Trustees of Boston University
Trustees of Boston University reported $3.51 billion in revenue and $3.42 billion in expenses for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $90.91 went to program services, $7.83 to management and general costs and $1.26 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was program service revenue such as fees, sales and contracts: 70.8% of the total. Government grants made up 14.5%. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $1,704,300 (PRESIDENT (AS OF 7/1/24)). 4,756 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 34% 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 $3.42BFor 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 $3.51BThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 90.9% | 84.4% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 7.8% | 13.4% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 1.3% | 0.8% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.05 | $0.04 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 22.3% | 19.1% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 14.5% | 1.1% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 70.8% | 69.9% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $1,704,300 | $331,578 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 0.05% | 1.28% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 4,756 | 8 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 22.3 | 13.3 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 32 of 34 | 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 expenseNo description in Part III; see the filing.
Research - what sets Boston University apart as a research university is the breadth and depth of its research and the uniquely entrepreneurial spirit of its faculty. Researchers at bu are not afraid to cross disciplinary boundaries, as can be seen by strategic efforts to support interdisciplinary research and education in neuroscience, religion and world affairs, integrative biology, clean energy, sustainability and the environment, health care delivery, and global health, to name a few. In each case, the emphasis is not on interdisciplinarity for its own sake, but on using a multifaceted…
Auxiliaries - auxiliary enterprises support the mission of Boston University by providing essential services to the campus community. They are enterprises in that they are generally self-supporting activities, recovering their costs through the fees or prices they charge for their goods and services. At Boston University, auxiliary enterprises are designed to deliver superior quality services that are expected by the students, faculty, staff and alumni
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 (AS OF 7/1/24) Director/trustee, officer, 55.00 hrs/week | $1,350,089 | $0 | $354,211 | $1,704,300 |
| PROFESSOR & ORAL SURGEON Highest compensated employee, 55.00 hrs/week | $1,517,272 | $0 | $74,483 | $1,591,755 |
| CHIEF INVESTMENT OFFICER Highest compensated employee, 55.00 hrs/week | $1,521,326 | $0 | $63,013 | $1,584,339 |
| PROFESSOR & PHYSICIAN Highest compensated employee, 0.00 hrs/week | $0 | $1,376,064 | $61,326 | $1,437,390 |
| PROFESSOR & PHYSICIAN Highest compensated employee, 0.00 hrs/week | $0 | $1,330,643 | $68,242 | $1,398,885 |
| PROFESSOR & PHYSICIAN Highest compensated employee, 0.00 hrs/week | $0 | $1,226,917 | $71,605 | $1,298,522 |
| FMR INT PRES (8/1/23-6/30/24) & PROF Former, 55.00 hrs/week | $1,094,978 | $0 | $85,502 | $1,180,480 |
| MED. CAMPUS PROVOST (UNTIL 6/30/25) Key employee, 55.00 hrs/week | $1,097,104 | $0 | $54,996 | $1,152,100 |
4,756 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Trustees of Boston University (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $9.8M (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–1b34 · 32 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 2No
- 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 529,156
- Volunteers Part I, line 6204
Largest outside contractors
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| ARAMARK FOOD AND SUPPORT SERVICES INC Food & hospitality | $24,550,441 |
| SHAWMUT WOODWORKING & SUPPLY INC Construction | $16,414,481 |
| TURNER CONSTRUCTION COMPANY Construction | $11,847,622 |
| DELOITTE Consulting | $9,588,818 |
| COMMODORE BUILDERS LLC Construction | $8,455,778 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 407 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
358 private foundations reported grants to Trustees of Boston University totaling $34M 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 Trustees of Boston 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 Trustees of Boston University, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
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Of every $100 Trustees of Boston University spent in FY2025, $90.91 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- THE CHANCELLOR MASTERS AND SCHOLARS Of the University of CambridgeNew York, NY · revenue $3.50B · programs 86.7% · FY2025
- California Institute of TechnologyPasadena, CA · revenue $3.53B · programs 95.5% · FY2025
- Governing Council of the University of TorontoCanada, · revenue $3.49B · programs 94.8% · FY2025
- University of PittsburghPittsburgh, PA · revenue $3.57B · programs 90.4% · FY2025
- University of Notre Dame du LacNotre Dame, IN · revenue $3.42B · programs 84.7% · FY2025
All education charities · Largest charities in Massachusetts
Questions people ask
How much of Trustees of Boston University's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, Trustees of Boston University reported that 90.9% of its $3.42 billion in expenses went to program services, 7.8% to management and general and 1.3% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Trustees of Boston University pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Trustees of Boston University reported for one person in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 was $1,704,300, for the role of PRESIDENT (AS OF 7/1/24) (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Trustees of Boston University get its money?
Of $3.51 billion in revenue in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, 22.3% came from contributions and grants (including 14.5% from government grants) and 70.8% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Trustees of Boston University a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 04-2103547 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 202611339349301666 · read the filing · XML
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024, object 202511349349311621 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023, object 202431369349307023 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022, object 202311359349304581 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2021, object 202231339349304643 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2020, object 202131349349306623 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 04-2103547: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.