501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
89¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$11.2M paid to officers and key staff.
Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · Pay: Part VII

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FY2021 · Form 990Independent: from IRS data, not the org
Download 990
IRS status
501(c)(3)
not on the IRS revocation list
Looks good: listed by the IRS and not on the revocation list.
IRS BMF · Auto-Revocation List
Tax-deductible gifts
Yes
Donations are tax-deductible
Looks good: the IRS lists gifts to it as deductible.
IRS Pub. 78 · IRS BMF
Latest return
FY2025
latest Form 990
Looks good: the latest return is for FY2025, 1 tax year back; within 2 tax years.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
6 of 6
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $192.2M a year · 8% of revenue · last 6 filings
Looks good: a surplus in 6 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
89%
of spending
Looks good: 89% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$11.2M
to officers and key staff · 0.6% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 1% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
4 mo
of spending, in cash
Plus $1.69B in investments, Pt X · Ln 11–13
Looks good: 3.5 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
29
named funders · $1.1M
Looks good: 29 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$2.0B
42% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 42% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
31
of 32 voting members
Looks good: 31 of 32 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$2.1B
+6% vs prior year
Spent
$1.8B
To programs
89%
Net assets
$2.7B
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$2.1B
FY2021▲ +6%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$1.9B
FY2021$2.1B
FY2022$2.4B
FY2023$2.6B
FY2024$3.0B
FY2025$3.2B
Expenses
$1.8B
FY2021▲ +8%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$1.7B
FY2021$1.8B
FY2022$2.1B
FY2023$2.5B
FY2024$2.8B
FY2025$3.1B
Net assets
$2.7B
FY2021▲ +24%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$2.2B
FY2021$2.7B
FY2022$3.5B
FY2023$3.7B
FY2024$4.1B
FY2025$4.3B

From the FY2021 Form 990 (year ending June 2021) · see the original

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You’re viewing the FY2021 filing — not the latest on file. See the latest (FY2025) →

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Apr 1995.

IRS Pub. 78 · IRS Auto-Revocation List · IRS Business Master File

Where the money goes

89 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 89% · $1.6B Management & general 10% · $178.2M Fundraising 1% · $24.5M

Form 990 Part IX, line 25, columns B–D. Every line is in By the numbers.

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Who runs it and what they're paid

51 people listed on the 990; $11.2M paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2020); the FY2021 filing did not itemize Part VII
President/Trustee
$1,117,958Pt VII · Sec A
SVP Finance and Treasurer
$907,579Pt VII · Sec A
SVP of University Advancement
$735,210Pt VII · Sec A
SVP and General Counsel
$719,415Pt VII · Sec A
SR. Advisor (until 12/20)
$655,291Pt VII · Sec A
Head Coach Men's Basketball
$603,718Pt VII · Sec A
George D. Behrakis Chair
$589,428Pt VII · Sec A
SR Vice Provost - Research
$584,790Pt VII · Sec A

Joseph E Aoun’s $2.2M as President/Trustee is at the 91st percentile of top reported officer pay among 674 $100M+ education nonprofits. Peer set: organizations in the same NTEE major field of work and revenue-size band, compared on each org’s own highest-paid officer/key-employee, from Form 990 Part VII / 990-PF Part VIII. Descriptive placement, not a verdict on whether the pay is appropriate.

Compensation history total reportable pay by year · 8 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Joseph E Aoun$2,220,000$1,831,836$1,678,748$2,568,096$1,117,958$1,338,276
Diane N Macgillivray$1,108,421$1,019,739$944,117$1,242,785$735,210$1,073,403
Ralph C Martin II——$363,614$1,227,042$719,415$785,033
David Madigan$1,172,788$1,056,069$977,817$931,137$483,179—
Satyajit Dattagupta$1,130,658$1,015,257$910,847———
Thomas Nedell$1,129,671$1,033,794$929,193$919,600$907,579$690,360
David De Cremer$1,096,905$551,754————
Usama M Fayyad$804,098$1,061,427$717,757$793,692——

Total reportable compensation (Form 990 Part VII column D / Schedule J column E) by filing year, matched by name within this organization. The Schedule J base / bonus / deferred breakdown is not parsed into this dataset.

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Questions the 990 asks

The form asks each of these directly. These are the filed answers.

  • Family or business ties among officersPt VI · Ln 2Yes
  • Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aYes
  • Loans to or from officersSch L · Pt II1 listed

Programs and updates

Educates students through academic programs and provides housing and related services.

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Provided by the organization

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3 programs · $997.5M · in their own filed words · FY2020
01

Instruction northeastern enables 39,260 students to fulfill their educational goals by providing teaching and advising that result in the granting of associate, bachelor, master and doctoral degrees in a variety of academic disciplines.

$446.5Mprogram expense
02

Student financial aid Northeastern awards grants and scholarships to students from several sources: federal and state governments, institutionally-funded and endowment/donor funded. The Office of Student Financial Services administers financial aid and is committed to working with students to identify financial aid options that can help…

$409.8Mprogram expense
03

Auxiliary enterprises northeastern provides student housing in 34 residential buildings and other related program services.

$141.1Mprogram expense

Funders

Who pays for it.

From grant filings on record. Receipts are incomplete: individual donors are never listed.

Grants

Schedule I · received and paid
Grants received · FY2025
See all 29 funders →
Grants paid · 925 grants · $263.3M · 2019–2024
US Ignite INCDC · FY2024$6,842,860
University of Massachusetts-AmherstFY2024$2,454,010
University of North TexasFY2024$1,999,473
Integrated Solutions for SystemsFY2024$1,684,303
University of PittsburghPA · FY2024$1,486,583
University of South FloridaFY2024$1,140,915
Trustees of Boston UniversityMA · FY2024$1,134,585
Indiana UniversityIN · FY2024$952,744
Recinto De Ciencias MedicasFY2024$600,355
Rutgers the State UniversityNJ · FY2024$585,717
University of FloridaFL · FY2024$583,268
University of WashingtonFY2024$543,790
See all 925 grants →

By the numbers

The FY2021 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$2.1B
Ln 12
Fees for servicesLn 2g$1.6B
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$328.6M
Investment incomeLn 3$93.1M
Money outPt IX
$1.8B
Ln 25
Programscol B$1.6B
Managementcol C$178.2M
Fundraisingcol D$24.5M
Owns and owesPt X
$2.7B
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$534.8M
Total assetsLn 16$4.7B
LiabilitiesLn 26$2.0B
PeoplePt VI, VII
51
listed · VII A
PaidVII A20
Voting boardVI 1a32
IndependentVI 1b31
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$328.6M
Government grantsLn 1e$147.5M
Noncash giftsLn 1g$25.8M
Fundraising eventsLn 1c$124K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$1.6B
Investment incomeLn 3$93.1M
Other incomeLn 4–11$8.7M
Gains on assetsLn 7$80.7M
Total revenueLn 12$2.1B
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$61.2M
SavingsLn 2$473.6M
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$534.8M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$1.69B
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$1.74B
Other assetsLn 15$366.4M
Total assetsLn 16$4.7B
LiabilitiesLn 26$2.0B
Net assetsLn 32$2.7B
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 525,790
VolunteersI 6509
Fiscal year endsHeaderJune
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13Yes
Records policyVI 14Yes
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY21End FY21
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$481.3M$534.8M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$1.16B$1.69B
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$1.62B$1.74B
Total assetsLn 16$3.60B$4.70B
LiabilitiesLn 26$1.38B$1.96B
Net assetsLn 32$2.22B$2.74B
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$31.6M$31.6M
Grants to domestic individualsLn 2$409.8M$409.8M
Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsLn 3$765K$765K
Benefits paid to or for membersLn 4$0
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$13.6M$3.1M$9.0M$1.5M
Pay of disqualified personsLn 6$1.2M$716K$503K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$626.5M$565.4M$48.1M$13.0M
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$38.1M$33.9M$3.4M$863K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$67.5M$59.9M$7.0M$559K
Payroll taxesLn 10$37.0M$32.9M$3.3M$838K
Management feesLn 11a$649K$649K
Legal feesLn 11b$7.6M$283K$7.3M
Accounting feesLn 11c$880K$47K$834K
Lobbying feesLn 11d$247K$245K$2K
Professional fundraising feesLn 11e$0
Investment management feesLn 11f$3.4M$3.4M
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$18.9M$18.9M$1K$4K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$14.8M$9.3M$5.4M$16K
Office expensesLn 13$69.7M$64.5M$3.3M$1.8M
Information technologyLn 14$71.9M$46.6M$25.3M
RoyaltiesLn 15$124K$124K
OccupancyLn 16$64.5M$60.3M$4.0M$151K
TravelLn 17$7.4M$7.2M$152K$23K
Travel and entertainment for public officialsLn 18$0
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$889K$810K$63K$16K
InterestLn 20$36.7M$34.8M$1.5M$414K
Payments to affiliatesLn 21$0
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$83.8M$65.1M$14.9M$3.7M
InsuranceLn 23$4.2M$1.0M$3.2M$633
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$143.2M$133.9M$8.4M$897K
All other expensesLn 24e$91.5M$61.8M$29.0M$666K
Total functional expensesLn 25$1.85B$1.64B$178.2M$24.5M

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest $3.2B$3.1B$104.1M$4.3B 990 PDF
FY2024 $3.0B$2.8B$223.6M$4.1B 990 PDF
FY2023 $2.6B$2.5B$125.7M$3.7B 990 PDF
FY2022 $2.4B$2.1B$246.5M$3.5B 990 PDF
FY2021 Viewing $2.1B$1.8B$213.6M$2.7B 990 PDF
FY2020 $1.9B$1.7B$239.6M$2.2B 990 PDF

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Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons I · Grants A · Public support F · Foreign M · Noncash J · Pay O · Explanations
See the full FY2021 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $2,060,202,511 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $309,006,000$328,563,000
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $1,550,791,638$1,629,847,529
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $74,068,219$93,076,703
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $9,766,716$8,715,279
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $1,943,632,573$2,060,202,511
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $406,984,576$442,229,368
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $736,582,874$784,034,952
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $560,456,592$620,361,985
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $1,704,024,042$1,846,626,305
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $239,608,531$213,576,206
Part VI · Governance 31 of 32 board members independent, 1 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body32
VI-1b Independent voting members31
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsYes
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyYes
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyYes
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $2,060,202,511 across 13 lines filed
Lines not itemized here account for $41,970 of total revenue; see the IRS return.
VIII-1c Fundraising events$123,544
VIII-1e Government grants$147,487,384
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$180,952,072
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$25,788,967
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$328,563,000
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $1,626,654,672 · Excluded from tax $3,192,857$1,629,847,529
VIII-3 Investment incomeUnrelated business −$205,888 · Excluded from tax $12,529,712$12,323,824
VIII-5 RoyaltiesExcluded from tax $1,009,242$1,009,242
VIII-6 Net rental income or lossExcluded from tax $6,235,412$6,235,412
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsExcluded from tax $80,710,909$80,710,909
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising eventsExcluded from tax −$13,511−$13,511
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Unrelated business $1,484,136$1,484,136
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $1,626,654,672 · Unrelated business $1,278,248 · Excluded from tax $103,706,591$2,060,202,511
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $1,846,626,305 across 31 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $31,621,790$31,621,790
IX-2 Grants to domestic individualsPrograms $409,842,925$409,842,925
IX-3 Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsPrograms $764,653$764,653
IX-4 Benefits paid to or for members$0
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $3,134,150 · Management $8,986,069 · Fundraising $1,515,022$13,635,241
IX-6 Pay of disqualified personsPrograms $716,433 · Management $502,957$1,219,390
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $565,425,622 · Management $48,059,575 · Fundraising $12,991,041$626,476,238
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $33,858,162 · Management $3,422,750 · Fundraising $862,760$38,143,672
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $59,929,715 · Management $7,026,015 · Fundraising $559,433$67,515,163
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $32,883,148 · Management $3,324,185 · Fundraising $837,915$37,045,248
IX-11a Management feesPrograms $648,792$648,792
IX-11b Legal feesPrograms $283,233 · Management $7,285,848$7,569,081
IX-11c Accounting feesPrograms $46,743 · Management $833,753$880,496
IX-11d Lobbying feesPrograms $245,000 · Management $1,538$246,538
IX-11f Investment management feesManagement $3,449,588$3,449,588
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $18,917,470 · Management $1,268 · Fundraising $4,414$18,923,152
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $9,349,641 · Management $5,426,380 · Fundraising $15,613$14,791,634
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $64,511,048 · Management $3,335,293 · Fundraising $1,824,509$69,670,850
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $46,580,949 · Management $25,292,140$71,873,089
IX-15 RoyaltiesPrograms $123,520$123,520
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $60,330,027 · Management $4,009,390 · Fundraising $151,065$64,490,482
IX-17 TravelPrograms $7,225,446 · Management $152,032 · Fundraising $22,658$7,400,136
IX-18 Travel and entertainment for public officials$0
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $809,570 · Management $63,423 · Fundraising $15,583$888,576
IX-20 InterestPrograms $34,767,047 · Management $1,529,731 · Fundraising $413,504$36,710,282
IX-21 Payments to affiliates$0
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $65,139,953 · Management $14,906,831 · Fundraising $3,733,539$83,780,323
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $1,012,935 · Management $3,232,270 · Fundraising $633$4,245,838
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $133,878,048 · Management $8,397,230 · Fundraising $897,075$143,172,353
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $61,847,120 · Management $28,983,737 · Fundraising $666,398$91,497,255
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $1,643,893,140 · Management $178,222,003 · Fundraising $24,511,162$1,846,626,305
Part X · Balance sheet $4,696,880,000 assets, 24 lines filed
Asset lines not itemized here account for $19,927,000; see the IRS return.
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $42,569,000$61,172,000
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $438,744,000$473,633,000
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $190,953,000$244,011,000
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $64,873,000$98,348,000
X-8 Inventories for sale or useStart of year $0$0
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $10,232,000$12,026,000
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $1,616,929,000$1,736,218,000
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $434,667,000$656,202,000
X-12 Other securitiesStart of year $726,052,000$1,028,917,000
X-13 Program-related investmentsStart of year $0$0
X-14 Intangible assetsStart of year $0$0
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $51,281,000$366,426,000
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $3,597,441,000$4,696,880,000
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $196,384,000$232,552,000
X-18 Grants payableStart of year $10,753,000$11,632,000
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $190,125,000$196,472,000
X-20 Tax-exempt bond liabilitiesStart of year $637,605,000$861,753,000
X-24 Unsecured notes and loans payableStart of year $30,932,000$30,932,000
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $112,738,000$421,909,000
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $1,379,607,000$1,956,320,000
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $1,509,658,000$1,775,490,000
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $708,176,000$965,070,000
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $2,217,834,000$2,740,560,000
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $3,597,441,000$4,696,880,000
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $2,740,560,000 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$2,060,202,511
XI-2 Total expenses$1,846,626,305
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$213,576,206
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$2,217,834,000
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$323,563,000
XI-9 Other changes in net assets−$14,413,206
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$2,740,560,000

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2021 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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