Roosevelt University
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
ROOSEVELT UNIVERSITY IS AN INDEPENDENT, NON-PROFIT, METROPOLITAN UNIVERSITY AND NATIONAL LEADER IN EDUCATING SOCIALLY CONSCIOUS CITIZENS FOR ACTIVE AND DEDICATED LIVES AS LEADERS IN THEIR PROFESSIONS AND THEIR COMMUNITIES. THE UNIVERSITY'S STUDENT-CENTERED FACULTY AND STAFF INSPIRE ACADEMICALLY QUALIFIED STUDENTS TO BENEFIT FROM RIGOROUS HIGHER EDUCATION AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES.
- Income
- $145.7 million
- Spending
- $145.6 million
- Spent on programs
- 88%
- Reserves
- -16.1 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 79%
- Employees
- 1,528
- Volunteers
- 143
- Highest pay
- $735,358, president & ceo
Source: Form 990 for the year ending August 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Weak: 47 out of 100.
Reserves
0 of 35Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.
Debt
5 of 20It owes 71% of what it owns.
Living within its means
12 of 15Income exceeded spending by 0% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 12% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1588% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 17 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending August 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100.
Independent board
25 of 2532 of 38 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 August 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 (3)
- $117.9 million spent. ROOSEVELT UNIVERSITY OFFERS PROGRAMS AND SERVICES THAT REINFORCE ITS STUDENT-CENTERED MISSION. THE UNIVERSITY OFFERS MORE THAN 100 UNDERGRADUATE, GRADUATE AND CERTIFICATE PROGRAMS AND IS COMMITTED TO THE HIGHEST ACADEMIC STANDARDS FOR ALL PROGRAMS. CLASS SCHEDULES ARE FLEXIBLE. COURSES ARE OFFERED FROM EARLY MORNING UNTIL LATE AT NIGHT, AS WELL AS ON WEEKENDS. ADDITIONALLY, IN FALL 2024, THE UNIVERSITY OFFERED MORE THAN 250 ONLINE CLASS SECTIONS WITH COURSE ENROLLMENTS EXCEEDING 5,000 STUDENTS. FULLY ONLINE DEGREE PROGRAMS ARE AVAILABLE. CLASS SIZES ARE SMALL. AT THE UNDERGRADUATE LEVEL, THE AVERAGE CLASS SIZE IS 21 AND AT THE GRADUATE LEVEL, THE AVERAGE CLASS SIZE IS 15. ROOSEVELT SERVES APPROXIMATELY 2,850 UNDERGRADUATE AND 1,425 GRADUATE STUDENTS. THE FOLLOWING IS A LISTING OF THE APPROXIMATE NUMBER OF STUDENTS BY COLLEGE: HUMANITIES, EDUCATION AND SOCIAL SCIENCE - 1,475 STUDENTS; PERFORMING ARTS - 475 STUDENTS; BUSINESS - 925 STUDENTS; AND SCIENCE, HEALTH, AND PHARMACY - 1,400 STUDENTS.
- $9.4 million spent. ROOSEVELT UNIVERSITY PROVIDES SUPPORT SERVICES THAT FOSTER LEARNING AND STUDENT SUCCESS ON CAMPUS. THESE SERVICES INCLUDE: FACULTY- LED EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES, THE ACADEMIC SUCCESS CENTER, CAREER SERVICES, COUNSELING CENTER, DISABILITY SERVICES, LEARNING COMMUNITIES, HEALTH & WELLNESS PROGRAMS, INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS AND TUTORING.
- $724,887 spent. ROOSEVELT UNIVERSITY'S COMMITMENT TO SOCIAL JUSTICE IS DEEPLY ROOTED IN ITS HISTORY AND IS REFLECTED IN ITS MISSION, STRATEGIC PLAN, RESEARCH AND LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES BOTH IN AND OUTSIDE OF THE CLASSROOM.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending August 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 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 August 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 October 1945.
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.