Pitzer College is an educational institution focusing on undergraduate education.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
88¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$3.4M paid to officers and key staff.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · Pay: Part VII

Before you give

FY2020 · 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 $5.1M a year · 5% 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
88%
of spending
Looks good: 88% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$3.4M
to officers and key staff · 4% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 4% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
8 mo
of spending, in cash
Plus $154.0M in investments, Pt X · Ln 11–13
Looks good: 7.7 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
2
named funders · $11K
Fine: 2 funders name it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$102.4M
33% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 33% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
35
of 36 voting members
Looks good: 35 of 36 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$87.2M
Spent
$78.9M
To programs
88%
Net assets
$211.5M
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$87.2M
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$87.2M
FY2021$62.3M
FY2022$100.5M
FY2023$103.0M
FY2024$108.5M
FY2025$113.6M
Expenses
$78.9M
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$78.9M
FY2021$59.9M
FY2022$87.8M
FY2023$98.9M
FY2024$106.7M
FY2025$112.1M
Net assets
$211.5M
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$211.5M
FY2021$249.1M
FY2022$246.8M
FY2023$254.9M
FY2024$271.0M
FY2025$287.5M

From the FY2020 Form 990 (year ending June 2020) · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

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You’re viewing the FY2020 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 Oct 1964.

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% · $69.6M Management & general 10% · $8.1M Fundraising 2% · $1.3M

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

52 people listed on the 990; $3.4M paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2019); the FY2020 filing did not itemize Part VII
$507,009Pt VII · Sec A
Faculty
$275,216Pt VII · Sec A
VP/Dean of Faculty (thru 06/2019)
$269,295Pt VII · Sec A
Treasurer/VP Finance and Admin
$263,498Pt VII · Sec A
VP for College Advancement
$250,732Pt VII · Sec A
VP of Student Affairs
$249,951Pt VII · Sec A
Chief of Staff/Chief Legal Counsel
$230,932Pt VII · Sec A
Faculty/Former VP of Academic Affairs
$202,812Pt VII · Sec A

Strom C Thacker’s $532K as President is at the 43rd 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
Melvin L Oliver——$498,701$546,923$501,427—
Strom C Thacker$531,615$283,571————
Melvin L Oliver PHD—————$507,009
Al Wachtel—$444,325$403,445$191,393$190,703$192,043
Sharon N Snowiss$419,921$387,649————
Nigel J Boyle$395,269—————
Laura Schaefer$377,612$368,527$362,106———
Paul Faulstitch——$312,592$373,903——

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 Pitzer College 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

Programs and updates

Provides an academically rigorous, interdisciplinary undergraduate liberal arts education that emphasizes social justice, intercultural understanding, and environmental sensitivity.

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Provided by the organization

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1 program · $69.6M · in their own filed words · FY2019
01

Pitzer College is an educational institution focusing on undergraduate education. The undergraduate full time equivalent enrollment for the year was 1,055 students. Pitzer College produces engaged socially responsible citizens of the world through an academically rigorous, interdisciplinary liberal arts education, emphasizing social…

$69.6Mprogram 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
Total grants receivedfrom 2 funders$11K
Grants paid · 33 grants · $104.6M · 2019–2024
Unitemized GrantFY2024$18,403,149
Unitemized GrantFY2024$454,402
Unitemized GrantFY2024$231,135
Unitemized GrantFY2024$90,000
Unitemized GrantFY2024$23,346
Unitemized GrantFY2023$19,398,097
Unitemized GrantFY2023$231,135
Unitemized GrantFY2023$145,453
Unitemized GrantFY2023$40,000
Unitemized GrantFY2022$16,965,051
Unitemized GrantFY2022$231,135
Unitemized GrantFY2022$191,369
Unitemized GrantFY2022$40,000
Unitemized GrantFY2021$16,515,443
Unitemized GrantFY2021$825,236
Unitemized GrantFY2021$231,135
Unitemized GrantFY2021$161,036
Unitemized GrantFY2021$20,000
See all 33 grants →

By the numbers

The FY2020 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$87.2M
Ln 12
Fees for servicesLn 2g$74.7M
Investment incomeLn 3$5.8M
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$4.5M
Money outPt IX
$78.9M
Ln 25
Programscol B$69.6M
Managementcol C$8.1M
Fundraisingcol D$1.3M
Owns and owesPt X
$211.5M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$50.7M
Total assetsLn 16$313.9M
LiabilitiesLn 26$102.4M
PeoplePt VI, VII
52
listed · VII A
PaidVII A16
Voting boardVI 1a36
IndependentVI 1b35
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$4.5M
Government grantsLn 1e$173K
Noncash giftsLn 1g$303K
Fundraising eventsLn 1c$86K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$74.7M
Investment incomeLn 3$5.8M
Other incomeLn 4–11$2.2M
Gains on assetsLn 7$3.3M
Total revenueLn 12$87.2M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$2.4M
SavingsLn 2$48.3M
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$50.7M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$154.0M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$99.5M
Other assetsLn 15$2.1M
Total assetsLn 16$313.9M
LiabilitiesLn 26$102.4M
Net assetsLn 32$211.5M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 51,222
VolunteersI 6136
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 FY20End FY20
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$34.8M$50.7M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$153.7M$154.0M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$99.9M$99.5M
Total assetsLn 16$300.8M$313.9M
LiabilitiesLn 26$99.2M$102.4M
Net assetsLn 32$201.6M$211.5M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic individualsLn 2$17.4M$17.4M
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$2.8M$332K$2.2M$316K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$23.3M$21.6M$1.2M$568K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$3.0M$2.8M$131K$71K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$3.1M$2.9M$215K$28K
Payroll taxesLn 10$1.7M$1.5M$179K$54K
Legal feesLn 11b$157K$18K$138K
Accounting feesLn 11c$148K$1K$146K
Investment management feesLn 11f$207K$207K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$1.9M$1.8M$59K$60K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$124K$88K$21K$15K
Office expensesLn 13$1.1M$934K$114K$13K
Information technologyLn 14$906K$390K$485K$31K
OccupancyLn 16$1.6M$1.5M$51K$2K
TravelLn 17$1.2M$1.1M$51K$26K
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$413K$312K$94K$7K
InterestLn 20$2.4M$2.4M$18K
Payments to affiliatesLn 21$134K$52K$80K$2K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$4.4M$4.1M$228K
InsuranceLn 23$284K$27K$257K$31
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$12.2M$10.0M$2.3M$806
All other expensesLn 24e$462K$393K$11K$58K
Total functional expensesLn 25$78.9M$69.6M$8.1M$1.3M

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest $113.6M$112.1M$1.5M$287.5M 990 PDF
FY2024 $108.5M$106.7M$1.8M$271.0M 990 PDF
FY2023 $103.0M$98.9M$4.1M$254.9M 990 PDF
FY2022 $100.5M$87.8M$12.6M$246.8M 990 PDF
FY2021 $62.3M$59.9M$2.4M$249.1M 990 PDF
FY2020 Viewing $87.2M$78.9M$8.3M$211.5M 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 M · Noncash J · Pay O · Explanations
See the full FY2020 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $87,218,452 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $8,728,267$4,467,794
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $73,411,892$74,690,597
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $4,190,877$5,813,176
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $564,479$2,246,885
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $86,895,515$87,218,452
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $17,330,804$17,353,690
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $33,471,255$34,026,791
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $28,543,225$27,565,464
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $79,345,284$78,945,945
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $7,550,231$8,272,507
Part VI · Governance 35 of 36 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body36
VI-1b Independent voting members35
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 $87,218,452 across 12 lines filed
Lines not itemized here account for $52,364 of total revenue; see the IRS return.
VIII-1c Fundraising events$86,277
VIII-1e Government grants$173,351
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$4,208,166
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$302,852
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$4,467,794
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $74,690,597$74,690,597
VIII-3 Investment incomeUnrelated business −$30,416 · Excluded from tax $2,541,460$2,511,044
VIII-6 Net rental income or lossExcluded from tax $5,940$5,940
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsUnrelated business $114,580 · Excluded from tax $3,187,552$3,302,132
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising eventsExcluded from tax $15,373$15,373
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Excluded from tax $2,173,208$2,173,208
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $74,690,597 · Unrelated business $84,164 · Excluded from tax $7,975,897$87,218,452
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $78,945,945 across 22 lines filed
IX-2 Grants to domestic individualsPrograms $17,353,690$17,353,690
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $331,751 · Management $2,180,753 · Fundraising $316,242$2,828,746
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $21,550,665 · Management $1,191,105 · Fundraising $568,411$23,310,181
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $2,820,412 · Management $130,721 · Fundraising $70,640$3,021,773
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $2,884,131 · Management $214,778 · Fundraising $28,497$3,127,406
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $1,506,027 · Management $178,623 · Fundraising $54,035$1,738,685
IX-11b Legal feesPrograms $18,481 · Management $138,181$156,662
IX-11c Accounting feesPrograms $1,484 · Management $146,411$147,895
IX-11f Investment management feesManagement $207,051$207,051
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $1,794,170 · Management $58,964 · Fundraising $60,000$1,913,134
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $87,697 · Management $21,364 · Fundraising $15,161$124,222
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $933,522 · Management $113,573 · Fundraising $12,627$1,059,722
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $389,873 · Management $485,422 · Fundraising $30,751$906,046
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $1,514,462 · Management $50,759 · Fundraising $1,891$1,567,112
IX-17 TravelPrograms $1,079,069 · Management $50,515 · Fundraising $26,489$1,156,073
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $311,919 · Management $93,568 · Fundraising $7,069$412,556
IX-20 InterestPrograms $2,428,089 · Management $18,455$2,446,544
IX-21 Payments to affiliatesPrograms $52,016 · Management $80,256 · Fundraising $2,129$134,401
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $4,125,454 · Management $228,291$4,353,745
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $26,510 · Management $257,351 · Fundraising $31$283,892
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $9,958,294 · Management $2,275,114 · Fundraising $806$12,234,214
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $392,964 · Management $10,990 · Fundraising $58,241$462,195
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $69,560,680 · Management $8,132,245 · Fundraising $1,253,020$78,945,945
Part X · Balance sheet $313,941,759 assets, 21 lines filed
Asset lines not itemized here account for $127,258; see the IRS return.
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $1,684,329$2,398,328
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $33,075,064$48,303,074
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $6,058,772$4,251,352
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $1,811,248$1,463,322
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $2,112,617$1,735,873
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $99,875,505$99,538,354
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $99,035,758$81,339,465
X-12 Other securitiesStart of year $52,189,926$70,668,306
X-13 Program-related investmentsStart of year $2,442,701$2,018,470
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $2,447,744$2,097,957
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $300,841,816$313,941,759
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $3,919,679$6,657,977
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $1,097,937$1,953,431
X-20 Tax-exempt bond liabilitiesStart of year $85,846,661$84,860,561
X-24 Unsecured notes and loans payableStart of year $436,970$355,381
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $7,905,467$8,598,370
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $99,206,714$102,425,720
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $129,396,248$138,979,620
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $72,238,854$72,536,419
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $201,635,102$211,516,039
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $300,841,816$313,941,759
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $211,516,039 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$87,218,452
XI-2 Total expenses$78,945,945
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$8,272,507
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$201,635,102
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$2,241,825
XI-9 Other changes in net assets−$633,395
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$211,516,039

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2020 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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