American Economic Association
American Economic Association reported $14.3 million in revenue and $13.1 million in expenses for calendar year 2024. Of every $100 it spent, $87.39 went to program services, $12.61 to management and general costs and $0.00 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was program service revenue such as fees, sales and contracts: 82.3% of the total. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $415,194 (SECRETARY - TREASURER). 9 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 17% between 2019 and 2024. Source: Form 990, 2024.
Where $100 of spending went
Calendar year 2024 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $13MFor context, the median across 54 covered social science charities: $84.80 programs, $13.80 management, $1.40 fundraising (medians computed separately, so they may not sum to $100).
Where $100 of revenue came from
Calendar year 2024 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $14MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | 2024 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 87.4% | 81.3% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 12.6% | 13.2% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 0.0% | 1.3% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | Not reported | $0.03 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 0.2% | 81.3% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 1.1% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 82.3% | 4.4% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $415,194 | $467,896 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 3.16% | 2.13% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 9 | 19 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 48.4 | 16.5 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 12 of 12 | 96.5% |
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
2024 · Form 990, Part III · the three largest programs by expenseThe aea holds conferences and programs throughout the year including the annual meeting - where the aea in conjunction with 66 associations in related disciplines known as the allied social sciences associations (assa), holds a three-day meeting each january to present papers on general economics topics. Other conference/workshops held include the aea summer program, continuing education conference, cement workshops, educate, the ctree conference, csqiep mentoring conference and summer mentoring pipeline conference
Production and maintenance of "econlit" - a database of economic papers, articles, etc from top economic sources which can be used for research
Publishing of "American Economic review," "journal of economic literature," "journal of economic perspectives," "aej:economic policy," "aej:applied economics," "aej:macroeconomics," "aej:microeconomics and "aer: insights." approximately 20,000 members and subscribers served
Highest reported compensation
2024 · 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SECRETARY - TREASURER Officer, 20.00 hrs/week | $363,250 | $0 | $51,944 | $415,194 |
| JEP MANAGING EDITOR Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $234,456 | $0 | $57,627 | $292,083 |
| DIRECTOR OF ADMINISTRATION Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $194,269 | $0 | $52,841 | $247,110 |
| DIRECTOR OF PUBLICATION SERVICES Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $191,679 | $0 | $33,200 | $224,879 |
| WEBSITE MANAGER Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $112,273 | $0 | $20,576 | $132,849 |
| DIRECTOR OF FINANCE Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $104,311 | $0 | $28,373 | $132,684 |
| EDITOR, JEL Officer, 10.00 hrs/week | $101,122 | $0 | $0 | $101,122 |
| EDITOR, JEP Officer, 10.00 hrs/week | $101,122 | $0 | $0 | $101,122 |
9 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from American Economic Association (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $1.1M (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
2024 · 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–1b12 · 12 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 546
- Volunteers Part I, line 6200
Private foundation grants it received
1 private foundation reported grants to American Economic Association totaling $25,000 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 American Economic Association's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for American Economic Association, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
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Of every $100 American Economic Association spent in 2024, $87.39 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
Questions people ask
How much of American Economic Association's spending goes to programs?
In calendar year 2024, American Economic Association reported that 87.4% of its $13.1 million in expenses went to program services, 12.6% to management and general and 0.0% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does American Economic Association pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation American Economic Association reported for one person in calendar year 2024 was $415,194, for the role of SECRETARY - TREASURER (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does American Economic Association get its money?
Of $14.3 million in revenue in calendar year 2024, 0.2% came from contributions and grants and 82.3% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is American Economic Association a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 36-2166945 as a 501(c)(3) organization (publicly supported organization (170(b)(1)(a)(vi))), 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
- 2024: Form 990 for calendar year 2024, object 202512729349302051 · read the filing
- 2023: Form 990 for calendar year 2023, object 202432719349300908 · read the filing
- 2022: Form 990 for calendar year 2022, object 202332579349302033 · read the filing
- 2021: Form 990 for calendar year 2021, object 202243149349306324 · read the filing
- 2020: Form 990 for calendar year 2020, object 202113159349301846 · read the filing
- 2019: Form 990 for calendar year 2019, object 202013079349301146 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 36-2166945: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.