Cornell University
93% goes to programs $9 to raise $100 Strong reserves
Cornell University is a 501(c)(3) organization based in Ithaca, New York, registered in 1951, with $6,551,885,454 in FY2023 revenue. CharityIndex grades it A+, and it directs about 93% of spending to programs.
377 Pine Tree Rd, Ithaca, NY, 14850 EIN 15-0532082 Since 1951
Revenue (FY2023)
$6.6B
▲ 11.5% vs prior year
Education median: $200K
Expenses (FY2023)
$6.4B
Net assets
$13.8B
Employees
47,247
CharityIndex rating
One independent A+ to F grade from four published criteria, each scored separately from IRS filings and combined by weight.
A+
A+Program efficiency40% of the rating93% to programs · $9 to raise $100
Measures how much of every dollar spent actually reaches programs, plus what it costs to raise $100 of donations. The worse of the two measures sets the letter (85%+ to programs is an A; under $15 to raise $100 is an A), averaged over the three most recent filings. For Cornell University: 93% to programs · $9 to raise $100 earns a A+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
AFinancial health25% of the rating26 mo reserves · +2% margin
Measures whether the organization is built to last: how many months its reserves would cover expenses (3+ months earns an A-range score, but hoarding 5+ years of budget is capped) and whether it runs a surplus or a deficit. For Cornell University: 26 mo reserves · +2% margin earns a A on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
A+Governance25% of the rating6 of 6 checks met
Checks how the organization is run, from its own Form 990: an independent board majority, a board of five or more, conflict-of-interest, whistleblower and document-retention policies, and independently audited financials. The share of disclosed checks that pass sets the letter. For Cornell University: 6 of 6 checks met earns a A+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
A+Transparency10% of the rating5 of 5 disclosure signals
Counts five disclosure signals: a recent filing, a mission statement, program descriptions, a listed website, and the full expense breakdown. More disclosure, better letter. For Cornell University: 5 of 5 disclosure signals earns a A+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
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Mission
Education, research, medical services and other public services.
What they do
Medical services, including the training and education of physicians, is a primary component of the university's mission. cornell is committed to excellence in patient care, scientific discovery, and the education of future physicians in new york city and around the world. the doctors and scientists of weill cornell medicine -faculty from weill cornell medical college, weill cornell graduate school of medical sciences, and the weill cornell physician organization- provide clinical care and research that connect patients to the latest treatment innovations and prevention strategies.
Cornell has a long tradition of combining scholarly work and leadership in research -both basic and applied- with public service and engagement in new york state and around the world. revenues from sponsored awards include $939,559,000 in direct support and $263,765,000 in indirect cost recovery. revenues also include grant and contract revenue to support public outreach and instruction, the single largest portion is related to research.
Other program service accomplishments include, but are not limited to, cornell's land-grant mission, academic conferences, publications, and room and board for students.
Contact & location
- Address
- 377 Pine Tree Rd, Ithaca, NY, 14850
- City
- Ithaca
- State
- New York
- Category
- Education
- Subcategory
- Colleges & Universities
- Phone
- …
- Website
- …
Financial trends
Revenue grew from $4.4B (FY2013) to $6.6B (FY2023) across 11 reported years.
Financial snapshot
Financial health & position (FY2023)
Liabilities $4.8BNet assets $13.8B
Operating margin
2.2%
Revenue exceeded expenses in the latest fiscal year.
Total assets
$18.6B
Total liabilities
$4.8B
Net assets
$13.8B
Salaries & benefits
$3.9B
61% of expenses
Board members
64
58 independent
Financials by year
| Fiscal year | Revenue | Expenses | Net assets | Total assets | Form |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $6,551,885,454▲11.5% | $6,409,742,353▲9.6% | $13,784,965,555▲3.4% | $18,612,463,436▲7.4% | 990 |
| 2022 | $5,877,363,039▼9.6% | $5,846,117,271▲7.1% | $13,336,850,241▲0.3% | $17,336,489,402▼0.6% | 990 |
| 2021 | $6,503,011,003▲6.5% | $5,456,954,931▲1.2% | $13,295,018,080▲1.9% | $17,439,114,941▲0.2% | 990 |
| 2020 | $6,105,457,911▲19.1% | $5,392,092,121▲4.1% | $13,044,507,155▲30.2% | $17,400,544,171▲20.4% | 990 |
| 2019 | $5,126,693,316▲2.5% | $5,178,905,382▲6.4% | $10,020,821,856▼3.9% | $14,446,875,157▲5.9% | 990 |
| 2018 | $5,001,986,844▼0.4% | $4,868,291,690▲5.7% | $10,426,520,442▲1.3% | $13,646,556,749▲2.5% | 990 |
| 2017 | $5,023,263,037▲6.9% | $4,604,733,720▲5.7% | $10,295,620,673▲5.5% | $13,318,967,667▲3.9% | 990 |
| 2016 | $4,700,356,619▲7.6% | $4,358,249,565▲3.7% | $9,759,489,075▲9.4% | $12,816,316,557▲3.6% | 990 |
| 2015 | $4,369,242,548▲0.4% | $4,202,180,199▲6.3% | $8,919,088,847▼5.0% | $12,369,905,113▼2.4% | 990 |
| 2014 | $4,351,368,015▼0.4% | $3,951,934,873▲7.1% | $9,390,861,378▲1.8% | $12,669,538,763▲1.4% | 990 |
| 2013 | $4,368,738,915 | $3,689,909,253▲14.9% | $9,224,571,395▲14.0% | $12,498,894,139▲8.6% | 990 |
| 2012 | — | $3,211,822,247▲4.7% | $8,094,620,852▲8.3% | $11,506,007,674▲5.6% | 990 |
| 2011 | — | $3,068,749,235▲4.6% | $7,477,670,000▼0.4% | $10,900,413,000▲0.9% | 990 |
| 2010 | — | $2,934,611,666▲6.0% | $7,510,995,000▲12.2% | $10,808,214,000▲8.4% | 990 |
| 2009 | — | $2,767,325,911 | $6,696,958,000 | $9,973,532,000 | 990 |
Original Form 990 PDFs (the Form column) are served by ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer, as filed with the IRS. Create a free account to download the CSV report.
Leadership & compensation (FY2023)
Highest-paid: Zev Rosenwaks Md — $9,323,175 (0.15% of total expenses)
| Name | Title | Hours/week | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zev Rosenwaks Md | Academic Professor | 55 | $9,323,175 |
| Kiehyun Daniel Riew Md | Assistant Professor | 55 | $6,145,652 |
| Leonard Girardi Md | Academic Chair | 55 | $5,906,735 |
| Hey-joo Kang Md | Associate Professor - Clinical | 55 | $5,361,742 |
| Rony T Elias Md | Assistant Professor | 55 | $4,600,187 |
| Kenneth Miranda | Chief Invesment Officer | 55 | $2,803,490 |
| Robert J Min Md | Pres. & Ceo of Physician Org | 55 | $2,802,847 |
| Augustine Mk Choi Md | Former Provost - Medical Affairs & Dean | 55 | $1,971,609 |
| Martha E Pollack | President | 55 | $1,680,854 |
| Francis Lee | Interim Dean of Wcm (1/1/23 - 9/11/23) | 55 | $1,296,545 |
| Scott Puccino | Cfo & Assoc. Treasurer - Weill | 55 | $1,114,256 |
| Robert Harrington | Provost For Medical Affairs & Dean | 55 | $1,056,314 |
| Michael I Kotlikoff | Provost | 55 | $910,010 |
| Thomas Stokes | Vp For Finance/cfo Wcm | 55 | $861,171 |
| Christopher J Cowen | Evp & Cfo | 55 | $754,218 |
| Donica Varner | University Counsel | 55 | $746,710 |
| Joanne M Destefano | Former Cfo & Evp | 55 | $529,996 |
| Abigail C Cohn | Professor & Trustee | 2 | $143,663 |
| Hei Hei Depew | Employee & Trustee | 2 | $94,799 |
| Dan Bromberg | Graduate Student & Trustee | 2 | $31,152 |
Top vendors & contractors (FY2023)
| Contractor | Services | Paid |
|---|---|---|
| Lechase Construction Services LLC | Construction Services | $32,644,018 |
| Hudson Cornell Tech LLC | Real Estate Management | $11,073,220 |
| 575 Lex Property Owner LLC | Real Estate Management | $10,449,068 |
| Gemini Consulting & Services LLC | Consulting Services | $8,136,791 |
| Paul Weiss Rifkind Wharton & Garrison LLP | Legal Services | $6,978,085 |
Grants received · $975.8M total
1,345 grants to Cornell University totaling $975.8M, reported by foundations on their Schedule I filings — showing the 15 most recent.
| Grantmaker | Purpose | Year | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Silicon Valley Community Foundation | Education | 2024 | $26,651,118 |
| Jewish Communal Fund | In furtherance of grantee's tax-exempt purpose | 2024 | $10,676,984 |
| Gs Donor Advised Philanthropy Fund For Wealth Management Inc | Education | 2024 | $4,566,789 |
| Windward Fund | Environmental programs | 2024 | $2,991,652 |
| American Endowment Foundation | Educational | 2024 | $1,817,536 |
| T Rowe Price Program For Charitable Giving Inc | Multiple | 2024 | $1,304,870 |
| Ayco Charitable Foundation | Education | 2024 | $1,190,498 |
| Morgan Stanley Global Impact Funding Trust Inc | Unrestricted general support | 2024 | $1,072,696 |
| Toledo Community Foundation | The law school.; unrestricted use; veterinary hospital, cancer research for canines | 2024 | $728,600 |
| Novo Nordisk Fonden | Biotech | 2024 | $725,991 |
| The Bessemer Giving Fund | General support | 2024 | $647,919 |
| Tulsa Community Foundation | General operations | 2024 | $545,900 |
| Ascendium Education Solutions Inc | Grant, education justice tracker grant, travel grant - sxsw edu conference travel grant - higher education in prison grantee convening al | 2024 | $456,550 |
| Robin Hood Foundation | Poverty relief | 2024 | $450,000 |
| Centro Internacional De Mejoramiento De Maiz Y Trigo | Research | 2024 | $423,788 |
Grants made · $120.8M in FY2023
331 grants totaling $120.8M in FY2023 — showing the 15 largest. All grants made by Cornell University →
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Memorial Sloan-kettering Cancer Center | Research | $6,233,651 |
| Johns Hopkins University | Research | $4,125,905 |
| Trustees of Columbia University | Research | $3,801,259 |
| The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois | Research | $3,371,876 |
| University of Massachusetts | Research | $2,887,694 |
| Mass General Brigham Incorporated | Research | $2,777,796 |
| University of California San Francisco | Research-mechanical engineering | $2,660,439 |
| Regents Univ of California | Research | $2,413,695 |
| Rutgers the State University | Research | $2,379,493 |
| University of Florida | Research | $2,342,057 |
| The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University | Research | $2,185,717 |
| Duke University | Research-agricultural sciences | $2,120,569 |
| Yale University | Research | $2,068,660 |
| University of Notre Dame Du Lac | Research-physics | $1,974,321 |
| President and Fellows of Harvard College | Research | $1,944,370 |
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Frequently asked questions
- Is Cornell University a legitimate nonprofit?
- Yes. Cornell University is a 501(c)(3) organization registered with the U.S. Internal Revenue Service under EIN 15-0532082, based in Ithaca, New York. Donations are tax-deductible.
- What is Cornell University's EIN?
- Cornell University's Employer Identification Number (EIN) is 15-0532082.
- How much revenue does Cornell University report?
- Cornell University reported $6,551,885,454 in total revenue on its fiscal year 2023 IRS Form 990 filing.
- How much of Cornell University's spending goes to programs?
- Cornell University spends about 93% of its total expenses on programs, based on its latest IRS Form 990.
- What financial grade does Cornell University have?
- CharityIndex grades Cornell University A+, based on program efficiency and fundraising cost.
- How much does Cornell University's highest-paid employee make?
- The highest reported compensation on Cornell University's latest Form 990 is $9,323,175, paid to Zev Rosenwaks Md (Academic Professor).
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Explore more
Data for Cornell University (EIN 15-0532082) comes from the IRS Business Master File and e-filed Form 990 returns, via CharityIndex. Figures reflect what the organization reported to the IRS for each fiscal year.