Fairleigh Dickinson University
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
FAIRLEIGH DICKINSON UNIVERSITY IS A CENTER OF ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE DEDICATED TO THE PREPARATION OF WORLD CITIZENS THROUGH GLOBAL EDUCATION. THE UNIVERSITY STRIVES TO PROVIDE STUDENTS WITH THE MULTI-DISCIPLINARY, INTERCULTURAL, AND ETHICAL UNDERSTANDINGS NECESSARY TO PARTICIPATE, LEAD, AND PROSPER IN THE GLOBAL MARKETPLACE OF IDEAS, COMMERCE AND CULTURE.
- Income
- $299.8 million
- Spending
- $312.4 million
- Spent on programs
- 91%
- Reserves
- -0.1 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 93%
- Employees
- 3,240
- Volunteers
- 66
- Highest pay
- $807,705, president & trustee
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
Weak: 48 out of 100. Higher than 18% 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
10 of 20It owes 39% of what it owns.
Living within its means
8 of 15Spending exceeded income by 4% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 1% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1591% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 16 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 2514 of 15 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)
- $262.2 million spent. HIGHER EDUCATION INSTRUCTION - FAIRLEIGH DICKINSON UNIVERSITY IS A NONSECTARIAN, COEDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION OFFERING PROGRAMS ON THE UNDERGRADUATE, GRADUATE AND PROFESSIONAL LEVELS. THE UNIVERSITY EDUCATES APPROXIMATELY 11,900 STUDENTS PER YEAR. FOUNDED AS A SMALL JUNIOR COLLEGE IN 1942, THE UNIVERSITY NOW MAINTAINS TWO MAJOR CAMPUSES IN NORTHERN NEW JERSEY SUBURBS - THE METROPOLITAN CAMPUS, SPANNING BOTH TEANECK AND HACKENSACK IN BERGEN COUNTY, AND THE FLORHAM CAMPUS, LOCATED IN FLORHAM PARK AND MADISON IN MORRIS COUNTY - AND CAMPUSES IN WROXTON, ENGLAND AND VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA. THE UNIVERSITY PROVIDES INSTRUCTION AT ADDITIONAL LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT NEW JERSEY, AND LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES AT SELECT LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES AND STUDY-ABROAD IN A VARIETY OF LOCATIONS OVERSEAS. (CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O) THE METROPOLITAN CAMPUS FEATURES A UNIVERSITY ATMOSPHERE WITH A DIVERSE DOCTORAL, GRADUATE, UNDERGRADUATE AND NON-DEGREE STUDENT POPULATION FROM THE UNITED STATES AND ABROAD. IT OFFERS A WIDE RANGE OF PROGRAMS, DELIVERED IN-PERSON AND ONLINE, INCLUDING DEGREE, CERTIFICATE AND CONTINUING-EDUCATION PROGRAMS; UNDERGRADUATE, GRADUATE AND DOCTORAL DEGREE PROGRAMS; AND PROFESSIONAL-LEVEL PROGRAMS, AS WELL AS NON-DIPLOMA, NON-DEGREE AND CERTIFICATE PROGRAMS. DEGREES AWARDED RANGE FROM THE ASSOCIATE TO THE PH.D. THE METROPOLITAN CAMPUS IN PARTICULAR FEATURES THE DEPTH AND BREADTH OF THE LIBERAL ARTS FACULTY, THE FOCUS AND STRENGTH OF THE COMPUTER SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING PROGRAMS, THE VARIETY AND IMPORTANCE OF THE HEALTH PROFESSION MAJORS, THE QUALITY OF THE CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY AND SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGY PROGRAMS AND THE PRESENCE OF THE LARGEST NUMBER OF PROFESSIONAL ACCREDITED PROGRAMS AT THE UNIVERSITY. THE METROPOLITAN CAMPUS ALSO SERVES AS THE HOME OF THE ELS LANGUAGE CENTER PROGRAM. THE SILBERMAN COLLEGE OF BUSINESS IS ACCREDITED BY AACSB INTERNATIONAL - THE ASSOCIATION TO ADVANCE COLLEGIATE SCHOOLS OF BUSINESS. THE COLLEGE OFFERS UNDERGRADUATE AND GRADUATE PROGRAMS IN BUSINESS EDUCATION AT BOTH THE UNIVERSITY'S FLORHAM CAMPUS AND METROPOLITAN CAMPUS IN NEW JERSEY AND AT THE VANCOUVER CAMPUS IN BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA. FAIRLEIGH DICKINSON'S FLORHAM CAMPUS OFFERS A CLASSIC COLLEGE EXPERIENCE WHERE UNDERGRADUATES ARE AT THE HEART OF THE LEARNING EXPERIENCE. WITH ITS SMALL COLLEGE SETTING, THE FLORHAM CAMPUS EMPHASIZES RESIDENTIAL LIVING, HANDS-ON LEARNING, GRADUATE AND PROFESSIONAL SCHOOL PREPARATION AND CUSTOMIZED EDUCATIONAL OFFERINGS, ALL FRAMED WITH A GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE. THE FLORHAM CAMPUS OFFERS A BROAD RANGE OF STRONG PROGRAMS AT THE UNDERGRADUATE, GRADUATE DOCTORAL, AND PROFESSIONAL LEVELS, AS WELL AS NON-DIPLOMA, NON-DEGREE, CERTIFICATE AND CONTINUING-EDUCATION PROGRAMS AND CREATES AN ACADEMICALLY CHALLENGING LEARNING ENVIRONMENT WITH AN ENHANCED RESIDENTIAL EXPERIENCE. THE UNIVERSITY'S SCHOOL OF PHARMACY AND HEALTH SCIENCES ON THE CAMPUS FEATURES A DYNAMIC CURRICULUM INCORPORATING TECHNOLOGY, A GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE AND MULTIPLE GRADUATE DEGREE OPTIONS. WROXTON COLLEGE IS HOUSED IN AN 18TH-CENTURY JACOBEAN MANSION IN THE COTSWOLD AREA OF BRITAIN. YET, LONDON, OXFORD AND THE ROYAL SHAKESPEARE COMPANY ARE ALL WITHIN A SHORT DRIVE. WROXTON COLLEGE'S EDUCATIONAL METHODS AND ACADEMIC PERSONNEL ARE CHOSEN TO GIVE STUDENTS THE BEST EXPERIENCE THAT BRITAIN CAN OFFER. COURSES ARE TAUGHT BY THE LECTURE, SEMINAR AND TUTORIAL METHODS EMPLOYED IN BRITISH UNIVERSITIES. THE COLLEGE OFFERS A LARGE NUMBER OF COURSES IN LITERATURE, HISTORY, POLITICAL SCIENCE, FINE ARTS, UNIVERSITY CORE AND SOCIOLOGY. THE COLLEGE'S OWN BRITISH TEACHING STAFF IS SUPPLEMENTED BY VISITING LECTURERS FROM BRITISH UNIVERSITIES. THE VANCOUVER CAMPUS OFFERS STUDENTS ONE OF THE FEW OPPORTUNITIES TO EARN AN AMERICAN COLLEGE DEGREE WHILE STUDYING IN CANADA. THE CAMPUS BRINGS TOGETHER STUDENTS FROM MORE THAN 60 COUNTRIES INTO A STUDENT-CENTERED LEARNING ENVIRONMENT. ALL DEGREE PROGRAMS OFFERED AT THE VANCOUVER CAMPUS HAVE BEEN AUTHORIZED BY THE BRITISH COLUMBIA MINISTRY OF ADVANCED EDUCATION. THE VANCOUVER CAMPUS OFFERS ACCREDITED PROFESSIONAL DEGREE PROGRAMS TO INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS WITH MAJORS IN BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY. THE UNIVERSITY ALSO OFFERS A BACHELOR OF ARTS IN INDIVIDUALIZED STUDIES, A BACHELOR OF ARTS IN INDIVIDUALIZED STUDIES WITH A SPECIALIZATION IN HOSPITALITY AND TOURISM MANAGEMENT, A MASTER OF ADMINISTRATIVE SCIENCE DEGREE, A MASTER OF SCIENCE IN APPLIED COMPUTER SCIENCE AND A MASTER OF HOSPITALITY MANAGEMENT STUDIES AT THE VANCOUVER CAMPUS. IN ADDITION, THE VANCOUVER CAMPUS OFFERS A PRE UNIVERSITY PROGRAM WHICH PROVIDES ADVANCED ENGLISH-LANGUAGE TRAINING FOR STUDENTS WHO MEET THE REQUIREMENTS FOR ADMISSION BUT REQUIRE ADDITIONAL TRAINING IN ENGLISH (IN SPEAKING AND/OR WRITING) PRIOR TO MATRICULATING IN A DEGREE PROGRAM. FAIRLEIGH DICKINSON UNIVERSITY HAS ALSO LONG BEEN A NATIONAL LEADER IN PROVIDING ACADEMIC PROGRAMS AND SUPPORT SERVICES FOR VETERANS. THE UNIVERSITY PARTICIPATES IN THE GI BILL YELLOW RIBBON PROGRAM AND HAS BEEN RANKED AMONG AMERICA'S BEST COLLEGES FOR VETERANS BY U.S. NEWS & WORLD REPORT. IT RECENTLY WAS PROCLAIMED A PURPLE HEART UNIVERSITY BY THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY MILITARY ORDER OF THE PURPLE HEART FOR EXEMPLIFYING OUTSTANDING VETERAN SUPPORT, COMMITMENT AND A GENUINE CONCERN FOR THE WELL-BEING OF UNITED STATES VETERANS.
- $20.2 million spent. HIGHER EDUCATION AUXILIARY - TO PROVIDE FOOD SERVICE AND RESIDENT HALLS FOR UNIVERSITY STUDENTS. APPROXIMATELY 1,883 STUDENTS CURRENTLY UTILIZE UNIVERSITY RESIDENCE HALLS.
- $577,693 spent. HIGHER EDUCATION RESEARCH - INVESTIGATION AND EXPERIMENTAL ACTIVITIES FOR THE PURPOSE OF DISCOVERY AND REVISION OF ACCEPTED CONCLUSIONS UNDERTAKEN FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE. THE SILBERMAN COLLEGE OF BUSINESS SPONSORS A SERIES OF BUSINESS RESEARCH STUDIES THAT INVOLVE FACULTY AND STUDENTS. THE COLLEGE PUBLISHES SEVERAL WORKING PAPERS SERIES AND THE JOURNAL OF PHARMACEUTICAL CHEMICAL BUSINESS. THE SCHOOL OF PSYCHOLOGY AND COUNSELING HOUSES THE CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY AND PSYCHOLOGY DOCTORAL PROGRAMS WHERE STUDENTS AND FACULTY DO RESEARCH IN SUCH AREAS AS BEHAVIORAL MEDICINE, COGNITIVE, PSYCHOLOGICAL AND PSYCH-EDUCATIONAL TESTING AND WOMEN'S ISSUES. THE SCHOOL OF PSYCHOLOGY AND COUNSELING FURTHER EMPHASIZES EXPERIMENTAL, INDUSTRIAL/ORGANIZATION PSYCHOLOGY AND CLINICAL COUNSELING. IN ADDITION, IN THE MAXWELL BECTON COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES, RESEARCH EFFORTS ARE PARTICULARLY PROMINENT IN ENGLISH, SOCIAL SCIENCES AND COMMUNICATION DISCIPLINES.
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 September 7, 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 September 30, 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 September 10, 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 September 7, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since April 1958.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 7, 2026.
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