Rush University Medical Center
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
The mission of Rush is to improve the health of the individuals and diverse communities we serve through the integration of outstanding patient care, education, research and community partnerships.
- Income
- $2.8 billion
- Spending
- $2.3 billion
- Spent on programs
- 91%
- Reserves
- 2.6 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 78%
- Employees
- 15,611
- Volunteers
- 2,004
- Highest pay
- $4.8 million, president & chief executive officer, rush
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
Fair: 60 out of 100. Higher than 46% of charities in its peer group (health care, over $100m).
Reserves
10 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 2.6 months of spending.
Debt
10 of 20It owes 37% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 15% of income.
Income trend
10 of 15Income fell 8% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1591% 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 53% of charities in its peer group (health care, over $100m).
Independent board
25 of 2540 of 40 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 (4)
- $1.7 billion spent. Health Care: Rush University Medical Center (RUMC) is an academic medical center that brings together excellence in clinical care and research to address major health problems. The hospital operations of Rush University Medical Center are licensed by the State of Illinois to operate 678 beds and include the Johnston R. Bowman Health Center, which provides medical and rehabilitative care to older adults and people with short- and long-term disabilities, and Rush University Children's Hospital. According to COMPdata, RUMC is the fifth largest hospital provider in the eight county Chicago metropolitan area as measured by market share. In FY2025, RUMC provided patient care to 28,994 inpatients for a total of 163,180 patient days, 10,320 observation cases, and 59,266 emergency department visits. Rush University Medical Center has been named one of the nation's top hospitals, securing a spot on U.S. News & World Report's 2024-2025 Best Hospitals Honor Roll for the fifth straight year. Of the nearly 5,000 U.S. hospitals that U.S. News evaluated, Rush is among only 11% that earned a numerical ranking in a state or a medical specialty. Overall, Rush is in the top 1% of hospitals in the country based on its Honor Roll rating. See Schedule H for a non-exhaustive list of community benefit programs and descriptions. (Expenses $ 78,862,462 including grants of $ 0)(Revenue $ 52,017,448) Other program services: Rush provides various services for the benefit of its patients and visitors, such as parking, food services and interpreter services. Rush also sponsors a number of programs in the community focused on improving health, expanding education in health-related careers, community-based research to reduce health disparities and initiatives to provide economic development and job creation. Rush programs influenced tens of thousands of lives in FY2025.
- $265.0 million spent. Research: Because Rush is an academic medical center, research and clinical care come together in innovative and inspiring ways that have the power to transform lives. Even if research work starts in a laboratory, it won't stay there. Discoveries in Rush's labs lead to advances in patient care, while observations in clinical settings inspire research studies designed to improve the way we treat patients. This approach, known as translational research, has led to breakthroughs in patient care at Rush throughout the years. Investigators at Rush are involved in more than 500 projects, including hundreds of clinical studies to test the effectiveness and safety of new therapies and medical devices, as well as to expand scientific and medical knowledge. Total research awards in FY2025 topped $137 million.
- $103.4 million spent. Education: Rush University (RU) is a health sciences university that includes Rush Medical College, the College of Nursing, and the College of Health Sciences. Founded in 1837, Rush Medical College has an acclaimed history as one of the first medical colleges in the Midwest and continues to make major contributions to medical science and education through research and clinical trials. The College of Nursing is one of the nation's top-ranked nursing colleges with a national reputation for clinical excellence that helps make our graduates highly sought after by top health care employers around the country. The College of Health Sciences has been responsible for education and research in the allied health professions. The Medical Center also offers many highly selective residency and fellowship programs in medical and surgical specialties and subspecialties. RU's unique practitioner-teacher model for health sciences education and research provides its students the opportunity to learn from world-renowned instructors who practice what they teach. With more than 40 degree and certificate programs and 60 postgraduate training programs, RU educated 2,769 students in FY2025. Rush University provides outstanding health sciences education and conducts major research in a culture of inclusion, focused on the promotion and preservation of the health and well-being of our diverse communities. (Expenses $ 78,862,462 including grants of $ 0)(Revenue $ 52,017,448) Other program services: Rush provides various services for the benefit of its patients and visitors, such as parking, food services and interpreter services. Rush also sponsors a number of programs in the community focused on improving health, expanding education in health-related careers, community-based research to reduce health disparities and initiatives to provide economic development and job creation. Rush programs influenced tens of thousands of lives in FY2025.
- $78.9 million spent. Other program services: Rush provides various services for the benefit of its patients and visitors, such as parking, food services and interpreter services. Rush also sponsors a number of programs in the community focused on improving health, expanding education in health-related careers, community-based research to reduce health disparities and initiatives to provide economic development and job creation. Rush programs influenced tens of thousands of lives in FY2025.
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 March 1960.
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.