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Consumer Reports
Consumer Reports reported $267.2 million in revenue and $244.7 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending May 31, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $85.73 went to program services, $9.92 to management and general costs and $4.35 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was program service revenue such as fees, sales and contracts: 77.9% of the total. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $924,476 (PRESIDENT & CEO (THRU 12/31/24)). 462 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 7% between FY2020 and FY2025. Source: Form 990, FY2025.
Where $100 of spending went
The fiscal year ending May 31, 2025 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $245MFor context, the median across 185 covered public & societal benefit charities: $88.81 programs, $11.18 management, $0.01 fundraising (medians computed separately, so they may not sum to $100).
Where $100 of revenue came from
The fiscal year ending May 31, 2025 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $267MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 85.7% | 84.9% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 9.9% | 10.7% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 4.3% | 0.0% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.27 | $0.01 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 14.5% | 83.8% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 0.1% | 0.0% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 77.9% | 3.2% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $924,476 | $357,133 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 0.38% | 1.52% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 462 | 12 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 16.3 | 10.5 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 11 of 11 | 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 expenseHighest 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 & CEO (THRU 12/31/24) Officer, 45.00 hrs/week | $887,044 | $0 | $37,432 | $924,476 |
| SVP, CHIEF GROWTH OFFICER Key employee, 45.00 hrs/week | $495,044 | $0 | $76,747 | $571,791 |
| SVP, CFO Officer, 45.00 hrs/week | $483,340 | $0 | $79,486 | $562,826 |
| VP, GENERAL COUNSEL Key employee, 45.00 hrs/week | $489,852 | $0 | $37,433 | $527,285 |
| SVP, CHIEF STRATEGY OFFICER Key employee, 45.00 hrs/week | $416,578 | $0 | $77,565 | $494,143 |
| VP, CHIEF VENTURES OFFICER Key employee, 45.00 hrs/week | $409,601 | $0 | $64,535 | $474,136 |
| VP, CHIEF SOCIAL IMPACT OFC. (THRU 8/16/24) Key employee, 45.00 hrs/week | $406,884 | $0 | $26,369 | $433,253 |
| VP, CHIEF EXPERIENCE OFFICER Key employee, 45.00 hrs/week | $385,459 | $0 | $42,707 | $428,166 |
462 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Consumer Reports (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $4.8M (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–1b11 · 11 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 26No
- 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 5579
- Volunteers Part I, line 616
Largest outside contractors
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| GOOGLE INC Search engine marketing | $15,713,784 |
| DIAMOND COMMUNICATIONS Fulfillment services | $4,789,775 |
| HCL AMERICA INC Marketing | $2,968,010 |
| ACXIOM CORPORATION Information technology service | $2,784,788 |
| META PLATFORMS INC (FACEBOOK) Marketing | $2,480,311 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 107 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
60 private foundations reported grants to Consumer Reports totaling $1.0M 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 Consumer Reports's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Consumer Reports, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 Consumer Reports spent in FY2025, $85.73 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Questions people ask
How much of Consumer Reports's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending May 31, 2025, Consumer Reports reported that 85.7% of its $244.7 million in expenses went to program services, 9.9% to management and general and 4.3% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Consumer Reports pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Consumer Reports reported for one person in the fiscal year ending May 31, 2025 was $924,476, for the role of PRESIDENT & CEO (THRU 12/31/24) (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Consumer Reports get its money?
Of $267.2 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending May 31, 2025, 14.5% came from contributions and grants (including 0.1% from government grants) and 77.9% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Consumer Reports a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 13-1776434 as a 501(c)(3) organization (publicly supported organization (509(a)(2))), 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 May 31, 2025, object 202610789349300336 · read the filing · XML
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending May 31, 2024, object 202530739349300008 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending May 31, 2023, object 202420829349300482 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending May 31, 2022, object 202310829349301201 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending May 31, 2021, object 202220879349300232 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending May 31, 2020, object 202110859349301401 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 13-1776434: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.