City University of Seattle
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
SEE SCHEDULE OFOUNDED IN 1973, CITY UNIVERSITY OF SEATTLE'S MISSION IS TO CHANGE LIVES FOR GOOD BY OFFERING HIGH QUALITY AND RELEVANT LIFELONG EDUCATION TO ANYONE WITH THE DESIRE TO LEARN. CITY UNIVERSITY'S VISION IS TO PROVIDE UNDERSERVED INDIVIDUALS AND COMMUNITIES AROUND THE WORLD ACCESS TO HIGH QUALITY, LIFELONG EDUCATION THROUGH A NETWORK OF LOCAL AND INTERNATIONAL PARTNERSHIPS. TO FULFILL ITS MISSION AND WORK TOWARD ACHIEVING ITS VISION, CITY UNIVERSITY OF SEATTLE DETERMINES TO BE FLEXIBLE: DESIGN AND DELIVER PROGRAMS AND SERVICES TO BE CONVENIENT TO STUDENTS; ACCESSIBLE: PROVIDE EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES TO ANYONE, ANYWHERE; INNOVATIVE: CONTINUALLY CREATE NEW EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES; RELEVANT: WHAT IS TAUGHT TODAY CAN BE APPLIED TOMORROW; AND GLOBAL: ACT LOCALLY AND THINK GLOBALLY.CITY UNIVERSITY OF SEATTLE IS ACCREDITED BY THE NORTHWEST COMMISSION ON COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES (NWCCU), A REGIONAL BODY APPROVED BY THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.
- Income
- $49.1 million
- Spending
- $45.4 million
- Spent on programs
- 60%
- Reserves
- 7 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 97%
- Employees
- 468
- Volunteers
- 19
- Highest pay
- $1.1 million, chair
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
Good: 76 out of 100. Higher than 71% of charities in its peer group (education, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 7.0 months of spending.
Debt
10 of 20It owes 43% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 8% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 4% on the year before.
Spending floor
8 of 1560% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 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 50% of charities in its peer group (education, $10m to $100m).
Independent board
25 of 2519 of 20 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 (2)
- $26.7 million spent. CITY UNIVERSITY OF SEATTLE IS A PRIVATE, NOT-FOR-PROFIT UNIVERSITY WITH APPROXIMATELY 6,550 ENROLLMENTS DURING THE YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 2025. ALL GRANTS UNDER FINANCIAL AID GO TO STUDENTS TO FINANCE THEIR EDUCATION. THE UNIVERSITY IS COMPRISED OF THE SCHOOL OF BUSINESS MANAGEMENT, THE SCHOOL OF EDUCATION AND LEADERSHIP, THE SCHOOL OF HEALTH AND SOCIAL SCIENCES, THE WASHINGTON ACADEMY OF LANGUAGES, AND THE SCHOOL OF TECHNOLOGY AND COMPUTING. HEADQUARTERED IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST, CITY UNIVERSITY OF SEATTLE OFFERS PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATION, ASSOCIATES, BACHELORS, MASTER'S, AND DOCTORAL PROGRAMS. CLASSES ARE HELD AT LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT WASHINGTON, CANADA, MEXICO, SLOVAKIA, THE CZECH REPUBLIC, VIETNAM, AND CHINA.
- $679,906 spent. CITY UNIVERSITY OF SEATTLE BELIEVES THAT FUNDING SHOULD NOT BE A BARRIER TO EDUCATION. THE UNIVERSITY HAS MULTIPLE SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAMS AVAILABLE FOR STUDENTS WHO ARE LOW-INCOME EXPERIENCING ECONOMIC HARDSHIP, OR DEPENDENT ON MERIT-BASED SCHOLARSHIPS. CITY UNIVERSITY OF SEATTLE CONTINUES THE TRANSFER SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM TO ASSIST STUDENTS.
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 December 1974.
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.