John Carroll University
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
AS A JESUIT CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY COMMITTED TO ACADEMIC RIGOR, INCLUSIVE EXCELLENCE, AND CARE FOR THE WHOLE PERSON, JOHN CARROLL UNIVERSITY INSPIRES INDIVIDUALS OF INTELLECT AND CHARACTER TO LEARN, LEAD AND SERVE IN THE COMMUNITY AND THROUGHOUT THE WORLD.
- Income
- $188.0 million
- Spending
- $178.7 million
- Spent on programs
- 93%
- Reserves
- -9.3 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 76%
- Employees
- 1,840
- Volunteers
- 812
- Highest pay
- $487,196, president
Source: Form 990 for the year ending May 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Fair: 55 out of 100. Higher than 31% 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 33% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 5% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 10% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1593% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 10 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending May 31, 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 2554 of 58 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 May 31, 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)
- $166.4 million spent. FROM ITS MODEST ORIGIN IN 1886 AS SAINT IGNATIUS COLLEGE ON CLEVELAND'S NEAR WEST SIDE, JOHN CARROLL TODAY IS WIDELY RECOGNIZED AS A TRANSFORMATIVE UNIVERSITY THAT EXCELS IN UNDERGRADUATE AND POST-GRADUATE EDUCATION, ATTRACTING STUDENTS FROM 29 STATES AND 19 COUNTRIES. THE UNIVERSITY STRIVES TO DEVELOP EACH STUDENT AS A WHOLE PERSON - MIND, BODY, AND SOUL. AT THE SAME TIME, STUDENTS ARE CHALLENGED TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE WORLD THROUGH LEADERSHIP AND SERVICE. AS A JESUIT CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY, JOHN CARROLL OFFERS A RIGOROUS EDUCATION BASED ON A WELL-DEVELOPED LIBERAL ARTS CORE CURRICULUM, INCLUDING A VARIETY OF ACADEMIC PROGRAMS IN THE ARTS AND SCIENCES, AND EDUCATION. U.S. NEWS AND WORLD REPORT ANNUALLY RANKS JOHN CARROLL AMONG THE TOP 5 UNIVERSITIES IN THE MIDWEST THAT GRANT MASTER'S DEGREES, AND THE UNIVERSITY'S JOHN M. AND MARY JO BOLER COLLEGE OF BUSINESS HOLDS DUAL AACSB ACCREDITATION - AN INTERNATIONAL DISTINCTION AWARDED BY THE ASSOCIATION TO ADVANCE COLLEGIATE SCHOOLS OF BUSINESS PLACING IT IN THE TOP FIVE PERCENT OF BUSINESS SCHOOLS WORLDWIDE. A BLOOMBERG BUSINESSWEEK SURVEY OF EMPLOYERS RANKED THE BOLER SCHOOL OF BUSINESS NUMBER ONE IN THE NATION IN PREPARING STUDENTS FOR CAREERS. JOHN CARROLL CONSISTENTLY RANKS AS ONE OF THE TOP SCHOOLS IN THE MIDWEST FOR RETENTION RATES AND GRADUATION RATES, WHICH SIGNIFICANTLY EXCEEDS U.S. AND OHIO AVERAGES. THE UNIVERSITY'S 13:1 STUDENT/FACULTY RATIO ENSURES INDIVIDUAL ATTENTION AND AN INTERACTIVE EXPERIENCE. 85% OF ALL CLASSES HAVE FEWER THAN 30 STUDENTS WITH NO CLASS EXCEEDING 50 STUDENTS. THE UNIVERSITY EDUCATED 2,287 UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS AND 486 GRADUATE STUDENTS; OFFERED 43 BACHELOR DEGREE MAJORS AND 22 GRADUATE SCHOOL PROGRAMS; AND CONFERRED 616 BACHELOR AND 226 MASTERS DEGREES IN THE 2024-2025 ACADEMIC YEAR. JOHN CARROLL IS RECOGNIZED FOR EXCELLENT RETENTION AND GRADUATION RATES. 85% OF JCU FRESHMEN RETURN AS SOPHOMORES, AND 69% OF JCUUNDERGRADS RECEIVE THEIR BACHELOR'S DEGREES IN FOUR YEARS, COMPARED WITH 53% OF OTHER FOUR-YEAR PRIVATE SCHOOLS NATIONWIDE, AND 33% OF FOUR-YEAR PUBLIC SCHOOLS. JOHN CARROLL UNIVERSITY HAS BEEN NAMED TO THE PRESIDENT'S HIGHER EDUCATION COMMUNITY SERVICE HONOR ROLL MULTIPLE TIMES. SERVICE TO OTHERS IS A DEFINING ELEMENTOF THE UNIVERSITY, WHERE MORE THAN TWO THIRDS OF THE STUDENT BODY PARTICIPATE IN SERVICE ACTIVITIES. STUDENTS HAVE MANY OPPORTUNITIES TO ENGAGE WITH THE LOCAL COMMUNITY FROM THE TIME THEY ARE FRESHMEN. OUR STUDENTS LEARN FROM DISTINGUISHED FACULTY WHO ARE EXPERTS IN THEIR RESPECTIVE FIELDS. 98% OF OUR 143 FULL-TIME TEACHING FACULTY MEMBERS HOLD DOCTORAL DEGREES OR THE TERMINAL DEGREE IN THEIR FIELD; NINE ARE FULBRIGHT FELLOWS. THE MAJORITY OF OUR FACULTY HAVE PUBLISHED BOOKS, ARTICLES, OR RECEIVED RESEARCH GRANTS IN THE PAST TWO YEARS. THE UNIVERSITY'S VARSITY SPORTS TEAMS COMPETE AT THE NCAA DIVISION III INTERCOLLEGIATE LEVEL AND HAVE WON OVER 100 LEAGUE TITLES AND HAVE PLACED AMONG THE TOP 10 DIVISION III SCHOOLS IN THE NATION ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. MORE THAN 100 VARSITY ATHLETES HAVE BEEN NAMED DIVISION III ALL-AMERICANS WITH OVER 20 INDIVIDUAL NATIONAL CHAMPIONS, THREE NATIONAL PLAYERS OF THE YEAR AND ONE ACADEMIC ALL-AMERICAN OF THE YEAR. NEARLY 500 UNDERGRADUATES PARTICIPATE IN 24 VARSITY MEN'S AND WOMEN'S SPORTS. STUDENTS ALSO HAVE ACCESS TO INTRAMURAL SPORTS, CLUB SPORTS, AND OTHER FITNESS AND RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES. JOHN CARROLL UNIVERSITY WELCOMES STUDENTS AND FACULTY FROM DIFFERENT RELIGIOUS BACKGROUNDS AND VALUE SYSTEMS IN THE BELIEF THAT THE EDUCATIONAL ENVIRONMENT WHICH THE UNIVERSITY PROVIDES IS ONE WHICH THESE STUDENTS AND FACULTY MAY FIND CONGENIAL, REWARDING, AND ENRICHED BY THEIR PRESENCE. WITHIN THIS ENVIRONMENT THERE IS CONCERN FOR THE HUMAN AND SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENTAL NEEDS OF THE STUDENTS AND A DEEP RESPECT FOR THE FREEDOM AND DIGNITY OF THE HUMAN PERSON. A FACULTY NOT ONLY PROFESSIONALLY QUALIFIED, BUT ALSO STUDENT ORIENTED, CONSIDERS EXCELLENCE IN INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS AS WELL AS ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT AMONG ITS PRIMARY GOALS.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending May 31, 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 May 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 February 1935.
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.
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.