Emerson College
83% goes to programs $77 to raise $100 Strong reserves Growing revenue
Emerson College is a 501(c)(3) organization based in Boston, Massachusetts, registered in 1959, with $345,463,060 in FY2023 revenue. CharityIndex grades it B, and it directs about 83% of spending to programs.
120 Boylston Street, Boston, MA, 02116 EIN 04-1286950 Since 1959
Revenue (FY2023)
$345.5M
▲ 4.1% vs prior year
Education median: $200K
Expenses (FY2023)
$342.5M
Net assets
$584.0M
Employees
3,420
CharityIndex rating
One independent A+ to F grade from four published criteria, each scored separately from IRS filings and combined by weight.
B
★★★★
Rated on 4 of 4 criteria.
Held down by its weakest criterion — a strong score on one criterion can't hide a weak one.
How the rating works →CProgram efficiency40% of the rating83% to programs · $77 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 Emerson College: 83% to programs · $77 to raise $100 earns a C on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
AFinancial health25% of the rating20 mo reserves · +1% 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 Emerson College: 20 mo reserves · +1% 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 Emerson College: 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 Emerson College: 5 of 5 disclosure signals earns a A+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
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Mission
To educate and elevate extraordinary artists, communicators, (continued on schedule o) scholars, and professionals for the betterment of humanity. we pursue this mission through world-class teaching, practice, performance, and discovery that are experiential, innovative, and inclusive.
What they do
Auxiliary enterprises provide services for students to ensure they are appropriately supported. these services predominantly include room, board, and bookstore operations. theatre operations are also classified as an auxiliary enterprise.
Contact & location
- Address
- 120 Boylston Street, Boston, MA, 02116
- City
- Boston
- State
- Massachusetts
- Category
- Education
- Subcategory
- Colleges & Universities
- Phone
- …
- Website
- …
Financial trends
Revenue grew from $200.1M (FY2013) to $345.5M (FY2023) across 11 reported years.
Financial snapshot
Financial health & position (FY2023)
Liabilities $574.2MNet assets $584.0M
Operating margin
0.9%
Revenue exceeded expenses in the latest fiscal year.
Total assets
$1.2B
Total liabilities
$574.2M
Net assets
$584.0M
Salaries & benefits
$136.3M
40% of expenses
Board members
25
24 independent
Financials by year
| Fiscal year | Revenue | Expenses | Net assets | Total assets | Form |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $345,463,060▲4.1% | $342,509,298▲7.4% | $584,026,309▲6.0% | $1,158,204,287▲1.3% | 990 |
| 2022 | $331,849,178▲0.2% | $318,980,558▲3.6% | $550,819,552▲6.9% | $1,142,841,556▲2.1% | 990 |
| 2021 | $331,218,979▲20.1% | $307,982,899▲11.9% | $515,291,963▼2.0% | $1,118,967,112▼1.8% | 990 |
| 2020 | $275,696,398▼1.9% | $275,231,335▲1.9% | $526,043,498▲16.5% | $1,139,244,716▲8.7% | 990 |
| 2019 | $281,067,638▲6.4% | $270,076,577▲5.3% | $451,492,357▲2.2% | $1,047,810,953▼0.2% | 990 |
| 2018 | $264,143,195▲7.2% | $256,381,633▲6.0% | $441,836,346▲2.3% | $1,050,117,981▲1.4% | 990 |
| 2017 | $246,312,020▲6.9% | $241,907,748▲9.4% | $431,692,003▼2.1% | $1,035,327,915▲2.2% | 990 |
| 2016 | $230,306,335▲4.4% | $221,069,318▲6.4% | $440,800,527▲6.0% | $1,012,742,709▲31.1% | 990 |
| 2015 | $220,527,783▲2.0% | $207,747,197▼0.1% | $415,707,478▲1.5% | $772,424,484▲0.6% | 990 |
| 2014 | $216,203,638▲8.1% | $207,976,638▲10.0% | $409,696,043▲1.1% | $768,160,365▲12.1% | 990 |
| 2013 | $200,080,051 | $188,997,394▲7.1% | $405,194,043▲7.2% | $685,203,486▲2.8% | 990 |
| 2012 | — | $176,535,609▲5.2% | $377,909,468▲6.2% | $666,755,716▲3.0% | 990 |
| 2011 | — | $167,741,489▲2.8% | $355,700,199▲1.9% | $647,040,422▲10.0% | 990 |
| 2010 | — | $163,185,064▲19.6% | $348,915,942▲5.5% | $588,032,944▼7.0% | 990 |
| 2009 | — | $136,420,090 | $330,859,795 | $632,554,899 | 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: Jay Bernhardt — $512,601 (0.15% of total expenses)
| Name | Title | Hours/week | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jay Bernhardt | President | 40 | $512,601 |
| William Gilligan | Former Interim President | 40 | $463,837 |
| Paul Dworkis | Vp For Administration and Finance | 40 | $456,992 |
| David Christopher Howse | Vp, Office of the Arts(thru 11/2023) | 40 | $428,403 |
| Jan Roberts-breslin | Int. Provost & Vp For Academic Aff. | 40 | $325,429 |
| Spencer Kimball | Dir of Polling Center/assoc Prof | 40 | $275,371 |
| Shaya Gregory Poku | Vp For Equity & Social Justice | 40 | $270,028 |
| Robert J Butler Jr | Associate Vice President, Finance | 40 | $259,457 |
| Adele Lim | Board Member (as of 05/2024) | 2 | — |
| Albert M Jaffe | Board Member (thru 05/2024) | 2 | — |
| Andrea Montoni | Board Member | 2 | — |
| Carolina Avellaneda | General Counsel (as of 03/2024) | 40 | — |
| Cathy Weiss | Board Member | 2 | — |
| Dena Davis | Board Member (thru 03/2024) | 2 | — |
| Doug Herzog | Board Mem(thru 5/24)/secretary | 2 | — |
| Douglas Holloway | Co-vice Chair (thru 5/24)/board Mem | 2 | — |
| Ellen Calmas | Treasurer (thru 5/24)/board Member | 2 | — |
| Eric Alexander | Chair | 2 | — |
| Ira Goldstone | Board Member | 2 | — |
| Jeffrey D Greenhawt | Board Member (thru 05/2024) | 2 | — |
Top vendors & contractors (FY2023)
| Contractor | Services | Paid |
|---|---|---|
| 2u Inc | Software (as Service) Publisher | $16,081,428 |
| Bon Apetit Management Co | Food Services | $14,730,696 |
| Windwalker Group LLC | Facilities Support Services | $3,050,956 |
| General Development Inc | Construction | $2,872,562 |
| Compass Facility Services Inc | Janitorial Services | $2,203,734 |
Grants received · $11.2M total
106 grants to Emerson College totaling $11.2M, reported by foundations on their Schedule I filings — showing the 15 most recent.
| Grantmaker | Purpose | Year | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ascendium Education Solutions Inc | Grant, identifying and scaling programmatic technical assistance resources in higher education in prison | 2024 | $324,200 |
| Gs Donor Advised Philanthropy Fund For Wealth Management Inc | Education | 2024 | $40,000 |
| American Endowment Foundation | Educational | 2024 | $40,000 |
| Foundation For the Carolinas | Charitable gift | 2024 | $15,000 |
| American Online Giving Foundation Inc | General support | 2024 | $10,559 |
| Maine Community Foundation Inc | Education | 2024 | $10,000 |
| National Philanthropic Tr | Education | 2023 | $351,700 |
| Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund | For grant recipient's exempt purposes | 2023 | $335,605 |
| Donor Advised Charitable Giving | Education | 2023 | $248,800 |
| Morgan Stanley Global Impact Funding Trust Inc | Unrestricted general support | 2023 | $200,000 |
| Raymond James Charitable Endowment Fund | General support | 2023 | $175,000 |
| Boston Foundation Inc | Operating support/annual fund | 2023 | $52,500 |
| Vanguard Charitable Endowment Program | For recipient's exempt purpose | 2023 | $12,000 |
| Tulsa Community Foundation | Scholarships | 2023 | $11,300 |
| Ayco Charitable Foundation | Education | 2023 | $10,200 |
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Compare Emerson College
Frequently asked questions
- Is Emerson College a legitimate nonprofit?
- Yes. Emerson College is a 501(c)(3) organization registered with the U.S. Internal Revenue Service under EIN 04-1286950, based in Boston, Massachusetts. Donations are tax-deductible.
- What is Emerson College's EIN?
- Emerson College's Employer Identification Number (EIN) is 04-1286950.
- How much revenue does Emerson College report?
- Emerson College reported $345,463,060 in total revenue on its fiscal year 2023 IRS Form 990 filing.
- How much of Emerson College's spending goes to programs?
- Emerson College spends about 83% of its total expenses on programs, based on its latest IRS Form 990.
- What financial grade does Emerson College have?
- CharityIndex grades Emerson College B, based on program efficiency and fundraising cost.
- How much does Emerson College's highest-paid employee make?
- The highest reported compensation on Emerson College's latest Form 990 is $512,601, paid to Jay Bernhardt (President).
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Data for Emerson College (EIN 04-1286950) 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.