Soka University of America
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
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
THE MISSION OF SOKA UNIVERSITY OF AMERICA IS TO FOSTER A STEADY STREAM OF GLOBAL CITIZENS COMMITTED TO LIVING A CONTRIBUTIVE LIFE. CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O.
- Income
- $96.9 million
- Spending
- $121.3 million
- Spent on programs
- 62%
- Reserves
- 18.4 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- investment income, 63%
- Employees
- 685
- Volunteers
- 103
- Highest pay
- $631,722, president/prof of economics
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: 78 out of 100. Higher than 72% of charities in its peer group (education, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 18.4 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 0% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 25% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 13% on the year before.
Spending floor
8 of 1562% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 18 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: 90 out of 100. Higher than 25% of charities in its peer group (education, $10m to $100m).
Independent board
25 of 2514 of 15 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
0 of 10Reports 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)
- $71.0 million spent. BACHELOR OF ARTS DEGREE IN LIBERAL ARTS WITH CONCENTRATIONS IN ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES, HUMANITIES, INTERNATIONAL STUDIES, AND SOCIAL AND BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES (488 STUDENTS). SEE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON SCHEDULE O. THE DAISAKU IKEDA COLLEGE OF SOKA UNIVERSITY OF AMERICA OFFERS AN UNDERGRADUTE BA IN LIBERAL ARTS WITH A CONCENTRATION IN ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES, HUMANITIES, INTERNATIONAL STUDIES, LIFE SCIENCES OR SOCIAL AND BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES. IN ADDITION TO ITS EMPHASIS ON LEADERSHIP AND CONTRIBUTIVE CITIZENSHIP, SOKA'S UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAM FEATURES THE FOLLOWING: - WITH A 7:1 STUDENT/FACULTY RATIO (AVERAGE CLASS SIZE OF 13), SOKA'S FACULTY CAN WORK INDIVIDUALLY WITH STUDENTS TO SEE HOW FAR THEY CAN GO IN EXPLORING NEW CONCEPTS AND LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES. - SOKA'S OUTSTANDING FACULTY IS OF THE HIGHEST CALIBER AND ENJOYS WORKING CLOSELY WITH STUDENTS. - MULTIPLE PERSPECTIVES ARE OFFERED TO DRAW ON DIVERSE CULTURES, TRADITIONS, AND POINTS OF VIEW WITH SPECIAL ATTENTION GIVEN TO EASTERN AND WESTERN THOUGHT AND PRACTICE, WITH AN EMPHASIS ON THE PACIFIC RIM.
- $2.0 million spent. MASTERS OF ARTS: GRADUATE PROGRAM IN EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP AND SOCIETAL CHANGE (11 STUDENTS). SEE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON SCHEDULE O. SOKA OFFERS A GRADUATE PROGRAM IN EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP AND SOCIETAL CHANGE. THE MASTER OF ARTS (MA) PROGRAM ANSWERS THE NEED FOR GLOBAL LEADERS WITH THE PRACTICAL SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE, FOUNDATIONAL KNOWLEDGE, AND ETHICAL COMMITMENTS NECESSARY TO ACHIEVE LASTING AND EFFECTIVE SOCIETAL CHANGE WITHIN THE FIELD OF EDUCATION, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE CLASSROOM LEARNING ENVIRONMENT. EDUCATION TAKES PLACE ACROSS A MULTIPLICITY OF INSTITUTIONS - SOCIAL, CULTURAL, POLITICAL, AND ECONOMIC - ALL OF WHICH HAVE A PROFOUND BEARING ON SOKA'S SCHOOLS AND THE TYPE OF FUTURE CITIZENS THEY PRODUCE. THE PROGRAM TAKES AN ECOLOGICAL APPROACH TO EDUCATION, ONE THAT, AS LAWRENCE CREMIN WROTE OVER THIRTY YEARS AGO, "VIEWS EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS AND CONFIGURATIONS IN RELATION TO ONE ANOTHER AND TO THE LARGER SOCIETY THAT SUSTAINS THEM AND IS IN TURN AFFECTED BY THEM." AS SUCH, THE MA PROGRAM IS GLOBAL IN SCOPE INTRODUCING STUDENTS TO THE COMPARATIVE AND INTERNATIONAL DIMENSIONS OF EDUCATION. STUDENTS STUDY AND CONDUCT RESEARCH INTO THE HISTORICAL ROOTS OF EDUCATIONAL POLICIES AND PROBLEMS AS WELL AS ON THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHIES AND PRACTICES AND CONTEMPORARY SOCIAL, POLITICAL, ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL DEVELOPMENTS. RELATED AREAS OF STUDY INCLUDE COMPARATIVE AND INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION, MULTICULTURAL EDUCATION, EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY, GENDER AND EDUCATION, SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION POLICY AND PRACTICE, AND EDUCATIONAL LAW. COURSES INCLUDE A FIELDWORK COMPONENT, PROVIDING HANDS-ON OPPORTUNITIES TO SHADOW ADMINISTRATORS, ANALYZE ORGANIZATIONAL DYNAMICS, AND EVALUATE CURRICULUM. UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF A PRINCIPAL PROFESSOR, STUDENTS INTEGRATE THEIR FIELDWORK AND EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH TO PRODUCE A MASTER'S THESIS FOR GRADUATION. THE PROGRAM IS DESIGNED TO PREPARE STUDENTS FOR ADVANCED DEGREES (E.G., PHD OR EDD) AND FOR LEADERSHIP ROLES IN PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SCHOOLING, GOVERNMENTAL AND NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS, AND IN THE ENTREPRENEURIAL SECTOR, PARTICULARLY IN THE GROWING AREA OF EDUCATIONAL PUBLISHING AND OTHER MEDIA. GRADUATES ARE IN EXCELLENT POSITIONS TO INITIATE LEADERSHIP IN K-12 CLASSROOM SETTINGS, IN MANAGERIAL POSITIONS AS PRINCIPALS AND VICE PRINCIPALS OR AS ADMINISTRATORS AT THE DISTRICT-LEVEL, AND IN PUBLIC POLICY INSTITUTIONS AROUND THE WORLD.
- $1.9 million spent. EXTENDED BRIDGE PROGRAM AND ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE (ESL) PROGRAM SERVICES (15 STUDENTS). SEE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON SCHEDULE O. THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROGRAMS (ELP) WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1987 AT THE CALABASAS CAMPUS, PROVIDING ESL INSTRUCTION TO SOKA UNIVERSITY STUDENTS FROM JAPAN. CURRENTLY, THE ELP OFFERS ACADEMIC PREPARATION THAT STRENGTHENS ACADEMIC ENGLISH, COMMUNICATION, AND CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS NECESSARY FOR SUCCESS IN THE UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAM (EXTENDED BRIDGE/SUMMER BRIDGE). IN ADDITION, ELP CONTINUES TO HOLD SHORT INTENSIVE ENGLISH PROGRAMS IN THE SUMMER FOR INTERNATIONAL 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
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 June 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 September 1985.
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.