BOSTON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA INC
301 MASS AVENUE, BOSTON, MA · IRS data through FY2025
Revenue, expenses and net assets
Revenue Expenses Net assets
| Tax year | Revenue | Expenses | Net assets |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY2025 | $155,422,276 | $127,925,000 | $701,798,078 |
| FY2024 | $117,090,967 | $123,724,110 | $618,378,488 |
| FY2023 | $93,229,092 | $110,636,685 | $587,087,590 |
| FY2022 | $116,038,188 | $98,574,259 | $581,746,004 |
| FY2021 | $89,872,398 | $64,012,623 | $661,820,337 |
| FY2020 | $92,537,202 | $82,833,685 | $535,033,042 |
| FY2019 | $95,876,005 | $109,772,097 | $496,250,552 |
| FY2018 | $110,596,695 | $105,633,470 | $538,568,595 |
| FY2017 | $85,167,757 | $103,630,393 | $507,037,967 |
| FY2016 | $84,738,790 | $99,336,161 | $458,990,621 |
| FY2015 | $106,807,329 | $91,321,051 | $475,275,221 |
| FY2014 | $100,653,882 | $88,543,401 | $511,685,373 |
| FY2013 | $98,057,222 | $87,208,693 | $467,849,199 |
| FY2012 | $97,219,404 | $85,844,758 | $420,529,271 |
Where the revenue came from
| Source | Amount | % of revenue |
|---|---|---|
| Contributions & grants | $59,254,623 | 54% |
| Program service revenue | $51,015,218 | 46% |
Where the money was spent
| Category | Amount | % of expenses |
|---|---|---|
| Program services | $104,670,879 | 82% |
| Management & general | $15,092,109 | 12% |
| Fundraising | $8,162,012 | 6% |
What the numbers show
- Contributions & grants made up 54% of total revenue in FY2025.
- Program services accounted for 82% of functional expenses, management & general 12%, and fundraising 6%.
- 82% of functional expenses went to program services in FY2025. That is higher than 72.1% of 43 Arts, Culture & Humanities organizations in MA.
- Net assets covered about 65.8 months of expenses at the end of the reporting year. That puts it in the 78th percentile among 1553 Arts, Culture & Humanities organizations in MA.
- Total revenue was higher than 99.9% of 1568 Arts, Culture & Humanities organizations in MA.
- Total revenue rose from $97,219,404 in FY2012 to $155,422,276 in FY2025, Revenue increased in 8 and decreased in 5 of 13 year-over-year comparisons.
- Expenses exceeded revenue in 5 of 14 reported years (FY2016, FY2017, FY2019, FY2023, FY2024).
- Net assets grew from $420,529,271 to $701,798,078 between FY2012 and FY2025.
- Donations are generally tax-deductible (public charity).
Figures compared against other organizations of the same NTEE program area in the same state. See the methodology page for how these are calculated and the guide to reading nonprofit financials for their limits.
About this organization
The mission of the Boston Symphony Orchestra (BSO) is to foster and maintain an organization dedicated to the making of music consonant with the highest aspirations of the musical art, creating performances and providing educational and training programs at the highest level of excellence.
IRS status
| Ruling year | 1920 |
| Subsection | 501(c)(3) |
| Classification | Public charity |
| Program area (NTEE) | A690 — Arts, Culture & Humanities |
| Donations | Donations are generally tax-deductible (public charity). |
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Source: Internal Revenue Service — Exempt Organizations Business Master File (downloaded September 20, 2026), Statistics of Income extracts, Form 990 e-file data, Publication 78 and the Automatic Revocation list. Figures are as reported by the organization; IRS processing may adjust them. This is not a charity rating and not tax advice. Confirm deductibility in IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search.
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