Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

Art Center College of Design

EIN 95-1921340 · Pasadena, CA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair55 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

OUR MISSION IS TO EDUCATE, INSPIRE, AND EMPOWER CREATIVE AND DESIGN LEADERS.

Income
$177.3 million
Spending
$155.4 million
Spent on programs
94%
Reserves
-3.8 months of spending
Largest source of income
fees for its services, 80%
Employees
2,134
Volunteers
115
Highest pay
$627,725, president/ceo

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: 55 out of 100. Higher than 31% of charities in its peer group (education, over $100m).

  • Reserves

    0 of 35

    Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.

  • Debt

    10 of 20

    It owes 37% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 12% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 18% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    94% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 9 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 41% of charities in its peer group (education, over $100m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    26 of 27 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

    10 of 10

    Gave 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

    10 of 10

    Reports 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 (1)
  1. $145.4 million spent. THE COLLEGE OPERATES AN INDEPENDENT, FOUR-YEAR CURRICULUM TO EDUCATE ARTISTS AND DESIGNERS IN COMMUNICATION ARTS AND INDUSTRIAL DESIGN. THE COLLEGE OFFERS A BACHELOR OF FINE ARTS DEGREE IN SIX MAJORS (CREATIVE DIRECTION; FILM; FINE ART; GRAPHIC DESIGN; ILLUSTRATION; AND PHOTOGRAPHY AND IMAGING) AND A BACHELOR OF SCIENCE DEGREE IN FIVE MAJORS (ENTERTAINMENT DESIGN; INTERACTION DESIGN; PRODUCT DESIGN; SPATIAL EXPERIENCE DESIGN; AND TRANSPORTATION DESIGN). GRADUATE PROGRAMS LEAD TO THE MASTER OF FINE ARTS DEGREE IN: FILM; ART; MEDIA DESIGN PRACTICES; AND GRAPHIC DESIGN. THE GRADUATE PROGRAMS THAT OFFER THE MASTER OF SCIENCE DEGREE ARE: FURNITURE, LIGHTING & FIXTURES; SPATIAL EXPERIENCE DESIGN; INDUSTRIAL DESIGN; AND TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS AND DESIGN. TWO GRADUATE PROGRAMS AWARD AN ONLINE MASTER OF DESIGN (MDES) DEGREE IN BRAND DESIGN AND STRATEGY AND INTERACTION DESIGN. ALL EXPENDITURES RELATE TO ACADEMIC INSTRUCTION, PROGRAM SUPPORT AND OPERATION OF THE COLLEGE. THE FTE ENROLLMENT FOR JULY 2024 TO JUNE 2025 WAS APPROXIMATELY 2,188 (FALL 2024), 2,068 (SPRING 2025) AND 768 (SUMMER 2025) 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

  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 September 7, 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 September 30, 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 September 10, 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 September 7, 2026.

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

    Recognized by the IRS since February 1951.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 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.