Syracuse University: $1.7B Revenue, $1.6B Expenses

The efficiency rubric puts Syracuse University at a B grade: a composite of 67/100 that lands above the national midpoint. The grade reflects solid financial reserves alongside reasonable officer compensation and steady revenue.

On revenue, Syracuse University is among the largest U.S. nonprofits: $1.7B in 2023 reported revenue. Organizations at this scale typically operate hospitals, university systems, or national federations — the financial pattern looks more like a corporation than the small-charity stereotype. Syracuse University holds a moderate reserve position relative to its $1.6B in annual expenses — neither fragile nor a large surplus.

Five-year revenue has grown modestly. Syracuse University is not expanding rapidly but is not shrinking either; the trajectory is consistent with stable donor and grant relationships. Officer compensation is modest relative to organizational size: Syracuse University reports $6.1M in total compensation for current officers and key employees (Form 990 Part IX, line 5) against $1.7B in revenue. The ratio is well within the bands third-party charity raters consider reasonable at this scale. In the Education category, Syracuse University sits alongside universities, K-12 systems, scholarship funds, and education-research organizations. Education-sector nonprofits often hold large endowments, which affects how the reserves-and-revenue figures should be read.