Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

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Rensselaer educates the leaders of tomorrow for technologically based careers. We celebrate discovery and the responsible application of technology to create knowledge and global prosperity.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
88¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 1,874 volunteers and 5,136 employees.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · People: Part I, lines 5–6

Before you give

FY2025 · Form 990Independent: from IRS data, not the org
Download 990
IRS status
501(c)(3)
not on the IRS revocation list
Listed by the IRS and not on the revocation list.
IRS BMF · Auto-Revocation List
Tax-deductible gifts
Yes
Donations are tax-deductible
The IRS lists gifts to it as deductible.
IRS Pub. 78 · IRS BMF
Latest return
FY2025
latest Form 990
The latest return is for FY2025, 1 tax year back.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
6 of 6
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $40.6M a year · 6% of revenue · last 6 filings
A surplus in 6 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
88%
of spending
88% of spending went to programs.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$9.6M
to officers and key staff · 1% of spending
Pay to officers and key staff is 1% of spending.
Part VII, Section A
0.1 mo
of spending, in cash
Plus $1.04B in investments, Pt X · Ln 11–13
0.1 months of spending in cash.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
6
named funders · $1.4M
6 funders name it on their filings.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$785.4M
45% of total assets
Liabilities are 45% of assets.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
22
of 22 voting members
22 of 22 voting members are independent.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Revenue
$737.2M
+4% vs prior year
Spent
$732.5M
To programs
88%
Net assets
$969.1M
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$737.2M
FY2025▲ +4%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$653.0M
FY2021$616.6M
FY2022$703.2M
FY2023$666.6M
FY2024$709.4M
FY2025$737.2M
Expenses
$732.5M
FY2025▲ +4%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$619.3M
FY2021$562.6M
FY2022$582.2M
FY2023$642.6M
FY2024$703.2M
FY2025$732.5M
Net assets
$969.1M
FY2025▲ +6%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$521.9M
FY2021$932.4M
FY2022$751.7M
FY2023$843.2M
FY2024$916.3M
FY2025$969.1M

From the FY2025 Form 990 (year ending June 2025) · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Apr 1941.

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

Where the money goes

88 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 88% · $644.2M Management & general 11% · $78.4M Fundraising 1% · $10.0M

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

45 people listed on the 990; $9.6M paid to officers and key staff (Part VII, Section A).

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2024); the FY2025 filing did not itemize Part VII
$1,230,040Pt VII · Sec A
$676,131Pt VII · Sec A
Vice President for Strategic Alliances and Translation
$526,502Pt VII · Sec A
Secretary and General Counsel
$514,929Pt VII · Sec A
VP of Institute Advancement
$508,202Pt VII · Sec A
Vice President for Information Services & CTO
$498,472Pt VII · Sec A
Vice President for Finance and CFO
$453,278Pt VII · Sec A
VP and Chief Strategy Officer for Institutional Impact
$450,633Pt VII · Sec A

Martin Schmidt’s $1.2M as President is at the 81st 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
Shirley Ann Jackson———$2,407,222$4,197,754$1,847,271
Dr Shirley Ann Jackson—$2,425,559$2,466,713———
Martin Schmidt$1,230,040$1,252,452$530,942———
Curtis N Powell————$1,130,016$536,670
Graig Eastin——$693,015$500,511$473,393$486,266
Rebecca Doerge$676,131$321,137————
Curtis Powell—$471,888$590,273$560,268——
Prabhat Hajela$289,280$561,296$580,896$552,288$519,839$534,901

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.

See Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute executive salaries →

Questions the 990 asks

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

  • Family or business ties among officersPt VI · Ln 2No
  • Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aYes

Programs and updates

Educates future leaders for technology careers and conducts cutting-edge scientific research to drive global prosperity and innovation.

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3 programs · $590.7M · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

Instruction Number of Students Enrolled

Undergraduate: 5687 Graduate: 1280 Special: 54

$242.2Mprogram expense
02

Scholarships and Fellowships. Number of undergraduate students on scholarship: 5338 Number of graduate students on scholarships/fellowships: 1158

$241.6Mprogram expense
03

Research Number of Active Research Projects

510

$106.9Mprogram 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 6 funders →
Grants paid · 411 grants · $59.6M · 2019–2024
Unitemized GrantFY2024$1,757,160
Albany Med Health SystemNY · FY2024$659,031
Carnegie Mellon UniversityPA · FY2024$555,270
University of South CarolinaFY2024$543,406
Unitemized GrantFY2024$472,268
Johns Hopkins UniversityMD · FY2024$349,595
Regents Univ of CaliforniaCA · FY2024$306,107
University of ChicagoIL · FY2024$255,496
Institute of Gas TechnologyIL · FY2024$249,363
Unitemized GrantFY2024$228,075
The University of South FloridaFY2024$198,011
Danimer Scientific INCFY2024$174,947
See all 411 grants →

Federal money

Single Audit · Federal Audit Clearinghouse · money spent from federal programs
Year ending Jun 2025 · $106.6M federal money spent
Federal Direct Student LoansDepartment of Education · ALN 84.268 · Direct$31.1M
Department of DefenseDepartment of Defense · ALN 12.RD · Direct and through Emergingdx, INC. and 14 more$10.6M
Federal Pell Grant ProgramDepartment of Education · ALN 84.063 · Direct$7.7M
Federal Perkins Loan Program, Outstanding Loans as of July 1, 2024Department of Education · ALN 84.038 · Direct$4.7M
Office of Science Financial Assistance ProgramDepartment of Energy · ALN 81.049 · Direct and through Massachusetts Institute of Technology and 7 more$3.6M

Plus 66 smaller programs.

The auditor reported no findings.

Year ending Jun 2024 · $109.4M federal money spent
Federal Direct Student LoansDepartment of Education · ALN 84.268 · Direct$31.1M
Federal Pell Grant ProgramDepartment of Education · ALN 84.063 · Direct$7.4M
Federal Perkins Loan Program, Outstanding Loans as of July 1, 2023Department of Education · ALN 84.038 · Direct$6.7M
Basic and Applied Scientific ResearchDepartment of Defense · ALN 12.300 · Direct$4.3M
Department of DefenseDepartment of Defense · ALN 12.RD · Direct and through Advanced Technology International and 13 more$4.0M

Plus 71 smaller programs.

The auditor reported 1 finding.

Year ending Jun 2023 · $107.1M federal money spent
Federal Direct Student LoansDepartment of Education · ALN 84.268 · Direct$29.5M
Federal Perkins Loan Program, Outstanding Loans as of July 1, 2022Department of Education · ALN 84.038 · Direct$10.4M
Federal Pell Grant ProgramDepartment of Education · ALN 84.063 · Direct$6.2M
EngineeringNational Science Foundation · ALN 47.041 · Direct and through Rutgers University and 1 more$4.4M
Basic and Applied Scientific ResearchDepartment of Defense · ALN 12.300 · Direct and through Tufts University$4.3M

Plus 70 smaller programs.

The auditor reported 1 finding.

Year ending Jun 2022 · $114.1M federal money spent
Federal Direct Student LoansDepartment of Education · ALN 84.268 · Direct$27.7M
Federal Perkins Loan ProgramDepartment of Education · ALN 84.038 · Direct$14.1M
Education Stabilization FundDepartment of Education · ALN 84.425 · Direct$13.6M
Federal Pell Grant ProgramDepartment of Education · ALN 84.063 · Direct$5.5M
Mathematical and Physical SciencesNational Science Foundation · ALN 47.049 · Direct and through University of California and 1 more$3.7M

Plus 63 smaller programs.

The auditor reported 2 findings.

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$737.2M
Ln 12
Fees for servicesLn 2g$513.2M
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$144.5M
Investment incomeLn 3$78.0M
Money outPt IX
$732.5M
Ln 25
Programscol B$644.2M
Managementcol C$78.4M
Fundraisingcol D$10.0M
Owns and owesPt X
$969.1M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$7.8M
Total assetsLn 16$1.8B
LiabilitiesLn 26$785.4M
PeoplePt VI, VII
45
listed · VII A
PaidVII A22
Voting boardVI 1a22
IndependentVI 1b22
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$144.5M
Government grantsLn 1e$70.3M
Noncash giftsLn 1g$5.4M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$513.2M
Investment incomeLn 3$78.0M
Other incomeLn 4–11$1.5M
Gains on assetsLn 7$57.6M
Total revenueLn 12$737.2M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
SavingsLn 2$7.8M
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$7.8M
Pledges and grants receivableLn 3$38.6M
Accounts receivableLn 4$9.0M
Inventories for sale or useLn 8$730K
Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesLn 9$17.7M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$600.5M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$1.04B
Other assetsLn 15$39.9M
Total assetsLn 16$1.8B
LiabilitiesLn 26$785.4M
Net assetsLn 32$969.1M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 55,136
VolunteersI 61,874
Fiscal year endsHeaderJune
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13Yes
Records policyVI 14Yes
3More from this return
BondsSch K, Pt X
Tax-exempt bond debt owedX 20$333.3M
Bond issues listedSch K Pt I3
Raised by those issuesSch K Pt I$355.2M
Abroad and in kindSch F, M
Grants to other countriesSch F Pt II–III$260K
Noncash gifts receivedSch M Pt I$5.4M
Investment feesPt IX, Sch D
Investment fees, as reportedPt IX 11f$3.3M
Share of the $1.03B endowmentSch D 1g0.33%
Typical, median of 2,202 orgs0.44%
EndowmentSch D · Pt V
LineFY25FY24FY23FY22FY21
End of yearLn 1g$1.03B$1.00B$925.9M$868.6M$1.07B
AddedLn 1b$19.3M$9.1M$6.6M$17.5M$18.9M
SpentLn 1d–1f$118.4M$49.1M$42.0M$33.8M$33.6M
4Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY25End FY25
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$6.9M$7.8M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$1.02B$1.04B
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$607.0M$600.5M
Total assetsLn 16$1.73B$1.75B
LiabilitiesLn 26$815.2M$785.4M
Net assetsLn 32$916.3M$969.1M
5Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$7.4M$7.4M
Grants to domestic individualsLn 2$282.9M$282.9M
Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsLn 3$260K$260K
Pay of officers and key staff (Part IX, line 5)Ln 5$7.8M$2.9M$4.4M$541K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$193.1M$163.2M$24.7M$5.3M
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$13.0M$9.4M$3.6M
Other employee benefitsLn 9$29.3M$22.9M$4.6M$1.8M
Payroll taxesLn 10$12.4M$9.9M$2.5M
Legal feesLn 11b$3.0M$3.0M
Accounting feesLn 11c$371K$371K
Professional fundraising feesLn 11e$224K$224K
Investment management feesLn 11f$3.3M$3.3M
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$39.5M$28.8M$9.5M$1.2M
Advertising and promotionLn 12$557K$465K$92K$647
Office expensesLn 13$9.6M$8.7M$813K$139K
Information technologyLn 14$21.8M$20.2M$1.5M$97K
OccupancyLn 16$30.9M$24.5M$6.4M$61K
TravelLn 17$7.0M$5.7M$851K$485K
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$849K$760K$64K$25K
InterestLn 20$22.6M$19.4M$3.2M
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$31.5M$26.9M$4.6M
InsuranceLn 23$7.6M$4.1M$3.5M$2K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$5.7M$4.6M$888K$191K
All other expensesLn 24e$1.8M$1.2M$609K$6K
Total functional expensesLn 25$732.5M$644.2M$78.4M$10.0M

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest ViewingFiled with the IRS May 15, 2026 $737.2M$732.5M$4.7M$969.1M 990 PDF
FY2024Filed with the IRS May 15, 2025 $709.4M$703.2M$6.2M$916.3M 990 PDF
FY2023Filed with the IRS May 15, 2024 $666.6M$642.6M$24.0M$843.2M 990 PDF
FY2022 $703.2M$582.2M$121.0M$751.7M 990 PDF
FY2021Filed with the IRS May 16, 2022 $616.6M$562.6M$53.9M$932.4M 990 PDF
FY2020Filed with the IRS May 17, 2021 $653.0M$619.3M$33.7M$521.9M 990 PDF

Schedules filed Part IV

A · Public support B · Donors C · Political and lobbying D · Assets and endowments E · Schools F · Foreign G · Fundraising I · Grants J · Pay K · Bonds M · Noncash O · Explanations R · Related orgs
See the full FY2025 990
Part I · Summary $737,196,871 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $129,949,555$144,480,567
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $514,495,123$513,224,949
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $63,350,748$78,041,272
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $1,651,019$1,450,083
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $709,446,445$737,196,871
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $289,617,738$290,512,215
I-14 Benefits paid to members$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $233,962,466$255,598,600
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $198,700$224,326
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $179,424,342$186,188,610
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $703,203,246$732,523,751
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $6,243,199$4,673,120
Part VI · Governance 22 of 22 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body22
VI-1b Independent voting members22
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsNo
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 $737,196,871 across 11 lines filed
Lines not itemized here account for $30,886 of total revenue; see the IRS return.
VIII-1e Government grants$70,310,488
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$74,170,079
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$5,441,843
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$144,480,567
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $513,224,949$513,224,949
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $20,438,502$20,438,502
VIII-5 RoyaltiesExcluded from tax $1,169,519$1,169,519
VIII-6 Net rental income or lossUnrelated business $178,759 · Excluded from tax $50,919$229,678
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsRelated to mission $268,858 · Unrelated business $949,027 · Excluded from tax $56,384,885$57,602,770
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Unrelated business $20,000$20,000
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $513,524,693 · Unrelated business $1,147,786 · Excluded from tax $78,043,825$737,196,871
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $732,523,751 across 24 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $7,380,305$7,380,305
IX-2 Grants to domestic individualsPrograms $282,872,043$282,872,043
IX-3 Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsPrograms $259,867$259,867
IX-5 Pay of officers and key staff (Part IX, line 5)Programs $2,919,828 · Management $4,379,743 · Fundraising $541,241$7,840,812
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $163,170,788 · Management $24,651,466 · Fundraising $5,253,269$193,075,523
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $9,405,966 · Management $3,566,333$12,972,299
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $22,936,341 · Management $4,613,268 · Fundraising $1,756,947$29,306,556
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $9,927,099 · Management $2,476,311$12,403,410
IX-11b Legal feesManagement $2,968,742$2,968,742
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $370,894$370,894
IX-11e Professional fundraising feesFundraising $224,326$224,326
IX-11f Investment management feesManagement $3,347,519$3,347,519
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $28,819,629 · Management $9,527,103 · Fundraising $1,171,302$39,518,034
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $464,894 · Management $91,616 · Fundraising $647$557,157
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $8,683,706 · Management $813,084 · Fundraising $138,979$9,635,769
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $20,236,333 · Management $1,496,254 · Fundraising $97,488$21,830,075
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $24,471,940 · Management $6,364,204 · Fundraising $61,226$30,897,370
IX-17 TravelPrograms $5,670,432 · Management $851,141 · Fundraising $485,025$7,006,598
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $760,154 · Management $63,923 · Fundraising $25,223$849,300
IX-20 InterestPrograms $19,383,380 · Management $3,228,710$22,612,090
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $26,873,790 · Management $4,589,017$31,462,807
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $4,118,183 · Management $3,492,056 · Fundraising $1,662$7,611,901
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $4,638,265 · Management $887,700 · Fundraising $191,091$5,717,056
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $1,188,400 · Management $609,335 · Fundraising $5,563$1,803,298
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $644,181,343 · Management $78,388,419 · Fundraising $9,953,989$732,523,751
Part X · Balance sheet $1,754,467,322 assets, 25 lines filed
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $6,922,267$7,843,069
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $31,816,102$38,552,554
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $8,601,818$9,006,802
X-5 Loans to officers and key peopleStart of year $0$0
X-6 Loans to other insidersStart of year $0$0
X-8 Inventories for sale or useStart of year $755,918$730,012
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $17,436,201$17,748,237
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $606,991,850$600,528,697
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $557,117,214$447,142,580
X-12 Other securitiesStart of year $457,468,987$591,263,056
X-13 Program-related investmentsStart of year $3,440,247$1,756,092
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $40,958,542$39,896,223
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $1,731,509,146$1,754,467,322
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $54,144,470$58,322,859
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $42,433,877$41,650,393
X-20 Tax-exempt bond liabilitiesStart of year $351,190,113$333,327,853
X-22 Loans from officers and insidersStart of year $0$0
X-23 Secured mortgages and notes payableStart of year $14,651,938$13,884,245
X-24 Unsecured notes and loans payableStart of year $256,885,362$243,700,813
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $95,868,180$94,528,287
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $815,173,940$785,414,450
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $59,422,480$25,056,597
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $856,912,726$943,996,275
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $916,335,206$969,052,872
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $1,731,509,146$1,754,467,322
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $969,052,872 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$737,196,871
XI-2 Total expenses$732,523,751
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$4,673,120
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$916,335,206
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$39,878,346
XI-6 Donated services and use of facilities$687,500
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$7,478,700
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$969,052,872

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2025 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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