Northeastern University
Northeastern University reported $3.16 billion in revenue and $3.06 billion in expenses for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $90.85 went to program services, $7.64 to management and general costs and $1.51 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was program service revenue such as fees, sales and contracts: 83.5% of the total. Government grants made up 7.6%. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $3,045,428 (President/Trustee). 2,875 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 63% between FY2020 and FY2025. Source: Form 990, FY2025.
Where $100 of spending went
The fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $3.06BFor context, the median across 5,499 covered education charities: $85.56 programs, $13.59 management, $0.85 fundraising (medians computed separately, so they may not sum to $100).
Where $100 of revenue came from
The fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $3.16BThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 90.8% | 84.4% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 7.6% | 13.4% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 1.5% | 0.8% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.12 | $0.04 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 11.8% | 19.1% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 7.6% | 1.1% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 83.5% | 69.9% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $3,045,428 | $331,578 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 0.10% | 1.28% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 2,875 | 8 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 16.8 | 13.3 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 31 of 32 | 100.0% |
A median is context, not a target: hospitals, universities, food banks and grantmakers spend in very different ways. What these measures can and can't tell you.
What the money paid for, in its own words
FY2025 · Form 990, Part III · the three largest programs by expenseInstruction NORTHEASTERN ENABLES 52,269 STUDENTS TO FULFILL THEIR EDUCATIONAL GOALS BY PROVIDING TEACHING AND ADVISING THAT RESULT IN THE GRANTING OF ASSOCIATE, BACHELOR, MASTER AND DOCTORAL DEGREES IN A VARIETY OF ACADEMIC DISCIPLINES. THE UNIVERSITY'S ACADEMIC AREAS CONSIST OF THE BOUVE COLLEGE OF HEALTH SCIENCE, COLLEGE OF ARTS, MEDIA AND DESIGN, D'AMORE-MCKIM SCHOOL OF BUSINESS, COLLEGE OF COMPUTER AND INFORMATION SCIENCE, COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING, COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES, COLLEGE OF SCIENCE, COLLEGE OF SOCIAL SCIENCES AND HUMANITIES, AND SCHOOL OF LAW
Student financial aid Northeastern awards grants and scholarships to students from several sources: federal and state governments, institutionally-funded and endowment/donor funded. The Office of Student Financial Services administers financial aid and is committed to working with students to identify financial aid options that can help make a Northeastern education affordable
Auxiliary enterprises NORTHEASTERN PROVIDES STUDENT HOUSING IN 33 RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS AND OTHER RELATED PROGRAM SERVICES. LINE 4D, PROGRAM SERVICE ------------------------- OTHER PROGRAM SERVICES CONSIST OF: RESEARCH, ACADEMIC SUPPORT, STUDENT SERVICES, AND OTHER STUDENT AID
Highest reported compensation
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section A · roles as filed; names are in the filing, not here| Role | From this org | From related orgs | Other | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| President/Trustee Director/trustee, officer, 40.0 hrs/week | $2,220,000 | $0 | $825,428 | $3,045,428 |
| SVP Finance and Treasurer Officer, 40.0 hrs/week | $1,129,671 | $0 | $394,362 | $1,524,033 |
| SVP of University Advancement Officer, 40.0 hrs/week | $1,108,421 | $0 | $331,938 | $1,440,359 |
| Provost & SVP Officer, 40.0 hrs/week | $1,172,788 | $0 | $143,394 | $1,316,182 |
| CHIEF ENROLLMENT OFFICER Key employee, 40.0 hrs/week | $1,130,658 | $0 | $68,593 | $1,199,251 |
| DUNTON FAMILY DEAN Key employee, 40.0 hrs/week | $1,096,905 | $0 | $64,041 | $1,160,946 |
| Chancellor and SVP Learning Officer, 40.0 hrs/week | $868,271 | $0 | $274,831 | $1,143,102 |
| SVP & GEN COUNSEL Officer, 40.0 hrs/week | $935,606 | $0 | $141,869 | $1,077,475 |
2,875 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Northeastern University (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $18M (Part IX, line 5).
6 years of filings
Form 990, Parts I, VII, IX and X · each row is that year's own filing, linkedGovernance answers, as filed
FY2025 · the organization's own yes/no answers; explanations, if any, are in Schedule O of the filing · what each means- Voting board members, and how many are independent Part VI, lines 1a–1b32 · 31 independent
- Audited financial statements Part XII 2bYes
- Conflict-of-interest policy Part VI 12aYes
- Whistleblower policy Part VI 13Yes
- Document retention policy Part VI 14Yes
- Independent process for top executive pay Part VI 15aYes
- Board given the 990 before filing Part VI 11aYes
- Family or business ties among insiders Part VI 2Yes
- Aware of a significant diversion of assets Part VI 5No
- Excess benefit transaction with an insider Part IV 25aNo
- Loans to or from insiders outstanding Part IV 26Yes
- Lobbying, or a 501(h) election in effect Part IV 4Yes
- Over $15,000 of professional fundraising services Part IV 18Yes
- Over $10,000 of activity outside the U.S. Part IV 14bYes
- Employees Part I, line 525,790
- Volunteers Part I, line 6509
Private foundation grants it received
215 private foundations reported grants to Northeastern University totaling $47M on their tax year 2023 Form 990-PF returns. See which foundations, on WHOFUNDS.
Source: WHOFUNDS open grant graph, matched from Form 990-PF Part XV.
Correct a figure or respond
Every number above is copied from Northeastern University's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Northeastern University, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
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Of every $100 Northeastern University spent in FY2025, $90.85 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- Baylor College of MedicineHouston, TX · revenue $2.98B · programs 91.9% · FY2025
- Gothic CorporationDurham, NC · revenue $3.18B · programs 100.0% · FY2025
- Vanderbilt UniversityNashville, TN · revenue $2.82B · programs 78.9% · FY2025
- The Trustees of Princeton UniversityPrinceton, NJ · revenue $3.21B · programs 87.5% · FY2025
- The University of British ColumbiaCanada, · revenue $2.80B · programs 92.7% · FY2025
All education charities · Largest charities in Massachusetts
Questions people ask
How much of Northeastern University's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, Northeastern University reported that 90.8% of its $3.06 billion in expenses went to program services, 7.6% to management and general and 1.5% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Northeastern University pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Northeastern University reported for one person in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 was $3,045,428, for the role of President/Trustee (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Northeastern University get its money?
Of $3.16 billion in revenue in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, 11.8% came from contributions and grants (including 7.6% from government grants) and 83.5% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Northeastern University a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 04-1679980 as a 501(c)(3) organization (school), and its records show contributions as tax-deductible. Form 990 filings on record here cover tax years 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024. A filing shows what the organization reported; it doesn't by itself show whether a program works.
Sources
- FY2025: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, object 202621359349305267 · read the filing
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024, object 202541349349312564 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023, object 202441369349310964 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022, object 202311319349303456 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2021, object 202211329349301841 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2020, object 202141379349301299 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 04-1679980: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.