Syracuse University
Syracuse University reported $1.97 billion in revenue and $1.75 billion in expenses for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $95.12 went to program services, $3.18 to management and general costs and $1.70 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was program service revenue such as fees, sales and contracts: 85.7% of the total. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $3,136,244 (FOOTBALL HEAD COACH). 1,141 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 29% 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 $1.75BFor 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 $1.97BThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 95.1% | 84.4% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 3.2% | 13.4% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 1.7% | 0.8% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.33 | $0.04 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 4.6% | 19.1% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 1.1% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 85.7% | 69.9% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $3,136,244 | $331,578 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 0.18% | 1.28% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 1,141 | 8 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 24.8 | 13.3 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 47 of 48 | 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 and departmental research:expenditures in this area include salaries and benefits for faculty, scholarships and grants to students, and support for facilities and equipment, conducted for the benefit of approximately 16,000 undergraduate and 6,600 graduate and law students enrolled at Syracuse University
Student services:expenditures in this area include support services for the university's undergraduate freshmen and sophomores. The university has a two-year residence requirement for freshmen and sophomores with the primary purpose of contributing to the students' emotional and physical well-being and their intellectual, and social development outside the formal instruction program
Sponsored research and other related activities:expenditures in this area include research and similar activity funded by grants from the public, private, and non-profit sectors
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FOOTBALL HEAD COACH Highest compensated employee, 60.00 hrs/week | $3,073,809 | $0 | $62,435 | $3,136,244 |
| BASKETBALL HEAD COACH Highest compensated employee, 60.00 hrs/week | $2,136,694 | $0 | $62,956 | $2,199,650 |
| CHANCELLOR AND PRESIDENT Director/trustee, officer, 60.00 hrs/week | $1,268,926 | $0 | $576,516 | $1,845,442 |
| FOOTBALL DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR Highest compensated employee, 60.00 hrs/week | $1,519,716 | $0 | $62,488 | $1,582,204 |
| SVP AND CHIEF OF STAFF Highest compensated employee, 60.00 hrs/week | $1,035,992 | $0 | $158,177 | $1,194,169 |
| VC STRAT. INITIATIVES & INNOVATION Officer, 60.00 hrs/week | $866,515 | $0 | $145,622 | $1,012,137 |
| BASKETBALL HEAD COACH Highest compensated employee, 60.00 hrs/week | $928,200 | $0 | $61,899 | $990,099 |
| SVP & GENERAL COUNSEL Officer, 60.00 hrs/week | $877,538 | $0 | $35,234 | $912,772 |
1,141 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Syracuse University (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $7.2M (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–1b48 · 47 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 18No
- Over $10,000 of activity outside the U.S. Part IV 14bYes
- Employees Part I, line 517,116
- Volunteers Part I, line 61,477
Largest outside contractors
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| BOHLIN CYWINSKI JACKSON Architects | $4,618,595 |
| LEGENDS SALES & MARKETING LLC Marketing | $2,350,000 |
| ERNST & YOUNG US LLP Accountants | $1,633,333 |
| PROSKAUER ROSE LLP Attorneys | $1,472,793 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 86 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
192 private foundations reported grants to Syracuse University totaling $13M 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 Syracuse 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 Syracuse University, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
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Of every $100 Syracuse University spent in FY2025, $95.12 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- Banner-University Family CarePhoenix, AZ · revenue $1.96B · programs 90.5% · 2024
- Harvard Management Private Equity CorpBoston, MA · revenue $2.00B · programs 100.0% · FY2025
- The Administrators of the Tulane Educational FundNew Orleans, LA · revenue $1.94B · programs 86.1% · FY2025
- Grand Canyon UniversityPhoenix, AZ · revenue $2.01B · programs 97.7% · FY2025
- Liberty UniversityLynchburg, VA · revenue $1.94B · programs 84.9% · FY2025
Questions people ask
How much of Syracuse University's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, Syracuse University reported that 95.1% of its $1.75 billion in expenses went to program services, 3.2% to management and general and 1.7% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Syracuse University pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Syracuse University reported for one person in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 was $3,136,244, for the role of FOOTBALL HEAD COACH (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Syracuse University get its money?
Of $1.97 billion in revenue in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, 4.6% came from contributions and grants and 85.7% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Syracuse University a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 15-0532081 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 202601339349308535 · read the filing · XML
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024, object 202501339349306810 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023, object 202431359349301548 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022, object 202331329349308123 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2021, object 202221339349309867 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2020, object 202101379349301780 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 15-0532081: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.