Trustees of Union College
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
UNION COLLEGE, CHARTERED BY THE STATE OF NEW YORK IN 1795, IS ONE OF THE NATION'S OLDEST AND MOST DISTINGUISHED LIBERAL ARTS COLLEGES WITH ENGINEERING. CONSISTENTLY RANKED AMONG THE NATION'S TOP COLLEGES, UNION IS A LEADER IN EDUCATING STUDENTS (SEE SCHEDULE O)
- Income
- $245.1 million
- Spending
- $238.9 million
- Spent on programs
- 89%
- Reserves
- -0.9 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 69%
- Employees
- 2,350
- Volunteers
- 44
- Highest pay
- $878,914, president/trustee ex offico
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: 56 out of 100. Higher than 36% of charities in its peer group (education, over $100m).
Reserves
0 of 35Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 23% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 3% of income.
Income trend
10 of 15Income fell 2% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1589% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 19 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 2530 of 36 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 (1)
- $211.8 million spent. THE UNION COLLEGE CURRICULUM EMPHASIZES COLLABORATION WITH STUDENTS AND FACULTY THROUGH SMALL CLASSES AND UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH, INTERNATIONAL STUDY AND LEARNING THROUGH SERVICE. THROUGH ITS UNIQUE INTERDISCIPLINARY APPROACH TO THE LIBERAL ARTS, UNION COMBINES THE HUMANITIES AND SOCIAL SCIENCES WITH SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING, EMPHASIZING THE PRACTICAL APPLICATION OF IDEAS THROUGH HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE. WITH MORE THAN 40 MAJORS AND 55 MINORS TO CHOOSE FROM, UNION STUDENTS CAN PURSUE DOUBLE MAJORS; COMBINE MAJORS AND MINORS; SELECT INTERDEPARTMENTAL AND MULTIDISCIPLINARY CONCENTRATIONS, AND AREA, ETHNIC AND CULTURAL STUDIES PROGRAMS; OR DESIGN THEIR OWN MAJOR. MOST STUDENTS TAKE THREE COURSES IN EACH OF THE THREE 10-WEEK TERMS THAT COMPRISE UNION'S ACADEMIC CALENDAR SYSTEM. (SEE SCHEDULE O)NEARLY EVERY ACADEMIC DEPARTMENT REQUIRES STUDENTS TO COMPLETE SOME FORM OF RESEARCH IN THEIR SUBJECT AREA, AND STUDENTS HAVE OPPORTUNITIES TO WORK ONE-ON-ONE WITH THEIR PROFESSORS. AT STEINMETZ SYMPOSIUM EACH SPRING, SOME 400 STUDENTS PRESENT THE RESULTS OF THEIR RESEARCH, SCHOLARLY AND CREATIVE ACTIVITIES. MANY STUDENTS CO-AUTHOR PUBLICATIONS WITH THEIR PROFESSORS AND PRESENT AT THE NATIONAL CONFERENCE ON UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH (NCUR). MANY PARTICIPATE IN BUSINESSES, HEALTH CARE, GOVERNMENT AND SOCIAL SERVICE INTERNSHIPS.THE INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE IS A HALLMARK OF A UNION EDUCATION, WITH MORE THAN 50 PERCENT OF STUDENTS PURSUING STUDIES, RESEARCH, INTERNSHIPS, AND OTHER PROGRAMS ABROAD. ON CAMPUS, OPPORTUNITIES FOR LEADERSHIP, DISCUSSION AND COMMUNITY ABOUND IN THE MINERVA SYSTEM, OFFERING RESIDENTIAL, ACADEMIC AND SOCIAL PROGRAMS. EVERY INCOMING STUDENT IS ASSIGNED TO ONE OF SEVEN MINERVA HOUSES, WHICH ALSO INVOLVE FACULTY AND STAFF.UNION'S BECKER CAREER CENTER HELPS STUDENTS WITH CAREER PLANNING, INTERNSHIPS AND THE GRADUATE SCHOOL AND JOB SEARCH. RECENT TRENDS SHOW THAT ABOUT A THIRD OF GRADUATING SENIORS GO DIRECTLY TO GRADUATE OR PROFESSIONAL SCHOOLS, AND UNION HAS EARNED AN EXCELLENT REPUTATION FOR PLACING GRADUATES IN MEDICAL, LAW AND BUSINESS SCHOOLS. UNION'S MORE THAN 22,000 ALUMNI INCLUDE LEADERS IN ALL FIELDS, INCLUDING ARTS, MEDICINE, SCIENCE, ENGINEERING, MEDIA, ENTERTAINMENT, LAW AND POLITICS. GRADUATES INCLUDE NOBEL PRIZE AND ACADEMY AWARD WINNERS, A NATIONAL BOOK AWARD WINNER AND A MCARTHUR FELLOW, AN OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALIST, SEVEN CABINET SECRETARIES, A SECRETARY OF STATE, 13 GOVERNORS, 200 JUDGES, 90 COLLEGE PRESIDENTS AND THE 21ST PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.AS ONE OF THE PRE-EMINENT LIBERAL ARTS COLLEGES IN THE UNITED STATES, THE COLLEGE OFFERS:- 2,031 FULL-TIME UNDERGRADUATES FROM 40 STATES AND TERRITORIES AND 50 COUNTRIES- 26% DOMESTIC STUDENTS OF COLOR- 11% INTERNATIONAL- 9:1 STUDENT-FACULTY RATIO- 219 FACULTY MEMBERS; 97% HAVE EARNED A PH.D. OR THE HIGHEST DEGREE IN THEIR FIELD- $80 MILLION IN UNION COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIPS AND GRANTS ARE AWARDED EACH YEAR- MORE THAN 60% OF UNION STUDENTS RECEIVE NEED-BASED FINANCIAL SCHOLARSHIP ASSISTANCE TO ATTEND UNION AND OVER 25% RECEIVE MERIT SCHOLARSHIPS.- AVERAGE NEED-BASED PACKAGE IS OVER $55,000.- MERIT SCHOLARSHIPS RANGE FROM $10,000 TO $46,000 AND ARE AUTOMATICALLY RENEWED ANNUALLY FOR UP TO FOUR YEARS.- MAKING U POSSIBLE GRANTS OFFER AID TO MANY FAMILIES WHO APPLY FOR FINANCIAL AID BUT WHO OTHERWISE MIGHT NOT QUALIFY OR WOULD QUALIFY FOR ONLY MINIMAL AMOUNTS. FAMILIES WHO HAVE AN EXPECTED CONTRIBUTION AS MEASURED BY THE CSS PROFILE AND FAFSA UP TO UNION'S COST OF ATTENDANCE CAN EXPECT GRANT AND SCHOLARSHIP ASSISTANCE RANGING FROM $20,000 - $40,000.
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 October 13, 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 September 1937.
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 October 21, 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.