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Occidental College

EIN 95-1667177 · Los Angeles, CA

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood86 out of 100GovernanceGood80 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

Points to look into

  • It reported loans to or from officers, directors or other insiders.

These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.

What it says it does

SEE SCHEDULE OTHE MISSION OF OCCIDENTAL COLLEGE IS TO PROVIDE A GIFTED AND DIVERSE GROUP OF STUDENTS WITH A TOTAL EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE OF THE HIGHEST QUALITY - ONE THAT PREPARES THEM FOR LEADERSHIP IN AN INCREASINGLY COMPLEX, INTERDEPENDENT AND PLURALISTIC WORLD. THE DISTINCTIVE INTERDISCIPLINARY AND MULTICULTURAL FOCUS OF THE COLLEGE'S ACADEMIC PROGRAM SEEKS TO FOSTER BOTH THE FULFILLMENT OF INDIVIDUAL ASPIRATIONS AND A DEEPLY ROOTED COMMITMENT TO THE PUBLIC GOOD. THIS MISSION IS ANCHORED BY FOUR CORNERSTONES: EXCELLENCE, EQUITY, COMMUNITY AND SERVICE. THESE BUILDING BLOCKS, IN ONE FORM OR ANOTHER, HAVE LONG BEEN THE BASIS FOR THE COLLEGE'S COMMITMENT TO PROVIDING RESPONSIBLE LEADERS AND CITIZENS FOR OUR DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY. CHOOSING THEM TO SUPPORT THE FUTURE HELPS TO ENSURE THAT THE COLLEGE REMAINS TRUE TO ITS MISSION WHILE ADAPTING TO A CHANGING WORLD.

Income
$241.3 million
Spending
$208.3 million
Spent on programs
86%
Reserves
7.2 months of spending
Largest source of income
fees for its services, 69%
Employees
2,542
Volunteers
1,150
Highest pay
$1.7 million, former president/ex-officio

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: 86 out of 100. Higher than 79% of charities in its peer group (education, over $100m).

  • Reserves

    28 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 7.2 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 12% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 14% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 14% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    8 of 15

    86% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 35 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

Good: 80 out of 100. Higher than 5% of charities in its peer group (education, over $100m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    33 of 35 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    0 of 10

    Did not give the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    0 of 10

    Reports at least one of: diversion of assets, excess benefits, 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 (3)
  1. $124.6 million spent. SEE SCHEDULE OACADEMIC PROGRAM: AS A PRIVATE, CO-EDUCATIONAL COLLEGE OF THE LIBERAL ARTS AND SCIENCES, OCCIDENTAL COLLEGE SEEKS TO PROVIDE ITS STUDENTS WITH A TOTAL EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE OF THE HIGHEST QUALITY, ONE THAT PREPARES THEM FOR LEADERSHIP IN AN INCREASINGLY COMPLEX, INTERDEPENDENT AND PLURALISTIC WORLD. FOUNDED IN LOS ANGELES IN 1887, OCCIDENTAL WAS ONE OF THE FIRST LIBERAL ARTS COLLEGES IN CALIFORNIA AND TODAY IS ONE OF THE COUNTRY'S FEW LIBERAL ARTS COLLEGES IN AN URBAN SETTING. OCCIDENTAL OFFERS UNDERGRADUATE DEGREES IN A WIDE RANGE OF DISCIPLINES AND A MASTER'S DEGREE IN MARINE BIOLOGY. ITS 1,991 STUDENTS, DRAWN FROM 48 STATES AND TERRITORIES AND 34 COUNTRIES, CHOOSE FROM 48 MAJORS AND MINORS TAUGHT BY 203 FULL-TIME AND 23 PART-TIME FACULTY. COURSE WORK IS INTEGRATED WITH OPPORTUNITIES FOR INDEPENDENT STUDY, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, ONE OF THE COUNTRY'S TOP UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH PROGRAMS, STUDY IN DOZENS OF FOREIGN COUNTRIES, AND THE COUNTRY'S ONLY CAMPAIGN SEMESTER AND RESIDENTIAL UNITED NATIONS PROGRAMS FOR UNDERGRADUATES. SINCE PRODUCING ITS FIRST RHODES SCHOLAR IN 1907, OCCIDENTAL HAS CONSISTENTLY WON NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION FOR ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT. THE COLLEGE HAS BEEN ONE OF THE COUNTRY'S LEADING PRODUCERS OF STUDENT FULBRIGHT SCHOLARS FOR 20 CONSECUTIVE YEARS, ACCORDING TO THE CHRONICLE OF HIGHER EDUCATION. DEDICATED TO EXCELLENCE AND EQUITY, OCCIDENTAL ALSO IS ONE OF THE COUNTRY'S MOST ECONOMICALLY DIVERSE CAMPUSES, ACCORDING TO THE NEW YORK TIMES. SOME 80 PERCENT OF OXY STUDENTS RECEIVE SOME FORM OF FINANCIAL AID; 20 PERCENT ARE PELL GRANT RECIPIENTS; AND 14 PERCENT ARE THE FIRST IN THEIR FAMILY TO ATTEND COLLEGE.
  2. $47.9 million spent. SEE SCHEDULE OCO-CURRICULAR: OCCIDENTAL OFFERS A WIDE RANGE OF CO-CURRICULAR PROGRAMS, FROM THE STUDENT-RUN BLYTH FUND, WHICH OVERSEES A SIX-FIGURE INVESTMENT FUND, TO THE INTERNSHIPS AND CAREER COUNSELING SERVICES OFFERED THROUGH THE HAMEETMAN CAREER CENTER. THERE ARE MORE THAN 100 STUDENT CLUBS AND ORGANIZATIONS, AS WELL AS AN ONLINE RADIO STATION AND AWARD-WINNING WEEKLY NEWSPAPER. AS ONE OF THE FOUNDERS OF INTERCOLLEGIATE ATHLETICS IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, OCCIDENTAL OFFERS 20 VARSITY SPORTS FOR MEN AND WOMEN, AS WELL AS SEVERAL CLUB SPORTS AND INTRAMURAL PROGRAMS FOR MEN AND WOMEN.
  3. $5.9 million spent. SEE SCHEDULE OPUBLIC SERVICE: OCCIDENTAL WAS ONE OF THE FIRST LIBERAL ARTS COLLEGES SELECTED AS COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT INSTITUTIONS BY THE CARNEGIE FOUNDATION FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF TEACHING AND HAS REPEATEDLY BEEN NAMED TO THE PRESIDENT'S HIGHER EDUCATION COMMUNITY SERVICE HONOR ROLL FOR ITS EXEMPLARY SERVICE EFFORTS. OCCIDENTAL'S TRADITION OF COMMUNITY OUTREACH DATES BACK TO 1963, WHEN THE COLLEGE'S COMMUNITY LITERACY CENTER WAS FOUNDED TO PROVIDE ONE-ON-ONE READING AND WRITING INSTRUCTION FOR LOCAL K-6 CHILDREN. IT ALSO IS HOME TO ONE OF CALIFORNIA'S OLDEST, LARGEST AND MOST SUCCESSFUL UPWARD BOUND PROGRAMS. OCCIDENTAL HAS INTEGRATED COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT INTO ITS CURRICULUM, TAKING ADVANTAGE OF ITS LOCATION IN LOS ANGELES. THREE LINKED PROGRAMS, THE OFFICE FOR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, THE CENTER FOR COMMUNITY BASED LEARNING, AND THE URBAN & ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY INSTITUTE, CONNECT CURRICULUM, CO-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES, AND RESEARCH AND COMMUNITY-BASED EFFORTS.

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

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

  4. 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.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since November 1934.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  6. 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.