Research, education and general - Princeton University is a private not-for-profit, non-sectarian institution of higher learning with approximately 5,700 undergraduate and 3,300 graduate students. 2,500 students graduated in the 2024-2025 academic year. As a world-renowned research University, Princeton seeks to achieve the highest levels of distinction in the discovery and transmission of knowledge and understanding, at the same time, Princeton is distinctive among research universities in its commitment to undergraduate teaching.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
87¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 27,000 volunteers and 17,462 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
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
5 of 6
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $1.1B a year · 30% of revenue · last 6 filings
Fine: a surplus in 5 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
87%
of spending
Looks good: 87% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$31.7M
to officers and key staff · 1.0% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 1% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
1 mo
of spending, in cash
Plus $37.08B in investments, Pt X · Ln 11–13
Fine: 1.4 months of spending in cash; 1 to 3.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
40
named funders · $2.4M
Looks good: 40 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$7.7B
17% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 17% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
33
of 37 voting members
Looks good: 33 of 37 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$3.2B
+4% vs prior year
Spent
$3.2B
To programs
87%
Net assets
$38.1B
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$3.2B
FY2025▲ +4%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$2.1B
FY2021$4.9B
FY2022$5.0B
FY2023$3.6B
FY2024$3.1B
FY2025$3.2B
Expenses
$3.2B
FY2025▲ +11%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$2.1B
FY2021$2.2B
FY2022$2.4B
FY2023$2.6B
FY2024$2.9B
FY2025$3.2B
Net assets
$38.1B
FY2025▲ +6%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$27.9B
FY2021$38.7B
FY2022$37.7B
FY2023$36.2B
FY2024$36.1B
FY2025$38.1B

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

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Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Feb 1984.

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

Where the money goes

87 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 87% · $2.8B Management & general 11% · $362.4M Fundraising 1% · $38.3M

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

66 people listed on the 990; $31.7M paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2024); the FY2025 filing did not itemize Part VII
President of Princo
$3,762,747Pt VII · Sec A
Managing Director of Princo
$2,785,511Pt VII · Sec A
Managing Director of Princo
$2,049,037Pt VII · Sec A
Managing Director of Princo
$2,002,806Pt VII · Sec A
Managing Director of Princo
$1,686,082Pt VII · Sec A
Former President of Princo
$1,532,931Pt VII · Sec A
$1,518,245Pt VII · Sec A
Managing Director of Princo
$1,356,404Pt VII · Sec A

Vincent Tuohey’s $3.8M as President of Princo is at the 95th 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

NameFY2025FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Andrew Golden$1,532,931$6,625,550$6,394,790$4,246,039$4,258,288
James Millar—$4,779,428$4,254,744$2,336,608$1,876,559
Vincent Tuohey$3,762,747————
Jonathan Erickson$2,785,511$2,984,711$2,293,052$1,785,184$2,212,183
Edward Karns—$2,495,858$2,612,291$2,132,137$2,069,040
Tae Kyoon Kim$2,049,037$2,129,276$2,103,924$1,635,954$1,440,926
Jennifer Birmingham$2,002,806$1,864,350$1,859,262$1,573,591$1,449,014
Susan Butler Ciniglio$1,686,082————

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 The Trustees of Princeton University executive salaries →

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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 2No
  • Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aYes
  • Loans to or from officersSch L · Pt II15 listed

Programs and updates

Provides world-class higher education, conducts advanced research, and maintains a vibrant residential campus community with housing and dining services for students, faculty, and staff.

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Provided by the organization

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3 programs · $2.3B · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

Research-one of the world's great research centers, princeton university is the site of pioneering work across all academic areas. Every member of the faculty is engaged in scholarly research. In addition, graduate students and upperclass undergraduates pursue independent research.

$1.2Bprogram expense
02

Education

Princeton university is a private not-for-profit, non-sectarian institution of higher learning with approximately 5,700 undergraduate and 3,300 graduate students. 2,500 students graduated in the 2024-2025 academic year.

$996.4Mprogram expense
03

Auxiliary activities-princeton university furnishes services to the campus community including housing, dining, and conference and event services to approximately 9,000 students, 1,300 faculty, 6,700 staff, as well as the public.

$176.1Mprogram 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 40 funders →
Grants paid · 179 grants · $2.2B · 2019–2024
Unitemized GrantFY2024$225,435,412
Unitemized GrantFY2024$181,532,636
Unitemized GrantFY2024$97,312,934
Unitemized GrantFY2024$55,007,038
Municipality of PrincetonFY2024$5,304,000
Princeton Public SchoolsFY2024$2,886,800
County of MercerFY2024$1,416,168
McCarter Theatre CompanyNJ · FY2024$657,267
Princeton Mass TransitFY2024$300,000
Princeton Fire DepartmentFY2024$200,000
The Wilderness SocietyDC · FY2024$168,249
Climate Central INCNJ · FY2024$157,224
101 INCNJ · FY2024$100,000
See all 179 grants →

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$3.2B
Ln 12
Investment incomeLn 3$1.5B
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$873.2M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$675.9M
Money outPt IX
$3.2B
Ln 25
Programscol B$2.8B
Managementcol C$362.4M
Fundraisingcol D$38.3M
Owns and owesPt X
$38.1B
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$372.8M
Total assetsLn 16$45.9B
LiabilitiesLn 26$7.7B
PeoplePt VI, VII
66
listed · VII A
PaidVII A30
Voting boardVI 1a37
IndependentVI 1b33
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$873.2M
Government grantsLn 1e$475.6M
Noncash giftsLn 1g$60.7M
Fundraising eventsLn 1c$139K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$675.9M
Investment incomeLn 3$1.5B
Other incomeLn 4–11$118.4M
Gains on assetsLn 7−$208K
Total revenueLn 12$3.2B
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$36.5M
SavingsLn 2$336.4M
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$372.8M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$37.08B
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$7.22B
Other assetsLn 15$81.8M
Total assetsLn 16$45.9B
LiabilitiesLn 26$7.7B
Net assetsLn 32$38.1B
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 517,462
VolunteersI 627,000
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 FY25End FY25
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$396.4M$372.8M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$34.79B$37.08B
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$6.54B$7.22B
Total assetsLn 16$42.84B$45.86B
LiabilitiesLn 26$6.72B$7.75B
Net assetsLn 32$36.12B$38.11B
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$15.0M$15.0M
Grants to domestic individualsLn 2$559.3M$559.3M
Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsLn 3$46.0M$46.0M
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$17.3M$6.5M$10.0M$908K
Pay of disqualified personsLn 6$3.3M$2.2M$1.2M$0
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$1.15B$896.7M$228.8M$21.2M
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$92.9M$77.8M$13.4M$1.7M
Other employee benefitsLn 9$183.7M$154.4M$26.0M$3.3M
Payroll taxesLn 10$70.6M$59.1M$10.2M$1.3M
Management feesLn 11a$2.1M$1.5M$641K$0
Legal feesLn 11b$19.2M$2.4M$16.7M$23K
Accounting feesLn 11c$2.9M$4K$2.8M$0
Lobbying feesLn 11d$678K$678K
Investment management feesLn 11f$1.9M$1.9M
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$246.9M$157.3M$85.7M$3.9M
Advertising and promotionLn 12$9.1M$7.1M$1.3M$801K
Office expensesLn 13$102.5M$97.1M$5.1M$307K
Information technologyLn 14$12.8M$7.4M$5.3M$154K
RoyaltiesLn 15$413K$413K
OccupancyLn 16$94.1M$17.5M$76.2M$419K
TravelLn 17$41.1M$37.9M$2.4M$698K
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$11.0M$10.1M$836K$74K
InterestLn 20$221.8M$152.4M$69.5M$0
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$231.5M$207.1M$23.7M$641K
InsuranceLn 23$9.9M$404K$9.5M$1K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$53.4M$279.7M−$229.3M$2.9M
All other expensesLn 24e$0$0$0$0
Total functional expensesLn 25$3.20B$2.80B$362.4M$38.3M

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest Viewing $3.2B$3.2B$12.4M$38.1B 990 PDF
FY2024 $3.1B$2.9B$211.6M$36.1B 990 PDF
FY2023 $3.6B$2.6B$981.1M$36.2B 990 PDF
FY2022 $5.0B$2.4B$2.7B$37.7B 990 PDF
FY2021 $4.9B$2.2B$2.7B$38.7B 990 PDF
FY2020 $2.1B$2.1B−$21.4M$27.9B 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 FY2025 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $3,208,577,000 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $787,334,000$873,197,769
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $628,647,000$675,866,000
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $1,616,831,000$1,541,159,000
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $64,011,000$118,354,231
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $3,096,823,000$3,208,577,000
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $618,934,900$620,310,685
I-14 Benefits paid to members$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $1,390,790,000$1,514,735,000
I-16a Professional fundraising fees$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $875,461,100$1,061,157,315
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $2,885,186,000$3,196,203,000
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $211,637,000$12,374,000
Part VI · Governance 33 of 37 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body37
VI-1b Independent voting members33
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 $3,208,577,000 across 13 lines filed
Lines not itemized here account for $425,000 of total revenue; see the IRS return.
VIII-1c Fundraising events$138,855
VIII-1e Government grants$475,621,000
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$397,437,914
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$60,741,206
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$873,197,769
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $675,597,000 · Unrelated business $269,000$675,866,000
VIII-3 Investment incomeUnrelated business $112,904,230 · Excluded from tax $1,428,037,770$1,540,942,000
VIII-5 RoyaltiesRelated to mission $2,287,000$2,287,000
VIII-6 Net rental income or lossExcluded from tax $4,987,000$4,987,000
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsExcluded from tax −$208,000−$208,000
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising eventsExcluded from tax −$113,798−$113,798
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Related to mission $16,739,000 · Unrelated business $25 · Excluded from tax $94,455,004$111,194,029
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $694,623,000 · Unrelated business $113,173,255 · Excluded from tax $1,527,582,976$3,208,577,000
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $3,196,203,000 across 27 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $15,035,699$15,035,699
IX-2 Grants to domestic individualsPrograms $559,288,021$559,288,021
IX-3 Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsPrograms $45,986,965$45,986,965
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $6,476,000 · Management $9,957,000 · Fundraising $908,000$17,341,000
IX-6 Pay of disqualified personsPrograms $2,181,000 · Management $1,164,000 · Fundraising $0$3,345,000
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $896,749,000 · Management $228,841,000 · Fundraising $21,225,000$1,146,815,000
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $77,835,000 · Management $13,415,000 · Fundraising $1,691,000$92,941,000
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $154,406,000 · Management $25,980,000 · Fundraising $3,285,000$183,671,000
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $59,144,000 · Management $10,193,000 · Fundraising $1,285,000$70,622,000
IX-11a Management feesPrograms $1,482,000 · Management $641,000 · Fundraising $0$2,123,000
IX-11b Legal feesPrograms $2,441,000 · Management $16,718,000 · Fundraising $23,000$19,182,000
IX-11c Accounting feesPrograms $4,000 · Management $2,849,000 · Fundraising $0$2,853,000
IX-11d Lobbying feesManagement $678,000$678,000
IX-11f Investment management feesManagement $1,893,000$1,893,000
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $157,277,000 · Management $85,682,000 · Fundraising $3,903,000$246,862,000
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $7,054,000 · Management $1,258,000 · Fundraising $801,000$9,113,000
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $97,127,000 · Management $5,094,000 · Fundraising $307,000$102,528,000
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $7,357,000 · Management $5,269,000 · Fundraising $154,000$12,780,000
IX-15 RoyaltiesPrograms $413,000$413,000
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $17,514,000 · Management $76,194,000 · Fundraising $419,000$94,127,000
IX-17 TravelPrograms $37,936,000 · Management $2,440,000 · Fundraising $698,000$41,074,000
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $10,105,000 · Management $836,000 · Fundraising $74,000$11,015,000
IX-20 InterestPrograms $152,353,000 · Management $69,473,000 · Fundraising $0$221,826,000
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $207,141,000 · Management $23,684,000 · Fundraising $641,000$231,466,000
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $404,000 · Management $9,468,000 · Fundraising $1,000$9,873,000
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $279,727,315 · Management −$229,286,000 · Fundraising $2,910,000$53,351,315
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $2,795,437,000 · Management $362,441,000 · Fundraising $38,325,000$3,196,203,000
Part X · Balance sheet $45,858,792,000 assets, 22 lines filed
Asset lines not itemized here account for $511,335,000; see the IRS return.
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $32,291,000$36,452,000
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $364,074,000$336,350,000
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $539,965,000$562,781,000
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $5,689,000$7,856,000
X-8 Inventories for sale or useStart of year $6,577,000$9,403,000
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $8,954,000$7,744,000
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $6,539,466,000$7,220,526,000
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $212,000,000$771,800,000
X-12 Other securitiesStart of year $34,573,674,000$36,310,363,000
X-14 Intangible assetsStart of year $4,000$2,349,000
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $68,330,629$81,833,000
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $42,839,034,000$45,858,792,000
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $451,817,000$519,090,000
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $48,791,000$75,105,000
X-20 Tax-exempt bond liabilitiesStart of year $3,614,113,000$4,179,031,000
X-24 Unsecured notes and loans payableStart of year $1,775,763,000$2,164,395,000
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $796,932,000$792,359,000
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $6,719,933,000$7,745,874,000
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $16,474,504,000$17,543,744,000
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $19,644,597,000$20,569,174,000
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $36,119,101,000$38,112,918,000
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $42,839,034,000$45,858,792,000
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $38,112,918,000 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$3,208,577,000
XI-2 Total expenses$3,196,203,000
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$12,374,000
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$36,119,101,000
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$1,932,737,000
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$48,706,000
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$38,112,918,000

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

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