NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY

As filed

Subsection

03

NTEE code

N500

Classification

2000

Street

633 CLARK ST

These codes are the IRS's own and are shown exactly as filed. What each one means is in the Business Master File documentation (opens in a new tab).

Mission and programs · 2024

• EDUCATION OF STUDENTS: FOR THE 2025 ACADEMIC YEAR, 8,961 UNDERGRADUATES AND 11,228 GRADUATES AND PROFESSIONAL SCHOOL STUDENTS ENROLLED FULL-TIME AT THE UNIVERSITY. THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY IS TO PROVIDE EDUCATIONAL SERVICES TO ITS STUDENTS. THIS INCLUDES SUPERIOR UNDERGRADUATE EDUCATION FOR A DIVERSE STUDENT BODY IN A COMPREHENSIVE RANGE OF ACADEMIC AND PROFESSIONAL FIELDS. AT THE GRADUATE LEVEL, NORTHWESTERN'S ROLE ENCOMPASSES OFFERINGS IN THE MAJOR ACADEMIC AND PROFESSIONAL FIELDS, CLOSELY RELATED TO RESEARCH, CREATIVE ACTIVITIES, AND CLINICAL SERVICES.

  Expenses $2,983,776,148 · Grants $638,355,669 · Revenue $1,774,274,941

• RESEARCH ACTIVITIES: THE RESEARCH PROGRAM AT NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY IS A MAJOR COMPONENT OF UNIVERSITY EFFORTS, ASSURING INSTITUTIONAL LEADERSHIP IN SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERY, INTELLECTUAL INQUIRY, AND CREATIVE PERFORMANCE. THE CHARACTER OF THIS RESEARCH SHAPES ALL AREAS OF UNIVERSITY ENDEAVOR, ESPECIALLY GRADUATE EDUCATION AS WELL AS UNDERGRADUATE STUDIES.

  Expenses $725,804,000 · Grants $141,967,787 · Revenue $992,056,229

• AUXILIARY ENTERPRISES SERVE THE EDUCATIONAL MISSION BY PRIMARILY PROVIDING RESIDENCES AND FOOD SERVICES, AND OTHER VARIOUS GOODS AND SERVICES TO SUPPORT UNIVERSITY STUDENT, FACULTY, AND STAFF ACTIVITIES.

  Expenses $220,554,000 · Revenue $134,184,796

As filed on the 2024 return.

Officers and directors · 2024

As listed in Part VII of the 2024 return, in the order the filer printed them. Each return names its own; this is not a roster the organization keeps with us.

The first 25 listed. Compensation is as filed in Part VII: reportable pay from this organization and from related organizations, other compensation, and hours per week. The total, marked calculated, is our sum of the three dollar columns, with a blank column counted as $0; the form itself has no total. On a Form 990-EZ the columns are Part IV's instead, and on a Form 990-PF Part VIII's — compensation, contributions to benefit plans, and expense account — and the total sums those. Earlier years are each on their own filing page.

Filings

• 2024

  Revenue

  $4,056,663,344

  Expenses

  $4,288,569,939

  Contributions

  $497,344,598

  Grants paid

  $780,323,456

• 2023

  Revenue

  $4,177,750,770

  Expenses

  $3,933,998,499

  Contributions

  $500,396,039

  Grants paid

  $749,377,157

• 2022

  Revenue

  $3,319,115,351

  Expenses

  $3,655,717,485

  Contributions

  $545,275,891

  Grants paid

  $707,068,007

The four totals the IRS asks for on Part I of the Form 990, as filed. A dash means the figure was not present on the return — not that it was zero.

Other returns filed

• 2024 · 990-T

  Revenue

  — not reported

  Expenses

  — not reported

  Assets (EOY)

  — not reported

• 2023 · 990-T

  Revenue

  — not reported

  Expenses

  — not reported

  Assets (EOY)

  — not reported

• 2022 · 990-T

  Revenue

  — not reported

  Expenses

  — not reported

  Assets (EOY)

  — not reported

• 2021 · 990

  Revenue

  $4,010,424,246

  Expenses

  $3,344,228,756

  Assets (EOY)

  $18,624,987,614

• 2021 · 990-T

  Revenue

  — not reported

  Expenses

  — not reported

  Assets (EOY)

  — not reported

• 2020 · 990

  Revenue

  $3,678,521,388

  Expenses

  $3,030,857,470

  Assets (EOY)

  $19,369,511,926

• 2020 · 990-T

  Revenue

  — not reported

  Expenses

  — not reported

  Assets (EOY)

  — not reported

• 2020 · 990-T

  Revenue

  — not reported

  Expenses

  — not reported

  Assets (EOY)

  — not reported

• 2019 · 990

  Revenue

  $3,140,527,328

  Expenses

  $3,013,193,839

  Assets (EOY)

  $15,846,964,843

• 2018 · 990

  Revenue

  $3,108,297,108

  Expenses

  $3,029,156,594

  Assets (EOY)

  $15,193,337,485

Nonprofiteer parses Forms 990, 990-EZ and 990-PF, in a window of recent tax years. These returns are recorded from the IRS e-file index, so their figures were extracted by that index rather than read from the return here — treat them as a different source from the filings above, not as more of the same record. A dash means the index carries no figure; Form 990-T listings carry none at all. Showing the 10 most recent; the API carries the rest.

Form 990-N e-Postcard, tax year 2021

Tax period

1 September 2021 to 31 August 2022

Principal officer

Kelsey Watterworth

Mailing address

2145 Sheridan Road Room L291Evanston IL 602083102

Website

http://swe.mccormick.northwestern.edu/

As filed, from the IRS e-Postcard file of 9 November 2026. The IRS publishes only each organization's most recent postcard, so earlier years are not shown. A 990-N carries no financial detail. The postcard also gives the principal officer's address, which is not shown here.

Grants made

• University of Chicago

  $13,803,028

  2022 · Support of research activities

• University of Chicago

  $8,566,923

  2023 · Support of research activities

• Ann & Robert Lurie Childrens Hospital

  $7,703,038

  2024 · Support for community organization

• University of Illinois at Chicago

  $6,085,469

  2022 · Support of research activities

• Stanford University

  $6,043,953

  2024 · Support of research activities

• Ann & Robert H Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago

  $5,714,053

  2023 · Support of research activities

• University of Chicago

  $5,530,913

  2024 · Support of research activities

• Stanford University

  $4,738,598

  2023 · Support of research activities

• University of Illinois at Chicago

  $4,558,221

  2023 · Support of research activities

• Ann & Robert H Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago

  $3,950,227

  2022 · Support of research activities

The 10 largest by cash amount. The API serves every itemized grant.

Where these grants went next →

Grants received

• BIG TEN CONFERENCE INC

  $63,319,632

  2023 · TO SUPPORT THE MISSIONS OF MEMBER INSTITUTIONS

• BIG TEN CONFERENCE INC

  $60,556,605

  2022 · To support the missions of member institutions

• NORTHWESTERN MEMORIAL HEALTHCARE

  $43,971,787

  2022 · ACADEMIC SUPPORT

• NORTHWESTERN MEMORIAL HEALTHCARE

  $38,734,681

  2024 · ACADEMIC SUPPORT

• NORTHWESTERN MEMORIAL HEALTHCARE

  $35,133,357

  2023 · ACADEMIC SUPPORT

• NORTHWESTERN MEMORIAL HEALTHCARE

  $18,261,525

  2023 · ACADEMIC SUPPORT

• NORTHWESTERN MEMORIAL HEALTHCARE

  $18,126,836

  2024 · Academic support

• NORTHWESTERN MEMORIAL HEALTHCARE

  $16,930,750

  2022 · Academic support

• FIDELITY INVESTMENTS CHARITABLE GIFT FUND

  $12,641,484

  2023 · For grant recipient's exempt purposes

• FIDELITY INVESTMENTS CHARITABLE GIFT FUND

  $11,958,736

  2022 · For grant recipient's exempt purposes

The 10 largest by cash amount. The API serves every itemized grant.

Related organizations

From Schedule R Part II, where a filer lists the tax-exempt organizations it is related to by control. It does not record shared board members or money.

Taxable family

From Schedule R Parts I, III and IV: entities that legally are the filer, and taxable partnerships, corporations and trusts it is related to. These record ownership and control, not shared board members or money.

Other IRS files