Sarah Lawrence College
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
AT SARAH LAWRENCE COLLEGE, OUR MISSION IS TO GRADUATE CITIZENS OF THE WORLD WHO ARE DIVERSE IN EVERY DEFINITION OF THE WORD, WHO TAKE INTELLECTUAL AND CREATIVE RISKS, AND WHO ARE ABLE TO FOCUS EXCEPTIONAL INTELLECTUAL DISCIPLINE (CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O)
- Income
- $149.5 million
- Spending
- $149.7 million
- Spent on programs
- 87%
- Reserves
- -5.7 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 87%
- Employees
- 1,611
- Volunteers
- 214
- Highest pay
- $694,952, 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: 41 out of 100. Higher than 7% 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 34% of what it owns.
Living within its means
8 of 15Spending exceeded income by 0% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 8% on the year before.
Spending floor
8 of 1587% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 43 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: 90 out of 100. Higher than 14% of charities in its peer group (education, over $100m).
Independent board
25 of 2526 of 28 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
0 of 10Did not give 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 (4)
- $107.0 million spent. UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAMS: THE FREEDOM TO STEER YOUR OWN EDUCATION HAS ALWAYS BEEN THE BASIS OF SARAH LAWRENCE'S ACADEMIC APPROACH. STUDENTS CREATE A COURSE OF STUDY THAT IS UNIQUELY THEIRS, BENEFITING FROM A 11:1 STUDENT-TO-FACULTY RATIO AND 1:1 CONFERENCES WITH FACULTY. STUDENTS ENGAGE IN A LEVEL OF INTELLECTUAL AND CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT THAT PREPARES THEM FOR A LIFE OF MEANING IN WHATEVER PROFESSIONAL PATHWAYS THEY CHOOSE. OUR 1,400 DEGREE-SEEKING STUDENTS CAN FOCUS IN ANY OF OUR NEARLY 50 DISCIPLINES ON OUR CAMPUS OR IN GLOBAL STUDIES PROGRAMS IN LONDON, OXFORD, PARIS, AND HAVANA.
- $16.0 million spent. AUXILIARY ENTERPRISES: SARAH LAWRENCE COLLEGE PROVIDES STUDENTS WITH A WIDE RANGE OF LIVING AND DINING EXPERIENCES. ON-CAMPUS HOUSING FOR 1,124 STUDENTS INCLUDES MANY UNIQUE OPTIONS, FROM CONVERTED HOUSES TO TRADITIONAL SUITE-STYLE RESIDENCE HALLS. SARAH LAWRENCE DINING OPTIONS INCLUDE DINING-HALL, GRAB-AND-GO, AND CAFE STYLE FARE ACROSS A RANGE OF MEAL-PLANS.
- $6.4 million spent. GRADUATE PROGRAMS: SARAH LAWRENCE COLLEGE OFFERS ITS 223 GRADUATE STUDENTS NINE DISTINCTIVE MASTER'S DEGREE AND VARIOUS NON-DEGREE AND CERTIFICATE PROGRAMS WHICH INCLUDE THE AREAS OF WRITING, THEATRE, DANCE, CHILD DEVELOPMENT, ART OF TEACHING, HUMAN GENETICS, HEALTH ADVOCACY AND DANCE MOVEMENT THERAPY.
- $353,123 spent. OTHER EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS CONSISTING OF NON-CREDIT CONTINUING EDUCATION PROGRAMS, SPECIAL NON-CREDIT COURSES FOR ADULTS, (LANGUAGE, PHOTOGRAPHY, SWIMMING AND FITNESS, ETC.), WRITING INSTITUTE CLASSES, CERTIFICATE COURSES, AND EARLY CHILDHOOD PROGRAMS.
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 January 1973.
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.