 31, 2023. Repurchases occur at the Company’s discretion and the Company may modify, suspend or discontinue the repurchase authorization at any time. Repurchases may be made in the open market or in privately negotiated transactions, pursuant to the applicable Securities and Exchange Commission rules. The amount and timing of future share repurchases, if any, will be made as market and business conditions warrant.

During the three months ended March 31, 2023, 309,978 shares of common stock were repurchased by the Company. At March 31, 2023, there remains $160.9 million available under our share repurchase authorization.

The following table sets forth our share repurchases of common stock and our share repurchases in lieu of taxes, which are not included in the repurchase plan totals as they were approved in conjunction with the restricted share awards, during each period in the first quarter of fiscal 2023:

				Total Number of	Maximum Dollar
				Shares Purchased as	Value of Shares
		Average		Part of Publicly	That May Yet Be
	Total Number of	Price Paid		Announced	Purchased Under
Period	Shares Purchased	Per Share		Program	the Program
Share Repurchases
January 1, 2023 – January 31, 2023	100,373	$	112.17	100,373	$	184,600,000
February 1, 2023 – February 28, 2023	92,643	$	115.45	92,643	$	173,900,000
March 1, 2023 – March 31, 2023	116,962	$	110.70	116,962	$	160,900,000
Total	309,978	$	112.60	309,978	$	160,900,000
Tax Withholdings
January 1, 2023 – January 31, 2023	—	$	—	—	$	—
February 1, 2023 – February 28, 2023	—	$	—	—	$	—
March 1, 2023 – March 31, 2023	—	$	—	—	$	—
Total	—	$	—	—	$	—

Item 3.   Defaults Upon Senior Securities

None.

Item 4.   Mine Safety Disclosures

None.

Item 5.   Other Information

None.

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Item 6.   Exhibits

(a)   Exhibits

Number	Description	Method of Filing
3.1	Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation.	Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on February 20, 2019.
3.2	Third Amended and Restated Bylaws.	Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on October 29, 2014.
4.1	Specimen of Stock Certificate.	Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to Amendment No. 2 to the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-1 filed with the SEC on September 29, 2008.
10.1	Third Amended and Restated Executive Employment Agreement, dated May 1, 2023, by and between Grand Canyon Education, Inc. and Brian E. Mueller†	Filed herewith.
10.2	Third Amended and Restated Executive Employment Agreement, dated May 1, 2023, by and between Grand Canyon Education, Inc. and W. Stan Meyer†	Filed herewith.
10.3	Third Amended and Restated Executive Employment Agreement, dated May 1, 2023, by and between Grand Canyon Education, Inc. and Daniel E. Bachus†	Filed herewith.
10.4	Second Amended and Restated Executive Employment Agreement, dated May 1, 2023, by and between Grand Canyon Education, Inc. and Dilek Marsh†	Filed herewith.
10.5	Third Amended and Restated Executive Employment Agreement, dated May 1, 2023, by and between Grand Canyon Education, Inc. and Daniel J. Briggs†	Filed herewith.
31.1	Certification of Principal Executive Officer pursuant to Rules 13a-14(a) and 15d-14(a), as adopted pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.	Filed herewith.
31.2	Certification of Principal Financial Officer pursuant to Rules 13a-14(a) and 15d-14(a), as adopted pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.	Filed herewith.
32.1	Certification of Principal Executive Officer pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. ††	Filed herewith.
32.2	Certification of Principal Financial Officer pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. ††	Filed herewith.
101	The following financial statements from the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March	Filed herewith.

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	31, 2023, formatted in Inline XBRL: (i) Consolidated Income Statements, (ii) Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income, (iii) Consolidated Balance Sheets, (iv) Consolidated Statements of Stockholders’ Equity, (v) Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows, and (vi) Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements tagged as blocks of text and including detailed tags.
104	The cover page from the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2023, formatted in Inline XBRL (included as Exhibit 101).	Filed herewith.

††   This certification is being furnished solely to accompany this report pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350 and is not being filed for purposes of Section 18 of the Exchange Act, and is not to be incorporated by reference into any filings of the Company, whether made before or after the date hereof, regardless of any general incorporation language in such filing.

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SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.

	GRAND CANYON EDUCATION, INC.
Date: May 2, 2023	By:	/s/ Daniel E. Bachus
	Daniel E. Bachus
	Chief Financial Officer
	(Principal Financial Officer)

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EX-10.1

Exhibit 10.1

THIRD AMENDED AND RESTATED

EXECUTIVE EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT

(Chief Executive Officer)

This Third Amended and Restated Executive Employment Agreement (the “Agreement") is entered into on May 1, 2023, and is effective as of July 1, 2023 (the “Effective Date”), by and between Grand Canyon Education, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”) and Brian E. Mueller (“Executive”).

WHEREAS, the Company and Executive are parties to a second amended and restated executive employment agreement effective as of August 16, 2012, and July 1, 2018, (as amended, the “Original Agreement”), and Executive has been employed with Company since that time; and

WHEREAS, the Company and Executive desire to amend and restate the Original Agreement through the execution and delivery of this Agreement.

NOW, THEREFORE, for good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties agree as follows:

1.Employment. The Company desires to continue to employ Executive, and Executive desires to continue such employment, upon the terms and conditions set forth herein.

2.Duties.

2.1Position. Executive is employed as Chief Executive Officer and shall have the duties and responsibilities reasonably assigned to Executive from time to time by the Company’s Board of Directors (the “Board”). Executive shall perform faithfully and diligently all duties assigned to Executive. The Company reserves the right to modify Executive’s position and duties at any time in its sole and absolute discretion, except that any material diminution in Executive’s duties shall be subject to Section 7.3(ii).

2.2Best Efforts/Dual Employment.

(a)Executive will expend Executive’s best efforts on behalf of the Company in the performance of duties assigned to Executive under this Agreement, and will abide by all policies and decisions made by the Company, as well as all applicable federal, state and local laws, regulations or ordinances. Executive will act in the best interest of the Company at all times in the performance of duties assigned to Executive under this Agreement.

(b)The parties acknowledge that Executive, with the Company’s consent, is or will be employed in an executive capacity by Grand Canyon University (“University”). The parties anticipate that Executive will be able to satisfactorily perform the duties assigned to Executive under this Agreement notwithstanding Executive’s simultaneous employment by the University. Executive represents and warrants that Executive shall devote not less than fifty percent (50%) of Executive’s business time and efforts over the course of any reasonably representative time period (but not less than one week) to the performance of duties assigned to Executive under this Agreement. Executive shall not engage in any other paid work, other than his simultaneous employment by the University, unless Executive notifies the Board or

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its designee in advance of Executive's intent to engage in other paid work and receives the express written consent of the Board or its designee to do so.

2.3Notwithstanding the foregoing, Executive will be permitted to serve as an outside director on the board of directors for corporate, civic, nonprofit or charitable entities, so long as Executive obtains the consent of the Board and provided such entities are not competitive with the Company and subject to the provisions of Section 9.

2.4Work Location. Executive's principal place of work shall be located in Phoenix, Arizona, or such other location as the Company may direct from time to time.

3.Term.

3.1Initial Term. The employment relationship pursuant to this Agreement shall be for an initial term commencing on the Effective Date and shall continue in effect for a period through June 30, 2028 (the “Initial Term"), unless sooner terminated in accordance with Section 7.

3.2Renewal. Upon expiration of the Initial Term and each Renewal Term, this Agreement will automatically renew for subsequent one (1) year terms (each a “Renewal Term”) unless either party provides ninety (90) days' advance written notice to the other that the Company or Executive does not wish to renew the Agreement for a subsequent Renewal Term. In the event either party gives notice of nonrenewal pursuant to this Section 3.2, this Agreement will expire at the end of the then current term. The Initial Term and each subsequent Renewal Term are referred to collectively as the “Term”.

4.Compensation.

4.1Base Salary. As compensation for Executive’s performance of Executive’s duties hereunder, effective beginning on the Effective Date the Company shall pay to Executive an initial Base Salary at the rate of Three Hundred Twenty-One Thousand Dollars ($321,000.00) per year, payable in accordance with the normal payroll practices of the Company, less required deductions for state and federal withholding tax, social security and all other employment taxes and payroll deductions. Executive’s Base Salary shall be reviewed annually by the Compensation Committee of the Board (the “Compensation Committee”) and adjustments, if any, will be made at that time. In the event Executive’s employment under this Agreement is terminated by either party, for any reason, Executive will earn the Base Salary prorated to the date of termination, except as otherwise set forth herein.

4.2Incentive Compensation. Executive will be eligible to earn incentive compensation in the form of an annual bonus for each fiscal year of the Company, to be awarded under the Company’s annual cash incentive plan as then in effect, with a target amount equal to one hundred percent ((100%) of Executive's Base Salary (the “Target Bonus”). Executive’s Target Bonus shall be reviewed annually by the Compensation Committee, and adjustments, if any, will be made at that time. The Compensation Committee will determine the actual amount of the bonus earned by Executive for any year, which may be more or less than the Target Bonus, and will base such determination upon both the Company’s achievement of overall performance metrics for the year and Executive's achievement of individual performance metrics as agreed upon by the Compensation Committee and Executive. Earned bonus amounts, if any, shall be paid within two and one-half months following the end of the applicable Company fiscal year.

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4.3Equity Awards. Executive will be eligible to receive stock, option or other equity awards (each, an “Equity Award”) under the Company’s equity incentive plan as then in effect (the “Plan”), as determined by the Compensation Committee. Any such Equity Award will be subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan and an applicable form of agreement for such Equity Award specified by the Compensation Committee, which Executive will be required to sign as a condition of retaining the Equity Award.

5.Customary Fringe Benefits. Executive will be eligible for all customary and usual fringe benefits generally available to senior management of the Company, subject to the terms and conditions of the Company’s benefit plan documents. The Company reserves the right to change or eliminate fringe benefits on a prospective basis, at any time, effective upon notice to Executive.

6.Business Expenses. Executive will be reimbursed for all reasonable, out-of- pocket business expenses incurred in the performance of Executive's duties on behalf of the Company. To obtain reimbursement, expenses must be submitted promptly with appropriate supporting documentation and will be reimbursed in accordance with the Company’s policies. Any reimbursement Executive is entitled to receive shall (a) be paid no later than the last day of Executive's tax year following the tax year in which the expense was incurred, (b) not affect or be affected by any other expenses that are eligible for reimbursement in any other tax year of Executive, and (c) not be subject to liquidation or exchange for another benefit.

7.Termination of Executive's Employment.

7.1Termination for Cause by Company. Although the Company anticipates the continuation of a mutually rewarding employment relationship with Executive, the Company may terminate Executive’s employment immediately at any time for Cause. For purposes of this Agreement, "Cause is defined as: (a) acts or omissions constituting gross negligence, recklessness or willful misconduct on the part of Executive with respect to Executive’s obligations or otherwise relating to the business of the Company; (b) Executive’s material breach of this Agreement including, without limitation, any breach of Section 8, Section 9 or Section 11; (c) Executive’s breach of the Company’s Employee Nondisclosure and Assignment Agreement (a copy of which has been executed and delivered to the Company with this Agreement) (the “Nondisclosure Agreement”); (d) Executive’s conviction or entry of a plea of nolo contendere for fraud misappropriation or embezzlement or any felony or crime of moral turpitude; (e) Executive’s inability to perform the essential functions of Executive’s position with or without reasonable accommodation due to a mental or physical disability; (f) Executive’s willful neglect of duties as determined in the sole and exclusive discretion of the Board, provided that Executive has received written notice of the action or omission giving rise to such determination and has failed to remedy such situation to the satisfaction of the Board within thirty (30) days following receipt of such written notice, unless Executive’s action or omission is not subject to cure, in which case no such notice shall be required; or (g) Executive's death. In the event Executive's employment is terminated in accordance with this Section 7 1, Executive shall be entitled to receive only Executive's Base Salary then in effect, prorated to the date of Executive’s termination of employment with Company (the “Termination Date”), and all amounts and benefits earned or incurred pursuant to Sections 5 and 6 through the Termination Date. All other Company obligations to Executive pursuant to this Agreement will be automatically terminated and completely extinguished as of the Termination Date, but will be subject to the surviving provisions of this Agreement set forth in Section 14.8. Executive will not be entitled to receive the Severance Package described in Section 7.2. Any termination pursuant to this Section 7.1 shall be evidenced by a resolution or written consent of the Board, and the Company shall provide Executive with a

3

copy of such resolution or written consent, certified by the Secretary of the Company, upon Executive’s written request.

7.2Termination Without Cause by Company. The Company may terminate Executive’s employment under this Agreement without Cause at any time upon written notice to Executive. In the event of such termination, Executive will receive Executive’s Base Salary then in effect, prorated to the Termination Date, and all amounts and benefits earned or incurred pursuant to Sections 5 and 6 through the Termination Date. In addition, subject to Sections 7.7 and 7.9, Executive will be entitled to receive a “Severance Package” that shall consist of:

(c)severance in an amount equal to the sum of (i) twelve (12) months of Executive’s Base Salary then in effect on the Termination Date, and (ii) 100% of Executive’s Target Bonus for the fiscal year in which the Termination Date occurs, with the total of such amounts to be payable over twelve (12) months in equal installments in accordance with the Company’s regular payroll cycle, commencing with the first payroll date occurring on or after the 60th day following the Termination Date;

(d)payment by the Company of the premiums required to continue Executive’s group health care coverage under the applicable provisions of the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985 (“COBRA”) for a period (the “COBRA Payment Period”) ending on the earlier of (i) twelve (12) months following the Termination Date or (ii) the date on which Executive becomes eligible for health coverage through another employer, provided in any event that Executive timely elects to continue and remains eligible for these benefits under COBRA; and

(e)acceleration of the vesting of any outstanding time-based Equity Awards to the extent that such Equity Awards would have vested in accordance with their terms had Executive’s employment with the Company continued uninterrupted until the first anniversary of the Termination Date.

Notwithstanding Section 7.2(b), if the Company determines, in its sole discretion, that the payment of the COBRA premiums would result in a violation of the nondiscrimination rules of Section 105(h)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), or any statute or regulation of similar effect (including but not limited to the 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, as amended by the 2010 Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act), then in lieu of providing the COBRA premiums, the Company, in its sole discretion, may elect to instead pay Executive on the first day of each month of the COBRA Payment Period, a fully taxable cash payment equal to the COBRA premiums for that month, subject to applicable tax withholdings (such amount, the “Special Severance Payment,” which shall be treated as part of the Severance Package), for the remainder of the COBRA Payment Period. Executive may, but is not obligated to, use such Special Severance Payment toward the cost of COBRA premiums. All other Company obligations to Executive will be automatically terminated and completely extinguished, but will be subject to the surviving provisions of this Agreement set forth in Section 14.8.

7.3Voluntary Resignation by Executive for Good Reason. Executive may voluntarily resign Executive's position with the Company for Good Reason at any time on thirty (30) days' advance written notice to the Company. In the event of Executive's resignation for Good Reason, Executive will be entitled to receive Executive's Base Salary then in effect, prorated to the Termination Date, and all amounts and benefits earned or incurred pursuant to Sections 5 and 6 through the Termination Date. In addition, subject to Sections 7.7 and 7.9, Executive will

4

be entitled to receive the Severance Package described in Section 7.2. All other Company obligations to Executive pursuant to this Agreement will be automatically terminated and completely extinguished, but will be subject to the surviving provisions of this Agreement set forth in Section 14.8. Executive will be deemed to have resigned for Good Reason if Executive voluntarily terminates Executive's employment with the Company within ninety (90) days following the first occurrence of a condition constituting Good Reason. “Good Reason” means the occurrence of any of the following conditions without Executive's written consent, which condition(s) remain(s) in effect thirty (30) days after Executive provides written notice to the Company of such condition(s): (i) a material reduction in Executive’s Base Salary as then in effect prior to such reduction, other than as part of a salary reduction program among similar management employees, (ii) a material diminution in Executive's authority, duties or responsibilities as an employee of the Company as they existed prior to such change, or (iii) a relocation of Executive's principal place of work which increases Executive's one-way commute distance by more than fifty (50) miles. Executive will be deemed to have given consent to any condition(s) described in this Section 7.3 if Executive does not provide written notice to the Company of Executive's intent to exercise Executive's rights pursuant to this Section within thirty (30) days following the first occurrence of such condition(s).

7.4Voluntary Resignation by Executive Without Good Reason. Executive may voluntarily resign Executive's position with the Company without Good Reason at any time on thirty (30) days' advance written notice to the Company. In the event of Executive’s resignation without Good Reason, Executive will be entitled to receive only Executive's Base Salary then in effect, prorated to the Termination Date, and all amounts and benefits earned or incurred pursuant to Sections 5 and 6 through the Termination Date. All other Company obligations to Executive pursuant to this Agreement will be automatically terminated and completely extinguished. Executive will not be entitled to receive the Severance Package described in Section 7.2, but will be subject to the surviving provisions of this Agreement set forth in Section 14.8.

7.5Termination After a Change in Control.

(a)Severance Payment; Equity Award Acceleration. If, upon or within twelve (12) months after a Change in Control (as that term is defined below), Executive’s employment is terminated by the Company other than for Cause (as defined in Section 7.1) or Executive resigns for Good Reason (as defined in Section 7.3), then Executive shall be entitled to receive Executive’s Base Salary then in effect, prorated to the Termination Date, and all amounts and benefits earned or incurred pursuant to Sections 5 and 6 through the Termination Date. In addition, subject to Sections 7.7 and 7.9, Executive will be entitled to receive (i) the Severance Package described in Section 7.2 and (ii) to the extent not yet vested, but subject to the terms of any agreement governing any such Equity Award, any outstanding Equity Awards granted to Executive by the Company shall vest in full as of the Termination Date. All other Company obligations to Executive pursuant to this Agreement will be automatically terminated and completely extinguished as of the Termination Date, but will be subject to the surviving provisions of this Agreement set forth in Section 14.8.

(b)Parachute Payments.

(i)Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary, if any payment or benefit Executive would receive pursuant to this Agreement or otherwise (collectively, the “Payments”) would constitute a “parachute payment” within the meaning of Section 280G of the Code, and, but for this sentence, would be subject to the excise tax imposed by Section 4999 of the Code or any similar or successor provision (the “Excise Tax”),

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then the aggregate amount of the Payments will be either (i) the largest portion of the Payments that would result in no portion of the Payments (after reduction) being subject to the Excise Tax or (ii) the entire Payments, whichever amount after taking into account all applicable federal, state and local employment taxes, income taxes, and the Excise Tax (all computed at the highest applicable marginal rate, net of the maximum reduction in federal income taxes which could be obtained from a deduction of such state and local taxes), results in Executive's receipt, on an after-tax basis, of the greatest amount of the Payments. Any reduction in the Payments required by this Section will be made in the following order: (A) reduction of cash payments; (B) reduction of accelerated vesting of Equity Awards other than stock options; (C) reduction of accelerated vesting of stock options; and (D) reduction of other benefits paid or provided to Executive. In the event that acceleration of vesting of Equity Awards is to be reduced, such acceleration of vesting will be cancelled in the reverse order of the date of grant of such Equity Awards. If two or more Equity Awards are granted on the same date, the accelerated vesting of each award will be reduced on a pro-rata basis.

(ii)The professional firm engaged by the Company for general tax purposes as of the day prior to the date of the event that might reasonably be anticipated to result in Payments that would otherwise be subject to the Excise Tax will perform the foregoing calculations. If the tax firm so engaged by the Company is serving as accountant or auditor for the acquiring company, the Company will appoint a nationally recognized tax firm to make the determinations required by this Section. The Company will bear all expenses with respect to the determinations by the tax firm required to be made by this Section. The Company and Executive shall furnish the tax firm such information and documents as the tax firm may reasonably request in order to make its required determination. The tax firm will provide its calculations, together with detailed supporting documentation, to the Company and Executive as soon as practicable following its engagement. Any good faith determinations of the tax firm made hereunder will be final, binding and conclusive upon the Company and Executive.

(c)Change in Control. A Change in Control is defined as any one of the following occurrences:

(i)Any “person” (as such term is used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”)), becomes the “beneficial owner” (as such term is defined in Rule 13d-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act), directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company representing more than fifty percent (50%) of the total fair market value or total combined voting power of the Company’s then outstanding securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors; provided, however, that a Change in Control shall not be deemed to have occurred if such degree of beneficial ownership results from any of the following: (A) an acquisition of securities by any person who on the Effective Date is the beneficial owner of more than fifty percent (50%) of such voting power, (B) any acquisition of securities directly from the Company, including, without limitation, pursuant to or in connection with a public offering of securities, (C) any acquisition of securities by the Company, (D) any acquisition of securities by a trustee or other fiduciary under an employee benefit plan of the Company, or (E) any acquisition of securities by an entity owned directly or indirectly by the stockholders of the Company in substantially the same proportions as their ownership of the voting securities of the Company; or

(ii)the sale or disposition of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets (other than a sale or disposition to one or more subsidiaries of the Company), or any transaction having similar effect is consummated; or

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(iii)the Company is party to a merger or consolidation that results in the holders of voting securities of the Company outstanding immediately prior thereto failing to continue to represent (either by remaining outstanding or by being converted into voting securities of the surviving entity) more than 50% of the combined voting power of the voting securities of the Company or such surviving entity outstanding immediately after such merger or consolidation; or

(iv)the dissolution or liquidation of the Company.

7.6Termination of Employment Upon Nonrenewal. In the event either party decides not to renew this Agreement for a subsequent term in accordance with Section 3.2, this Agreement will expire automatically upon completion of the then effective Term, and Executive’s employment with the Company will thereupon terminate. Executive will be entitled to receive only Executive's Base Salary then in effect, prorated to the Termination Date, and all amounts and benefits earned or incurred pursuant to Sections 5 and 6 through the Termination Date. All other Company obligations to Executive pursuant to this Agreement will be automatically terminated and completely extinguished. Executive will not be entitled to receive the Severance Package described in Section 7.2, but will be subject to the surviving provisions of this Agreement as set forth in Section 14.8.

7.7Conditions to Severance Package. Executive will only be entitled to receive the Severance Package if, on or before the 60th day following the Termination Date, Executive executes a full general release, releasing all claims, known or unknown, that Executive may have against the Company and its officers, directors, employees and affiliated companies arising out of or any way related to Executive's employment or termination of employment with the Company, and the period for revocation, if any, of such release has lapsed without the release having been revoked. In the event that Executive breaches any of the covenants contained in Sections 9 (“Other Covenants”), 10 (“Confidentiality and Proprietary Rights”) or 11 (“Non-Competition; Nonsolicitation of Company Employees”), the Company shall have the right to (a) terminate further provision of any portion of the Severance Package not yet paid or provided, (b) seek reimbursement from Executive for any and all portions of the Severance Package previously paid or provided to Executive, (c) recover from Executive all shares of Company stock acquired by Executive pursuant to Equity Awards the vesting of which was accelerated by reason of the Severance Package (or the proceeds therefrom, reduced by any exercise or pursuant price paid to acquire such shares), and (d) immediately cancel all portions of Equity Awards the vesting of which was accelerated by reason of the Severance Package.

7.8Resignation of Board or Other Positions. Executive agrees that should Executive's employment terminate for any reason, Executive will immediately resign all other positions (including board membership) Executive may hold on behalf of the Company.

7.9Application of Section 409A.

(a)Notwithstanding anything set forth in this Agreement to the contrary, no amount payable pursuant to this Agreement on account of Executive's termination of employment with the Company which constitutes a “deferral of compensation” within the meaning of the Treasury Regulations issued pursuant to Section 409A of the Code (the “Section 409A Regulations”) shall be paid unless and until Executive has incurred a “separation from service” within the meaning of the Section 409A Regulations. Furthermore, if Executive is a “specified employee” within the meaning of the Section 409A Regulations as of the date of Executive's separation from service, no amount that constitutes a deferral of compensation which is payable

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on account of Executive's separation from service shall be paid to Executive before the date (the “Delayed Payment Date”) which is first day of the seventh month after the date of Executive's separation from service or, if earlier, the date of Executive’s death following such separation from service. All such amounts that would, but for this Section 7.9(a), become payable prior to the Delayed Payment Date will be accumulated and paid on the Delayed Payment Date.

(b)It is the intent of the Company and Executive that any right of Executive to receive installment payments hereunder shall, for all purposes of Section 409A of the Code, be treated as a right to a series of separate payments.

(c)The Company intends that income provided to Executive pursuant to this Agreement will not be subject to taxation under Section 409A of the Code. The provisions of this Agreement shall be interpreted and construed in favor of satisfying any applicable requirements of Section 409A of the Code. However, the Company does not guarantee any particular tax effect for income provided to Executive pursuant to this Agreement. In any event, except for the Company’s responsibility to withhold applicable income and employment taxes from compensation paid or provided to Executive, the Company shall not be responsible for the payment of any applicable taxes incurred by Executive on compensation paid or provided to Executive pursuant to this Agreement.

8.No Violation of Rights of Third Parties. Executive represents and warrants to the Company that Executive is not currently a party, and will not become a party, to any other agreement that is in conflict with, or will prevent Executive from complying with, this Agreement. Executive further represents and warrants to the Company that Executive's performance of all of the terms of this Agreement as an employee of the Company does not and will not breach any agreement to keep in confidence any proprietary information, knowledge, or data acquired by Executive in confidence or trust prior to Executive’s employment with the Company. Executive acknowledges and agrees that the representations and warranties in this Section 8 are a material part of this Agreement.

9.Other Covenants. Executive hereby makes the following covenants, each of which Executive acknowledges and agrees are a material part of this Agreement:

9.1During the Term, Executive will not (a) breach any agreement to keep in confidence any confidential or proprietary information, knowledge or data acquired by Executive prior to Executive’s employment with Company, or (b) disclose to the Company, or use or induce the Company to use, any confidential or proprietary information or material belonging to any previous employer or any other third party, including University. Executive acknowledges that the Company has specifically instructed Executive not to breach any such agreement or make any such disclosures to the Company.

9.2During the Term, Executive will not engage in any work or activity, paid or unpaid, that creates an actual conflict of interest with the Company. Such work shall include, but is not limited to, directly or indirectly competing with the Company in any way, or acting as an officer, director, employee, consultant, stockholder, volunteer, lender, or agent of any business enterprise of the same nature as, or which is in direct competition with, the business in which the Company is now engaged or in which the Company becomes engaged during the Term, as may be determined by the Company in its sole discretion. If the Company believes such a conflict exists during the Term, the Company may ask Executive to choose to discontinue the other work or activity or resign employment with the Company. The parties acknowledge and agree that

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Executive’s simultaneous employment by the University shall not be deemed to be a conflict of interest for purposes of this Section 9.2.

9.3During the Term and after the termination thereof, neither Executive nor the Company will disparage each other, or the Company’s products, services, agents or employees.

9.4During the Term and after the termination thereof, at the Company’s expense and upon its reasonable request, Executive will cooperate and assist the Company in its defense or prosecution of any disputes, differences, grievances, claims, charges, or complaints between the Company and any third party, which assistance will include testifying on the Company’s behalf in connection with any such matter or performing any other task reasonably requested by the Company in connection therewith.

10.Confidentiality and Proprietary Rights. Executive agrees to abide by the Nondisclosure Agreement, which is incorporated herein by reference.

11.Non-Competition; Nonsolicitation of Company’s Employees. Executive acknowledges that in the course of his employment with the Company he will serve as a member of the Company’s senior management and will become familiar with the Company’s trade secrets and with other confidential and proprietary information and that his services will be of special, unique and extraordinary value to the Company. Executive further acknowledges that the Company’s business is national in scope and that the Company, in the course of such business, competes with other companies located throughout the United States. Therefore, in consideration of the foregoing, Executive agrees that, during the Term, and during the twelve-month (12) month period following the Term, Executive shall not directly or indirectly anywhere within the United States of America (a) own (except ownership of less than 2% of any class of securities which are listed for trading on any securities exchange or which are traded in the over-the-counter market), manage, control, participate in, consult with, render services for, be employed by, or in any manner engage in the operation of (i) a post-secondary education institution (other than the University), (ii) any business that develops or administers services to degree-granting institutions of higher education, or (iii) any other business of the Company in which Executive had significant involvement prior to Executive's separation; (b) solicit funds on behalf of, or for the benefit of, any post-secondary education institution (other than the University) or any other entity that competes with the Company; (c) induce or attempt to induce any employee of the Company to leave the employ of the Company, or in any way interfere with the relationship between the Company and any employee thereof, or (d) induce or attempt to induce any customer, supplier, licensee or other business relation of the Company to cease doing business with, or modify its business relationship with, the Company, or in any way interfere with or hinder the relationship between any such customer, supplier, licensee or business relation and the Company; provided, however, that Company acknowledges that Executive will serve simultaneously as the President of the University, and that this section of this Agreement shall not apply to or restrict Executive’s performance of any of Executive’s duties in that role with the University.

12.Injunctive Relief. Executive acknowledges that Executive's breach of the covenants contained in Sections 9, 10 and 11 hereof (collectively “Covenants”) would cause irreparable injury to the Company and agrees that in the event of any such breach, the Company shall be entitled to seek temporary, preliminary and permanent injunctive relief without the necessity of proving actual damages or posting any bond or other security in addition to any other relief to which the Company may be entitled and other remedies Company may exercise under this Agreement or otherwise.

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13.Insurance; Indemnification.

13.1During the Term, Executive will be covered by the Company’s director and officer insurance policy to the same extent as all other directors and senior executive officers of the Company.

13.2Following the execution of this Agreement, the director and officer indemnification agreement executed by the Company and Executive will continue in effect in accordance with its terms.

14.General Provisions.

14.1Successors and Assigns. The rights and obligations of the Company under this Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and shall be binding upon the successors and assigns of the Company. Executive shall not be entitled to assign any of Executive's rights or obligations under this Agreement.

14.2Waiver. Either party's failure to enforce any provision of this Agreement shall not in any way be construed as a waiver of any such provision, or prevent that party thereafter from enforcing each and every other provision of this Agreement.

14.3Attorneys’ Fees. In the event of a dispute involving the interpretation or enforcement of this Agreement, a court shall award attorneys' fees and costs to the prevailing party.

14.4Severability. In the event any provision of this Agreement is found to be unenforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction, such provision shall be deemed modified to the extent necessary to allow enforceability of the provision as so limited, it being intended that the parties shall receive the benefit contemplated herein to the fullest extent permitted by law. If a deemed modification is not satisfactory in the judgment of such court, the unenforceable provision shall be deemed deleted, and the validity and enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not be affected thereby.

14.5Interpretation; Construction. The headings set forth in this Agreement are for convenience only and shall not be used in interpreting this Agreement. This Agreement has been drafted by legal counsel representing the Company, but Executive has participated in the negotiation of its terms. Furthermore, Executive acknowledges that Executive has had an opportunity to review and revise the Agreement and have it reviewed by legal counsel, if desired, and, therefore, the normal rule of construction to the effect that any ambiguities are to be resolved against the drafting party shall not be employed in the interpretation of this Agreement.

14.6Governing Law; Forum. This Agreement will be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the United States and the State of Arizona. Each party consents to the jurisdiction and venue of the state or federal courts in Phoenix, Arizona, if applicable, in any action, suit, or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement, and agrees that the state or federal courts in Phoenix, Arizona shall have exclusive jurisdiction over any dispute arising between the parties related to this Agreement or Executive’s employment with the Company.

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14.7Notices. Any notice required or permitted by this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be delivered as follows with notice deemed given as indicated: (a) by personal delivery when delivered personally; (b) by overnight courier upon written verification of receipt; (c) by telecopy or facsimile transmission upon acknowledgment of receipt of electronic transmission; or (d) by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested, upon verification of receipt. Notice shall be sent to the addresses set forth under the signatures below, or such other address as either party may specify in writing.

14.8Survival. Sections 9 (“Other Covenants”), 10 ("Confidentiality and Proprietary Rights”), 11 (“Non-Competition; Nonsolicitation of Company’s Employees”), 12 (“Injunctive Relief”), 14 (“General Provisions”) and 15 (“Entire Agreement”) of this Agreement shall survive termination of Executive’s employment with the Company.

15.Entire Agreement. This Agreement, including the Nondisclosure Agreement incorporated herein by reference, constitutes the entire agreement between the parties relating to this subject matter and supersedes all prior or simultaneous representations, discussions, negotiations, and agreements, whether written or oral. This Agreement may be amended or modified only with the written consent of Executive and the Board. No oral waiver, amendment or modification will be effective under any circumstances whatsoever.

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THE PARTIES TO THIS AGREEMENT HAVE READ THE FOREGOING AGREEMENT AND FULLY UNDERSTAND EACH AND EVERY PROVISION CONTAINED HEREIN. WHEREFORE, THE PARTIES HAVE EXECUTED THIS AGREEMENT ON THE DATES SHOWN BELOW.

	EXECUTIVE
Dated:	By:
	Name:	Brian E. Mueller
	Address:	2600 West Camelback Road Phoenix, Arizona 85017
	GRAND CANYON EDUCATION, INC.
Dated:	By:
	Name:	Sara Dial
	Title:	Lead Independent Director
	Address:	2600 West Camelback Road Phoenix, Arizona 85017

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EX-10.2

Exhibit 10.2

THIRD AMENDED AND RESTATED

EXECUTIVE EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT

(Chief Operating Officer)

This Third Amended and Restated Executive Employment Agreement (the “Agreement") is entered into on May 1, 2023, and is effective as of July 1, 2023 (the “Effective Date”), by and between Grand Canyon Education, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”) and W. Stan Meyer (“Executive”).

WHEREAS, the Company and Executive are parties to a second amended and restated executive employment agreement effective as of August 16, 2012, and July 1, 2018, (as amended, the “Original Agreement”), and Executive has been employed with the Company since that time; and

WHEREAS, the Company and Executive desire to amend and restate the Original Agreement through the execution and delivery of this Agreement.

NOW, THEREFORE, for good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties agree as follows:

1.Employment. The Company desires to continue to employ Executive, and Executive desires to continue such employment, upon the terms and conditions set forth herein.

2.Duties.

2.1Position. Executive is employed as Chief Operating Officer and shall have the duties and responsibilities reasonably assigned to Executive from time to time by the Company’s Chief Executive Officer (“CEO”), or Board of Directors (the “Board”). Executive shall perform faithfully and diligently all duties assigned to Executive. The Company reserves the right to modify Executive’s position and duties at any time in its sole and absolute discretion, except that any material diminution in Executive’s duties shall be subject to Section 7.3(ii).

2.2Best Efforts/Full-time. Executive will expend Executive’s best efforts on behalf of the Company in the performance of duties assigned to Executive under this Agreement, and will abide by all policies and decisions made by the Company, as well as all applicable federal, state and local laws, regulations or ordinances. Executive will act in the best interest of the Company at all times in the performance of duties assigned to Executive under this Agreement. Executive shall devote Executive's full business time and efforts to the performance of Executive’s assigned duties for the Company, unless Executive notifies the Board and CEO in advance of Executive's intent to engage in other paid work and receives the Board’s and CEO’s express written consent to do so. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Executive will be permitted to serve as an outside director on the board of directors for corporate, civic, nonprofit or charitable entities, so long as Executive obtains the consent of the Board and provided such entities are not competitive with the Company and subject to the provisions of Section 9.

2.3Work Location. Executive's principal place of work shall be located in Phoenix, Arizona, or such other location as the Company may direct from time to time.

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3.Term.

3.1Initial Term. The employment relationship pursuant to this Agreement shall be for an initial term commencing on the Effective Date and shall continue in effect for a period through June 30, 2028 (the “Initial Term"), unless sooner terminated in accordance with Section 7.

3.2Renewal. Upon expiration of the Initial Term and each Renewal Term, this Agreement will automatically renew for subsequent one (1) year terms (each a “Renewal Term”) unless either party provides ninety (90) days' advance written notice to the other that the Company or Executive does not wish to renew the Agreement for a subsequent Renewal Term. In the event either party gives notice of nonrenewal pursuant to this Section 3.2, this Agreement will expire at the end of the then current term. The Initial Term and each subsequent Renewal Term are referred to collectively as the “Term”.

4.Compensation.

4.1Base Salary. As compensation for Executive’s performance of Executive’s duties hereunder, effective beginning on the Effective Date the Company shall pay to Executive an initial Base Salary at the rate of Three Hundred Ninety Thousand Dollars ($390,000.00) per year, payable in accordance with the normal payroll practices of the Company, less required deductions for state and federal withholding tax, social security and all other employment taxes and payroll deductions. Executive’s Base Salary shall be reviewed annually by the Compensation Committee of the Board (the “Compensation Committee”) and adjustments, if any, will be made at that time. In the event Executive’s employment under this Agreement is terminated by either party, for any reason, Executive will earn the Base Salary prorated to the date of termination, except as otherwise set forth herein.

4.2Incentive Compensation. Executive will be eligible to earn incentive compensation in the form of an annual bonus for each fiscal year of the Company, to be awarded under the Company’s annual cash incentive plan as then in effect, with a target amount equal to seventy-five percent (75%) of Executive's Base Salary (the “Target Bonus"). Executive's Target Bonus shall be reviewed annually by the Compensation Committee, and adjustments, if any, will be made at that time. The Compensation Committee will determine the actual amount of the bonus earned by Executive for any year, which may be more or less than the Target Bonus, and will base such determination upon both the Company’s achievement of overall performance metrics for the year and Executive's achievement of individual performance metrics as agreed upon by the Compensation Committee and Executive. Earned bonus amounts, if any, shall be paid within two and one-half months following the end of the applicable Company fiscal year.

4.3Equity Awards. Executive will be eligible to receive stock, option or other equity awards (each, an “Equity Award”) under the Company’s equity incentive plan as then in effect (the “Plan”), as determined by the Compensation Committee. Any such Equity Award will be subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan and an applicable form of agreement for such Equity Award specified by the Compensation Committee, which Executive will be required to sign as a condition of retaining the Equity Award.

5.Customary Fringe Benefits. Executive will be eligible for all customary and usual fringe benefits generally available to senior management of the Company, subject to the terms and conditions of the Company’s benefit plan documents. The Company reserves the right to

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change or eliminate fringe benefits on a prospective basis, at any time, effective upon notice to Executive.

6.Business Expenses. Executive will be reimbursed for all reasonable, out-of- pocket business expenses incurred in the performance of Executive's duties on behalf of the Company. To obtain reimbursement, expenses must be submitted promptly with appropriate supporting documentation and will be reimbursed in accordance with the Company’s policies. Any reimbursement Executive is entitled to receive shall (a) be paid no later than the last day of Executive's tax year following the tax year in which the expense was incurred, (b) not affect or be affected by any other expenses that are eligible for reimbursement in any other tax year of Executive, and (c) not be subject to liquidation or exchange for another benefit.

7.Termination of Executive's Employment.

7.1Termination for Cause by Company. Although the Company anticipates the continuation of a mutually rewarding employment relationship with Executive, the Company may terminate Executive’s employment immediately at any time for Cause. For purposes of this Agreement, "Cause is defined as: (a) acts or omissions constituting gross negligence, recklessness or willful misconduct on the part of Executive with respect to Executive’s obligations or otherwise relating to the business of the Company; (b) Executive’s material breach of this Agreement including, without limitation, any breach of Section 8, Section 9 or Section 11; (c) Executive’s breach of the Company’s Employee Nondisclosure and Assignment Agreement (a copy of which has been executed and delivered to the Company with this Agreement) (the “Nondisclosure Agreement”); (d) Executive's conviction or entry of a plea of nolo contendere for fraud misappropriation or embezzlement or any felony or crime of moral turpitude; (e) Executive's inability to perform the essential functions of Executive’s position with or without reasonable accommodation due to a mental or physical disability; (f) Executive’s willful neglect of duties as determined in the sole and exclusive discretion of the Board, provided that Executive has received written notice of the action or omission giving rise to such determination and has failed to remedy such situation to the satisfaction of the Board within thirty (30) days following receipt of such written notice, unless Executive’s action or omission is not subject to cure, in which case no such notice shall be required; or (g) Executive's death. In the event Executive's employment is terminated in accordance with this Section 7.1, Executive shall be entitled to receive only Executive's Base Salary then in effect, prorated to the date of Executive’s termination of employment with the Company (the “Termination Date”), and all amounts and benefits earned or incurred pursuant to Sections 5 and 6 through the Termination Date. All other Company obligations to Executive pursuant to this Agreement will be automatically terminated and completely extinguished as of the Termination Date, but will be subject to the surviving provisions of this Agreement set forth in Section 14.8. Executive will not be entitled to receive the Severance Package described in Section 7.2. Any termination pursuant to this Section 7.1 shall be evidenced by a resolution or written consent of the Board, and the Company shall provide Executive with a copy of such resolution or written consent, certified by the Secretary of the Company, upon Executive’s written request.

7.2Termination Without Cause by Company. The Company may terminate Executive’s employment under this Agreement without Cause at any time upon written notice to Executive. In the event of such termination, Executive will receive Executive’s Base Salary then in effect, prorated to the Termination Date, and all amounts and benefits earned or incurred pursuant to Sections 5 and 6 through the Termination Date. In addition, subject to Sections 7.7 and 7.9, Executive will be entitled to receive a “Severance Package” that shall consist of:

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(a)severance in an amount equal to the sum of (i) twelve (12) months of Executive’s Base Salary then in effect on the Termination Date, and (ii) 100% of Executive’s Target Bonus for the fiscal year in which the Termination Date occurs, with the total of such amounts to be payable over twelve (12) months in equal installments in accordance with the Company’s regular payroll cycle, commencing with the first payroll date occurring on or after the 60th day following the Termination Date;

(b)payment by the Company of the premiums required to continue Executive’s group health care coverage under the applicable provisions of the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985 (“COBRA”) for a period (the “COBRA Payment Period”) ending on the earlier of (i) twelve (12) months following the Termination Date or (ii) the date on which Executive becomes eligible for health coverage through another employer, provided in any event that Executive timely elects to continue and remains eligible for these benefits under COBRA; and

(c)acceleration of the vesting of any outstanding time-based Equity Awards to the extent that such Equity Awards would have vested in accordance with their terms had Executive’s employment with the Company continued uninterrupted until the first anniversary of the Termination Date.

Notwithstanding Section 7.2(b), if the Company determines, in its sole discretion, that the payment of the COBRA premiums would result in a violation of the nondiscrimination rules of Section 105(h)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), or any statute or regulation of similar effect (including but not limited to the 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, as amended by the 2010 Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act), then in lieu of providing the COBRA premiums, the Company, in its sole discretion, may elect to instead pay Executive on the first day of each month of the COBRA Payment Period, a fully taxable cash payment equal to the COBRA premiums for that month, subject to applicable tax withholdings (such amount, the “Special Severance Payment,” which shall be treated as part of the Severance Package), for the remainder of the COBRA Payment Period. Executive may, but is not obligated to, use such Special Severance Payment toward the cost of COBRA premiums. All other Company obligations to Executive will be automatically terminated and completely extinguished, but will be subject to the surviving provisions of this Agreement set forth in Section 14.8.

7.3Voluntary Resignation by Executive for Good Reason. Executive may voluntarily resign Executive's position with the Company for Good Reason at any time on thirty (30) days' advance written notice to the Company. In the event of Executive's resignation for Good Reason, Executive will be entitled to receive Executive's Base Salary then in effect, prorated to the Termination Date, and all amounts and benefits earned or incurred pursuant to Sections 5 and 6 through the Termination Date. In addition, subject to Sections 7.7 and 7.9, Executive will be entitled to receive the Severance Package described in Section 7.2. All other Company obligations to Executive pursuant to this Agreement will be automatically terminated and completely extinguished, but will be subject to the surviving provisions of this Agreement set forth in Section 14.8. Executive will be deemed to have resigned for Good Reason if Executive voluntarily terminates Executive's employment with the Company within ninety (90) days following the first occurrence of a condition constituting Good Reason. “Good Reason” means the occurrence of any of the following conditions without Executive's written consent, which condition(s) remain(s) in effect thirty (30) days after Executive provides written notice to the Company of such condition(s): (i) a material reduction in Executive’s Base Salary as then in effect prior to such reduction, other than as part of a salary reduction program among similar

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management employees, (ii) a material diminution in Executive's authority, duties or responsibilities as an employee of the Company as they existed prior to such change, or (iii) a relocation of Executive's principal place of work which increases Executive's one-way commute distance by more than fifty (50) miles. Executive will be deemed to have given consent to any condition(s) described in this Section 7.3 if Executive does not provide written notice to the Company of Executive's intent to exercise Executive's rights pursuant to this Section within thirty (30) days following the first occurrence of such condition(s).

7.4Voluntary Resignation by Executive Without Good Reason. Executive may voluntarily resign Executive's position with the Company without Good Reason at any time on thirty (30) days' advance written notice to the Company. In the event of Executive’s resignation without Good Reason, Executive will be entitled to receive only Executive's Base Salary then in effect, prorated to the Termination Date, and all amounts and benefits earned or incurred pursuant to Sections 5 and 6 through the Termination Date. All other Company obligations to Executive pursuant to this Agreement will be automatically terminated and completely extinguished. Executive will not be entitled to receive the Severance Package described in Section 7.2, but will be subject to the surviving provisions of this Agreement set forth in Section 14.8.

7.5Termination After a Change in Control.

(a)Severance Payment; Equity Award Acceleration. If, upon or within twelve (12) months after a Change in Control (as that term is defined below), Executive’s employment is terminated by the Company other than for Cause (as defined in Section 7.1) or Executive resigns for Good Reason (as defined in Section 7.3), then Executive shall be entitled to receive Executive’s Base Salary then in effect, prorated to the Termination Date, and all amounts and benefits earned or incurred pursuant to Sections 5 and 6 through the Termination Date. In addition, subject to Sections 7.7 and 7.9, Executive will be entitled to receive (i) the Severance Package described in Section 7.2 and (ii) to the extent not yet vested, but subject to the terms of any agreement governing any such Equity Award, any outstanding Equity Awards granted to Executive by the Company shall vest in full as of the Termination Date. All other Company obligations to Executive pursuant to this Agreement will be automatically terminated and completely extinguished as of the Termination Date, but will be subject to the surviving provisions of this Agreement set forth in Section 14.8.

(b)Parachute Payments.

(i)Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary, if any payment or benefit Executive would receive pursuant to this Agreement or otherwise (collectively, the “Payments”) would constitute a “parachute payment” within the meaning of Section 280G of the Code, and, but for this sentence, would be subject to the excise tax imposed by Section 4999 of the Code or any similar or successor provision (the “Excise Tax”), then the aggregate amount of the Payments will be either (i) the largest portion of the Payments that would result in no portion of the Payments (after reduction) being subject to the Excise Tax or (ii) the entire Payments, whichever amount after taking into account all applicable federal, state and local employment taxes, income taxes, and the Excise Tax (all computed at the highest applicable marginal rate, net of the maximum reduction in federal income taxes which could be obtained from a deduction of such state and local taxes), results in Executive's receipt, on an after-tax basis, of the greatest amount of the Payments. Any reduction in the Payments required by this Section will be made in the following order: (A) reduction of cash payments; (B) reduction of accelerated vesting of Equity Awards other than stock options; (C) reduction of accelerated vesting of stock options; and (D) reduction of other benefits paid or provided to Executive. In the

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event that acceleration of vesting of Equity Awards is to be reduced, such acceleration of vesting will be cancelled in the reverse order of the date of grant of such Equity Awards. If two or more Equity Awards are granted on the same date, the accelerated vesting of each award will be reduced on a pro-rata basis.

(ii)The professional firm engaged by the Company for general tax purposes as of the day prior to the date of the event that might reasonably be anticipated to result in Payments that would otherwise be subject to the Excise Tax will perform the foregoing calculations. If the tax firm so engaged by the Company is serving as accountant or auditor for the acquiring company, the Company will appoint a nationally recognized tax firm to make the determinations required by this Section. The Company will bear all expenses with respect to the determinations by the tax firm required to be made by this Section. The Company and Executive shall furnish the tax firm such information and documents as the tax firm may reasonably request in order to make its required determination. The tax firm will provide its calculations, together with detailed supporting documentation, to the Company and Executive as soon as practicable following its engagement. Any good faith determinations of the tax firm made hereunder will be final, binding and conclusive upon the Company and Executive.

(c)Change in Control. A Change in Control is defined as any one of the following occurrences:

(i)Any “person” (as such term is used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”)), becomes the “beneficial owner” (as such term is defined in Rule 13d-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act), directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company representing more than fifty percent (50%) of the total fair market value or total combined voting power of the Company’s then outstanding securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors; provided, however, that a Change in Control shall not be deemed to have occurred if such degree of beneficial ownership results from any of the following: (A) an acquisition of securities by any person who on the Effective Date is the beneficial owner of more than fifty percent (50%) of such voting power, (B) any acquisition of securities directly from the Company, including, without limitation, pursuant to or in connection with a public offering of securities, (C) any acquisition of securities by the Company, (D) any acquisition of securities by a trustee or other fiduciary under an employee benefit plan of the Company, or (E) any acquisition of securities by an entity owned directly or indirectly by the stockholders of the Company in substantially the same proportions as their ownership of the voting securities of the Company; or

(ii)the sale or disposition of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets (other than a sale or disposition to one or more subsidiaries of the Company), or any transaction having similar effect is consummated; or

(iii)the Company is party to a merger or consolidation that results in the holders of voting securities of the Company outstanding immediately prior thereto failing to continue to represent (either by remaining outstanding or by being converted into voting securities of the surviving entity) more than 50% of the combined voting power of the voting securities of the Company or such surviving entity outstanding immediately after such merger or consolidation; or

(iv)the dissolution or liquidation of the Company.

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7.6Termination of Employment Upon Nonrenewal. In the event either party decides not to renew this Agreement for a subsequent term in accordance with Section 3.2, this Agreement will expire automatically upon completion of the then effective Term, and Executive’s employment with the Company will thereupon terminate. Executive will be entitled to receive only Executive's Base Salary then in effect, prorated to the Termination Date, and all amounts and benefits earned or incurred pursuant to Sections 5 and 6 through the Termination Date. All other Company obligations to Executive pursuant to this Agreement will be automatically terminated and completely extinguished. Executive will not be entitled to receive the Severance Package described in Section 7.2, but will be subject to the surviving provisions of this Agreement as set forth in Section 14.8.

7.7Conditions to Severance Package. Executive will only be entitled to receive the Severance Package if, on or before the 60th day following the Termination Date, Executive executes a full general release, releasing all claims, known or unknown, that Executive may have against the Company and its officers, directors, employees and affiliated companies arising out of or any way related to Executive's employment or termination of employment with the Company, and the period for revocation, if any, of such release has lapsed without the release having been revoked. In the event that Executive breaches any of the covenants contained in Sections 9 (“Other Covenants”), 10 (“Confidentiality and Proprietary Rights”) or 11 (“Non-Competition; Nonsolicitation of Company Employees”), the Company shall have the right to (a) terminate further provision of any portion of the Severance Package not yet paid or provided, (b) seek reimbursement from Executive for any and all portions of the Severance Package previously paid or provided to Executive, (c) recover from Executive all shares of Company stock acquired by Executive pursuant to Equity Awards the vesting of which was accelerated by reason of the Severance Package (or the proceeds therefrom, reduced by any exercise or pursuant price paid to acquire such shares), and (d) immediately cancel all portions of Equity Awards the vesting of which was accelerated by reason of the Severance Package.

7.8Resignation of Board or Other Positions. Executive agrees that should Executive's employment terminate for any reason, Executive will immediately resign all other positions (including board membership) Executive may hold on behalf of the Company.

7.9Application of Section 409A.

(a)Notwithstanding anything set forth in this Agreement to the contrary, no amount payable pursuant to this Agreement on account of Executive's termination of employment with the Company which constitutes a “deferral of compensation” within the meaning of the Treasury Regulations issued pursuant to Section 409A of the Code (the “Section 409A Regulations”) shall be paid unless and until Executive has incurred a “separation from service” within the meaning of the Section 409A Regulations. Furthermore, if Executive is a “specified employee” within the meaning of the Section 409A Regulations as of the date of Executive's separation from service, no amount that constitutes a deferral of compensation which is payable on account of Executive's separation from service shall be paid to Executive before the date (the “Delayed Payment Date”) which is first day of the seventh month after the date of Executive's separation from service or, if earlier, the date of Executive’s death following such separation from service. All such amounts that would, but for this Section 7.9(a), become payable prior to the Delayed Payment Date will be accumulated and paid on the Delayed Payment Date.

(b)It is the intent of the Company and Executive that any right of Executive to receive installment payments hereunder shall, for all purposes of Section 409A of the Code, be treated as a right to a series of separate payments.

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(c)The Company intends that income provided to Executive pursuant to this Agreement will not be subject to taxation under Section 409A of the Code. The provisions of this Agreement shall be interpreted and construed in favor of satisfying any applicable requirements of Section 409A of the Code. However, the Company does not guarantee any particular tax effect for income provided to Executive pursuant to this Agreement. In any event, except for the Company’s responsibility to withhold applicable income and employment taxes from compensation paid or provided to Executive, the Company shall not be responsible for the payment of any applicable taxes incurred by Executive on compensation paid or provided to Executive pursuant to this Agreement.

8.No Violation of Rights of Third Parties. Executive represents and warrants to the Company that Executive is not currently a party, and will not become a party, to any other agreement that is in conflict with, or will prevent Executive from complying with, this Agreement. Executive further represents and warrants to the Company that Executive's performance of all of the terms of this Agreement as an employee of the Company does not and will not breach any agreement to keep in confidence any proprietary information, knowledge, or data acquired by Executive in confidence or trust prior to Executive’s employment with the Company. Executive acknowledges and agrees that the representations and warranties in this Section 8 are a material part of this Agreement.

9.Other Covenants. Executive hereby makes the following covenants, each of which Executive acknowledges and agrees are a material part of this Agreement:

9.1During the Term, Executive will not (a) breach any agreement to keep in confidence any confidential or proprietary information, knowledge or data acquired by Executive prior to Executive’s employment with Company, or (b) disclose to the Company, or use or induce the Company to use, any confidential or proprietary information or material belonging to any previous employer or any other third party. Executive acknowledges that the Company has specifically instructed Executive not to breach any such agreement or make any such disclosures to the Company.

9.2During the Term, Executive will not engage in any work or activity, paid or unpaid, that creates an actual conflict of interest with the Company. Such work shall include, but is not limited to, directly or indirectly competing with the Company in any way, or acting as an officer, director, employee, consultant, stockholder, volunteer, lender, or agent of any business enterprise of the same nature as, or which is in direct competition with, the business in which the Company is now engaged or in which the Company becomes engaged during the Term, as may be determined by the Company in its sole discretion. If the Company believes such a conflict exists during the Term, the Company may ask Executive to choose to discontinue the other work or activity or resign employment with the Company.

9.3During the Term and after the termination thereof, neither Executive nor the Company will disparage each other, or the Company’s products, services, agents or employees.

9.4During the Term and after the termination thereof, at the Company’s expense and upon its reasonable request, Executive will cooperate and assist the Company in its defense or prosecution of any disputes, differences, grievances, claims, charges, or complaints between the Company and any third party, which assistance will include testifying on the

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Company’s behalf in connection with any such matter or performing any other task reasonably requested by the Company in connection therewith.

10.Confidentiality and Proprietary Rights. Executive agrees to abide by the Nondisclosure Agreement, which is incorporated herein by reference.

11.Non-Competition; Nonsolicitation of Company’s Employees. Executive acknowledges that in the course of his employment with the Company he will serve as a member of the Company’s senior management and will become familiar with the Company’s trade secrets and with other confidential and proprietary information and that his services will be of special, unique and extraordinary value to the Company. Executive further acknowledges that the Company’s business is national in scope and that the Company, in the course of such business competes with other companies located throughout the United States. Therefore, in consideration of the foregoing, Executive agrees that, during the Term, and during the twelve-month (12) month period following the Term, Executive shall not directly or indirectly anywhere within the United States of America (a) own (except ownership of less than 1% of any class of securities which are listed for trading on any securities exchange or which are traded in the over-the-counter market), manage, control, participate in, consult with, render services for, be employed by, or in any manner engage in the operation of (i) a post-secondary education institution, (ii) any business that develops or administers services to degree-granting institutions of higher education, or (iii) any other business of the Company in which Executive had significant involvement prior to Executive's separation; (b) solicit funds on behalf of, or for the benefit of, any for-profit, post-secondary education institution (other than the Company) or any other entity that competes with the Company; (c)  induce or attempt to induce any employee of the Company to leave the employ of the Company, or in any way interfere with the relationship between the Company and any employee thereof, or (d) induce or attempt to induce any customer, supplier, licensee or other business relation of the Company to cease doing business with, or modify its business relationship with, the Company, or in any way interfere with or hinder the relationship between any such customer, supplier, licensee or business relation and the Company, as applicable.

12.Injunctive Relief. Executive acknowledges that Executive's breach of the covenants contained in Sections 9, 10 and 11 hereof (collectively “Covenants”) would cause irreparable injury to the Company and agrees that in the event of any such breach, the Company shall be entitled to seek temporary, preliminary and permanent injunctive relief without the necessity of proving actual damages or posting any bond or other security in addition to any other relief to which the Company may be entitled and other remedies Company may exercise under this Agreement or otherwise.

13.Insurance; Indemnification.

13.1During the Term, Executive will be covered by the Company’s director and officer insurance policy to the same extent as all other senior executive officers of the Company.

13.2Following the execution of this Agreement, the director and officer indemnification agreement executed by the Company and Executive will continue in effect in accordance with its terms.

14.General Provisions.

14.1Successors and Assigns. The rights and obligations of the Company under this Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and shall be binding upon the successors and assigns

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of the Company. Executive shall not be entitled to assign any of Executive's rights or obligations under this Agreement.

14.2Waiver. Either party's failure to enforce any provision of this Agreement shall not in any way be construed as a waiver of any such provision, or prevent that party thereafter from enforcing each and every other provision of this Agreement.

14.3Attorneys’ Fees. In the event of a dispute involving the interpretation or enforcement of this Agreement, a court shall award attorneys' fees and costs to the prevailing party.

14.4Severability. In the event any provision of this Agreement is found to be unenforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction, such provision shall be deemed modified to the extent necessary to allow enforceability of the provision as so limited, it being intended that the parties shall receive the benefit contemplated herein to the fullest extent permitted by law. If a deemed modification is not satisfactory in the judgment of such court, the unenforceable provision shall be deemed deleted, and the validity and enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not be affected thereby.

14.5Interpretation; Construction. The headings set forth in this Agreement are for convenience only and shall not be used in interpreting this Agreement. This Agreement has been drafted by legal counsel representing the Company, but Executive has participated in the negotiation of its terms. Furthermore, Executive acknowledges that Executive has had an opportunity to review and revise the Agreement and have it reviewed by legal counsel, if desired, and, therefore, the normal rule of construction to the effect that any ambiguities are to be resolved against the drafting party shall not be employed in the interpretation of this Agreement.

14.6Governing Law; Forum. This Agreement will be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the United States and the State of Arizona. Each party consents to the jurisdiction and venue of the state or federal courts in Phoenix, Arizona, if applicable, in any action, suit, or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement, and agrees that the state or federal courts in Phoenix, Arizona shall have exclusive jurisdiction over any dispute arising between the parties related to this Agreement or Executive’s employment with the Company.

14.7Notices. Any notice required or permitted by this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be delivered as follows with notice deemed given as indicated: (a) by personal delivery when delivered personally; (b) by overnight courier upon written verification of receipt; (c) by telecopy or facsimile transmission upon acknowledgment of receipt of electronic transmission; or (d) by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested, upon verification of receipt. Notice shall be sent to the addresses set forth under the signatures below, or such other address as either party may specify in writing.

14.8Survival. Sections 9 (“Other Covenants”), 10 ("Confidentiality and Proprietary Rights”), 11 (“Non-Competition; Nonsolicitation of Company’s Employees”), 12 (“Injunctive Relief”), 14 (“General Provisions”) and 15 (“Entire Agreement”) of this Agreement shall survive termination of Executive’s employment with the Company.

15.Entire Agreement. This Agreement, including the Nondisclosure Agreement incorporated herein by reference, constitutes the entire agreement between the parties relating to this subject matter and supersedes all prior or simultaneous representations, discussions, negotiations, and agreements, whether written or oral. This Agreement may be amended or

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modified only with the written consent of Executive and the Board. No oral waiver, amendment or modification will be effective under any circumstances whatsoever.

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THE PARTIES TO THIS AGREEMENT HAVE READ THE FOREGOING AGREEMENT AND FULLY UNDERSTAND EACH AND EVERY PROVISION CONTAINED HEREIN. WHEREFORE, THE PARTIES HAVE EXECUTED THIS AGREEMENT ON THE DATES SHOWN BELOW.

		EXECUTIVE
Dated:	5/1/2023	By:	/s/ W. Stan Meyer
		Name:	W. Stan Meyer
		Address:	2600 West Camelback Road
			Phoenix, Arizona 85017
		GRAND CANYON EDUCATION, INC.
Dated:	5/1/2023	By:	/s/ Daniel E. Bachus
		Name:	Daniel E. Bachus
		Title:	Chief Financial Officer
		Address:	2600 West Camelback Road
			Phoenix, Arizona 85017

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EX-10.3

Exhibit 10.3

THIRD AMENDED AND RESTATED

EXECUTIVE EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT

(Chief Financial Officer)

This third Amended and Restated Executive Employment Agreement (the “Agreement") is entered into on May 1, 2023, and is effective as of July 1, 2023 (the “Effective Date”), by and between Grand Canyon Education, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and Daniel E. Bachus (“Executive”).

WHEREAS, the Company and Executive are parties to a second amended and restated executive employment agreement effective as of August 16, 2012, and July 1, 2018, (as amended, the “Original Agreement”), and Executive has been employed with the Company since that time; and

WHEREAS, the Company and Executive desire to amend and restate the Original Agreement through the execution and delivery of this Agreement;

NOW, THEREFORE, for good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties agree as follows:

1.Employment. The Company desires to continue to employ Executive, and Executive desires to continue such employment, upon the terms and conditions set forth herein.

2.Duties.

2.1Position. Executive is employed as Chief Financial Officer and shall have the duties and responsibilities reasonably assigned to Executive from time to time by the Company’s Chief Executive Officer (“CEO”) or Board of Directors (the “Board”). Executive shall perform faithfully and diligently all duties assigned to Executive. The Company reserves the right to modify Executive’s position and duties at any time in its sole and absolute discretion, except that any material diminution in Executive’s duties shall be subject to Section 7.3(ii).

2.2Best Efforts/Full-time. Executive will expend Executive’s best efforts on behalf of the Company in the performance of duties assigned to Executive under this Agreement, and will abide by all policies and decisions made by the Company, as well as all applicable federal, state and local laws, regulations or ordinances. Executive will act in the best interest of the Company at all times in the performance of duties assigned to Executive under this Agreement. Executive shall devote Executive's full business time and efforts to the performance of Executive’s assigned duties for the Company, unless Executive notifies the Board and CEO in advance of Executive’s intent to engage in other paid work and receives the Board’s and CEO’s express written consent to do so. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Executive will be permitted to serve as an outside director on the board of directors for corporate, civic, nonprofit or charitable entities, so long as Executive obtains the consent of the Board and provided such entities are not competitive with the Company and subject to the provisions of Section 9.

2.3Work Location. Executive's principal place of work shall be located in Phoenix, Arizona, or such other location as the Company may direct from time to time.

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3.Term.

3.1Initial Term. The employment relationship pursuant to this Agreement shall be for an initial term commencing on the Effective Date and shall continue in effect for a period through June 30, 2028 (the “Initial Term”), unless sooner terminated in accordance with Section 7.

3.2Renewal. Upon expiration of the Initial Term and each Renewal Term, this Agreement will automatically renew for subsequent one (1) year terms (each a “Renewal Term”) unless either party provides ninety (90) days' advance written notice to the other that the Company or Executive does not wish to renew the Agreement for a subsequent Renewal Term. In the event either party gives notice of nonrenewal pursuant to this Section 3.2, this Agreement will expire at the end of the then current term. The Initial Term and each subsequent Renewal Term are referred to collectively as the “Term”.

4.Compensation.

4.1Base Salary. As compensation for Executive’s performance of Executive’s duties hereunder, effective beginning on the Effective Date the Company shall pay to Executive an initial Base Salary at the rate of Three-Hundred Ninety Thousand Dollars ($390,000.00) per year, payable in accordance with the normal payroll practices of the Company, less required deductions for state and federal withholding tax, social security and all other employment taxes and payroll deductions. Executive’s Base Salary shall be reviewed annually by the Compensation Committee of the Board (the “Compensation Committee”) and adjustments, if any, will be made at that time. In the event Executive’s employment under this Agreement is terminated by either party, for any reason, Executive will earn the Base Salary prorated to the date of termination, except as otherwise set forth herein.

4.2Incentive Compensation. Executive will be eligible to earn incentive compensation in the form of an annual bonus for each fiscal year of the Company, to be awarded under the Company’s annual cash incentive plan as then in effect, with a target amount equal to seventy-five percent (75%) of Executive's Base Salary (the “Target Bonus"). Executive's Target Bonus shall be reviewed annually by the Compensation Committee and adjustments, if any, will be made at that time The Compensation Committee will determine the actual amount of the bonus earned by Executive for any year, which may be more or less than the Target Bonus, and will base such determination upon both the Company's achievement of overall performance metrics for the year and Executive's achievement of individual performance metrics as agreed upon by the Compensation Committee and Executive. Earned bonus amounts, if any, shall be paid within two and one-half months following the end of the applicable Company fiscal year.

4.3Equity Awards. Executive will be eligible to receive stock, option or other equity awards (each, an “Equity Award”) under the Company’s equity incentive plan as then in effect (the “Plan”), as determined by the Compensation Committee. Any such Equity Award will be subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan and an applicable form of agreement for such Equity Award specified by the Compensation Committee, which Executive will be required to sign as a condition of retaining the Equity Award.

5.Customary Fringe Benefits. Executive will be eligible for all customary and usual fringe benefits generally available to senior management of the Company, subject to the terms and conditions of the Company’s benefit plan documents. The Company reserves the right to

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change or eliminate fringe benefits on a prospective basis, at any time, effective upon notice to Executive.

6.Business Expenses. Executive will be reimbursed for all reasonable, out-of- pocket business expenses incurred in the performance of Executive's duties on behalf of the Company. To obtain reimbursement, expenses must be submitted promptly with appropriate supporting documentation and will be reimbursed in accordance with the Company’s policies. Any reimbursement Executive is entitled to receive shall (a) be paid no later than the last day of Executive's tax year following the tax year in which the expense was incurred, (b) not affect or be affected by any other expenses that are eligible for reimbursement in any other tax year of Executive, and (c) not be subject to liquidation or exchange for another benefit.

7.Termination of Executive's Employment.

7.1Termination for Cause by Company. Although the Company anticipates the continuation of a mutually rewarding employment relationship with Executive, the Company may terminate Executive’s employment immediately at any time for Cause. For purposes of this Agreement, “Cause” is defined as: (a) acts or omissions constituting gross negligence, recklessness or willful misconduct on the part of Executive with respect to Executive’s obligations or otherwise relating to the business of the Company; (b) Executive’s material breach of this Agreement including, without limitation, any breach of Section 8, Section 9 or Section 11; (c) Executive’s breach of the Company’s Employee Nondisclosure and Assignment Agreement (a copy of which has been executed and delivered to Company with this Agreement) (the “Nondisclosure Agreement”); (d) Executive's conviction or entry of a plea of nolo contendere for fraud misappropriation or embezzlement or any felony or crime of moral turpitude; (e) Executive's inability to perform the essential functions of Executive’s position with or without reasonable accommodation due to a mental or physical disability; (f) Executive’s willful neglect of duties as determined in the sole and exclusive discretion of the Board, provided that Executive has received written notice of the action or omission giving rise to such determination and has failed to remedy such situation to the satisfaction of the Board within thirty (30) days following receipt of such written notice, unless Executive’s action or omission is not subject to cure, in which case no such notice shall be required; or (g) Executive's death. In the event Executive's employment is terminated in accordance with this Section 7 1, Executive shall be entitled to receive only Executive's Base Salary then in effect, prorated to the date of Executive’s termination of employment with the Company (the “Termination Date”), and all amounts and benefits earned or incurred pursuant to Sections 5 and 6 through the Termination Date. All other Company obligations to Executive pursuant to this Agreement will be automatically terminated and completely extinguished as of the Termination Date, but will be subject to the surviving provisions of this Agreement set forth in Section 14.8. Executive will not be entitled to receive the Severance Package described in Section 7.2. Any termination pursuant to this Section 7.1 shall be evidenced by a resolution or written consent of the Board, and the Company shall provide Executive with a copy of such resolution or written consent, certified by the Secretary of the Company, upon Executive’s written request.

7.2Termination Without Cause by Company. The Company may terminate Executive’s employment under this Agreement without Cause at any time upon written notice to Executive. In the event of such termination, Executive will receive Executive’s Base Salary then in effect, prorated to the Termination Date, and all amounts and benefits earned or incurred pursuant to Sections 5 and 6 through the Termination Date. In addition, subject to Sections 7.7 and 7.9, Executive will be entitled to receive a “Severance Package” that shall consist of:

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(a)severance in an amount equal to the sum of (i) twelve (12) months of Executive’s Base Salary then in effect on the Termination Date, and (ii) 100% of Executive’s Target Bonus for the fiscal year in which the Termination Date occurs, with the total of such amounts to be payable over twelve (12) months in equal installments in accordance with the Company’s regular payroll cycle, commencing with the first payroll date occurring on or after the 60th day following the Termination Date;

(b)payment by the Company of the premiums required to continue Executive’s group health care coverage under the applicable provisions of the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985 (“COBRA”) for a period (the “COBRA Payment Period”) ending on the earlier of (i) twelve (12) months following the Termination Date or (ii) the date on which Executive becomes eligible for health coverage through another employer, provided in any event that Executive timely elects to continue and remains eligible for these benefits under COBRA; and

(c)acceleration of the vesting of any outstanding time-based Equity Awards to the extent that such Equity Awards would have vested in accordance with their terms had Executive’s employment with the Company continued uninterrupted until the first anniversary of the Termination Date.

Notwithstanding Section 7.2(b), if the Company determines, in its sole discretion, that the payment of the COBRA premiums would result in a violation of the nondiscrimination rules of Section 105(h)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), or any statute or regulation of similar effect (including but not limited to the 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, as amended by the 2010 Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act), then in lieu of providing the COBRA premiums, the Company, in its sole discretion, may elect to instead pay Executive on the first day of each month of the COBRA Payment Period, a fully taxable cash payment equal to the COBRA premiums for that month, subject to applicable tax withholdings (such amount, the “Special Severance Payment,” which shall be treated as part of the Severance Package), for the remainder of the COBRA Payment Period. Executive may, but is not obligated to, use such Special Severance Payment toward the cost of COBRA premiums. All other Company obligations to Executive will be automatically terminated and completely extinguished, but will be subject to the surviving provisions of this Agreement set forth in Section 14.8.

7.3Voluntary Resignation by Executive for Good Reason. Executive may voluntarily resign Executive's position with the Company for Good Reason at any time on thirty (30) days' advance written notice to the Company. In the event of Executive's resignation for Good Reason, Executive will be entitled to receive Executive's Base Salary then in effect, prorated to the Termination Date, and all amounts and benefits earned or incurred pursuant to Sections 5 and 6 through the Termination Date. In addition, subject to Sections 7.7 and 7.9, Executive will be entitled to receive the Severance Package described in Section 7.2. All other Company obligations to Executive pursuant to this Agreement will be automatically terminated and completely extinguished, but will be subject to the surviving provisions of this Agreement set forth in Section 14.8. Executive will be deemed to have resigned for Good Reason if Executive voluntarily terminates Executive's employment with the Company within ninety (90) days following the first occurrence of a condition constituting Good Reason. “Good Reason” means the occurrence of any of the following conditions without Executive's written consent, which condition(s) remain(s) in effect thirty (30) days after Executive provides written notice to the Company of such condition(s): (i) a material reduction in Executive’s Base Salary as then in effect prior to such reduction, other than as part of a salary reduction program among similar

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management employees, (ii) a material diminution in Executive's authority, duties or responsibilities as an employee of the Company as they existed prior to such change, or (iii) a relocation of Executive's principal place of work which increases Executive's one-way commute distance by more than fifty (50) miles. Executive will be deemed to have given consent to any condition(s) described in this Section 7.3 if Executive does not provide written notice to the Company of Executive's intent to exercise Executive's rights pursuant to this Section within thirty (30) days following the first occurrence of such condition(s).

7.4Voluntary Resignation by Executive Without Good Reason. Executive may voluntarily resign Executive's position with the Company without Good Reason at any time on thirty (30) days' advance written notice to the Company. In the event of Executive’s resignation without Good Reason, Executive will be entitled to receive only Executive's Base Salary then in effect, prorated to the Termination Date, and all amounts and benefits earned or incurred pursuant to Sections 5 and 6 through the Termination Date. All other Company obligations to Executive pursuant to this Agreement will be automatically terminated and completely extinguished. Executive will not be entitled to receive the Severance Package described in Section 7.2, but will be subject to the surviving provisions of this Agreement set forth in Section 14.8.

7.5Termination After a Change in Control.

(a)Severance Payment; Equity Award Acceleration. If, upon or within twelve (12) months after a Change in Control (as that term is defined below), Executive’s employment is terminated by the Company other than for Cause (as defined in Section 7.1) or Executive resigns for Good Reason (as defined in Section 7.3), then Executive shall be entitled to receive Executive’s Base Salary then in effect, prorated to the Termination Date, and all amounts and benefits earned or incurred pursuant to Sections 5 and 6 through the Termination Date. In addition, subject to Sections 7.7 and 7.9, Executive will be entitled to receive (i) the Severance Package described in Section 7.2 and (ii) to the extent not yet vested, but subject to the terms of any agreement governing any such Equity Award, any outstanding Equity Awards granted to Executive by the Company shall vest in full as of the Termination Date. All other Company obligations to Executive pursuant to this Agreement will be automatically terminated and completely extinguished as of the Termination Date, but will be subject to the surviving provisions of this Agreement set forth in Section 14.8.

(b)Parachute Payments.

(i)Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary, if any payment or benefit Executive would receive pursuant to this Agreement or otherwise (collectively, the “Payments”) would constitute a “parachute payment” within the meaning of Section 280G of the Code, and, but for this sentence, would be subject to the excise tax imposed by Section 4999 of the Code or any similar or successor provision (the “Excise Tax”), then the aggregate amount of the Payments will be either (i) the largest portion of the Payments that would result in no portion of the Payments (after reduction) being subject to the Excise Tax or (ii) the entire Payments, whichever amount after taking into account all applicable federal, state and local employment taxes, income taxes, and the Excise Tax (all computed at the highest applicable marginal rate, net of the maximum reduction in federal income taxes which could be obtained from a deduction of such state and local taxes), results in Executive's receipt, on an after-tax basis, of the greatest amount of the Payments. Any reduction in the Payments required by this Section will be made in the following order: (A) reduction of cash payments; (B) reduction of accelerated vesting of Equity Awards other than stock options; (C) reduction of accelerated vesting of stock options; and (D) reduction of other benefits paid or provided to Executive. In the

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event that acceleration of vesting of Equity Awards is to be reduced, such acceleration of vesting will be cancelled in the reverse order of the date of grant of such Equity Awards. If two or more Equity Awards are granted on the same date, the accelerated vesting of each award will be reduced on a pro-rata basis.

(ii)The professional firm engaged by the Company for general tax purposes as of the day prior to the date of the event that might reasonably be anticipated to result in Payments that would otherwise be subject to the Excise Tax will perform the foregoing calculations. If the tax firm so engaged by the Company is serving as accountant or auditor for the acquiring company, the Company will appoint a nationally recognized tax firm to make the determinations required by this Section. The Company will bear all expenses with respect to the determinations by the tax firm required to be made by this Section. The Company and Executive shall furnish the tax firm such information and documents as the tax firm may reasonably request in order to make its required determination. The tax firm will provide its calculations, together with detailed supporting documentation, to the Company and Executive as soon as practicable following its engagement. Any good faith determinations of the tax firm made hereunder will be final, binding and conclusive upon the Company and Executive.

(c)Change in Control. A Change in Control is defined as any one of the following occurrences:

(i)Any “person” (as such term is used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”)), becomes the “beneficial owner” (as such term is defined in Rule 13d-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act), directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company representing more than fifty percent (50%) of the total fair market value or total combined voting power of the Company’s then outstanding securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors; provided, however, that a Change in Control shall not be deemed to have occurred if such degree of beneficial ownership results from any of the following: (A) an acquisition of securities by any person who on the Effective Date is the beneficial owner of more than fifty percent (50%) of such voting power, (B) any acquisition of securities directly from the Company, including, without limitation, pursuant to or in connection with a public offering of securities, (C) any acquisition of securities by the Company, (D) any acquisition of securities by a trustee or other fiduciary under an employee benefit plan of the Company, or (E) any acquisition of securities by an entity owned directly or indirectly by the stockholders of the Company in substantially the same proportions as their ownership of the voting securities of the Company; or

(ii)the sale or disposition of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets (other than a sale or disposition to one or more subsidiaries of the Company), or any transaction having similar effect is consummated; or

(iii)the Company is party to a merger or consolidation that results in the holders of voting securities of the Company outstanding immediately prior thereto failing to continue to represent (either by remaining outstanding or by being converted into voting securities of the surviving entity) more than 50% of the combined voting power of the voting securities of the Company or such surviving entity outstanding immediately after such merger or consolidation; or

(iv)the dissolution or liquidation of the Company.

7.6Termination of Employment Upon Nonrenewal. In the event either party decides not to renew this Agreement for a subsequent term in accordance with Section 3.2, this

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Agreement will expire automatically upon completion of the then effective Term, and Executive’s employment with the Company will thereupon terminate. Executive will be entitled to receive only Executive's Base Salary then in effect, prorated to the Termination Date, and all amounts and benefits earned or incurred pursuant to Sections 5 and 6 through the Termination Date. All other Company obligations to Executive pursuant to this Agreement will be automatically terminated and completely extinguished. Executive will not be entitled to receive the Severance Package described in Section 7.2, but will be subject to the surviving provisions of this Agreement as set forth in Section 14.8.

7.7Conditions to Severance Package. Executive will only be entitled to receive the Severance Package if, on or before the 60th day following the Termination Date, Executive executes a full general release, releasing all claims, known or unknown, that Executive may have against the Company and its officers, directors, employees and affiliated companies arising out of or any way related to Executive's employment or termination of employment with the Company, and the period for revocation, if any, of such release has lapsed without the release having been revoked. In the event that Executive breaches any of the covenants contained in Sections 9 (“Other Covenants”), 10 (“Confidentiality and Proprietary Rights”) or 11 (“Non-Competition; Nonsolicitation of Company Employees”), the Company shall have the right to (a) terminate further provision of any portion of the Severance Package not yet paid or provided, (b) seek reimbursement from Executive for any and all portions of the Severance Package previously paid or provided to Executive, (c) recover from Executive all shares of Company stock acquired by Executive pursuant to Equity Awards the vesting of which was accelerated by reason of the Severance Package (or the proceeds therefrom, reduced by any exercise or pursuant price paid to acquire such shares), and (d) immediately cancel all portions of Equity Awards the vesting of which was accelerated by reason of the Severance Package.

7.8Resignation of Board or Other Positions. Executive agrees that should Executive's employment terminate for any reason, Executive will immediately resign all other positions (including board membership) Executive may hold on behalf of the Company.

7.9Application of Section 409A.

(a)Notwithstanding anything set forth in this Agreement to the contrary, no amount payable pursuant to this Agreement on account of Executive's termination of employment with the Company which constitutes a “deferral of compensation” within the meaning of the Treasury Regulations issued pursuant to Section 409A of the Code (the “Section 409A Regulations”) shall be paid unless and until Executive has incurred a “separation from service” within the meaning of the Section 409A Regulations. Furthermore, if Executive is a “specified employee” within the meaning of the Section 409A Regulations as of the date of Executive's separation from service, no amount that constitutes a deferral of compensation which is payable on account of Executive's separation from service shall be paid to Executive before the date (the “Delayed Payment Date”) which is first day of the seventh month after the date of Executive's separation from service or, if earlier, the date of Executive’s death following such separation from service. All such amounts that would, but for this Section 7.9(a), become payable prior to the Delayed Payment Date will be accumulated and paid on the Delayed Payment Date.

(b)It is the intent of the Company and Executive that any right of Executive to receive installment payments hereunder shall, for all purposes of Section 409A of the Code, be treated as a right to a series of separate payments.

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(c)The Company intends that income provided to Executive pursuant to this Agreement will not be subject to taxation under Section 409A of the Code. The provisions of this Agreement shall be interpreted and construed in favor of satisfying any applicable requirements of Section 409A of the Code. However, the Company does not guarantee any particular tax effect for income provided to Executive pursuant to this Agreement. In any event, except for the Company’s responsibility to withhold applicable income and employment taxes from compensation paid or provided to Executive, the Company shall not be responsible for the payment of any applicable taxes incurred by Executive on compensation paid or provided to Executive pursuant to this Agreement.

8.No Violation of Rights of Third Parties. Executive represents and warrants to the Company that Executive is not currently a party, and will not become a party, to any other agreement that is in conflict with, or will prevent Executive from complying with, this Agreement. Executive further represents and warrants to the Company that Executive's performance of all of the terms of this Agreement as an employee of the Company does not and will not breach any agreement to keep in confidence any proprietary information, knowledge, or data acquired by Executive in confidence or trust prior to Executive’s employment with the Company. Executive acknowledges and agrees that the representations and warranties in this Section 8 are a material part of this Agreement.

9.Other Covenants. Executive hereby makes the following covenants, each of which Executive acknowledges and agrees are a material part of this Agreement:

9.1During the Term, Executive will not (a) breach any agreement to keep in confidence any confidential or proprietary information, knowledge or data acquired by Executive prior to Executive’s employment with Company, or (b) disclose to the Company, or use or induce the Company to use, any confidential or proprietary information or material belonging to any previous employer or any other third party. Executive acknowledges that the Company has specifically instructed Executive not to breach any such agreement or make any such disclosures to the Company.

9.2During the Term, Executive will not engage in any work or activity, paid or unpaid, that creates an actual conflict of interest with the Company. Such work shall include, but is not limited to, directly or indirectly competing with the Company in any way, or acting as an officer, director, employee, consultant, stockholder, volunteer, lender, or agent of any business enterprise of the same nature as, or which is in direct competition with, the business in which the Company is now engaged or in which the Company becomes engaged during the Term, as may be determined by the Company in its sole discretion. If the Company believes such a conflict exists during the Term, the Company may ask Executive to choose to discontinue the other work or activity or resign employment with the Company.

9.3During the Term and after the termination thereof, neither Executive nor the Company will disparage each other, or the Company’s products, services, agents or employees.

9.4During the Term and after the termination thereof, at the Company’s expense and upon its reasonable request, Executive will cooperate and assist the Company in its defense or prosecution of any disputes, differences, grievances, claims, charges, or complaints between the Company and any third party, which assistance will include testifying on the Company's behalf in connection with any such matter or performing any other task reasonably requested by the Company in connection therewith.

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10.Confidentiality and Proprietary Rights. Executive agrees to abide by the Nondisclosure Agreement, which is incorporated herein by reference.

11.Non-Competition; Nonsolicitation of Company’s Employees. Executive acknowledges that in the course of his employment with the Company he will serve as a member of the Company’s senior management and will become familiar with the Company’s trade secrets and with other confidential and proprietary information and that his services will be of special, unique and extraordinary value to the Company. Executive further acknowledges that the Company’s business is national in scope and that the Company, in the course of such business competes with other companies located throughout the United States. Therefore, in consideration of the foregoing, Executive agrees that, during the Term, and during the twelve-month (12) month period following the Term, Executive shall not directly or indirectly anywhere within the United States of America (a) own (except ownership of less than 1% of any class of securities which are listed for trading on any securities exchange or which are traded in the over-the-counter market), manage, control, participate in, consult with, render services for, be employed by, or in any manner engage in the operation of (i) a post-secondary education institution, (ii)  any business that develops or administers services to degree-granting institutions of higher education, or (iii) any other business of the Company in which Executive had significant involvement prior to Executive's separation; (b) solicit funds on behalf of, or for the benefit of, any for-profit, post-secondary education institution (other than the Company) or any other entity that competes with the Company; (c)  induce or attempt to induce any employee of the Company to leave the employ of the Company, or in any way interfere with the relationship between the Company and any employee thereof, or (d) induce or attempt to induce any customer, supplier, licensee or other business relation of the Company to cease doing business with, or modify its business relationship with, the Company, or in any way interfere with or hinder the relationship between any such customer, supplier, licensee or business relation and the Company, as applicable.

12.Injunctive Relief. Executive acknowledges that Executive's breach of the covenants contained in Sections 9, 10 and 11 hereof (collectively “Covenants”) would cause irreparable injury to the Company and agrees that in the event of any such breach, the Company shall be entitled to seek temporary, preliminary and permanent injunctive relief without the necessity of proving actual damages or posting any bond or other security in addition to any other relief to which the Company may be entitled and other remedies Company may exercise under this Agreement or otherwise.

13.Insurance; Indemnification.

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13.1During the Term, Executive will be covered by the Company’s director and officer insurance policy to the same extent as all other senior executive officers of the Company.

13.2Following the execution of this Agreement, the director and officer indemnification agreement executed by the Company and Executive will continue in effect in accordance with its terms.

14.General Provisions.

14.1Successors and Assigns. The rights and obligations of the Company under this Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and shall be binding upon the successors and assigns of the Company. Executive shall not be entitled to assign any of Executive's rights or obligations under this Agreement.

14.2Waiver. Either party's failure to enforce any provision of this Agreement shall not in any way be construed as a waiver of any such provision, or prevent that party thereafter from enforcing each and every other provision of this Agreement.

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14.3Attorneys’ Fees. In the event of a dispute involving the interpretation or enforcement of this Agreement, a court shall award attorneys' fees and costs to the prevailing party.

14.4Severability. In the event any provision of this Agreement is found to be unenforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction, such provision shall be deemed modified to the extent necessary to allow enforceability of the provision as so limited, it being intended that the parties shall receive the benefit contemplated herein to the fullest extent permitted by law. If a deemed modification is not satisfactory in the judgment of such court, the unenforceable provision shall be deemed deleted, and the validity and enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not be affected thereby.

14.5Interpretation; Construction. The headings set forth in this Agreement are for convenience only and shall not be used in interpreting this Agreement. This Agreement has been drafted by legal counsel representing the Company, but Executive has participated in the negotiation of its terms. Furthermore, Executive acknowledges that Executive has had an opportunity to review and revise the Agreement and have it reviewed by legal counsel, if desired, and, therefore, the normal rule of construction to the effect that any ambiguities are to be resolved against the drafting party shall not be employed in the interpretation of this Agreement.

14.6Governing Law; Forum. This Agreement will be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the United States and the State of Arizona. Each party consents to the jurisdiction and venue of the state or federal courts in Phoenix, Arizona, if applicable, in any action, suit, or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement, and agrees that the state or federal courts in Phoenix, Arizona shall have exclusive jurisdiction over any dispute arising between the parties related to this Agreement or Executive’s employment with the Company.

14.7Notices. Any notice required or permitted by this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be delivered as follows with notice deemed given as indicated: (a) by personal delivery when delivered personally; (b) by overnight courier upon written verification of receipt; (c) by telecopy or facsimile transmission upon acknowledgment of receipt of electronic transmission; or (d) by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested, upon verification of receipt. Notice shall be sent to the addresses set forth under the signatures below, or such other address as either party may specify in writing.

14.8Survival. Sections 9 (“Other Covenants”), 10 ("Confidentiality and Proprietary Rights”), 11 (“Non-Competition; Nonsolicitation of Company’s Employees”), 12 (“Injunctive Relief”), 14 (“General Provisions”) and 15 (“Entire Agreement”) of this Agreement shall survive termination of Executive’s employment with the Company.

15.Entire Agreement. This Agreement, including the Nondisclosure Agreement incorporated herein by reference, constitutes the entire agreement between the parties relating to this subject matter and supersedes all prior or simultaneous representations, discussions, negotiations, and agreements, whether written or oral. This Agreement may be amended or modified only with the written consent of Executive and the Board. No oral waiver, amendment or modification will be effective under any circumstances whatsoever.

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THE PARTIES TO THIS AGREEMENT HAVE READ THE FOREGOING AGREEMENT AND FULLY UNDERSTAND EACH AND EVERY PROVISION CONTAINED HEREIN. WHEREFORE, THE PARTIES HAVE EXECUTED THIS AGREEMENT ON THE DATES SHOWN BELOW.

		EXECUTIVE
Dated:	5/1/2023	By:	/s/ Daniel E. Bachus
		Name:	Daniel E. Bachus
		Address:	2600 West Camelback Road
			Phoenix, Arizona 85017
		GRAND CANYON EDUCATION, INC.
Dated:	5/1/2023	By:	/s/ Brian E. Mueller
		Name:	Brian E. Mueller
		Title:	Chief Executive Officer
		Address:	2600 West Camelback Road
			Phoenix, Arizona 85017

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EX-10.4

Exhibit 10.4

SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED

EXECUTIVE EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT

(Chief Technology Officer)

This Second Amended and Restated Executive Employment Agreement (the “Agreement") is entered into on May 1, 2023, and is effective as of July 1, 2023 (the “Effective Date”), by and between Grand Canyon Education, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Company”) and Dilek Marsh (“Executive”).

WHEREAS, Company and Executive are parties to a second amended and restated executive employment agreement effective as of August 16, 2012, July 1, 2018, and July 1, 2021 (as amended, the “Original Agreement”), and Executive has been employed with Company since that time; and

WHEREAS, Company and Executive desire to amend and restate the Original Agreement through the execution and delivery of this Agreement.

NOW, THEREFORE, for good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties agree as follows:

1.Employment. Company desires to continue to employ Executive, and Executive desires to continue such employment, upon the terms and conditions set forth herein.

2.Duties.

2.1Position. Executive is employed by Company and shall have the duties and responsibilities reasonably assigned to Executive from time to time by Company’s Chief Executive Officer, (“CEO”), or Board of Directors (the “Board”). Executive shall perform faithfully and diligently all duties assigned to Executive. Company reserves the right to modify Executive’s position and duties at any time in its sole and absolute discretion, except that any material diminution in Executive’s duties shall be subject to Section 7.3(ii).

2.2Best Efforts/Full-time. Executive will expend Executive’s best efforts on behalf of Company in the performance of duties assigned to Executive under this Agreement, and will abide by all policies and decisions made by Company, as well as all applicable federal, state and local laws, regulations or ordinances. Executive will act in the best interest of Company at all times in the performance of duties assigned to Executive under this Agreement. Executive shall devote Executive's full business time and efforts to the performance of Executive’s assigned duties for Company, unless Executive notifies Company in advance of Executive's intent to engage in other paid work and receives Company’s express written consent to do so. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Executive will be permitted to serve as an outside director on the board of directors for corporate, civic, nonprofit or charitable entities, so long as Executive obtains the consent of Company and provided such entities are not competitive with Company or Company and subject to the provisions of Section 9.

2.3Work Location. Executive's principal place of work shall be located in Phoenix, Arizona, or such other location as Company may direct from time to time.

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3.Term.

3.1Initial Term. The employment relationship pursuant to this Agreement shall be for an initial term commencing on the Effective Date and shall continue in effect for a period through June 30, 2028 (the “Initial Term"), unless sooner terminated in accordance with Section 7.

3.2Renewal. Upon expiration of the Initial Term and each Renewal Term, this Agreement will automatically renew for subsequent one (1) year terms (each a “Renewal Term”) unless either party provides ninety (90) days' advance written notice to the other that Company or Executive does not wish to renew the Agreement for a subsequent Renewal Term. In the event either party gives notice of nonrenewal pursuant to this Section 3.2, this Agreement will expire at the end of the then current term. The Initial Term and each subsequent Renewal Term are referred to collectively as the “Term”.

4.Compensation.

4.1Base-Salary. As compensation for Executive’s performance of Executive’s duties hereunder, effective beginning on the Effective Date Company shall pay to Executive an initial Base Salary at the rate of Three Hundred Sixteen Thousand Six Hundred Ten and 08/100 Dollars ($316,610.08) per year, payable in accordance with the normal payroll practices of Company, less required deductions for state and federal withholding tax, social security and all other employment taxes and payroll deductions. Executives Base Salary shall be reviewed annually by the Compensation Committee of Company (the “Compensation Committee”) and adjustments, if any, will be made at that time. In the event Executive’s employment under this Agreement is terminated by either party, for any reason, Executive will earn the Base Salary prorated to the date of termination, except as otherwise set forth herein.

4.2Incentive Compensation. Executive will be eligible to earn incentive compensation in the form of an annual bonus for each fiscal year of Company, to be awarded under Company’s annual cash incentive plan as then in effect, with a target amount equal to One Hundred Ten Thousand Dollars ($110,000) (the “Target Bonus"). Executive's Target Bonus shall be reviewed annually by the Compensation Committee, and adjustments, if any, will be made at that time. The Compensation Committee will determine the actual amount of the bonus earned by Executive for any year, which may be more or less than the Target Bonus, and will base such determination upon both Company's achievement of overall performance metrics for the year and Executive's achievement of individual performance metrics as agreed upon by the Compensation Committee and Executive. Earned bonus amounts, if any, shall be paid within two and one-half months following the end of the applicable Company fiscal year.

4.3Equity Awards. Executive will be eligible to receive stock, option or other equity awards (each, an “Equity Award”) under Company’s equity incentive plan as then in effect (the “Plan”), as determined by the Compensation Committee. Any such Equity Award will be subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan and an applicable form of agreement for such Equity Award specified by the Compensation Committee, which Executive will be required to sign as a condition of retaining the Equity Award.

5.Customary Fringe Benefits. Executive will be eligible for all customary and usual fringe benefits generally available to senior management of Company, subject to the terms and conditions of Company's benefit plan documents. Company reserves the right to change or eliminate fringe benefits on a prospective basis, at any time, effective upon notice to Executive.

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6.Business Expenses. Executive will be reimbursed for all reasonable, out-of- pocket business expenses incurred in the performance of Executive's duties on behalf of Company. To obtain reimbursement, expenses must be submitted promptly with appropriate supporting documentation and will be reimbursed in accordance with Company's policies. Any reimbursement Executive is entitled to receive shall (a) be paid no later than the last day of Executive's tax year following the tax year in which the expense was incurred, (b) not affect or be affected by any other expenses that are eligible for reimbursement in any other tax year of Executive, and (c) not be subject to liquidation or exchange for another benefit.

7.Termination of Executive's Employment.

7.1Termination for Cause by Company. Although Company anticipates the continuation of a mutually rewarding employment relationship with Executive, Company may terminate Executive’s employment immediately at any time for Cause. For purposes of this Agreement, "Cause is defined as: (a) acts or omissions constituting gross negligence, recklessness or willful misconduct on the part of Executive with respect to Executive’s ' obligations or otherwise relating to the business of Company; (b) Executive’s material breach of this Agreement including, without limitation, any breach of Section 8, Section 9 or Section 11; (c) Executive’s breach of Company's Employee Nondisclosure and Assignment Agreement (a copy of which has been executed and delivered to Company with this Agreement) (the “Nondisclosure Agreement”); (d) Executive's conviction or entry of a plea of nolo contendere for fraud misappropriation or embezzlement or any felony or crime of moral turpitude; (e) Executive's inability to perform the essential functions of Executive’s position with or without reasonable accommodation due to a mental or physical disability; (f) Executive’s willful neglect of duties as determined in the sole and exclusive discretion of Company, provided that Executive has received written notice of the action or omission giving rise to such determination and has failed to remedy such situation to the satisfaction of Company within thirty (30) days following receipt of such written notice, unless Executive’s action or omission is not subject to cure, in which case no such notice shall be required; or (g) Executive's death. In the event Executive's employment is terminated in accordance with this Section 7 1, Executive shall be entitled to receive only Executive's Base Salary then in effect, prorated to the date of Executive’s termination of employment with Company (the “Termination Date”), and all amounts and benefits earned or incurred pursuant to Sections 5 and 6 through the Termination Date. All other Company obligations to Executive pursuant to this Agreement will be automatically terminated and completely extinguished as of the Termination Date, but will be subject to the surviving provisions of this Agreement set forth in Section 14.8. Executive will not be entitled to receive the Severance Package described in Section 7.2.

7.2Termination Without Cause by Company. Company may terminate Executive’s employment under this Agreement without Cause at any time upon written notice to Executive. In the event of such termination, Executive will receive Executive’s Base Salary then in effect, prorated to the Termination Date, and all amounts and benefits earned or incurred pursuant to Sections 5 and 6 through the Termination Date. In addition, subject to Sections 7.7 and 7.9, Executive will be entitled to receive a “Severance Package” that shall consist of:

(a)severance in an amount equal to the sum of (i) twelve (12) months of Executive’s Base Salary then in effect on the Termination Date, and (ii) 100% of Executive’s Target Bonus for the fiscal year in which the Termination Date occurs, with the total of such amounts to be payable over twelve (12) months in equal installments in accordance with

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Company’s regular payroll cycle, commencing with the first payroll date occurring on or after the 60th day following the Termination Date;

(b)payment by Company of the premiums required to continue Executive’s group health care coverage under the applicable provisions of the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985 (“COBRA”) for a period (the “COBRA Payment Period”) ending on the earlier of (i) twelve (12) months following the Termination Date or (ii) the date on which Executive becomes eligible for health coverage through another employer, provided in any event that Executive timely elects to continue and remains eligible for these benefits under COBRA; and

(c)acceleration of the vesting of any outstanding time-based Equity Awards to the extent that such Equity Awards would have vested in accordance with their terms had Executive’s employment with Company continued uninterrupted until the first anniversary of the Termination Date.

Notwithstanding Section 7.2(b), if Company determines, in its sole discretion, that the payment of the COBRA premiums would result in a violation of the nondiscrimination rules of Section 105(h)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), or any statute or regulation of similar effect (including but not limited to the 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, as amended by the 2010 Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act), then in lieu of providing the COBRA premiums, Company, in its sole discretion, may elect to instead pay Executive on the first day of each month of the COBRA Payment Period, a fully taxable cash payment equal to the COBRA premiums for that month, subject to applicable tax withholdings (such amount, the “Special Severance Payment,” which shall be treated as part of the Severance Package), for the remainder of the COBRA Payment Period. Executive may, but is not obligated to, use such Special Severance Payment toward the cost of COBRA premiums. All other Company obligations to Executive will be automatically terminated and completely extinguished, but will be subject to the surviving provisions of this Agreement set forth in Section 14.8.

7.3Voluntary Resignation by Executive for Good Reason. Executive may voluntarily resign Executive's position with Company for Good Reason at any time on thirty (30) days' advance written notice to Company. In the event of Executive's resignation for Good Reason, Executive will be entitled to receive Executive's Base Salary then in effect, prorated to the Termination Date, and all amounts and benefits earned or incurred pursuant to Sections 5 and 6 through the Termination Date. In addition, subject to Sections 7.7 and 7.9, Executive will be entitled to receive the Severance Package described in Section 7.2. All other Company obligations to Executive pursuant to this Agreement will be automatically terminated and completely extinguished, but will be subject to the surviving provisions of this Agreement set forth in Section 14.8. Executive will be deemed to have resigned for Good Reason if Executive voluntarily terminates Executive's employment with Company within ninety (90) days following the first occurrence of a condition constituting Good Reason. “Good Reason” means the occurrence of any of the following conditions without Executive's written consent, which condition(s) remain(s) in effect thirty (30) days after Executive provides written notice to Company of such condition(s): (i) a material reduction in Executive’s Base Salary as then in effect prior to such reduction, other than as part of a salary reduction program among similar management employees, (ii) a material diminution in Executive's authority, duties or responsibilities as an employee of Company as they existed prior to such change, or (iii) a relocation of Executive's principal place of work which increases Executive's one-way commute distance by more than fifty (50) miles. Executive will be deemed to have given consent to any condition(s) described in this Section 7.3 if Executive does not provide written notice to Company of Executive's intent to

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exercise Executive's rights pursuant to this Section within thirty (30) days following the first occurrence of such condition(s).

7.4Voluntary Resignation by Executive Without Good Reason. Executive may voluntarily resign Executive's position with Company without Good Reason at any time on thirty (30) days' advance written notice to Company. In the event of Executive’s resignation without Good Reason, Executive will be entitled to receive only Executive's Base Salary then in effect, prorated to the Termination Date, and all amounts and benefits earned or incurred pursuant to Sections 5 and 6 through the Termination Date. All other Company obligations to Executive pursuant to this Agreement will be automatically terminated and completely extinguished. Executive will not be entitled to receive the Severance Package described in Section 7.2, but will be subject to the surviving provisions of this Agreement set forth in Section 14.8.

7.5Termination After a Change in Control.

(a)Severance Payment; Equity Award Acceleration. If, upon or within twelve (12) months after a Change in Control (as that term is defined below), Executive’s employment is terminated by Company other than for Cause (as defined in Section 7.1) or Executive resigns for Good Reason (as defined in Section 7.3), then Executive shall be entitled to receive Executive’s Base Salary then in effect, prorated to the Termination Date, and all amounts and benefits earned or incurred pursuant to Sections 5 and 6 through the Termination Date. In addition, subject to Sections 7.7 and 7.9, Executive will be entitled to receive (i) the Severance Package described in Section 7.2 and (ii) to the extent not yet vested, but subject to the terms of any agreement governing any such Equity Award, any outstanding Equity Awards granted to Executive by Company shall vest in full as of the Termination Date. All other Company or Company obligations to Executive pursuant to this Agreement will be automatically terminated and completely extinguished as of the Termination Date, but will be subject to the surviving provisions of this Agreement set forth in Section 14.8.

(b)Parachute Payments.

(i)Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary, if any payment or benefit Executive would receive pursuant to this Agreement or otherwise (collectively, the “Payments”) would constitute a “parachute payment” within the meaning of Section 280G of the Code, and, but for this sentence, would be subject to the excise tax imposed by Section 4999 of the Code or any similar or successor provision (the “Excise Tax”), then the aggregate amount of the Payments will be either (i) the largest portion of the Payments that would result in no portion of the Payments (after reduction) being subject to the Excise Tax or (ii) the entire Payments, whichever amount after taking into account all applicable federal, state and local employment taxes, income taxes, and the Excise Tax (all computed at the highest applicable marginal rate, net of the maximum reduction in federal income taxes which could be obtained from a deduction of such state and local taxes), results in Executive's receipt, on an after-tax basis, of the greatest amount of the Payments. Any reduction in the Payments required by this Section will be made in the following order: (A) reduction of cash payments; (B) reduction of accelerated vesting of Equity Awards other than stock options; (C) reduction of accelerated vesting of stock options; and (D) reduction of other benefits paid or provided to Executive. In the event that acceleration of vesting of Equity Awards is to be reduced, such acceleration of vesting will be cancelled in the reverse order of the date of grant of such Equity Awards. If two or more Equity Awards are granted on the same date, the accelerated vesting of each award will be reduced on a pro-rata basis.

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(ii)The professional firm engaged by Company for general tax purposes as of the day prior to the date of the event that might reasonably be anticipated to result in Payments that would otherwise be subject to the Excise Tax will perform the foregoing calculations. If the tax firm so engaged by Company is serving as accountant or auditor for the acquiring company, Company will appoint a nationally recognized tax firm to make the determinations required by this Section. Company will bear all expenses with respect to the determinations by the tax firm required to be made by this Section. Company and Executive shall furnish the tax firm such information and documents as the tax firm may reasonably request in order to make its required determination. The tax firm will provide its calculations, together with detailed supporting documentation, to Company and Executive as soon as practicable following its engagement. Any good faith determinations of the tax firm made hereunder will be final, binding and conclusive upon Company, Company and Executive.

(c)Change in Control. A Change in Control is defined as any one of the following occurrences:

(i)Any “person” (as such term is used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”)), becomes the “beneficial owner” (as such term is defined in Rule 13d-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act), directly or indirectly, of securities of Company representing more than fifty percent (50%) of the total fair market value or total combined voting power of Company’s then outstanding securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors; provided, however, that a Change in Control shall not be deemed to have occurred if such degree of beneficial ownership results from any of the following: (A) an acquisition of securities by any person who on the Effective Date is the beneficial owner of more than fifty percent (50%) of such voting power, (B) any acquisition of securities directly from Company, including, without limitation, pursuant to or in connection with a public offering of securities, (C) any acquisition of securities by Company, (D) any acquisition of securities by a trustee or other fiduciary under an employee benefit plan of Company, or (E) any acquisition of securities by an entity owned directly or indirectly by the stockholders of Company in substantially the same proportions as their ownership of the voting securities of Company; or

(ii)the sale or disposition of all or substantially all of Company's assets (other than a sale or disposition to one or more subsidiaries of Company), or any transaction having similar effect is consummated; or

(iii)Company is party to a merger or consolidation that results in the holders of voting securities of Company outstanding immediately prior thereto failing to continue to represent (either by remaining outstanding or by being converted into voting securities of the surviving entity) more than 50% of the combined voting power of the voting securities of Company or such surviving entity outstanding immediately after such merger or consolidation; or

(iv)the dissolution or liquidation of Company.

7.6Termination of Employment Upon Nonrenewal. In the event either party decides not to renew this Agreement for a subsequent term in accordance with Section 3.2, this Agreement will expire automatically upon completion of the then effective Term, and Executive’s employment with Company will thereupon terminate. Executive will be entitled to receive only Executive's Base Salary then in effect, prorated to the Termination Date, and all amounts and benefits earned or incurred pursuant to Sections 5 and 6 through the Termination Date. All other Company obligations to Executive pursuant to this Agreement will be automatically terminated and completely extinguished. Executive will not be entitled to receive the Severance Package

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described in Section 7.2, but will be subject to the surviving provisions of this Agreement as set forth in Section 14.8.

7.7Conditions to Severance Package. Executive will only be entitled to receive the Severance Package if, on or before the 60th day following the Termination Date, Executive executes a full general release, releasing all claims, known or unknown, that Executive may have against Company and its officers, directors, employees and affiliated companies arising out of or any way related to Executive's employment or termination of employment with Company, and the period for revocation, if any, of such release has lapsed without the release having been revoked. In the event that Executive breaches any of the covenants contained in Sections 9 (“Other Covenants”), 10 (“Confidentiality and Proprietary Rights”) or 11 (“Non-Competition; Nonsolicitation of Company Employees”), Company shall have the right to (a) terminate further provision of any portion of the Severance Package not yet paid or provided, and (b) seek reimbursement from Executive for any and all portions of the Severance Package previously paid or provided to Executive.

7.8Resignation of Board or Other Positions. Executive agrees that should Executive's employment terminate for any reason, Executive will immediately resign all other positions (including board membership) Executive may hold on behalf of Company.

7.9Application of Section 409A.

(a)Notwithstanding anything set forth in this Agreement to the contrary, no amount payable pursuant to this Agreement on account of Executive's termination of employment with Company which constitutes a “deferral of compensation” within the meaning of the Treasury Regulations issued pursuant to Section 409A of the Code (the “Section 409A Regulations”) shall be paid unless and until Executive has incurred a “separation from service” within the meaning of the Section 409A Regulations. Furthermore, if Executive is a “specified employee” within the meaning of the Section 409A Regulations as of the date of Executive's separation from service, no amount that constitutes a deferral of compensation which is payable on account of Executive's separation from service shall be paid to Executive before the date (the “Delayed Payment Date”) which is first day of the seventh month after the date of Executive's separation from service or, if earlier, the date of Executive’s death following such separation from service. All such amounts that would, but for this Section 7.9(a), become payable prior to the Delayed Payment Date will be accumulated and paid on the Delayed Payment Date.

(b)It is the intent of Company and Executive that any right of Executive to receive installment payments hereunder shall, for all purposes of Section 409A of the Code, be treated as a right to a series of separate payments.

(c)Company intends that income provided to Executive pursuant to this Agreement will not be subject to taxation under Section 409A of the Code. The provisions of this Agreement shall be interpreted and construed in favor of satisfying any applicable requirements of Section 409A of the Code. However, Company does not guarantee any particular tax effect for income provided to Executive pursuant to this Agreement. In any event, except for Company's responsibility to withhold applicable income and employment taxes from compensation paid or provided to Executive, Company shall not be responsible for the payment of any applicable taxes incurred by Executive on compensation paid or provided to Executive pursuant to this Agreement.

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8.No Violation of Rights of Third Parties. Executive represents and warrants to Company that Executive is not currently a party, and will not become a party, to any other agreement that is in conflict with, or will prevent Executive from complying with, this Agreement. Executive further represents and warrants to Company that Executive's performance of all of the terms of this Agreement as an employee of Company does not and will not breach any agreement to keep in confidence any proprietary information, knowledge, or data acquired by Executive in confidence or trust prior to Executive’s employment with Company. Executive acknowledges and agrees that the representations and warranties in this Section 8 are a material part of this Agreement.

9.Other Covenants. Executive hereby makes the following covenants, each of which Executive acknowledges and agrees are a material part of this Agreement:

9.1During the Term, Executive will not (a) breach any agreement to keep in confidence any confidential or proprietary information, knowledge or data acquired by Executive prior to Executive’s employment with Company, or (b) disclose to Company, or use or induce Company to use, any confidential or proprietary information or material belonging to any previous employer or any other third party. Executive acknowledges that Company has specifically instructed Executive not to breach any such agreement or make any such disclosure to Company.

9.2During the Term, Executive will not engage in any work or activity, paid or unpaid, that creates an actual conflict of interest with Company. Such work shall include, but is not limited to, directly or indirectly competing with Company in any way, or acting as an officer, director, employee, consultant, stockholder, volunteer, lender, or agent of any business enterprise of the same nature as, or which is in direct competition with, the business in which Company is now engaged or in which Company becomes engaged during the Term, as may be determined by Company in their sole discretion. If Company believes such a conflict exists during the Term, Company may ask Executive to choose to discontinue the other work or activity or resign employment with Company.

9.3During the Term and after the termination thereof, neither Executive nor Company will disparage each other, or Company's products, services, agents or employees.

9.4During the Term and after the termination thereof, at Company's expense and upon its reasonable request, Executive will cooperate and assist Company in its defense or prosecution of any disputes, differences, grievances, claims, charges, or complaints between Company and any third party, which assistance will include testifying on Company's behalf in connection with any such matter or performing any other task reasonably requested by Company in connection therewith.

10.Confidentiality and Proprietary Rights. Executive agrees to abide by the Nondisclosure Agreement, which is incorporated herein by reference.

11.Non-Competition; Nonsolicitation of Company' Employees. Executive acknowledges that in the course of her employment with Company she will serve as a member of Company’s senior management and will become familiar with Company's trade secrets and with other confidential and proprietary information and that his services will be of special, unique and extraordinary value to Company. Executive further acknowledges that the business of Company is national in scope and that Company, in the course of such business compete with other companies located

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throughout the United States. Therefore, in consideration of the foregoing, Executive agrees that, during the Term, and during the twelve-month (12) month period following the Term, Executive shall not directly or indirectly anywhere within the United States of America (a) own (except ownership of less than 1% of any class of securities which are listed for trading on any securities exchange or which are traded in the over-the-counter market), manage, control, participate in, consult with, render services for, be employed by, or in any manner engage in the operation of (i) any business that develops or administers educational services to degree-granting institutions of higher education, or (ii) any other business of Company in which Executive had significant involvement prior to Executive's separation; (b) induce or attempt to induce any employee of Company to leave the employ of Company, or in any way interfere with the relationship between Company and any employee thereof, or (c) induce or attempt to induce any customer, supplier, licensee or other business relation of Company to cease doing business with, or modify its business relationship with, Company, or in any way interfere with or hinder the relationship between any such customer, supplier, licensee or business relation and Company, as applicable.

12.Injunctive Relief. Executive acknowledges that Executive's breach of the covenants contained in Sections 9, 10 and 11 hereof (collectively “Covenants”) would cause irreparable injury to Company and agrees that in the event of any such breach, Company shall be entitled to seek temporary, preliminary and permanent injunctive relief without the necessity of proving actual damages or posting any bond or other security in addition to any other relief to which Company may be entitled and other remedies Company may exercise under this Agreement or otherwise.

13.Insurance; Indemnification.

13.1 During the Term, Executive will be covered by the Company’s director and officer insurance policy to the same extent as all other senior executive officers of the Company.

13.2 Following the execution of this Agreement, the director and officer indemnification agreement executed by the Company and Executive will continue in effect in accordance with its terms.

14.General Provisions.

14.1Successors and Assigns. The rights and obligations of Company under this Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and shall be binding upon the successors and assigns of Company. Executive shall not be entitled to assign any of Executive's rights or obligations under this Agreement.

14.2Waiver. Either party's failure to enforce any provision of this Agreement shall not in any way be construed as a waiver of any such provision, or prevent that party thereafter from enforcing each and every other provision of this Agreement.

14.3Attorneys’ Fees. In the event of a dispute involving the interpretation or enforcement of this Agreement, a court shall award attorneys' fees and costs to the prevailing party.

14.4Severability. In the event any provision of this Agreement is found to be unenforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction, such provision shall be deemed modified to

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the extent necessary to allow enforceability of the provision as so limited, it being intended that the parties shall receive the benefit contemplated herein to the fullest extent permitted by law. If a deemed modification is not satisfactory in the judgment of such court, the unenforceable provision shall be deemed deleted, and the validity and enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not be affected thereby.

14.5Interpretation; Construction. The headings set forth in this Agreement are for convenience only and shall not be used in interpreting this Agreement. This Agreement has been drafted by legal counsel representing Company, but Executive has participated in the negotiation of its terms. Furthermore, Executive acknowledges that Executive has had an opportunity to review and revise the Agreement and have it reviewed by legal counsel, if desired, and, therefore, the normal rule of construction to the effect that any ambiguities are to be resolved against the drafting party shall not be employed in the interpretation of this Agreement.

14.6Governing Law; Forum. This Agreement will be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the United States and the State of Arizona. Each party consents to the jurisdiction and venue of the state or federal courts in Phoenix, Arizona, if applicable, in any action, suit, or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement, and agrees that the state or federal courts in Phoenix, Arizona shall have exclusive jurisdiction over any dispute arising between the parties related to this Agreement or Executive’s employment with Company.

14.7Notices. Any notice required or permitted by this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be delivered as follows with notice deemed given as indicated: (a) by personal delivery when delivered personally; (b) by overnight courier upon written verification of receipt; (c) by telecopy or facsimile transmission upon acknowledgment of receipt of electronic transmission; or (d) by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested, upon verification of receipt. Notice shall be sent to the addresses set forth under the signatures below, or such other address as either party may specify in writing.

14.8Survival. Sections 9 (“Other Covenants”), 10 ("Confidentiality and Proprietary Rights”), 11 (“Non-Competition; Nonsolicitation of Company' Employees”), 12 (“Injunctive Relief”), 14 (“General Provisions”) and 15 (“Entire Agreement”) of this Agreement shall survive termination of Executive’s employment with Company.

15.Entire Agreement. This Agreement, including the Nondisclosure Agreement incorporated herein by reference, constitutes the entire agreement between the parties relating to this subject matter and supersedes all prior or simultaneous representations, discussions, negotiations, and agreements, whether written or oral. This Agreement may be amended or modified only with the written consent of Executive and Company. No oral waiver, amendment or modification will be effective under any circumstances whatsoever.

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THE PARTIES TO THIS AGREEMENT HAVE READ THE FOREGOING AGREEMENT AND FULLY UNDERSTAND EACH AND EVERY PROVISION CONTAINED HEREIN. WHEREFORE, THE PARTIES HAVE EXECUTED THIS AGREEMENT ON THE DATES SHOWN BELOW.

5/1/2023
		EXECUTIVE
Dated:	5/1/2023	By:	/s/ Dilek Marsh
		Name:	Dilek Marsh
		Address:	2600 East Camelback Road
			Phoenix, Arizona 85017
		GRAND CANYON EDUCATION, INC.
Dated:	5/1/2023	By:	/s/ Daniel E. Bachus
		Name:	Daniel E. Bachus
		Title:	Chief Financial Officer
		Address:	2600 East Camelback Road
			Phoenix, Arizona 85017

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EX-10.5

Exhibit 10.5

THIRD AMENDED AND RESTATED

EXECUTIVE EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT

This Third Amended and Restated Executive Employment Agreement (the “Agreement") is entered into on May 1, 2023, and is effective as of July 1, 2023, by and among Grand Canyon Education, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“GCE”), GCE’s subsidiary. Orbis Education Services, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“Orbis”), and Daniel J. Briggs (“Executive”).

WHEREAS, Orbis and Executive are parties to a second amended and restated executive employment agreement effective as of December 17, 2018, January 22, 2019, and April 29, 2020 (as amended, the “Original Agreement”), and Executive has been employed with Orbis since that time; and

WHEREAS, Orbis and Executive desire to amend and restate the Original Agreement through the execution and delivery of this Agreement.

NOW, THEREFORE, for good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties agree as follows:

1.Employment. Orbis desires to continue to employ Executive, and Executive desires to continue such employment, upon the terms and conditions set forth herein.

2.Duties.

2.1Position. Executive is employed by Orbis and shall have the duties and responsibilities reasonably assigned to Executive from time to time by GCE’s Chief Executive Officer, Brian Mueller, or such other executive officer of GCE as may be designated by Mr. Mueller. Executive shall perform faithfully and diligently all duties assigned to Executive. Orbis reserves the right to modify Executive’s position and duties at any time in its sole and absolute discretion, except that any material diminution in Executive’s duties shall be subject to Section 7.3(ii).

2.2Best Efforts/Full-time. Executive will expend Executive’s best efforts on behalf of Orbis in the performance of duties assigned to Executive under this Agreement, and will abide by all policies and decisions made by Orbis, as well as all applicable federal, state and local laws, regulations or ordinances. Executive will act in the best interest of Orbis at all times in the performance of duties assigned to Executive under this Agreement. Executive shall devote Executive's full business time and efforts to the performance of Executive’s assigned duties for Orbis, unless Executive notifies GCE in advance of Executive's intent to engage in other paid work and receives GCE’s express written consent to do so. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Executive will be permitted to serve as an outside director on the board of directors for corporate, civic, nonprofit or charitable entities, so long as Executive obtains the consent of GCE and provided such entities are not competitive with Orbis or GCE and subject to the provisions of Section 9.

2.3Work Location. Executive's principal place of work shall be located in Indianapolis, Indiana, or such other location as Orbis may direct from time to time.

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3.Term.

3.1Initial Term. The employment relationship pursuant to this Agreement shall be for an initial term commencing on the Effective Date and shall continue in effect for a period through June 30, 2026 (the “Initial Term"), unless sooner terminated in accordance with Section 7.

3.2Renewal. Upon expiration of the Initial Term and each Renewal Term, this Agreement will automatically renew for subsequent one (1) year terms (each a “Renewal Term”) unless either party provides ninety (90) days' advance written notice to the other that Orbis or Executive does not wish to renew the Agreement for a subsequent Renewal Term. In the event either party gives notice of nonrenewal pursuant to this Section 3.2, this Agreement will expire at the end of the then current term. The Initial Term and each subsequent Renewal Term are referred to collectively as the “Term”.

4.Compensation.

4.1Base-Salary. As compensation for Executive’s performance of Executive’s duties hereunder, effective beginning on the Effective Date Orbis shall pay to Executive an initial Base Salary at the rate of Three Hundred Two Thousand Nine Hundred Four and 03/100 Dollars ($302,904.03) per year, payable in accordance with the normal payroll practices of Orbis, less required deductions for state and federal withholding tax, social security and all other employment taxes and payroll deductions. Executives Base Salary shall be reviewed annually by the Compensation Committee of GCE (the “Compensation Committee”) and adjustments, if any, will be made at that time. In the event Executive’s employment under this Agreement is terminated by either party, for any reason, Executive will earn the Base Salary prorated to the date of termination, except as otherwise set forth herein.

4.2Incentive Compensation. Executive will be eligible to earn incentive compensation in the form of an annual bonus for each fiscal year of Orbis, to be awarded under Orbis’s annual cash incentive plan as then in effect, with a target amount equal to Two Hundred Twenty-Five Thousand Dollars ($225,000) (the “Target Bonus"). Executive's Target Bonus shall be reviewed annually by the Compensation Committee, and adjustments, if any, will be made at that time. The Compensation Committee will determine the actual amount of the bonus earned by Executive for any year, which may be more or less than the Target Bonus, and will base such determination upon both Orbis's achievement of overall performance metrics for the year and Executive's achievement of individual performance metrics as agreed upon by the Compensation Committee and Executive. Earned bonus amounts, if any, shall be paid within two and one-half months following the end of the applicable Orbis fiscal year.

4.3Equity Awards. Executive will be eligible to receive stock, option or other equity awards (each, an “Equity Award”) under GCE’s equity incentive plan as then in effect (the “Plan”), as determined by the Compensation Committee. Any such Equity Award will be subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan and an applicable form of agreement for such Equity Award specified by the Compensation Committee, which Executive will be required to sign as a condition of retaining the Equity Award.

5.Customary Fringe Benefits. Executive will be eligible for all customary and usual fringe benefits generally available to senior management of Orbis, subject to the terms and conditions of Orbis's benefit plan documents. Orbis reserves the right to change or eliminate fringe benefits on a prospective basis, at any time, effective upon notice to Executive.

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6.Business Expenses. Executive will be reimbursed for all reasonable, out-of- pocket business expenses incurred in the performance of Executive's duties on behalf of Orbis. To obtain reimbursement, expenses must be submitted promptly with appropriate supporting documentation and will be reimbursed in accordance with Orbis's policies. Any reimbursement Executive is entitled to receive shall (a) be paid no later than the last day of Executive's tax year following the tax year in which the expense was incurred, (b) not affect or be affected by any other expenses that are eligible for reimbursement in any other tax year of Executive, and (c) not be subject to liquidation or exchange for another benefit.

7.Termination of Executive's Employment.

7.1Termination for Cause by Orbis. Although Orbis anticipates the continuation of a mutually rewarding employment relationship with Executive, Orbis may terminate Executive’s employment immediately at any time for Cause. For purposes of this Agreement, "Cause is defined as: (a) acts or omissions constituting gross negligence, recklessness or willful misconduct on the part of Executive with respect to Executive’s ' obligations or otherwise relating to the business of Orbis; (b) Executive’s material breach of this Agreement including, without limitation, any breach of Section 8, Section 9 or Section 11; (c) Executive’s breach of Orbis's Employee Nondisclosure and Assignment Agreement (a copy of which has been executed and delivered to Orbis with this Agreement) (the “Nondisclosure Agreement”); (d) Executive's conviction or entry of a plea of nolo contendere for fraud misappropriation or embezzlement or any felony or crime of moral turpitude; (e) Executive's inability to perform the essential functions of Executive’s position with or without reasonable accommodation due to a mental or physical disability; (f) Executive’s willful neglect of duties as determined in the sole and exclusive discretion of GCE, provided that Executive has received written notice of the action or omission giving rise to such determination and has failed to remedy such situation to the satisfaction of GCE within thirty (30) days following receipt of such written notice, unless Executive’s action or omission is not subject to cure, in which case no such notice shall be required; or (g) Executive's death. In the event Executive's employment is terminated in accordance with this Section 7 1, Executive shall be entitled to receive only Executive's Base Salary then in effect, prorated to the date of Executive’s termination of employment with Orbis (the “Termination Date”), and all amounts and benefits earned or incurred pursuant to Sections 5 and 6 through the Termination Date. All other Orbis obligations to Executive pursuant to this Agreement will be automatically terminated and completely extinguished as of the Termination Date, but will be subject to the surviving provisions of this Agreement set forth in Section 13.8. Executive will not be entitled to receive the Severance Package described in Section 7.2.

7.2Termination Without Cause by Orbis. Orbis may terminate Executive’s employment under this Agreement without Cause at any time upon written notice to Executive. In the event of such termination, Executive will receive Executive’s Base Salary then in effect, prorated to the Termination Date, and all amounts and benefits earned or incurred pursuant to Sections 5 and 6 through the Termination Date. In addition, subject to Sections 7.7 and 7.9, Executive will be entitled to receive a “Severance Package” that shall consist of:

(a)severance in an amount equal to the sum of (i) twelve (12) months of Executive’s Base Salary then in effect on the Termination Date, and (ii) 100% of Executive’s Target Bonus for the fiscal year in which the Termination Date occurs, with the total of such amounts to be payable over twelve (12) months in equal installments in accordance with Orbis’s regular payroll cycle, commencing with the first payroll date occurring on or after the 60th day following the Termination Date;

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(b)payment by Orbis of the premiums required to continue Executive’s group health care coverage under the applicable provisions of the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985 (“COBRA”) for a period (the “COBRA Payment Period”) ending on the earlier of (i) twelve (12) months following the Termination Date or (ii) the date on which Executive becomes eligible for health coverage through another employer, provided in any event that Executive timely elects to continue and remains eligible for these benefits under COBRA; and

(c)acceleration of the vesting of any outstanding time-based Equity Awards to the extent that such Equity Awards would have vested in accordance with their terms had Executive’s employment with Orbis continued uninterrupted until the first anniversary of the Termination Date.

Notwithstanding Section 7.2(b), if Orbis determines, in its sole discretion, that the payment of the COBRA premiums would result in a violation of the nondiscrimination rules of Section 105(h)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), or any statute or regulation of similar effect (including but not limited to the 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, as amended by the 2010 Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act), then in lieu of providing the COBRA premiums, Orbis, in its sole discretion, may elect to instead pay Executive on the first day of each month of the COBRA Payment Period, a fully taxable cash payment equal to the COBRA premiums for that month, subject to applicable tax withholdings (such amount, the “Special Severance Payment,” which shall be treated as part of the Severance Package), for the remainder of the COBRA Payment Period. Executive may, but is not obligated to, use such Special Severance Payment toward the cost of COBRA premiums. All other Orbis obligations to Executive will be automatically terminated and completely extinguished, but will be subject to the surviving provisions of this Agreement set forth in Section 14.8.

7.3Voluntary Resignation by Executive for Good Reason. Executive may voluntarily resign Executive's position with Orbis for Good Reason at any time on thirty (30) days' advance written notice to Orbis. In the event of Executive's resignation for Good Reason, Executive will be entitled to receive Executive's Base Salary then in effect, prorated to the Termination Date, and all amounts and benefits earned or incurred pursuant to Sections 5 and 6 through the Termination Date. In addition, subject to Sections 7.7 and 7.9, Executive will be entitled to receive the Severance Package described in Section 7.2. All other Orbis obligations to Executive pursuant to this Agreement will be automatically terminated and completely extinguished, but will be subject to the surviving provisions of this Agreement set forth in Section 13.8. Executive will be deemed to have resigned for Good Reason if Executive voluntarily terminates Executive's employment with Orbis within ninety (90) days following the first occurrence of a condition constituting Good Reason. “Good Reason” means the occurrence of any of the following conditions without Executive's written consent, which condition(s) remain(s) in effect thirty (30) days after Executive provides written notice to Orbis of such condition(s): (i) a material reduction in Executive’s Base Salary as then in effect prior to such reduction, other than as part of a salary reduction program among similar management employees, (ii) a material diminution in Executive's authority, duties or responsibilities as an employee of Orbis as they existed prior to such change, or (iii) a relocation of Executive's principal place of work which increases Executive's one-way commute distance by more than fifty (50) miles. Executive will be deemed to have given consent to any condition(s) described in this Section 7.3 if Executive does not provide written notice to Orbis of Executive's intent to exercise Executive's rights pursuant to this Section within thirty (30) days following the first occurrence of such condition(s).

7.4Voluntary Resignation by Executive Without Good Reason. Executive may voluntarily resign Executive's position with Orbis without Good Reason at any time on thirty

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(30) days' advance written notice to Orbis. In the event of Executive’s resignation without Good Reason, Executive will be entitled to receive only Executive's Base Salary then in effect, prorated to the Termination Date, and all amounts and benefits earned or incurred pursuant to Sections 5 and 6 through the Termination Date. All other Orbis obligations to Executive pursuant to this Agreement will be automatically terminated and completely extinguished. Executive will not be entitled to receive the Severance Package described in Section 7.2, but will be subject to the surviving provisions of this Agreement set forth in Section 13.8.

7.5Termination After a Change in Control.

(a)Severance Payment; Equity Award Acceleration. If, upon or within twelve (12) months after a Change in Control (as that term is defined below), Executive’s employment is terminated by Orbis other than for Cause (as defined in Section 7.1) or Executive resigns for Good Reason (as defined in Section 7.3), then Executive shall be entitled to receive Executive’s Base Salary then in effect, prorated to the Termination Date, and all amounts and benefits earned or incurred pursuant to Sections 5 and 6 through the Termination Date. In addition, subject to Sections 7.7 and 7.9, Executive will be entitled to receive (i) the Severance Package described in Section 7.2 and (ii) to the extent not yet vested, but subject to the terms of any agreement governing any such Equity Award, any outstanding Equity Awards granted to Executive by GCE shall vest in full as of the Termination Date. All other GCE or Orbis obligations to Executive pursuant to this Agreement will be automatically terminated and completely extinguished as of the Termination Date, but will be subject to the surviving provisions of this Agreement set forth in Section 13.8.

(b)Parachute Payments.

(i)Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary, if any payment or benefit Executive would receive pursuant to this Agreement or otherwise (collectively, the “Payments”) would constitute a “parachute payment” within the meaning of Section 280G of the Code, and, but for this sentence, would be subject to the excise tax imposed by Section 4999 of the Code or any similar or successor provision (the “Excise Tax”), then the aggregate amount of the Payments will be either (i) the largest portion of the Payments that would result in no portion of the Payments (after reduction) being subject to the Excise Tax or (ii) the entire Payments, whichever amount after taking into account all applicable federal, state and local employment taxes, income taxes, and the Excise Tax (all computed at the highest applicable marginal rate, net of the maximum reduction in federal income taxes which could be obtained from a deduction of such state and local taxes), results in Executive's receipt, on an after-tax basis, of the greatest amount of the Payments. Any reduction in the Payments required by this Section will be made in the following order: (A) reduction of cash payments; (B) reduction of accelerated vesting of Equity Awards other than stock options; (C) reduction of accelerated vesting of stock options; and (D) reduction of other benefits paid or provided to Executive. In the event that acceleration of vesting of Equity Awards is to be reduced, such acceleration of vesting will be cancelled in the reverse order of the date of grant of such Equity Awards. If two or more Equity Awards are granted on the same date, the accelerated vesting of each award will be reduced on a pro-rata basis.

(ii)The professional firm engaged by GCE for general tax purposes as of the day prior to the date of the event that might reasonably be anticipated to result in Payments that would otherwise be subject to the Excise Tax will perform the foregoing calculations. If the tax firm so engaged by GCE is serving as accountant or auditor for the acquiring company, GCE will appoint a nationally recognized tax firm to make the determinations

5

required by this Section. GCE will bear all expenses with respect to the determinations by the tax firm required to be made by this Section. GCE and Executive shall furnish the tax firm such information and documents as the tax firm may reasonably request in order to make its required determination. The tax firm will provide its calculations, together with detailed supporting documentation, to GCE and Executive as soon as practicable following its engagement. Any good faith determinations of the tax firm made hereunder will be final, binding and conclusive upon GCE, Orbis and Executive.

(c)Change in Control. A Change in Control is defined as any one of the following occurrences:

(i)Any “person” (as such term is used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”)), becomes the “beneficial owner” (as such term is defined in Rule 13d-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act), directly or indirectly, of securities of GCE representing more than fifty percent (50%) of the total fair market value or total combined voting power of GCE’s then outstanding securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors; provided, however, that a Change in Control shall not be deemed to have occurred if such degree of beneficial ownership results from any of the following: (A) an acquisition of securities by any person who on the Effective Date is the beneficial owner of more than fifty percent (50%) of such voting power, (B) any acquisition of securities directly from GCE, including, without limitation, pursuant to or in connection with a public offering of securities, (C) any acquisition of securities by GCE, (D) any acquisition of securities by a trustee or other fiduciary under an employee benefit plan of GCE, or (E) any acquisition of securities by an entity owned directly or indirectly by the stockholders of GCE in substantially the same proportions as their ownership of the voting securities of GCE; or

(ii)the sale or disposition of all or substantially all of GCE's assets (other than a sale or disposition to one or more subsidiaries of Orbis), or any transaction having similar effect is consummated; or

(iii)GCE is party to a merger or consolidation that results in the holders of voting securities of GCE outstanding immediately prior thereto failing to continue to represent (either by remaining outstanding or by being converted into voting securities of the surviving entity) more than 50% of the combined voting power of the voting securities of GCE or such surviving entity outstanding immediately after such merger or consolidation; or

(iv)the dissolution or liquidation of GCE.

7.6Termination of Employment Upon Nonrenewal. In the event either party decides not to renew this Agreement for a subsequent term in accordance with Section 3.2, this Agreement will expire automatically upon completion of the then effective Term, and Executive’s employment with Orbis will thereupon terminate. Executive will be entitled to receive only Executive's Base Salary then in effect, prorated to the Termination Date, and all amounts and benefits earned or incurred pursuant to Sections 5 and 6 through the Termination Date. All other Orbis obligations to Executive pursuant to this Agreement will be automatically terminated and completely extinguished. Executive will not be entitled to receive the Severance Package described in Section 7.2, but will be subject to the surviving provisions of this Agreement as set forth in Section 13.8.

7.7Conditions to Severance Package. Executive will only be entitled to receive the Severance Package if, on or before the 60th day following the Termination Date, Executive

6

executes a full general release, releasing all claims, known or unknown, that Executive may have against Orbis and its officers, directors, employees and affiliated companies arising out of or any way related to Executive's employment or termination of employment with Orbis, and the period for revocation, if any, of such release has lapsed without the release having been revoked. In the event that Executive breaches any of the covenants contained in Sections 9 (“Other Covenants”), 10 (“Confidentiality and Proprietary Rights”) or 11 (“Non-Competition; Nonsolicitation of Orbis Employees”), Orbis shall have the right to (a) terminate further provision of any portion of the Severance Package not yet paid or provided, and (b) seek reimbursement from Executive for any and all portions of the Severance Package previously paid or provided to Executive.

7.8Resignation of Board or Other Positions. Executive agrees that should Executive's employment terminate for any reason, Executive will immediately resign all other positions (including board membership) Executive may hold on behalf of GCE or Orbis.

7.9Application of Section 409A.

(a)Notwithstanding anything set forth in this Agreement to the contrary, no amount payable pursuant to this Agreement on account of Executive's termination of employment with Orbis which constitutes a “deferral of compensation” within the meaning of the Treasury Regulations issued pursuant to Section 409A of the Code (the “Section 409A Regulations”) shall be paid unless and until Executive has incurred a “separation from service” within the meaning of the Section 409A Regulations. Furthermore, if Executive is a “specified employee” within the meaning of the Section 409A Regulations as of the date of Executive's separation from service, no amount that constitutes a deferral of compensation which is payable on account of Executive's separation from service shall be paid to Executive before the date (the “Delayed Payment Date”) which is first day of the seventh month after the date of Executive's separation from service or, if earlier, the date of Executive’s death following such separation from service. All such amounts that would, but for this Section 7.9(a), become payable prior to the Delayed Payment Date will be accumulated and paid on the Delayed Payment Date.

(b)It is the intent of Orbis and Executive that any right of Executive to receive installment payments hereunder shall, for all purposes of Section 409A of the Code, be treated as a right to a series of separate payments.

(c)Orbis intends that income provided to Executive pursuant to this Agreement will not be subject to taxation under Section 409A of the Code. The provisions of this Agreement shall be interpreted and construed in favor of satisfying any applicable requirements of Section 409A of the Code. However, Orbis does not guarantee any particular tax effect for income provided to Executive pursuant to this Agreement. In any event, except for Orbis's responsibility to withhold applicable income and employment taxes from compensation paid or provided to Executive, Orbis shall not be responsible for the payment of any applicable taxes incurred by Executive on compensation paid or provided to Executive pursuant to this Agreement.

8.No Violation of Rights of Third Parties. Executive represents and warrants to Orbis that Executive is not currently a party, and will not become a party, to any other agreement that is in conflict with, or will prevent Executive from complying with, this Agreement. Executive further represents and warrants to Orbis that Executive's performance of all of the terms of this Agreement as an employee of Orbis does not and will not breach any agreement to keep in confidence any proprietary information, knowledge, or data acquired by Executive in confidence or trust prior to Executive’s employment with Orbis. Executive acknowledges and agrees that the representations and warranties in this Section 8 are a material part of this Agreement.

7

9.Other Covenants. Executive hereby makes the following covenants, each of which Executive acknowledges and agrees are a material part of this Agreement:

9.1During the Term, Executive will not (a) breach any agreement to keep in confidence any confidential or proprietary information, knowledge or data acquired by Executive prior to Executive’s employment with Orbis, or (b) disclose to GCE or Orbis, or use or induce GCE or Orbis to use, any confidential or proprietary information or material belonging to any previous employer or any other third party. Executive acknowledges that Orbis has specifically instructed Executive not to breach any such agreement or make any such disclosure to GCE or Orbis.

9.2During the Term, Executive will not engage in any work or activity, paid or unpaid, that creates an actual conflict of interest with GCE or Orbis. Such work shall include, but is not limited to, directly or indirectly competing with GCE or Orbis in any way, or acting as an officer, director, employee, consultant, stockholder, volunteer, lender, or agent of any business enterprise of the same nature as, or which is in direct competition with, the business in which GCE or Orbis is now engaged or in which GCE or Orbis becomes engaged during the Term, as may be determined by GCE and Orbis in their sole discretion. If Orbis believes such a conflict exists during the Term, Orbis may ask Executive to choose to discontinue the other work or activity or resign employment with Orbis.

9.3During the Term and after the termination thereof, neither Executive nor Orbis will disparage each other, or Orbis's products, services, agents or employees.

9.4During the Term and after the termination thereof, at Orbis's expense and upon its reasonable request, Executive will cooperate and assist Orbis in its defense or prosecution of any disputes, differences, grievances, claims, charges, or complaints between Orbis and any third party, which assistance will include testifying on Orbis's behalf in connection with any such matter or performing any other task reasonably requested by Orbis in connection therewith.

10.Confidentiality and Proprietary Rights. Executive agrees to abide by the Nondisclosure Agreement, which is incorporated herein by reference.

11.Non-Competition; Nonsolicitation of Orbis' Employees. Executive acknowledges that in the course of his employment with Orbis he will serve as a member of Orbis’s senior management and will become familiar with GCE and Orbis's trade secrets and with other confidential and proprietary information and that his services will be of special, unique and extraordinary value to GCE and Orbis. Executive further acknowledges that the business of GCE and Orbis is national in scope and that GCE and Orbis, in the course of such business compete with other companies located throughout the United States. Therefore, in consideration of the foregoing, Executive agrees that, during the Term, and during the twelve-month (12) month period following the Term, Executive shall not directly or indirectly anywhere within the United States of America (a) own (except ownership of less than 1% of any class of securities which are listed for trading on any securities exchange or which are traded in the over-the-counter market), manage, control, participate in, consult with, render services for, be employed by, or in any manner engage in the operation of (i) any business that develops or administers educational services to degree-granting institutions of higher education, or (ii) any other business of GCE or Orbis in which Executive had significant involvement prior to Executive's separation; (b) induce or attempt to induce any employee of GCE or Orbis to leave the employ of Orbis, or in any way interfere with the relationship between GCE or Orbis and any employee thereof, or (c) induce or attempt to

8

induce any customer, supplier, licensee or other business relation of GCE or Orbis to cease doing business with, or modify its business relationship with, GCE or Orbis, or in any way interfere with or hinder the relationship between any such customer, supplier, licensee or business relation and GCE or Orbis, as applicable.

12.Injunctive Relief. Executive acknowledges that Executive's breach of the covenants contained in Sections 9, 10 and 11 hereof (collectively “Covenants”) would cause irreparable injury to GCE and Orbis and agrees that in the event of any such breach, GCE and Orbis shall be entitled to seek temporary, preliminary and permanent injunctive relief without the necessity of proving actual damages or posting any bond or other security in addition to any other relief to which GCE or Orbis may be entitled and other remedies Orbis may exercise under this Agreement or otherwise.

13.General Provisions.

13.1Successors and Assigns. The rights and obligations of Orbis under this Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and shall be binding upon the successors and assigns of Orbis. Executive shall not be entitled to assign any of Executive's rights or obligations under this Agreement.

13.2Waiver. Either party's failure to enforce any provision of this Agreement shall not in any way be construed as a waiver of any such provision, or prevent that party thereafter from enforcing each and every other provision of this Agreement.

13.3Attorneys’ Fees. In the event of a dispute involving the interpretation or enforcement of this Agreement, a court shall award attorneys' fees and costs to the prevailing party.

13.4Severability. In the event any provision of this Agreement is found to be unenforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction, such provision shall be deemed modified to the extent necessary to allow enforceability of the provision as so limited, it being intended that the parties shall receive the benefit contemplated herein to the fullest extent permitted by law. If a deemed modification is not satisfactory in the judgment of such court, the unenforceable provision shall be deemed deleted, and the validity and enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not be affected thereby.

13.5Interpretation; Construction. The headings set forth in this Agreement are for convenience only and shall not be used in interpreting this Agreement. This Agreement has been drafted by legal counsel representing Orbis, but Executive has participated in the negotiation of its terms. Furthermore, Executive acknowledges that Executive has had an opportunity to review and revise the Agreement and have it reviewed by legal counsel, if desired, and, therefore, the normal rule of construction to the effect that any ambiguities are to be resolved against the drafting party shall not be employed in the interpretation of this Agreement.

13.6Governing Law; Forum. This Agreement will be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the United States and the State of Indiana. Each party consents to the jurisdiction and venue of the state courts in Marion County, Indiana or the federal courts in the Southern District of Indiana, if applicable, in any action, suit, or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement, and agrees that the state courts in Marion County, Indiana or the federal courts in the Southern District of Indiana shall have exclusive jurisdiction over any dispute arising between the parties related to this Agreement or Executive’s employment with Orbis.

9

13.7Notices. Any notice required or permitted by this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be delivered as follows with notice deemed given as indicated: (a) by personal delivery when delivered personally; (b) by overnight courier upon written verification of receipt; (c) by telecopy or facsimile transmission upon acknowledgment of receipt of electronic transmission; or (d) by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested, upon verification of receipt. Notice shall be sent to the addresses set forth under the signatures below, or such other address as either party may specify in writing.

13.8Survival. Sections 9 (“Other Covenants”), 10 ("Confidentiality and Proprietary Rights”), 11 (“Non-Competition; Nonsolicitation of Orbis' Employees”), 12 (“Injunctive Relief”), 13 (“General Provisions”) and 14 (“Entire Agreement”) of this Agreement shall survive termination of Executive’s employment with Orbis.

14.Entire Agreement. This Agreement, including the Nondisclosure Agreement incorporated herein by reference, constitutes the entire agreement between the parties relating to this subject matter and supersedes all prior or simultaneous representations, discussions, negotiations, and agreements, whether written or oral. This Agreement may be amended or modified only with the written consent of Executive and Orbis. No oral waiver, amendment or modification will be effective under any circumstances whatsoever.

10

THE PARTIES TO THIS AGREEMENT HAVE READ THE FOREGOING AGREEMENT AND FULLY UNDERSTAND EACH AND EVERY PROVISION CONTAINED HEREIN. WHEREFORE, THE PARTIES HAVE EXECUTED THIS AGREEMENT ON THE DATES SHOWN BELOW.

		EXECUTIVE
Dated:	5/1/2023	By:	/s/ Daniel J. Briggs
		Name:	Daniel J. Briggs
		Address:	301 Pennsylvania Parkway
			Suite 400
			Indianapolis, Indiana 46280
		ORBIS EDUCATION SERVICES, LLC
Dated:	5/1/2023	By:	/s/ Daniel E. Bachus
		Name:	Daniel E. Bachus
		Title:	Treasurer and Secretary
		Address:	2600 West Camelback Road
			Phoenix, Arizona 85017
		ACKNOWLEDGED AND AGREED:
		GRAND CANYON EDUCATION, INC.
Dated:	5/1/2023
		By:	/s/ Daniel E. Bachus
		Name:	Daniel E. Bachus
		Title:	Chief Financial Officer
		Address:	2600 West Camelback Road
			Phoenix, Arizona 85017

11

EX-31.1

Exhibit 31.1

CERTIFICATION PURSUANT TO RULES 13a-14(a) and 15d-14(a),

AS ADOPTED PURSUANT TO SECTION 302 0F THE SARBANES-OXLEY ACT OF 2002

I, Brian E. Mueller, certify that:

1. I have reviewed this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ending March 31, 2023 of Grand Canyon Education, Inc.;

2. Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by this report;

3. Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial information included in this report, fairly present in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in this report;

4. The registrant’s other certifying officer(s) and I are responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) and internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f)) for the registrant and have:

a) Designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under our supervision, to ensure that material information relating to the registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within those entities, particularly during the period in which this report is being prepared;

b) Designed such internal control over financial reporting, or caused such internal control over financial reporting to be designed under our supervision, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles;

c) Evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures and presented in this report our conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures, as of the end of the period covered by this report based on such evaluation; and

d) Disclosed in this report any change in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the registrant’s most recent fiscal quarter (the registrant’s fourth fiscal quarter in the case of an annual report) that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting; and

5. The registrant’s other certifying officer(s) and I have disclosed, based on our most recent evaluation of internal control over financial reporting, to the registrant’s auditors and the audit committee of the registrant’s board of directors (or persons performing the equivalent functions):

a) All significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal control over financial reporting which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the registrant’s ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information; and

b) Any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting.

Date: May 2, 2023	/s/ Brian E. Mueller
	Brian E. Mueller
	Chief Executive Officer
	(Principal Executive Officer)

EX-32.1

Exhibit 32.1

CERTIFICATION OF CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER PURSUANT TO 18 U.S.C. SECTION 1350,

AS ADOPTED PURSUANT TO SECTION 906 OF THE SARBANES-OXLEY ACT OF 2002

In connection with the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q of Grand Canyon Education, Inc. (the “Company”) for the quarter ended March 31, 2023 as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on the date hereof (the “Report”), I, Brian E. Mueller, Chief Executive Officer, of the Company, certify, pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, that to the best of my knowledge:

(1) The Report fully complies with the requirements of Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (15 U.S.C. 78m or 78o); and

(2) The information contained in the Report fairly presents, in all material respects, the financial condition and results of operations of the Company.

Date: May 2, 2023

/s/ Brian E. Mueller

Brian E. Mueller

Chief Executive Officer (Principal Executive Officer)

EX-31.2

Exhibit 31.2

CERTIFICATION PURSUANT TO RULES 13a-14(a) and 15d-14(a),

AS ADOPTED PURSUANT TO SECTION 302 0F THE SARBANES-OXLEY ACT OF 2002

I, Daniel E. Bachus, certify that:

1. I have reviewed this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ending March 31, 2023 of Grand Canyon Education, Inc.;

2. Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by this report;

3. Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial information included in this report, fairly present in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in this report;

4. The registrant’s other certifying officer(s) and I are responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) and internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f)) for the registrant and have:

a) Designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under our supervision, to ensure that material information relating to the registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within those entities, particularly during the period in which this report is being prepared;

b) Designed such internal control over financial reporting, or caused such internal control over financial reporting to be designed under our supervision, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles;

c) Evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures and presented in this report our conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures, as of the end of the period covered by this report based on such evaluation; and

d) Disclosed in this report any change in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the registrant’s most recent fiscal quarter (the registrant’s fourth fiscal quarter in the case of an annual report) that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting; and

5. The registrant’s other certifying officer(s) and I have disclosed, based on our most recent evaluation of internal control over financial reporting, to the registrant’s auditors and the audit committee of the registrant’s board of directors (or persons performing the equivalent functions):

a) All significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal control over financial reporting which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the registrant’s ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information; and

b) Any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting.

Date: May 2, 2023	/s/ Daniel E. Bachus
	Daniel E. Bachus
	Chief Financial Officer
	(Principal Financial Officer)

EX-32.2

Exhibit 32.2

CERTIFICATION OF CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER PURSUANT TO 18 U.S.C. SECTION 1350,

AS ADOPTED PURSUANT TO SECTION 906 OF THE SARBANES-OXLEY ACT OF 2002

In connection with the Quarterly Report on Form 10Q of Grand Canyon Education, Inc. (the “Company”) for the quarter ended March 31, 2023 as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on the date hereof (the “Report”), I, Daniel E. Bachus, Chief Financial Officer, of the Company, certify, pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, that to the best of my knowledge:

(1) The Report fully complies with the requirements of Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (15 U.S.C. 78m or 78o); and

(2) The information contained in the Report fairly presents, in all material respects, the financial condition and results of operations of the Company.

Date: May 2, 2023

/s/ Daniel E. Bachus

Daniel E. Bachus

Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial Officer)

XML

Document and Entity Information - shares	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2023	May 01, 2023
Document And Entity Information [Abstract]
Document Type	10-Q
Document Quarterly Report	true
Document Transition Report	false
Document Period End Date	Mar. 31, 2023
Entity File Number	001-34211
Entity Registrant Name	GRAND CANYON EDUCATION, INC.
Entity Incorporation, State or Country Code	DE
Entity Tax Identification Number	20-3356009
Entity Address, Address Line One	2600 W. Camelback Road
Entity Address, City or Town	Phoenix
Entity Address, State or Province	AZ
Entity Address, Postal Zip Code	85017
City Area Code	602
Local Phone Number	247-4400
Title of 12(b) Security	Common Stock
Trading Symbol	LOPE
Security Exchange Name	NASDAQ
Entity Current Reporting Status	Yes
Entity Interactive Data Current	Yes
Entity Filer Category	Large Accelerated Filer
Entity Small Business	false
Entity Emerging Growth Company	false
Entity Shell Company	false
Entity Common Stock, Shares Outstanding		30,726,036
Current Fiscal Year End Date	--12-31
Document Fiscal Year Focus	2023
Document Fiscal Period Focus	Q1
Entity Central Index Key	0001434588
Amendment Flag	false

XML

Consolidated Income Statements - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2023	Mar. 31, 2022
Consolidated Income Statements
Service revenue	$ 250,125	$ 244,133
Costs and expenses:
Technology and academic services	37,512	36,306
Counseling services and support	73,349	67,513
Marketing and communication	52,894	50,851
General and administrative	9,788	9,893
Amortization of intangible assets	2,105	2,105
Total costs and expenses	175,648	166,668
Operating income	74,477	77,465
Interest expense	(19)
Investment interest and other	2,153	205
Income before income taxes	76,611	77,670
Income tax expense	17,047	19,592
Net income	$ 59,564	$ 58,078
Net Income Per Common Share
Basic income per share	$ 1.96	$ 1.67
Diluted income per share	$ 1.94	$ 1.66
Basic weighted average shares outstanding	30,461	34,806
Diluted weighted average shares outstanding	30,638	34,901

XML

Consolidated Balance Sheets - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Mar. 31, 2023	Dec. 31, 2022
Current assets
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 105,040	$ 120,409
Investments	89,483	61,295
Accounts receivable, net	102,571	77,413
Income tax receivable	2,964	2,788
Other current assets	15,828	11,368
Total current assets	315,886	273,273
Property and equipment, net	150,391	147,504
Right-of-use assets	70,320	72,719
Amortizable intangible assets, net	174,695	176,800
Goodwill	160,766	160,766
Other assets	1,963	1,687
Total assets	874,021	832,749
Current liabilities
Accounts payable	21,801	20,006
Accrued compensation and benefits	21,124	36,412
Accrued liabilities	31,661	22,473
Income taxes payable	26,568	12,167
Deferred revenue	9,678
Current portion of lease liability	8,818	8,648
Total current liabilities	119,650	99,706
Deferred income taxes, noncurrent	28,049	26,195
Other long-term liability	429	436
Lease liability, less current portion	66,643	68,793
Total liabilities	214,771	195,130
Commitments and contingencies
Stockholders' equity
Common stock, $0.01 par value, 100,000 shares authorized; 53,966 and 53,830 shares issued and 30,823 and 31,058 shares outstanding at March 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, respectively	540	538
Treasury stock, at cost, 23,143 and 22,772 shares of common stock at March 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, respectively	(1,752,844)	(1,711,423)
Additional paid-in capital	312,677	309,310
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	(414)	(533)
Retained earnings	2,099,291	2,039,727
Total stockholders' equity	659,250	637,619
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	$ 874,021	$ 832,749

XML

Consolidated Balance Sheets (Parenthetical) - $ / shares shares in Thousands	Mar. 31, 2023	Dec. 31, 2022
Consolidated Balance Sheets
Preferred stock, par value	$ 0.01	$ 0.01
Preferred stock, shares authorized	10,000	10,000
Preferred stock, shares issued	0	0
Preferred stock, shares outstanding	0	0
Common stock, par value	$ 0.01	$ 0.01
Common stock, shares authorized	100,000	100,000
Common stock, shares issued	53,966	53,830
Common stock, shares outstanding	30,823	31,058
Treasury stock, common shares	23,143	22,772

XML

Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2023	Mar. 31, 2022
Consolidated Statements of Other Comprehensive Income
Net income	$ 59,564	$ 58,078
Other comprehensive income, net of tax:
Unrealized gains (losses) on available-for-sale securities, net of taxes of $37 and $99 for the three months ended March 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively	119	(323)
Comprehensive income	$ 59,683	$ 57,755

XML

Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income (Parenthetical) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2023	Mar. 31, 2022
Consolidated Statements of Other Comprehensive Income
Unrealized gains (losses) on available for sale securities, taxes	$ 37	$ 99

XML

Consolidated Statement of Stockholders' Equity - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	Common Stock [Member]	Additional Paid-in Capital [Member]	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Member]	Retained Earnings [Member]	Treasury stock, common	Total
Beginning Balance at Dec. 31, 2021	$ 536	$ 296,670		$ 1,855,052	$ (1,107,211)	$ 1,045,047
Beginning Balance ( In Shares) at Dec. 31, 2021	53,637
Beginning Balance, treasury shares at Dec. 31, 2021					15,915
Comprehensive income			$ (323)	58,078		57,755
Common stock purchased for treasury					$ (394,930)	(394,930)
Common stock acquired, shares					4,575
Restricted shares forfeited, shares					6
Share-based compensation	$ 2	3,188			$ (4,625)	(1,435)
Share-based compensation, shares	189				52
Ending Balance at Mar. 31, 2022	$ 538	299,858	(323)	1,913,130	$ (1,506,766)	706,437
Ending Balance ( In shares ) at Mar. 31, 2022	53,826
Ending Balance, treasury shares at Mar. 31, 2022					20,548
Beginning Balance at Dec. 31, 2022	$ 538	309,310	(533)	2,039,727	$ (1,711,423)	$ 637,619
Beginning Balance ( In Shares) at Dec. 31, 2022	53,830
Beginning Balance, treasury shares at Dec. 31, 2022					22,772	22,772
Comprehensive income			119	59,564		$ 59,683
Common stock purchased for treasury					$ (35,090)	(35,090)
Common stock acquired, shares					310
Restricted shares forfeited, shares					5
Share-based compensation	$ 2	3,367			$ (6,331)	(2,962)
Share-based compensation, shares	136				56
Ending Balance at Mar. 31, 2023	$ 540	$ 312,677	$ (414)	$ 2,099,291	$ (1,752,844)	$ 659,250
Ending Balance ( In shares ) at Mar. 31, 2023	53,966
Ending Balance, treasury shares at Mar. 31, 2023					23,143	23,143

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Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2023	Mar. 31, 2022
Cash flows provided by operating activities:
Net income	$ 59,564	$ 58,078
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Share-based compensation	3,369	3,190
Depreciation and amortization	5,537	5,724
Amortization of intangible assets	2,105	2,105
Deferred income taxes	1,816	1,480
Other, including fixed asset impairments	410	719
Changes in assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable from university partners	(25,158)	(31,943)
Other assets	(4,625)	(5,312)
Right-of-use assets and lease liabilities	419	179
Accounts payable	1,953	5,427
Accrued liabilities	(6,294)	2,377
Income taxes receivable/payable	14,225	16,074
Deferred revenue	9,678	12,162
Net cash provided by operating activities	62,999	70,260
Cash flows used in investing activities:
Capital expenditures	(8,587)	(6,784)
Additions of amortizable content	(244)	(95)
Purchases of investments	(52,556)	(62,834)
Proceeds from sale or maturity of investments	24,253
Net cash used in investing activities	(37,134)	(69,713)
Cash flows used in financing activities:
Repurchase of common shares and shares withheld in lieu of income taxes	(41,234)	(399,555)
Net cash used in financing activities	(41,234)	(399,555)
Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash	(15,369)	(399,008)
Cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash, beginning of period	120,409	600,941
Cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash, end of period	105,040	201,933
Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information
Cash paid for interest	19
Cash paid for income taxes	230	306
Supplemental disclosure of non-cash investing and financing activities
Purchases of property and equipment included in accounts payable	973	1,442
ROU Asset and Liability recognition		$ 1,980
Excise tax on treasury stock repurchases	$ 187

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Nature of Business

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2023

Nature of Business

Nature of Business

1. Nature of Business

Grand Canyon Education, Inc. (together with its subsidiaries, the “Company” or “GCE”) is a publicly traded education services company dedicated to serving colleges and universities. GCE has developed significant technological solutions, infrastructure and operational processes to provide services to these institutions on a large scale. GCE’s most significant university partner is Grand Canyon University (“GCU”), an Arizona non-profit corporation, a comprehensive regionally accredited university that offers graduate and undergraduate degree programs, emphases and certificates across nine colleges both online, on ground at its campus in Phoenix, Arizona and at four off-campus classroom and laboratory sites.

In January 2019, GCE began providing education services to numerous university partners across the United States, through our wholly owned subsidiary, Orbis Education, which we acquired, by merger on January 22, 2019 (the “Acquisition”). Since the Acquisition, GCE, together with Orbis Education, has continued to add additional university partners. In the healthcare field, we work in partnership with a growing number of top universities and healthcare networks across the country, offering healthcare-related academic programs at off-campus classroom and laboratory sites located near healthcare providers and developing high-quality, career-ready graduates who enter the workforce ready to meet the demands of the healthcare industry. In addition, we have provided certain services to a university partner to assist them in expanding their online graduate programs. As of March 31, 2023, GCE provides education services to 27 university partners across the United States.

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Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2023

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Principles of Consolidation

The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its wholly owned subsidiaries. Intercompany transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.

Unaudited Interim Financial Information

The accompanying unaudited interim consolidated financial statements of the Company have been prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles and pursuant to the rules and regulations of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission and the instructions to Form 10-Q and Article 10, consistent in all material respects with those applied in its financial statements included in its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022. They do not include all of the information and footnotes required by U.S. generally accepted accounting principles for complete financial statements. Such interim financial information is unaudited but reflects all adjustments that in the opinion of management are necessary for the fair presentation of the interim periods presented. Interim results are not necessarily indicative of results for a full year. These consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the Company’s audited financial statements and footnotes included in its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022 from which the December 31, 2022 balance sheet information was derived.

Investments

As of March 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, the Company considered its investments in corporate bonds, agency bonds and commercial paper as available-for-sale securities based on the Company’s intent for the respective securities. Available-for-sale securities are carried at fair value, determined using Level 1 and Level 2 of the hierarchy of valuation inputs, with the use of inputs other than quoted prices that are observable for the assets, with unrealized gains and losses, net of tax, reported as a separate component of other comprehensive income. Unrealized losses considered to be other-than-temporary are recognized currently in earnings. Amortization of premiums, accretion of discounts, interest and dividend income and realized gains and losses are included in interest and other income.

Arrangements with GCU

On July 1, 2018, the Company consummated an Asset Purchase Agreement (the “Asset Purchase Agreement”) with GCU. In conjunction with the Asset Purchase Agreement, we received a secured note from GCU as consideration for the transferred assets in the initial principal amount of $870,097 (the “Secured Note”) which was repaid by GCU in the fourth quarter of 2021. In connection therewith, the Company and GCU entered into a long-term master services agreement (the “Master Services Agreement”) pursuant to which the Company provides identified technology and academic services, counseling services and support, marketing and communication services, and several back-office services to GCU in return for 60% of GCU’s tuition and fee revenue. Except for identified liabilities assumed by GCU, GCE retained responsibility for all liabilities of the business arising from pre-closing operations.

Internally Developed Software

The Company capitalizes certain costs related to internal-use software, primarily consisting of direct labor associated with creating the software. Software development projects generally include three stages: the preliminary project stage (all costs are expensed as incurred), the application development stage (certain costs are capitalized and certain costs are expensed as incurred) and the post-implementation or operation stage (all costs are expensed as incurred). Costs capitalized in the application development stage include costs of design, coding, integration, and testing of the software developed. Capitalization of costs requires judgment in determining when a project has reached the application development stage and the period over which we expect to benefit from the use of that software. Once the software is placed in service, these costs are amortized straight-line over the estimated useful life of the software, which is generally three years. These assets are a component of our property and equipment, net in our consolidated balance sheets.

Capitalized Content Development

The Company capitalizes certain costs to fulfill a contract related to the development and digital creation of content on a course-by-course basis for each university partner, many times in conjunction with faculty and subject matter experts. The Company is responsible for the conversion of instructional materials to an on-line format, including outlines, quizzes, lectures, and articles in accordance with the educational guidelines provided to us by our university partners, prior to the respective course commencing. We also capitalize the creation of learning objects which are digital assets such as online demonstrations, simulations, and case studies used to obtain learning objectives.

Costs that are capitalized include payroll and payroll-related costs for employees who are directly associated and spend time producing content and payments to faculty and subject matter experts involved in the process.  The Company starts capitalizing content costs when it begins to develop or to convert a particular course, resources have been assigned and a timeline has been set. The content asset is placed in service when all work is complete, and the curriculum could be used for instruction. Capitalized content development assets are included in other assets in our consolidated balance sheets. The Company has concluded that the most appropriate method to amortize the deferred content assets is on a straight-line basis over the estimated life of the course, which is generally four years which corresponds with course’s review and major revision cycle. As of March 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, $1,021 and $910, respectively, net of amortization, of deferred content assets are included in other assets, long-term in the Company’s consolidated balance sheets and amortization is included in technical and academic services where the costs originated.

Long-Lived Assets

The Company evaluates the recoverability of its long-lived assets for impairment, other than goodwill, whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of an asset may not be recoverable. Recoverability of assets to be held and used is measured by a comparison of the carrying amount of an asset to

undiscounted future net cash flows expected to be generated by the assets. If such assets are considered to be impaired, the impairment to be recognized is measured by the amount by which the carrying amount of the assets exceeds the fair value of the assets.

Leases

The Company determines if an arrangement is a lease at inception and evaluates the lease agreement to determine whether the lease is a finance or operating lease. Right-of-use (“ROU”) assets and lease liabilities are recognized at commencement date based on the present value of lease payments over the lease term. The Company uses its incremental borrowing rate based on the information available at the commencement to determine the present value of lease payments over the lease term. At lease inception, the Company determines the lease term by assuming no exercises of renewal options, due to the Company’s constantly changing geographical needs for its university partners. Leases with an initial term of 12 months or less are not recorded in the consolidated balance sheets and are recognized as lease expense on a straight-line basis over the lease term. The Company has lease agreements with lease and non-lease components, and the non-lease components are accounted for separately and not included in our ROU assets and lease liabilities. Leases primarily consist of off-campus classroom and laboratory site locations and office space.

Business Combinations

The purchase price of an acquisition is allocated to the assets acquired, including tangible and intangible assets, and liabilities assumed, based on their respective fair values at the acquisition date. The excess of the fair value of the purchase price over the fair values of these identifiable assets and liabilities is recorded as goodwill. Transaction costs associated with business combinations are expensed as incurred. The determination of the fair value and useful lives of the intangible assets acquired involves certain judgments and estimates. These judgements can include, but are not limited to, the cash flows that an asset is expected to generate in the future and the appropriate weighted average cost of capital. The net assets and result of operations of an acquired entity are included in the Company’s consolidated financial statements from the acquisition date.

Goodwill and Amortizable Intangible Assets

Goodwill represents the excess of the purchase price of an acquired business over the amount assigned to the tangible and intangible assets acquired and liabilities assumed. Goodwill is assessed at least annually for impairment during the fourth quarter, or more frequently if circumstances indicate potential impairment. Goodwill is allocated to our reporting unit at the education services segment, which is the same as the entity as a whole (entity level reporting unit). The Company has concluded there is one operating segment and one reporting unit for goodwill impairment consideration. The Financial Accounting Standards Board has issued guidance that permits an entity to first assess qualitative factors to determine whether it is necessary to perform the quantitative goodwill impairment test. The Company reviews goodwill at least annually or more frequently if an event occurs or circumstances change that would more likely than not reduce the fair value of the reporting unit below its carrying amount.

Finite-lived intangible assets that are acquired in a business combination are recorded at fair value on their acquisition dates and are amortized using a method that reflects the pattern in which the economic benefits of the intangible assets are consumed or on a straight-line basis over the estimated useful life of the intangible asset if the pattern of economic benefit cannot be reliability determined. Finite-lived intangible assets consist of university partner relationships and trade names. The Company reviews its finite-lived intangible assets for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of an intangible asset may not be recoverable. There were no indicators that the carrying amount of the finite-lived intangible assets were impaired as of March 31, 2023. Recoverability of assets to be held and used is measured by a comparison of the carrying amount of an asset to undiscounted future net cash flows expected to be generated by the assets. If such intangible assets are not recoverable,

a potential impairment loss is recognized to the extent the carrying amounts of the assets exceeds the fair value of the assets.

Share-Based Compensation

The Company measures and recognizes compensation expense for share-based payment awards made to employees and directors. The fair value of the Company’s restricted stock awards is based on the market price of its common stock on the date of grant. Stock-based compensation expense related to restricted stock grants is expensed over the vesting period using the straight-line method for Company employees and the Company’s board of directors. The Company recognizes forfeitures as they occur.

Fair Value of Financial Instruments

The carrying value of cash and cash equivalents, accounts receivable, accounts payable, accrued compensation and benefits and accrued liabilities expenses approximate their fair value based on the liquidity or the short-term maturities of these instruments.

The fair value of investments was determined using Level 1 and Level 2 of the hierarchy of valuation inputs, with the use of inputs other than quoted prices that are observable for the assets. The unit of account used for valuation is the individual underlying security. The basis for fair value measurements for each level is described below, with Level 1 having the highest priority.

-Level 1 – inputs are quoted prices (unadjusted) in active markets for identical assets or liabilities.

-Level 2 – inputs are quoted prices for similar instruments in active markets; quoted prices for identical or similar instruments in non-active markets; and model-derived valuations whose inputs are observable or whose significant valuation drivers are observable.

-Level 3 – unobservable inputs that are not corroborated by market data.

Investments are comprised of corporate bonds, commercial paper and agency bonds.

Revenue Recognition

The Company generates all of its revenue through services agreements with its university partners (“Services Agreements”), pursuant to which the Company provides integrated technology and academic services, marketing and communication services, and back-office services to its university partners in return for a percentage of tuition and fee revenue.

The Company’s Services Agreements have initial terms ranging from 7-15 years, subject to renewal options, although certain agreements may give the university partners the right to terminate early if certain conditions are met. The Company’s Services Agreements have a single performance obligation, as the promises to provide the identified services are not distinct within the context of these agreements. The single performance obligation is delivered as our partners receive and consume benefits, which occurs ratably over a series of distinct service periods (daily or semester). Service revenue is recognized over time using the output method of measuring progress towards complete satisfaction of the single performance obligation. The output method provides a faithful depiction of the performance toward complete satisfaction of the performance obligation and can be tied to the time elapsed which is consumed evenly over the service period and is a direct measurement of the value provided to our partners. The service fees received from our partners over the term of the agreement are variable in nature in that they are dependent upon the number of students attending the university partner’s program and revenues generated from those students during the service period. Due to the

variable nature of the consideration over the life of the service arrangement, the Company considered forming an expectation of the variable consideration to be received over the service life of this one performance obligation. However, since the performance obligation represents a series of distinct services, the Company recognizes the variable consideration that becomes known and billable because these fees relate to the distinct service period in which the fees are earned. The Company meets the criteria in the standard and exercises the practical expedient to not disclose the aggregate amount of the transaction price allocated to the single performance obligation that is unsatisfied as of the end of the reporting period. The Company does not disclose the value of unsatisfied performance obligations because the directly allocable variable consideration is allocated entirely to a wholly unsatisfied promise to transfer a service that forms part of a single performance obligation. The service fees are calculated and settled per the terms of the Services Agreements and result in a settlement duration of less than one year for all partners. There are no refunds or return rights under the Services Agreements.

The Company’s receivables represent unconditional rights to consideration from our Services Agreements with our university partners. Accounts receivable, net is stated at net realizable value and contains billed and unbilled revenue. The Company utilizes the allowance method to provide for doubtful accounts based on its evaluation of the expected credit losses. There have been no amounts written off and no reserves established as of March 31, 2023. The Company will continue to review and revise its allowance methodology based on its collection experience with its partners.

For our partners with unbilled revenue, revenue recognition occurs in advance of billings. Billings for some university partners do not occur until after the service period has commenced and final enrollment information is available. Our unbilled revenue of $4,076 and $5,560 as of March 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, respectively, are included in accounts receivable in our consolidated balance sheets. Deferred revenue represents the excess of amounts received as compared to amounts recognized in revenue on our consolidated statements of income as of the end of the reporting period, and such amounts are reflected as a current liability on our consolidated balance sheets. We generally receive payments for our services billed within 30 days of invoice. These payments are recorded as deferred revenue until the services are delivered and revenue is recognized.

Allowance for Credit Losses

The Company records its accounts receivable at the net amount expected to be collected. Our accounts receivable are derived through education services provided to university partners. The Company maintains an allowance for credit losses resulting from our university partners not making payments. The Company determines the adequacy of the allowance by periodically evaluating each university partners balance, considering their financial condition and credit history, and considering current and forecasted economic conditions. Bad debt expense is recorded as a technology and academic services expense in the consolidated income statements. The Company monitors the impact of other factors on expected credit losses.

Technology and Academic Services

Technology and academic services consist primarily of costs related to ongoing maintenance of educational infrastructure, including online course delivery and management, student records, assessment, customer relations management and other internal administrative systems. This also includes costs to provide support for content development, faculty training, development and other faculty support, technology support, rent and occupancy costs for university partners’ off-campus classroom and laboratory sites, and assistance with state compliance. This expense category includes salaries, benefits and share-based compensation, information technology costs, amortization of content development costs and other costs associated with these support services. This category also includes an allocation of depreciation, amortization, and occupancy costs attributable to the provision of certain services, primarily at the Company’s Phoenix, Arizona and Indianapolis, Indiana locations.

Counseling Services and Support

Counseling services and support consist primarily of costs including team-based counseling and other support to prospective and current students as well as financial aid processing. This expense category includes salaries, benefits and share-based compensation, and other costs such as dues, fees and subscriptions and travel costs. This category also includes an allocation of depreciation, amortization, lease expense, and occupancy costs attributable to the provision of certain services, primarily at the Company’s Phoenix, Arizona and Indianapolis, Indiana locations.

Marketing and Communication

Marketing and communication includes lead acquisition, digital communication strategies, brand identity advertising, media planning and strategy, video, data science and analysis, marketing to potential students and other promotional and communication services. This expense category includes salaries, benefits and share-based compensation for marketing and communication personnel, brand advertising, marketing leads and other promotional and communication expenses. This category also includes an allocation of depreciation, amortization, lease expense, and occupancy costs attributable to the provision of certain services, primarily at the Company’s Phoenix, Arizona and Indianapolis, Indiana locations. Advertising costs are expensed as incurred.

General and Administrative

General and administrative expenses include salaries, benefits and share-based compensation of employees engaged in corporate management, finance, human resources, compliance, and other corporate functions. This category also includes an allocation of depreciation, amortization, lease expense, and occupancy costs attributable to the provision of these services, primarily at the Company’s Phoenix, Arizona and Indianapolis, Indiana locations.

Commitments and Contingencies

The Company accrues for contingent obligations when it is probable that a liability has been incurred and the amount is reasonably estimable. When the Company becomes aware of a claim or potential claim, the likelihood of any loss exposure is assessed. If it is probable that a loss will result and the amount of the loss is estimable, the Company records a liability for the estimated loss. If the loss is not probable or the amount of the potential loss is not estimable, the Company will disclose the claim if the likelihood of a potential loss is reasonably possible and the amount of the potential loss could be material. Estimates that are particularly sensitive to future changes include tax, legal, and other regulatory matters, which are subject to change as events evolve, and as additional information becomes available during the administrative and litigation process. The Company expenses legal fees as incurred.

Concentration of Credit Risk

The Company believes the credit risk related to cash equivalents and investments is limited due to its adherence to an investment policy that requires investments to have a minimum BBB rating, depending on the type of security, by at least one major rating agency at the time of purchase. All of the Company’s cash equivalents and investments as of March 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022 consist of investments rated BBB or higher by at least one rating agency. Additionally, the Company utilizes at least one financial institution to conduct initial and ongoing credit analysis on its investment portfolio to monitor and lower the potential impact of market risk associated with its cash equivalents and investment portfolio. Financial instruments that potentially subject the Company to concentration of credit risk consist principally of cash balances, which are primarily invested in money market funds or on deposit at high credit quality financial institutions in the U.S. Accounts at each institution are insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) up to $250,000. At March 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, the Company had $104,496 and $119,639, respectively, in excess of the FDIC insured limit. The Company is also subject to credit risk for its accounts receivable balance. Our dependence on our most significant university partner, with 88.5% and 87.6% of total service revenue for

the three-month periods ended March 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively, subjects us to the risk that declines in our customer’s operations would result in a sustained reduction in service revenue for the Company.

Use of Estimates

The preparation of consolidated financial statements in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts in the consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Segment Information

The Company operates as a single education services company using a core infrastructure that serves the curriculum and educational delivery needs of its university partners. The Company’s Chief Executive Officer manages the Company’s operations as a whole and no expense or operating income information is generated or evaluated on any component level.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

The Company has determined that no other recent accounting pronouncements apply to its operations or could otherwise have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements.

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Investments

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2023

Investments

Investments

3. Investments

As of March 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, the Company had investments of $89,483 and $61,295, respectively, classified as available-for-sale securities.

As of March 31, 2023, the Company had available-for-sale investments comprised of the following:

	As of March 31, 2023
			Gross		Gross
	Adjusted		Unrealized		Unrealized		Estimated
	Cost		Gains		(Losses)		Fair Value
Corporate bonds	$	71,007	$	82	$	(583)	$	70,506
Agency bonds		19,020		-		(43)		18,977
Total investments	$	90,027	$	82	$	(626)	$	89,483

For the three months ended March 31, 2023 and 2022, the net unrealized gains (losses) were $119 and $323, respectively, net of taxes. Available-for-sale debt securities are carried at fair value on the consolidated balance sheets. The Company estimates the lifetime expected credit losses for all available-for sale debt securities in an unrealized loss position. If our assessment indicates that an expected credit loss exists, we determine the portion of the unrealized loss attributable to credit deterioration and record a reserve for the expected credit loss in the allowance for credit losses in technology and academic services in our consolidated income statements. The Company has the ability and intent to hold these investments until recovery.

Available-for-sale securities maturing as of December 31:
2023	$	35,526
2024		40,411
2025		13,546
Total	$	89,483

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Net Income Per Common Share

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2023

Net Income Per Common Share

Net Income Per Common Share

4. Net Income Per Common Share

Basic earnings per common share is calculated by dividing net income available to common stockholders by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding for the period. Diluted earnings per common share reflects the assumed conversion of all potentially dilutive securities, consisting of restricted stock awards, for which the estimated fair value exceeds the exercise price, less shares which could have been purchased with the related proceeds, unless anti-dilutive. For employee equity awards, repurchased shares are also included for any unearned compensation adjusted for tax. The table below reflects the calculation of the weighted average number of common shares outstanding, on an as if converted basis, used in computing basic and diluted earnings per common share.

	Three Months Ended
	March 31,
	2023	2022
Denominator:
Basic weighted average shares outstanding	30,461	34,806
Effect of dilutive stock options and restricted stock	177	95
Diluted weighted average shares outstanding	30,638	34,901

Diluted weighted average shares outstanding excludes the incremental effect of unvested restricted stock in accordance with the treasury stock method. For the three-month periods ended March 31, 2023 and 2022, approximately 100 and 206, respectively, of the Company’s restricted stock awards outstanding were excluded from the calculation of diluted earnings per share as their inclusion would have been anti-dilutive. These restricted stock awards could be dilutive in the future.

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Property and Equipment

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2023

Property and Equipment

Property and Equipment

5. Property and Equipment

Property and equipment consist of the following:

	March 31,		December 31,
	2023		2022
Land	$	5,098	$	5,098
Land improvements		2,242		2,242
Buildings		51,399		51,399
Buildings and leasehold improvements		22,839		21,911
Computer equipment		119,938		119,316
Furniture, fixtures and equipment		21,781		21,323
Internally developed software		58,855		58,904
Construction in progress		21,945		16,336
		304,097		296,529
Less accumulated depreciation and amortization		(153,706)		(149,025)
Property and equipment, net	$	150,391	$	147,504

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Amortizable Intangible Assets

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2023

Amortizable Intangible Assets

Amortizable Intangible Assets

6. Amortizable Intangible Assets

In January 2019, GCE completed the Acquisition. The Acquisition was accounted for in accordance with the acquisition method of accounting. Under this method the cost of the target is allocated to the identifiable assets acquired and liabilities assumed based on their estimated fair values at the date of acquisition. Identified intangible assets of

$210,280 consisted primarily of university partner relationships that were valued at $210,000. The fair value of university partner relationships was determined using the multiple-period excess earnings method.

Amortizable intangible assets consist of the following as of:

	March 31, 2023
	Estimated	Gross				Net
	Average Useful	Carrying		Accumulated		Carrying
	Life (in years)	Amount		Amortization		Amount
University partner relationships	25	$	210,000	$	(35,305)	$	174,695
Trade names	1		280		(280)		—
Total amortizable intangible assets, net		$	210,280	$	(35,585)	$	174,695

Amortization expense for university partner relationships and trade names for the years ending December 31:

2023	$	6,314
2024		8,419
2025		8,419
2026		8,419
2027		8,419
Thereafter		134,705
	$	174,695

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Leases

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2023

Leases

Leases

7. Leases

The Company has operating leases for off-campus classroom and laboratory sites, office space, office equipment, and optical fiber communication lines. These leases have remaining lease terms that range from six months to 10 years and five months. At lease inception, we determine the lease term by assuming no exercises of renewal options due to the Company’s constantly changing geographical needs for its university partners. Leases with an initial term of 12 months or less are not recorded in the consolidated balance sheets and we recognize lease expense for these leases on a straight-line basis over the lease term. The Company had operating lease costs of $3,018 and $2,396 for the three-month periods ended March 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively.

As of March 31, 2023, the Company had $34,106 of non-cancelable operating lease commitments for six off-campus classroom and laboratory sites and $192 for optical fiber communication lines that had not yet commenced. The Company’s weighted-average remaining lease term relating to its operating leases is 7.85 years, with a weighted-average discount rate of 3.35%. As of March 31, 2023, the Company had no financing leases.

Future payment obligations with respect to the Company’s operating leases, which were existing at March 31, 2023, by year and in the aggregate, are as follows:

Year Ending December 31,	Amount
2023	$	8,244
2024		11,143
2025		10,867
2026		10,805
2027		10,193
Thereafter		35,104
Total lease payments	$	86,356
Less interest		10,895
Present value of lease liabilities	$	75,461

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Commitments and Contingencies

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2023

Commitments and Contingencies

Commitments and Contingencies

8. Commitments and Contingencies

Legal Matters

From time to time, the Company is a party to various lawsuits, claims, and other legal proceedings that arise in the ordinary course of business, some of which are covered by insurance. When the Company is aware of a claim or potential claim, it assesses the likelihood of any loss or exposure. If it is probable that a loss will result and the amount of the loss can be reasonably estimated, the Company records a liability for the loss. If the loss is not probable or the amount of the loss cannot be reasonably estimated, the Company discloses the nature of the specific claim if the likelihood of a potential loss is reasonably possible, and the amount involved could be material. With respect to the majority of pending litigation matters, the Company’s ultimate legal and financial responsibility, if any, cannot be estimated with certainty and, in most cases, any potential losses related to those matters are not considered probable.

Upon resolution of any pending legal matters, the Company may incur charges in excess of presently established reserves. Management does not believe that any such charges would, individually or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the Company’s financial condition, results of operations or cash flows.

Litigation

On May 12, 2020, a securities class action complaint was filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware by the City of Hialeah Employees’ Retirement System naming the Company, Brian E. Mueller and Daniel E. Bachus as defendants for allegedly making false and materially misleading statements regarding the circumstances surrounding the Company’s sale of Grand Canyon University (the “University”) to a non-profit entity on July 1, 2018 and the subsequent decision of the U.S. Department of Education to continue to treat the University as a for-profit institution for education regulatory purposes (collectively, the “Conversion”). The complaint asserted a putative class period stemming from January 5, 2018, the date when the Company announced that it had applied to the University’s accreditor for approval of the Conversion, to January 27, 2020, the date prior to the publication of a short-seller report focused on the Conversion. A substantially similar complaint was filed in the same court by Grant Walsh on June 12, 2020 making similar allegations against the Company, Mr. Mueller and Mr. Bachus. Both complaints alleged violations of Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and Rule 10b-5 promulgated thereunder and sought unspecified monetary relief, interest, and attorneys’ fees.

On August 13, 2020, the two cases were consolidated and the Fire and Police Association of Colorado, the Oakland County Employees’ Retirement System and the Oakland County Voluntary Employees’ Beneficiary Association Trust were appointed as lead plaintiffs. Thereafter, the plaintiffs filed a consolidated amended complaint on October 20, 2020 and the Company filed a motion to dismiss on December 21, 2020. On August 23, 2021, the Court

granted the Company’s motion to dismiss in its entirety but permitted plaintiffs to file a further amended complaint to correct deficiencies in the initial complaint. The plaintiffs filed further amended complaints on September 28, 2021 and January 21, 2022, and the Company filed a further motion to dismiss on March 15, 2022. On March 28, 2023, the Company’s motion to dismiss was denied.

The Company believes that plaintiffs’ claims are without merit and it intends to defend itself in this legal proceeding vigorously. The outcome of this legal proceeding is uncertain at this point. At present, the Company cannot reasonably estimate a range of loss for this action based on the information available to the Company. Accordingly, the Company has not accrued any liability associated with this action.

Other Matters

In May 2022, we received a civil investigative demand (“CID”) from the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) related to the marketing services that we provide on behalf of GCU, and related activities. The CID requests the production of documents and answers to written questions. In January 2023, we received a further CID from the FTC requesting testimony on the same topic. We are cooperating with the FTC in connection with each of these CIDs.

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Share-Based Compensation Plans

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2023

Share-Based Compensation Plans

Share-Based Compensation Plans

9. Share-Based Compensation

Incentive Plan

The Company makes equity incentive grants pursuant to our 2017 Equity Incentive Plan (the “2017 Plan”) under which a maximum of 3,000 shares may be granted. As of March 31, 2023, 1,085 shares were available for grants under the 2017 Plan.

Restricted Stock

During the three months ended March 31, 2023, the Company granted 136 shares of common stock with a service vesting condition to certain of its executives, officers and employees. The restricted shares have voting rights and vest in five annual installments of 20%, with the first installment vesting in March of the calendar year following the date of grant (the “first vesting date”) and subsequent installments vesting on each of the four anniversaries of the first vesting date. Upon vesting, shares will be withheld in lieu of taxes equivalent to the minimum statutory tax withholding required to be paid when the restricted stock vests. During the three months ended March 31, 2023, the Company withheld 56 shares of common stock in lieu of taxes at a cost of $6,331 on the restricted stock vesting dates.

A summary of the activity related to restricted stock granted under the Company’s Incentive Plan since December 31, 2022 is as follows:

		Weighted Average
	Total	Grant Date
	Shares	Fair Value per Share
Outstanding as of December 31, 2022	476	$	85.32
Granted	136	$	112.90
Vested	(142)	$	86.85
Forfeited, canceled or expired	(5)	$	84.30
Outstanding as of March 31, 2023	465	$	92.94

Share-based Compensation Expense

The table below outlines share-based compensation expense for the three months ended March 31, 2023 and 2022 related to restricted stock granted:

	2023		2022
Technology and academic services	$	678	$	594
Counseling services and support		1,743		1,583
Marketing and communication		48		35
General and administrative		900		978
Share-based compensation expense included in operating expenses		3,369		3,190
Tax effect of share-based compensation		(842)		(798)
Share-based compensation expense, net of tax	$	2,527	$	2,392

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Treasury Stock

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2023

Equity Transactions

Treasury Stock

10. Treasury Stock

Our Board of Directors has authorized under its existing stock repurchase program, an aggregate authorization for share repurchases since the initiation of our program of $1,845,000. The expiration date on the repurchase authorization is December 31, 2023. Repurchases occur at the Company’s discretion. Repurchases may be made in the open market or in privately negotiated transactions, pursuant to the applicable Securities and Exchange Commission rules. The amount and timing of future share repurchases, if any, will be made as market and business conditions warrant.

During the three months ended March 31, 2023 the Company repurchased 310 shares of common stock, at an aggregate cost of $34,903. As of March 31, 2023, there remained $160,944 available under its current share repurchase authorization. Shares repurchased in lieu of taxes are not included in the repurchase plan totals as they were approved in conjunction with the restricted share awards. Excise taxes of $187 are not included in the repurchase plan totals but are included in the total cost of net share repurchases in the consolidated statement of stockholders’ equity.

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Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2023

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Principles of Consolidation

Principles of Consolidation

The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its wholly owned subsidiaries. Intercompany transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.

Unaudited Interim Financial Information

Unaudited Interim Financial Information

The accompanying unaudited interim consolidated financial statements of the Company have been prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles and pursuant to the rules and regulations of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission and the instructions to Form 10-Q and Article 10, consistent in all material respects with those applied in its financial statements included in its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022. They do not include all of the information and footnotes required by U.S. generally accepted accounting principles for complete financial statements. Such interim financial information is unaudited but reflects all adjustments that in the opinion of management are necessary for the fair presentation of the interim periods presented. Interim results are not necessarily indicative of results for a full year. These consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the Company’s audited financial statements and footnotes included in its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022 from which the December 31, 2022 balance sheet information was derived.

Investments

Investments

As of March 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, the Company considered its investments in corporate bonds, agency bonds and commercial paper as available-for-sale securities based on the Company’s intent for the respective securities. Available-for-sale securities are carried at fair value, determined using Level 1 and Level 2 of the hierarchy of valuation inputs, with the use of inputs other than quoted prices that are observable for the assets, with unrealized gains and losses, net of tax, reported as a separate component of other comprehensive income. Unrealized losses considered to be other-than-temporary are recognized currently in earnings. Amortization of premiums, accretion of discounts, interest and dividend income and realized gains and losses are included in interest and other income.

Arrangements with GCU

Arrangements with GCU

On July 1, 2018, the Company consummated an Asset Purchase Agreement (the “Asset Purchase Agreement”) with GCU. In conjunction with the Asset Purchase Agreement, we received a secured note from GCU as consideration for the transferred assets in the initial principal amount of $870,097 (the “Secured Note”) which was repaid by GCU in the fourth quarter of 2021. In connection therewith, the Company and GCU entered into a long-term master services agreement (the “Master Services Agreement”) pursuant to which the Company provides identified technology and academic services, counseling services and support, marketing and communication services, and several back-office services to GCU in return for 60% of GCU’s tuition and fee revenue. Except for identified liabilities assumed by GCU, GCE retained responsibility for all liabilities of the business arising from pre-closing operations.

Internally Developed Software

Internally Developed Software

The Company capitalizes certain costs related to internal-use software, primarily consisting of direct labor associated with creating the software. Software development projects generally include three stages: the preliminary project stage (all costs are expensed as incurred), the application development stage (certain costs are capitalized and certain costs are expensed as incurred) and the post-implementation or operation stage (all costs are expensed as incurred). Costs capitalized in the application development stage include costs of design, coding, integration, and testing of the software developed. Capitalization of costs requires judgment in determining when a project has reached the application development stage and the period over which we expect to benefit from the use of that software. Once the software is placed in service, these costs are amortized straight-line over the estimated useful life of the software, which is generally three years. These assets are a component of our property and equipment, net in our consolidated balance sheets.

Capitalized Content Development

Capitalized Content Development

The Company capitalizes certain costs to fulfill a contract related to the development and digital creation of content on a course-by-course basis for each university partner, many times in conjunction with faculty and subject matter experts. The Company is responsible for the conversion of instructional materials to an on-line format, including outlines, quizzes, lectures, and articles in accordance with the educational guidelines provided to us by our university partners, prior to the respective course commencing. We also capitalize the creation of learning objects which are digital assets such as online demonstrations, simulations, and case studies used to obtain learning objectives.

Costs that are capitalized include payroll and payroll-related costs for employees who are directly associated and spend time producing content and payments to faculty and subject matter experts involved in the process.  The Company starts capitalizing content costs when it begins to develop or to convert a particular course, resources have been assigned and a timeline has been set. The content asset is placed in service when all work is complete, and the curriculum could be used for instruction. Capitalized content development assets are included in other assets in our consolidated balance sheets. The Company has concluded that the most appropriate method to amortize the deferred content assets is on a straight-line basis over the estimated life of the course, which is generally four years which corresponds with course’s review and major revision cycle. As of March 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, $1,021 and $910, respectively, net of amortization, of deferred content assets are included in other assets, long-term in the Company’s consolidated balance sheets and amortization is included in technical and academic services where the costs originated.

Long-Lived Assets

Long-Lived Assets

The Company evaluates the recoverability of its long-lived assets for impairment, other than goodwill, whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of an asset may not be recoverable. Recoverability of assets to be held and used is measured by a comparison of the carrying amount of an asset to

undiscounted future net cash flows expected to be generated by the assets. If such assets are considered to be impaired, the impairment to be recognized is measured by the amount by which the carrying amount of the assets exceeds the fair value of the assets.

Leases

Leases

The Company determines if an arrangement is a lease at inception and evaluates the lease agreement to determine whether the lease is a finance or operating lease. Right-of-use (“ROU”) assets and lease liabilities are recognized at commencement date based on the present value of lease payments over the lease term. The Company uses its incremental borrowing rate based on the information available at the commencement to determine the present value of lease payments over the lease term. At lease inception, the Company determines the lease term by assuming no exercises of renewal options, due to the Company’s constantly changing geographical needs for its university partners. Leases with an initial term of 12 months or less are not recorded in the consolidated balance sheets and are recognized as lease expense on a straight-line basis over the lease term. The Company has lease agreements with lease and non-lease components, and the non-lease components are accounted for separately and not included in our ROU assets and lease liabilities. Leases primarily consist of off-campus classroom and laboratory site locations and office space.

Business Combinations

Business Combinations

The purchase price of an acquisition is allocated to the assets acquired, including tangible and intangible assets, and liabilities assumed, based on their respective fair values at the acquisition date. The excess of the fair value of the purchase price over the fair values of these identifiable assets and liabilities is recorded as goodwill. Transaction costs associated with business combinations are expensed as incurred. The determination of the fair value and useful lives of the intangible assets acquired involves certain judgments and estimates. These judgements can include, but are not limited to, the cash flows that an asset is expected to generate in the future and the appropriate weighted average cost of capital. The net assets and result of operations of an acquired entity are included in the Company’s consolidated financial statements from the acquisition date.

Goodwill and Amortizable Intangible Assets

Goodwill and Amortizable Intangible Assets

Goodwill represents the excess of the purchase price of an acquired business over the amount assigned to the tangible and intangible assets acquired and liabilities assumed. Goodwill is assessed at least annually for impairment during the fourth quarter, or more frequently if circumstances indicate potential impairment. Goodwill is allocated to our reporting unit at the education services segment, which is the same as the entity as a whole (entity level reporting unit). The Company has concluded there is one operating segment and one reporting unit for goodwill impairment consideration. The Financial Accounting Standards Board has issued guidance that permits an entity to first assess qualitative factors to determine whether it is necessary to perform the quantitative goodwill impairment test. The Company reviews goodwill at least annually or more frequently if an event occurs or circumstances change that would more likely than not reduce the fair value of the reporting unit below its carrying amount.

Finite-lived intangible assets that are acquired in a business combination are recorded at fair value on their acquisition dates and are amortized using a method that reflects the pattern in which the economic benefits of the intangible assets are consumed or on a straight-line basis over the estimated useful life of the intangible asset if the pattern of economic benefit cannot be reliability determined. Finite-lived intangible assets consist of university partner relationships and trade names. The Company reviews its finite-lived intangible assets for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of an intangible asset may not be recoverable. There were no indicators that the carrying amount of the finite-lived intangible assets were impaired as of March 31, 2023. Recoverability of assets to be held and used is measured by a comparison of the carrying amount of an asset to undiscounted future net cash flows expected to be generated by the assets. If such intangible assets are not recoverable,

a potential impairment loss is recognized to the extent the carrying amounts of the assets exceeds the fair value of the assets.

Share-Based Compensation

The Company measures and recognizes compensation expense for share-based payment awards made to employees and directors. The fair value of the Company’s restricted stock awards is based on the market price of its common stock on the date of grant. Stock-based compensation expense related to restricted stock grants is expensed over the vesting period using the straight-line method for Company employees and the Company’s board of directors. The Company recognizes forfeitures as they occur.

Fair Value of Financial Instruments

Fair Value of Financial Instruments

The carrying value of cash and cash equivalents, accounts receivable, accounts payable, accrued compensation and benefits and accrued liabilities expenses approximate their fair value based on the liquidity or the short-term maturities of these instruments.

The fair value of investments was determined using Level 1 and Level 2 of the hierarchy of valuation inputs, with the use of inputs other than quoted prices that are observable for the assets. The unit of account used for valuation is the individual underlying security. The basis for fair value measurements for each level is described below, with Level 1 having the highest priority.

-Level 1 – inputs are quoted prices (unadjusted) in active markets for identical assets or liabilities.

-Level 2 – inputs are quoted prices for similar instruments in active markets; quoted prices for identical or similar instruments in non-active markets; and model-derived valuations whose inputs are observable or whose significant valuation drivers are observable.

-Level 3 – unobservable inputs that are not corroborated by market data.

Investments are comprised of corporate bonds, commercial paper and agency bonds.

Revenue Recognition

Revenue Recognition

The Company generates all of its revenue through services agreements with its university partners (“Services Agreements”), pursuant to which the Company provides integrated technology and academic services, marketing and communication services, and back-office services to its university partners in return for a percentage of tuition and fee revenue.

The Company’s Services Agreements have initial terms ranging from 7-15 years, subject to renewal options, although certain agreements may give the university partners the right to terminate early if certain conditions are met. The Company’s Services Agreements have a single performance obligation, as the promises to provide the identified services are not distinct within the context of these agreements. The single performance obligation is delivered as our partners receive and consume benefits, which occurs ratably over a series of distinct service periods (daily or semester). Service revenue is recognized over time using the output method of measuring progress towards complete satisfaction of the single performance obligation. The output method provides a faithful depiction of the performance toward complete satisfaction of the performance obligation and can be tied to the time elapsed which is consumed evenly over the service period and is a direct measurement of the value provided to our partners. The service fees received from our partners over the term of the agreement are variable in nature in that they are dependent upon the number of students attending the university partner’s program and revenues generated from those students during the service period. Due to the

variable nature of the consideration over the life of the service arrangement, the Company considered forming an expectation of the variable consideration to be received over the service life of this one performance obligation. However, since the performance obligation represents a series of distinct services, the Company recognizes the variable consideration that becomes known and billable because these fees relate to the distinct service period in which the fees are earned. The Company meets the criteria in the standard and exercises the practical expedient to not disclose the aggregate amount of the transaction price allocated to the single performance obligation that is unsatisfied as of the end of the reporting period. The Company does not disclose the value of unsatisfied performance obligations because the directly allocable variable consideration is allocated entirely to a wholly unsatisfied promise to transfer a service that forms part of a single performance obligation. The service fees are calculated and settled per the terms of the Services Agreements and result in a settlement duration of less than one year for all partners. There are no refunds or return rights under the Services Agreements.

The Company’s receivables represent unconditional rights to consideration from our Services Agreements with our university partners. Accounts receivable, net is stated at net realizable value and contains billed and unbilled revenue. The Company utilizes the allowance method to provide for doubtful accounts based on its evaluation of the expected credit losses. There have been no amounts written off and no reserves established as of March 31, 2023. The Company will continue to review and revise its allowance methodology based on its collection experience with its partners.

For our partners with unbilled revenue, revenue recognition occurs in advance of billings. Billings for some university partners do not occur until after the service period has commenced and final enrollment information is available. Our unbilled revenue of $4,076 and $5,560 as of March 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, respectively, are included in accounts receivable in our consolidated balance sheets. Deferred revenue represents the excess of amounts received as compared to amounts recognized in revenue on our consolidated statements of income as of the end of the reporting period, and such amounts are reflected as a current liability on our consolidated balance sheets. We generally receive payments for our services billed within 30 days of invoice. These payments are recorded as deferred revenue until the services are delivered and revenue is recognized.

Allowance for Credit Losses

Allowance for Credit Losses

The Company records its accounts receivable at the net amount expected to be collected. Our accounts receivable are derived through education services provided to university partners. The Company maintains an allowance for credit losses resulting from our university partners not making payments. The Company determines the adequacy of the allowance by periodically evaluating each university partners balance, considering their financial condition and credit history, and considering current and forecasted economic conditions. Bad debt expense is recorded as a technology and academic services expense in the consolidated income statements. The Company monitors the impact of other factors on expected credit losses.

Technology and Academic Services

Technology and Academic Services

Technology and academic services consist primarily of costs related to ongoing maintenance of educational infrastructure, including online course delivery and management, student records, assessment, customer relations management and other internal administrative systems. This also includes costs to provide support for content development, faculty training, development and other faculty support, technology support, rent and occupancy costs for university partners’ off-campus classroom and laboratory sites, and assistance with state compliance. This expense category includes salaries, benefits and share-based compensation, information technology costs, amortization of content development costs and other costs associated with these support services. This category also includes an allocation of depreciation, amortization, and occupancy costs attributable to the provision of certain services, primarily at the Company’s Phoenix, Arizona and Indianapolis, Indiana locations.

Counseling Services and Support

Counseling Services and Support

Counseling services and support consist primarily of costs including team-based counseling and other support to prospective and current students as well as financial aid processing. This expense category includes salaries, benefits and share-based compensation, and other costs such as dues, fees and subscriptions and travel costs. This category also includes an allocation of depreciation, amortization, lease expense, and occupancy costs attributable to the provision of certain services, primarily at the Company’s Phoenix, Arizona and Indianapolis, Indiana locations.

Marketing and Communication

Marketing and Communication

Marketing and communication includes lead acquisition, digital communication strategies, brand identity advertising, media planning and strategy, video, data science and analysis, marketing to potential students and other promotional and communication services. This expense category includes salaries, benefits and share-based compensation for marketing and communication personnel, brand advertising, marketing leads and other promotional and communication expenses. This category also includes an allocation of depreciation, amortization, lease expense, and occupancy costs attributable to the provision of certain services, primarily at the Company’s Phoenix, Arizona and Indianapolis, Indiana locations. Advertising costs are expensed as incurred.

General and Administrative

General and Administrative

General and administrative expenses include salaries, benefits and share-based compensation of employees engaged in corporate management, finance, human resources, compliance, and other corporate functions. This category also includes an allocation of depreciation, amortization, lease expense, and occupancy costs attributable to the provision of these services, primarily at the Company’s Phoenix, Arizona and Indianapolis, Indiana locations.

Commitments and Contingencies

Commitments and Contingencies

The Company accrues for contingent obligations when it is probable that a liability has been incurred and the amount is reasonably estimable. When the Company becomes aware of a claim or potential claim, the likelihood of any loss exposure is assessed. If it is probable that a loss will result and the amount of the loss is estimable, the Company records a liability for the estimated loss. If the loss is not probable or the amount of the potential loss is not estimable, the Company will disclose the claim if the likelihood of a potential loss is reasonably possible and the amount of the potential loss could be material. Estimates that are particularly sensitive to future changes include tax, legal, and other regulatory matters, which are subject to change as events evolve, and as additional information becomes available during the administrative and litigation process. The Company expenses legal fees as incurred.

Concentration of Credit Risk

Concentration of Credit Risk

The Company believes the credit risk related to cash equivalents and investments is limited due to its adherence to an investment policy that requires investments to have a minimum BBB rating, depending on the type of security, by at least one major rating agency at the time of purchase. All of the Company’s cash equivalents and investments as of March 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022 consist of investments rated BBB or higher by at least one rating agency. Additionally, the Company utilizes at least one financial institution to conduct initial and ongoing credit analysis on its investment portfolio to monitor and lower the potential impact of market risk associated with its cash equivalents and investment portfolio. Financial instruments that potentially subject the Company to concentration of credit risk consist principally of cash balances, which are primarily invested in money market funds or on deposit at high credit quality financial institutions in the U.S. Accounts at each institution are insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) up to $250,000. At March 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, the Company had $104,496 and $119,639, respectively, in excess of the FDIC insured limit. The Company is also subject to credit risk for its accounts receivable balance. Our dependence on our most significant university partner, with 88.5% and 87.6% of total service revenue for

the three-month periods ended March 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively, subjects us to the risk that declines in our customer’s operations would result in a sustained reduction in service revenue for the Company.

Use of Estimates

Use of Estimates

The preparation of consolidated financial statements in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts in the consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Segment Information

Segment Information

The Company operates as a single education services company using a core infrastructure that serves the curriculum and educational delivery needs of its university partners. The Company’s Chief Executive Officer manages the Company’s operations as a whole and no expense or operating income information is generated or evaluated on any component level.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

The Company has determined that no other recent accounting pronouncements apply to its operations or could otherwise have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements.

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Investments (Tables)

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2023

Investments

Schedule of reconciliation of available-for-sale investments from cost basis to fair value

	As of March 31, 2023
			Gross		Gross
	Adjusted		Unrealized		Unrealized		Estimated
	Cost		Gains		(Losses)		Fair Value
Corporate bonds	$	71,007	$	82	$	(583)	$	70,506
Agency bonds		19,020		-		(43)		18,977
Total investments	$	90,027	$	82	$	(626)	$	89,483

Schedule of available-for-sale securities maturities

Available-for-sale securities maturing as of December 31:
2023	$	35,526
2024		40,411
2025		13,546
Total	$	89,483

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Net Income Per Common Share (Tables)

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2023

Net Income Per Common Share

Schedule of weighted average number of common shares outstanding

	Three Months Ended
	March 31,
	2023	2022
Denominator:
Basic weighted average shares outstanding	30,461	34,806
Effect of dilutive stock options and restricted stock	177	95
Diluted weighted average shares outstanding	30,638	34,901

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Property and Equipment (Tables)

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2023

Property and Equipment

Schedule of property and equipment

	March 31,		December 31,
	2023		2022
Land	$	5,098	$	5,098
Land improvements		2,242		2,242
Buildings		51,399		51,399
Buildings and leasehold improvements		22,839		21,911
Computer equipment		119,938		119,316
Furniture, fixtures and equipment		21,781		21,323
Internally developed software		58,855		58,904
Construction in progress		21,945		16,336
		304,097		296,529
Less accumulated depreciation and amortization		(153,706)		(149,025)
Property and equipment, net	$	150,391	$	147,504

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Intangible Assets (Tables)

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2023

Amortizable Intangible Assets

Summary of amortizable intangible assets

	March 31, 2023
	Estimated	Gross				Net
	Average Useful	Carrying		Accumulated		Carrying
	Life (in years)	Amount		Amortization		Amount
University partner relationships	25	$	210,000	$	(35,305)	$	174,695
Trade names	1		280		(280)		—
Total amortizable intangible assets, net		$	210,280	$	(35,585)	$	174,695

Schedule of amortization expense for university partner relationships and trade names

Amortization expense for university partner relationships and trade names for the years ending December 31:

2023	$	6,314
2024		8,419
2025		8,419
2026		8,419
2027		8,419
Thereafter		134,705
	$	174,695

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Leases (Tables)

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2023

Leases

Schedule of future payment obligations with respect to operating leases

Year Ending December 31,	Amount
2023	$	8,244
2024		11,143
2025		10,867
2026		10,805
2027		10,193
Thereafter		35,104
Total lease payments	$	86,356
Less interest		10,895
Present value of lease liabilities	$	75,461

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Share-Based Compensation Plans (Tables)

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2023

Share-Based Compensation Plans

Schedule of activity related to restricted stock granted under company's incentive plan

		Weighted Average
	Total	Grant Date
	Shares	Fair Value per Share
Outstanding as of December 31, 2022	476	$	85.32
Granted	136	$	112.90
Vested	(142)	$	86.85
Forfeited, canceled or expired	(5)	$	84.30
Outstanding as of March 31, 2023	465	$	92.94

Schedule of share-based compensation expense

	2023		2022
Technology and academic services	$	678	$	594
Counseling services and support		1,743		1,583
Marketing and communication		48		35
General and administrative		900		978
Share-based compensation expense included in operating expenses		3,369		3,190
Tax effect of share-based compensation		(842)		(798)
Share-based compensation expense, net of tax	$	2,527	$	2,392

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Nature of Business (Details)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2023 item
Nature Of Operations
Number of off-campus classroom and laboratory sites	6
Number of university partners	27
Grand Canyon University [Member]
Nature Of Operations
Number of colleges operated	9
Number of off-campus classroom and laboratory sites	4

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Summary of Significant Accounting Policies - Additional Information (Details) $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended
	Jul. 01, 2018 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2023 USD ($) segment item	Mar. 31, 2022 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2022 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2021 USD ($)
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies
Investments		$ 89,483		$ 61,295
Other assets		$ 1,963		1,687
Number of operating segments | segment		1
Number of reporting units | segment		1
Number of university partners | item		27
Goodwill		$ 160,766		160,766
Unbilled revenue		4,076		5,560
Amounts written off		0
Allowance for doubtful accounts		0
Stockholders equity		659,250	$ 706,437	637,619	$ 1,045,047
Income tax expense		17,047	$ 19,592
Cash in excess of FDIC insured limits		$ 104,496		119,639
Revenue Benchmark | Customer Concentration Risk | Grand Canyon University
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies
Concentration risk percentage		88.50%	87.60%
Computer Software
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies
Estimated average useful life		3 years
Capitalized Content Development
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies
Estimated average useful life		4 years
Other assets		$ 1,021		$ 910
University partner relationships
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies
Estimated average useful life		25 years
Minimum
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies
Initial contract terms of service agreements		7 years
Maximum
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies
Initial contract terms of service agreements		15 years
Grand Canyon University
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies
Purchase price of assets	$ 870,097
Master Services Agreement | Grand Canyon University
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies
Percentage of tuition and fee revenue used for closing of purchase agreement	60.00%

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Investments (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2023	Mar. 31, 2022	Dec. 31, 2022
Investments
Investments - Available-for-sale	$ 89,483		$ 61,295
Available-for-sale investments
Adjusted Cost	90,027
Gross Unrealized Gains	82
Gross Unrealized (Losses)	(626)
Estimated Fair Value	89,483
Net unrealized gain (loss) on available-for-sale debt securities	119	$ (323)
Corporate bonds
Available-for-sale investments
Adjusted Cost	71,007
Gross Unrealized Gains	82
Gross Unrealized (Losses)	(583)
Estimated Fair Value	70,506
Agency bonds
Available-for-sale investments
Adjusted Cost	19,020
Gross Unrealized (Losses)	(43)
Estimated Fair Value	$ 18,977

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Investments - Maturities of Available-for-sale Investments (Details) $ in Thousands	Mar. 31, 2023 USD ($)
Investments
2023	$ 35,526
2024	40,411
2025	13,546
Total	$ 89,483

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Net Income Per Common Share - Summary of Weighted Average Number of Common Shares Outstanding (Details) - shares shares in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2023	Mar. 31, 2022
Denominator:
Basic weighted average shares outstanding	30,461	34,806
Effect of dilutive stock options and restricted stock	177	95
Diluted weighted average shares outstanding	30,638	34,901

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Net Income Per Common Share - Additional Information (Details) - shares shares in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2023	Mar. 31, 2022
Restricted Stock Grants
Antidilutive securities excluded from computation of earnings per share
Stock awards outstanding excluded from the calculation of diluted earnings	100	206

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Property and Equipment (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Mar. 31, 2023	Dec. 31, 2022
Property and Equipment
Property and equipment	$ 304,097	$ 296,529
Less accumulated depreciation and amortization	(153,706)	(149,025)
Property and equipment, net	150,391	147,504
Land
Property and Equipment
Property and equipment	5,098	5,098
Land Improvements
Property and Equipment
Property and equipment	2,242	2,242
Buildings
Property and Equipment
Property and equipment	51,399	51,399
Buildings and Leasehold Improvements
Property and Equipment
Property and equipment	22,839	21,911
Computer Equipment
Property and Equipment
Property and equipment	119,938	119,316
Furniture, Fixtures and Equipment
Property and Equipment
Property and equipment	21,781	21,323
Internally Developed Software
Property and Equipment
Property and equipment	58,855	58,904
Construction in Progress
Property and Equipment
Property and equipment	$ 21,945	$ 16,336

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Amortizable Intangible Assets - Net Intangible Assets (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2023	Jan. 31, 2019
Intangible Assets
Gross Carrying Amount	$ 210,280
Accumulated Amortization	(35,585)
Net Carrying Amount	$ 174,695
Orbis Education
Intangible Assets
Intangible assets		$ 210,280
University partner relationships
Intangible Assets
Estimated average useful life	25 years
Gross Carrying Amount	$ 210,000
Accumulated Amortization	(35,305)
Net Carrying Amount	$ 174,695
University partner relationships | Orbis Education
Intangible Assets
Intangible assets		$ 210,000
Trade names
Intangible Assets
Estimated average useful life	1 year
Gross Carrying Amount	$ 280
Accumulated Amortization	$ (280)

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Amortizable Intangible Assets - Amortization Expense for Developed Curricula and Student Relationships (Details) $ in Thousands	Mar. 31, 2023 USD ($)
Amortization expense
2023	$ 6,314
2024	8,419
2025	8,419
2026	8,419
2027	8,419
Thereafter	134,705
Net Carrying Amount	$ 174,695

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Leases (Details) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2023 USD ($) lease item	Mar. 31, 2022 USD ($)
Leases
Lessee, Operating Lease, Existence of Option to Extend [true false]	false
Operating lease costs	$ 3,018	$ 2,396
Non-cancelable operating lease commitments not yet commenced	$ 34,106
Number of off-campus classroom and laboratory sites | item	6
Optical fiber communication lines not yet commenced	$ 192
Weighted-average remaining lease term	7 years 10 months 6 days
Weighted-average discount rate of operating leases	3.35%
Number of financing leases | lease	0
Minimum
Leases
Term of operating leases	6 months
Maximum
Leases
Term of operating leases	10 years 5 months

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Leases - Future Payment Obligations (Details) $ in Thousands	Mar. 31, 2023 USD ($)
Leases
2023	$ 8,244
2024	11,143
2025	10,867
2026	10,805
2027	10,193
Thereafter	35,104
Total lease payments	86,356
Less interest	10,895
Present value of lease liabilities	$ 75,461

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Share-Based Compensation Plans - Additional Information (Details) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2023 USD ($) item shares
2017 Plan
Share-based Compensation Plans
Shares available for grant	1,085
Maximum | 2017 Plan
Share-based Compensation Plans
Shares available for grant	3,000
Restricted Stock Grants
Share-based Compensation Plans
Shares granted	136
Shares withheld for taxes	56
Common stock in lieu of taxes | $	$ 6,331
Restricted Stock Grants | 2008 Plan
Share-based Compensation Plans
Shares granted	136
Vesting period	5 years
Number of anniversaries of the vesting date following the date of grant | item	4
Restricted Stock Grants | Share-based Compensation Award, Tranche One | 2008 Plan
Share-based Compensation Plans
Vesting right percentage	20.00%
Restricted Stock Grants | Share-based Compensation Award, Tranche Two | 2008 Plan
Share-based Compensation Plans
Vesting right percentage	20.00%
Restricted Stock Grants | Share-based Compensation Award, Tranche Three | 2008 Plan
Share-based Compensation Plans
Vesting right percentage	20.00%
Restricted Stock Grants | Share-based Compensation Award Tranche Four | 2008 Plan
Share-based Compensation Plans
Vesting right percentage	20.00%
Restricted Stock Grants | Share-based Compensation Award Tranche Five | 2008 Plan
Share-based Compensation Plans
Vesting right percentage	20.00%

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Share-Based Compensation Plans - Summary of Activity Related to Restricted Stock Granted under Company's Incentive Plan (Details) - Restricted Stock Grants shares in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2023 $ / shares shares
Total Shares
Total Shares, Outstanding, Beginning Balance | shares	476
Total Shares, Granted | shares	136
Total Shares, Vested | shares	(142)
Total Shares, Forfeited, canceled or expired | shares	(5)
Total Shares, Outstanding, Ending Balance | shares	465
Weighted Average Grant Date
Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value, Beginning Balance | $ / shares	$ 85.32
Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value, Granted | $ / shares	112.90
Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value, Vested | $ / shares	86.85
Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value, Forfeited, canceled or expired | $ / shares	84.30
Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value, Ending Balance | $ / shares	$ 92.94

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Share-Based Compensation Plans - Share-Based Compensation Expense (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2023	Mar. 31, 2022
Share-based Compensation Expense
Share-based compensation expense	$ 3,369	$ 3,190
Tax effect of share-based compensation	(842)	(798)
Share-based compensation expense, net of tax	2,527	2,392
Technical and Academic Services
Share-based Compensation Expense
Share-based compensation expense	678	594
Counseling Support and Services
Share-based Compensation Expense
Share-based compensation expense	1,743	1,583
Marketing and Communication
Share-based Compensation Expense
Share-based compensation expense	48	35
General and Administrative
Share-based Compensation Expense
Share-based compensation expense	$ 900	$ 978

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Treasury Stock (Details) - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2023	Mar. 31, 2022
Treasury Stock
Common stock acquired, cost	$ 35,090	$ 394,930
Excise tax on treasury stock repurchases	187
Common stock repurchase authorization
Treasury Stock
Authorized amount for repurchase of common stock	$ 1,845,000
Common stock acquired, shares	310
Common stock acquired, cost	$ 34,903
Remaining authorized repurchase amount	160,944
Excise tax on treasury stock repurchases	$ 187