Iona University
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
IONA UNIVERSITY IS A CARING ACADEMIC COMMUNITY, INSPIRED BY THE LEGACY OF BLESSED EDMUND RICE AND THE CHRISTIAN BROTHERS, WHICH EMBODIES OPPORTUNITY, JUSTICE, AND THE LIBERATING POWER OF EDUCATION. IONA UNIVERSITY'S PURPOSE IS TO FOSTER INTELLECTUAL INQUIRY, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND AN APPRECIATION FOR DIVERSITY. IN THE TRADITION OF AMERICAN CATHOLIC HIGHER EDUCATION, IONA UNIVERSITY COMMITS ITS ENERGIES AND RESOURCES TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF GRADUATES RECOGNIZED FOR THEIR ETHICS, CREATIVITY AND PROBLEM-SOLVING ABILITIES; THEIR INDEPENDENT AND ADAPTIVE THINKING; THEIR JOY IN LIFELONG LEARNING; AND THEIR ENDURING INTEGRATION OF MIND, BODY AND SPIRIT.
- Income
- $208.1 million
- Spending
- $213.0 million
- Spent on programs
- 89%
- Reserves
- 3 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 88%
- Employees
- 1,737
- Volunteers
- 33
- Highest pay
- $921,375, president
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Fair: 68 out of 100. Higher than 59% of charities in its peer group (education, over $100m).
Reserves
20 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 3.0 months of spending.
Debt
10 of 20It owes 30% of what it owns.
Living within its means
8 of 15Spending exceeded income by 2% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 7% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1589% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 15 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 41% of charities in its peer group (education, over $100m).
Independent board
25 of 2531 of 32 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (3)
- $122.3 million spent. TUITION - FOUNDED BY THE CONGREGATION OF CHRISTIAN BROTHERS IN 1940, IONA UNIVERSITY IS CHARTERED BY THE STATE OF NEW YORK AND FULLY ACCREDITED BY THE FEDERAL DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION APPROVED REGIONAL ACCREDITOR, THE MIDDLE STATES COMMISSION ON HIGHER EDUCATION (MSCHE), TO OFFER CREDIT BEARING COURSEWORK TOWARDS DEGREES AND REGISTERED CERTIFICATES AT THE UNDERGRADUATE AND GRADUATE LEVELS. IN ADDITION TO MSCHE, IONA'S ACADEMIC PROGRAMS HOLD MULTIPLE PROFESSIONAL AND SPECIAL ACCREDITATIONS FROM INDEPENDENT ACCREDITING BODIES INCLUDING THE ACCREDITATION BOARD FOR ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY (ABET); ACCREDITATION COUNCIL FOR OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY EDUCATION (ACOTE); AMERICAN ASSOCIATION FOR MARRIAGE AND FAMILY THERAPY (AAMFT); AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY (ACS); ASSOCIATION FOR ADVANCING QUALITY IN EDUCATOR PREPARATION (AAQEP); ASSOCIATION TO ADVANCE COLLEGIATE SCHOOLS OF BUSINESS INTERNATIONAL (AACSB); COLLEGE READING AND LEARNING ASSOCIATION (CRLA); COMMISSION ON COLLEGIATE NURSING EDUCATION (CCNE); COUNCIL ON ACADEMIC ACCREDITATION IN (SEE ON SCHEDULE O) AUDIOLOGY AND SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGY (CAA); COUNCIL ON SOCIAL WORK EDUCATION (CSWE); AND NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGISTS (NASP). NOTABLY, THE SCHOOL OF BUSINESS IS ACCREDITED BY AACSB INTERNATIONAL - A HIGHLY ACCLAIMED DISTINCTION AWARDED TO JUST 6% OF BUSINESS SCHOOLS WORLDWIDE. IONA'S MAIN CAMPUS IS LOCATED ON 45 ACRES IN NEW ROCHELLE (WESTCHESTER COUNTY), NEW YORK, 20 MILES NORTH OF MIDTOWN MANHATTAN. IONA OPENED A CAMPUS IN BRONXVILLE, NEW YORK, WHICH IS HOME TO ITS NEW SCHOOL OF HEALTH SCIENCES. IONA'S STUDENT BODY IS COMPRISED OF APPROXIMATELY 3,400 UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS AND 600 GRADUATE STUDENTS WITH A WIDE VARIETY OF UNDERGRADUATE AND GRADUATE DEGREES IN THE SCHOOL OF ARTS AND SCIENCE, SCHOOL OF BUSINESS AND SCHOOL OF HEALTH SCIENCES. IN RECENT YEARS, THE IONA COMMUNITY HAS FOCUSED ON ADVANCING STUDENT DISTINCTION, ELEVATING THE IONA EXPERIENCE, ENHANCING ACADEMIC DISTINCTION, GROWING INFRASTRUCTURE, ADVANCING AFFORDABILITY, AND RAISING NECESSARY RESOURCES. MUCH SUCCESS HAS BEEN REALIZED INCLUDING ENHANCED ACADEMIC OFFERINGS AND INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS, THE LAUNCH OF ACADEMIC CENTERS AND INSTITUTES, RECORD SCHOLARSHIPS AWARDED, GROWTH TO THE ENDOWMENT OF OVER 100%, AND AN INCREASE TO CAMPUS LAND HOLDINGS OF 60%. IONA UNIVERSITY OFFERS A VIBRANT EXPERIENCE FOR STUDENTS WITH STUDENT CLUBS, ORGANIZATIONS, AND GROUPS ON CAMPUS, AND AN NCAA DIVISION I ATHLETICS PROGRAM WITH 24 VARSITY TEAMS. THE SCHOOL OF ARTS AND SCIENCE, SCHOOL OF BUSINESS AND SCHOOL OF HEALTH SCIENCES SUPPORT THE MISSION OF IONA UNIVERSITY THROUGH A COMMITMENT TO FOSTERING ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE AND INTELLECTUAL INQUIRY IN THE LIBERAL ARTS TRADITION. THE SCHOOLS EMBRACE THE VALUES OF A STUDENT-CENTERED INSTITUTION ROOTED IN A RELIGIOUS TRADITION INCLUDING THE PURSUIT OF KNOWLEDGE AND TRUTH; DEVOTION TO INTEGRITY, DIVERSITY, AND FREEDOM OF INQUIRY; OPENNESS TO CHANGE, INNOVATION, AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP; APPRECIATION FOR DATA-INFORMED, OUTCOMES-ORIENTED PRACTICES THAT PROMOTE INTERNAL COLLABORATION AND EXTERNAL COMPETITIVENESS; COMMITMENT TO COMPASSION; TRANSPARENT DECISION-MAKING; AND ACCOUNTABILITY AND DEDICATION TO RESPONSIBLE STEWARDSHIP OF HUMAN, PHYSICAL, FINANCIAL, AND ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES. IONA UNIVERSITY HAS NEARLY 40 UNDERGRADUATE DEGREE PROGRAMS OF STUDY, OVER 49 UNDERGRADUATE MINORS, AND 29 GRADUATE PROGRAMS (17 MASTER'S DEGREE PROGRAMS AND 12 ADVANCED CERTIFICATE PROGRAMS) THROUGH THE SCHOOL OF ARTS & SCIENCE, LAPENTA SCHOOL OF BUSINESS, NEWYORK-PRESBYTERIAN IONA SCHOOL OF HEALTH SCIENCES AND HYNES INSTITUTE FOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP & INNOVATION. ON JULY 1, 2022, IONA OFFICIALLY CHANGED ITS STATUS FROM COLLEGE TO UNIVERSITY.
- $43.9 million spent. STUDENT SERVICES - OTHER ACADEMIC AND STUDENT SUPPORT ACTIVITIES ARE PROVIDED FOR ENROLLED STUDENTS AND IN SUPPORT OF FACULTY SCHOLARSHIP CONSISTENT WITH STANDARDS ESTABLISHED BY THE NEW YORK STATE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT, THE COMMISSION OF HIGHER EDUCATION OF THE MIDDLE STATES ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES AND BEST PRACTICES IN AMERICAN HIGHER EDUCATION. THESE INCLUDE FULLY STAFFED AND OPERATIONAL LIBRARIES, A CAREER DEVELOPMENT CENTER, COUNSELING CENTER, HEALTH SERVICES CENTER, IT SUPPORT CENTER, FACULTY TRAINING CENTER, TUTORING AND ACADEMIC SUPPORT CENTER, CAMPUS MINISTRIES OFFICE, ATHLETICS DEPARTMENT, AND STUDENT DEVELOPMENT OFFICE SERVICING CLUBS, STUDENT GOVERNMENT, STUDENT MEDIA AND STUDENT RECREATION.
- $23.6 million spent. AUXILIARY ENTERPRISES - IONA UNIVERSITY PROVIDES ANCILLARY AUXILIARY SERVICES TO BOTH ITS STUDENT POPULATION AND ITS EMPLOYEE BASE IN AN EFFORT TO SUPPORT ITS EDUCATIONAL MISSION: 1) RESIDENTIAL SERVICES - AS PART OF THE STUDENT EXPERIENCE, IONA UNIVERSITY OFFERS ON-CAMPUS RESIDENCE HALL HOUSING AND RELATED SERVICES. THE PRIMARY GOAL OF IONA'S RESIDENTIAL LIFE PROGRAM IS TO PROVIDE A SAFE, SECURE AND COMFORTABLE ENVIRONMENT WHERE ACADEMIC SUCCESS, AS WELL AS THE SOCIAL, EMOTIONAL, SPIRITUAL, PHYSICAL AND CULTURAL DEVELOPMENT OF EACH RESIDENT, IS FACILITATED. 2) BOOKSTORE - THE UNIVERSITY HAS AN ON-CAMPUS BOOKSTORE WHERE STUDENTS CAN PURCHASE TEXTBOOKS, STUDY AIDS, ELECTRONICS, SOFTWARE, STATIONERY AND RELATED HARD GOODS. 3) FOOD SERVICE/CAFETERIA - THE UNIVERSITY HAS AN ON-CAMPUS CAFETERIA THAT IS COMMITTED TO PROVIDING QUALITY AND NUTRITIOUS FOOD WITH EXCEPTIONAL SERVICE. RESIDENT STUDENTS AND COMMUTERS MAY PARTICIPATE IN THE FULL MEAL PLAN OFFERED AT IONA UNIVERSITY.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated November 6, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending June 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since July 2014.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated November 4, 2026.
Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.