Columbia College Chicago
Columbia College Chicago reported $267.6 million in revenue and $243.8 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $81.68 went to program services, $17.70 to management and general costs and $0.62 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was program service revenue such as fees, sales and contracts: 74.6% of the total. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $1,097,633 (FORMER PRESIDENT/CEO, FORMER TRUSTEE, EX-OFFICIO). 131 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 16% between FY2020 and FY2025. Source: Form 990, FY2025.
Where $100 of spending went
The fiscal year ending August 31, 2025 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $244MFor 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 August 31, 2025 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $268MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 81.7% | 84.4% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 17.7% | 13.4% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 0.6% | 0.8% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.31 | $0.04 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 1.8% | 19.1% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 0.7% | 1.1% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 74.6% | 69.9% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $1,097,633 | $331,578 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 0.45% | 1.28% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 131 | 8 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 14.1 | 13.3 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 20 of 21 | 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 expenseColumbia College Chicago (the college) is a fully accredited not-for-profit private college with more than 40 academic programs and over 4,400 students. Columbia College Chicago awards undergraduate bachelor of arts, bachelor of fine arts, bachelor of music and bachelor of science degrees, along with graduate master of arts, master of arts management, and master of fine art degrees. The college is one of the largest and most diverse private arts and media colleges in the nation. The college's intent is to educate students who will communicate creatively and shape the public perceptions of…
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FORMER PRESIDENT/CEO, FORMER TRUSTEE, EX-OFFICIO Former, 0.0 hrs/week | $990,588 | $0 | $107,045 | $1,097,633 |
| INTERIM PRESIDENT-Partial Year; COO Director/trustee, officer, 40.0 hrs/week | $411,500 | $0 | $72,701 | $484,201 |
| SENIOR VP AND PROVOST-Partial Year Officer, 40.0 hrs/week | $358,519 | $0 | $47,439 | $405,958 |
| AVP AND CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER Highest compensated employee, 40.0 hrs/week | $272,604 | $0 | $55,935 | $328,539 |
| CHIEF OF STAFF Highest compensated employee, 40.0 hrs/week | $248,315 | $0 | $69,226 | $317,541 |
| VP OF LEGAL AFFAIRS & GENERAL COUNSEL-Partial Year Officer, 40.0 hrs/week | $240,560 | $0 | $41,258 | $281,818 |
| VP OF STUDENT AFFAIRS Highest compensated employee, 40.0 hrs/week | $228,060 | $0 | $52,242 | $280,302 |
| AVP FACILITIES/CONSTRUCTION Highest compensated employee, 40.0 hrs/week | $234,368 | $0 | $41,602 | $275,970 |
131 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Columbia College Chicago (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $2.4M (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–1b21 · 20 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 4No
- 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 52,539
- Volunteers Part I, line 6150
Largest outside contractors
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| UNIVERSAL PROTECTION SERVICE LLC Security services | $3,107,021 |
| HARVARD MAINTENANCE INC Maintenance and cleaning | $2,216,686 |
| EAB GLOBAL INC Education technology, services, and research | $2,198,326 |
| BERGLUND CONSTRUCTION COMPANY General contractor | $1,167,604 |
| PEPPER CONSTRUCTION COMPANY General contractor | $860,923 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 35 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
17 private foundations reported grants to Columbia College Chicago totaling $837K 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 Columbia College Chicago's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Columbia College Chicago, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 Columbia College Chicago spent in FY2025, $81.68 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- Dickinson CollegeCarlisle, PA · revenue $266M · programs 88.8% · FY2025
- Shine Bc-LaSan Francisco, CA · revenue $269M · programs 96.1% · FY2025
- Teach for AmericaNew York, NY · revenue $265M · programs 75.7% · FY2025
- Indiana Wesleyan UniversityMarion, IN · revenue $269M · programs 88.5% · FY2025
- Stetson UniversityDeland, FL · revenue $264M · programs 91.4% · FY2025
Questions people ask
How much of Columbia College Chicago's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending August 31, 2025, Columbia College Chicago reported that 81.7% of its $243.8 million in expenses went to program services, 17.7% to management and general and 0.6% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Columbia College Chicago pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Columbia College Chicago reported for one person in the fiscal year ending August 31, 2025 was $1,097,633, for the role of FORMER PRESIDENT/CEO, FORMER TRUSTEE, EX-OFFICIO (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Columbia College Chicago get its money?
Of $267.6 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending August 31, 2025, 1.8% came from contributions and grants (including 0.7% from government grants) and 74.6% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Columbia College Chicago a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 36-6112087 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 August 31, 2025, object 202611699349301101 · read the filing · XML
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2024, object 202531689349300043 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2023, object 202401659349300045 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2022, object 202331919349300243 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2021 (amended), object 202302579349301110 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2020, object 202141959349300544 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 36-6112087: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.