Elizabethtown College
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
SEE SCHEDULE O
- Income
- $109.3 million
- Spending
- $112.3 million
- Spent on programs
- 89%
- Reserves
- -4.5 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 88%
- Employees
- 1,596
- Volunteers
- 28
- Highest pay
- $364,301, 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
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 31% of what it owns.
Living within its means
8 of 15Spending exceeded income by 3% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 3% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1589% 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 2525 of 25 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)
- $98.1 million spent. ELIZABETHTOWN COLLEGE, WITH OVER 1,600 UNDERGRADUATES, IS AN INDEPENDENT, RESIDENTIAL, COEDUCATIONAL COLLEGE IN SOUTH CENTRAL LANCASTER COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA. THE COLLEGE, ESTABLISHED BY THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN IN 1899, MAINTAINS 7 SCHOOLS AND 19 ACADEMIC DEPARTMENTS, OFFERING A VARIETY OF PROGRAMS AT NUMEROUS AWARD LEVELS. THE CORE CURRICULUM EMPHASIZES THE ARTS, HUMANITIES, AND SCIENCES. ELIZABETHTOWN COLLEGE WAS CHARTERED IN 1899 BY MEMBERS OF THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN WHO WERE INTERESTED IN ESTABLISHING AN INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION FOR THEIR DENOMINATION IN EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA. THE COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA GRANTED A CHARTER ON SEPTEMBER 23, 1899. CLASSES WERE HELD FOR THE FIRST TIME THE FOLLOWING YEAR. DURING ITS EARLY YEARS, LIMITED ENROLLMENT AND FINANCES HAMPERED THE GENERAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE INSTITUTION. SUPPORTED INITIALLY BY CONTRIBUTIONS FROM INDIVIDUAL CHURCHMEN, THE COLLEGE IN TIME BECAME THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE EASTERN (NOW THE ATLANTIC NORTHEAST) AND SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF PENNSYLVANIA OF THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN. THE CHURCH DISTRICTS OFFICIALLY ASSUMED THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR OPERATING THE COLLEGE IN JANUARY 1919. WITH THE ADVANCING YEARS, THE COLLEGE GREW IN THE SIZE OF ITS ENROLLMENT, THE EXTENT OF ITS PHYSICAL FACILITIES, AND THE QUALITY OF ITS ACADEMIC PROGRAM. FORMAL ACCREDITATION WAS GRANTED IN 1921 BY THE PENNSYLVANIA DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION AND IN 1948 BY THE MIDDLE STATES ASSOCIATION OF COLLEGES AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS. THE RATE OF GROWTH INCREASED SIGNIFICANTLY FROM THE END OF THE SECOND WORLD WAR. STUDENT ENROLLMENT HAS MORE THAN QUADRUPLED SINCE THAT TIME. THE ACADEMIC PROGRAM HAS BEEN EXPANDED AND IS CONTINUALLY REVISED TO MEET THE CHANGING NEEDS OF STUDENTS. ELIZABETHTOWN COLLEGE'S SCHOOL OF GRADUATE AND PROFESSIONAL STUDIES (SGPS) CONTINUES TO OFFER TRANSFORMATIVE GRADUATE AND ONLINE PROGRAMS AS WELL AS MICRO-CREDENTIALS ACROSS A VARIETY OF FLEXIBLE FORMATS. SGPS CONTINUES TO ADD PROGRAMS THAT PROVIDE EXCELLENCE COMBINED WITH THE ACCESS AND FLEXIBILITY LIFELONG LEARNER'S DEMAND. ELIZABETHTOWN COLLEGE WAS ONE OF JUST 42 INSTITUTIONS ACROSS THE STATE TO BE NAMED A RECIPIENT OF THE 2023-24 PENNSYLVANIA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION'S PASMART ADVANCING COMPUTER SCIENCE AND STEM EDUCATION GRANT TO IMPROVE ACCESS TO SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, MATH, AND COMPUTER SCIENCE EDUCATION. ELIZABETHTOWN COLLEGE WAS AWARDED FOR ITS PROJECT, "FUTURE READY: COMPUTER SCIENCE AND STEM EDUCATION FOR ALL COLLABORATIVE," WHICH AIMS TO HELP ADDRESS THE NEED FOR HIGHLY QUALIFIED COMPUTER SCIENCE (CS) PROFESSIONALS TO FILL ANTICIPATED EMPLOYMENT VACANCIES AT THE LOCAL, REGIONAL, AND STATE LEVELS BY INCREASING THE NUMBER OF TEACHERS THAT ARE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE PENNSYLVANIA POPULATION. IT WILL ALSO STRENGTHEN CS AND STEM LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES. ELIZABETHTOWN COLLEGE UNDERSTANDS THAT QUALITY AND VALUE NEED TO GO HAND IN HAND. THE COLLEGE'S EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY FOSTERS AN UNDERSTANDING OF EDUCATION FOR A LIFE OF PURPOSE BASED ON A MODEL OF STUDENT DEVELOPMENT THAT INTEGRATES CAREER READINESS AND A COMMITMENT TO CIVIC ENGAGEMENT. AS A RESULT, GRADUATES ARE PREPARED TO MAKE THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE AND BE SUCCESSFUL WHILE DOING SO. ELIZABETHTOWN COLLEGE DELIVERS A HIGH-QUALITY, HIGH-VALUE EDUCATION THAT PROVIDES THE KIND OF EARNING POWER THAT RANKS THE COLLEGE AMONG THE COUNTRY'S HIGHEST VALUE-ADDED INSTITUTIONS WITH MID-CAREER EARNINGS 27% MORE THAN PREDICTED. BASED ON A STUDY DONE BY THE COLLEGE, 94% OF GRADUATES ARE EMPLOYED OR PURSUING CONTINUING EDUCATION WITHIN ONE YEAR OF GRADUATION. IN ADDITION, OVER 90% OF GRADUATES HAD AT LEAST ONE FACULTY MEMBER WHO MADE THEM EXCITED ABOUT LEARNING AND REPORTED THAT THEIR PROFESSOR CARED ABOUT THEM AS A PERSON.
- $1.5 million spent. THE HIGH LIBRARY PARTNERS WITH ELIZABETHTOWN COLLEGE STUDENTS, FACULTY, AND STAFF TO PROMOTE LEARNING AND DISCOVERY AS WE EDUCATE FOR SERVICE. WE ARE COMMITTED TO CONNECTING PEOPLE WITH IDEAS AND TO CREATING AN INTELLECTUAL AND CULTURAL COMMONS BOTH PHYSICAL AND VIRTUAL WHERE INDIVIDUALS CAN EXPERIENCE THE POWER OF SHARING INFORMATION. THE HIGH LIBRARY STIMULATES, INSPIRES AND ENGAGES OUR COMMUNITY BY OFFERING RESOURCES AND SUPPORT FOR CREATIVE AND CRITICAL INQUIRY. GOAL 1: PROVIDE RELIABLE ACCESS TO INFORMATION RESOURCES TO EDUCATE THE COLLEGE COMMUNITY FOR LIVES OF SERVICE AND LEADERSHIP AS CITIZENS OF THE WORLD. GOAL 2: PROVIDE PROFESSIONAL EXPERTISE: HELP STUDENTS DISCOVER THE RESOURCES NEEDED TO ENHANCE CLASSROOM SUCCESS AND TO NAVIGATE DIVERSE CULTURAL PERSPECTIVES; PROVIDE DIRECTION AND VISION FOR THE COLLEGE WITH REGARD TO INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND DIGITAL INITIATIVES. GOAL 3: CREATE THE COMMONS: SUPPORT SPACES THAT ALLOW STUDENTS TO WORK SINGLY AND IN GROUPS TO ACQUIRE NEW HABITS OF MIND. GOAL 4: PARTNER WITH STUDENTS, FACULTY, STAFF AND OTHER OFFICES AT THE COLLEGE TO FUEL MOTIVATION, CATALYZE CURIOSITY AND FOSTER PURPOSEFUL LIFE WORK. GOAL 5: DEEPEN CAMPUS ENGAGEMENT WITH THE COMMUNITY AND THE WORLD TO EXPAND INTELLECTUAL HORIZONS AND HELP OUR SCHOLARS APPLY AND INTEGRATE THEIR LEARNING. PURSUE SUPPLEMENTARY CAPITAL TO SUPPORT THIS GOAL AND OTHER SPECIAL PROJECTS.
- $24,295 spent. ELIZABETHTOWN COLLEGE LAUNCHED A HUMAN PERFORMANCE LABORATORY (HPL) LOCATED IN THE BOWERS CENTER FOR SPORTS, FITNESS & WELL-BEING ON THE CAMPUS. THE HPL SERVES AS A DYNAMIC SPACE FOR SPORTS MEDICINE AND EXERCISE SCIENCE TESTING, EVALUATION, AND PERFORMANCE AND IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. STUDENTS IN THE INSTITUTION'S EXERCISE SCIENCE PROGRAM WILL CONDUCT CLASSES AND RESEARCH IN THE HPL FOR EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING.
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 April 1963.
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.