National Geographic Society: CEO salary, finances and where donations go
“The purpose of the society shall be to increase and diffuse geographic knowledge and use the power of science, exploration, education and storytelling to illuminate and protect the wonder of the world.”
Data only Figures straight from the filing, screened by our rules. Not yet reviewed in depth by a CPA.
Methodology by Amir Arani, CPA, CA · Updated
We screen every filing against twelve rules. A flag is a prompt for a closer look, not a finding of wrongdoing.
No reported asset diversions, no insider transactions, no fundraisers keeping most of the money, and the governance policies we check for are in place.
For each dollar donated, National Geographic Society spent 6¢ on fundraising, or about 10¢ counting joint costs.
Fundraising ÷ $189.7M contributions · Form 990 Parts VIII, IXThe charity's own description of its largest programs, with what each cost.
The Science & Innovation team oversees the Society's grantmaking efforts in science, conservation and technology, develops and manages major programs, and establishes programmatic partnerships with like-minded non-governmental organizations (NGOs). SCIENCE & INNOVATION PROGRAM DESCRIPTIONS CONTINUED ON SCH. O
For more than 40 years, National Geographic's Education and Community Engagement division has extended the work of Explorers and educators into classrooms and communities around the world, inspiring meaningful and lasting change. We support educators, researchers and learners of all ages by expanding access to knowledge, developing learning resources and GIS modules, and creating opportunities for live engagement with National Geographic Explorers. Together, these efforts nurture creativity, curiosity, and resilience while helping people connect global challenges to local action. EDUCATION…
Other program services
Net assets at each fiscal year end, 2013 to 2025.
Reportable pay in 2025, from the charity and related organizations.
| Contractor | Service | Paid |
|---|---|---|
| Hitt Contracting Inc | Construction | $91,702,678 |
| Eos Lightmedia USA Inc | It hardware/software | $15,143,627 |
| The Production Management Group Ltd | Marketing/advertising | $5,954,532 |
| Winmar Construction Inc | Construction/landscaping | $5,123,774 |
| Epam Systems Inc | Consulting | $5,102,204 |
Short, sourced answers. Each one stands on its own.
Jill Tiefenthaler, CEO, received $1,531,988 in reportable compensation in 2025, 0.7% of National Geographic Society's $222.6M in spending.
Form 990 (2025), Part VIINational Geographic Society reported 82.6% of 2025 spending as programs, 5% as fundraising and 12.5% as management. That includes $7.7M of joint mail and ad costs counted as programs; without them, programs were 79.1%.
Form 990 (2025), Part IXNet assets were $2.07B at the end of 2025, about 111.7 months of spending.
Form 990 (2025), Part XIts latest Form 990 triggered none of our twelve screening rules, which cover reported asset diversions, insider transactions, fundraiser costs, governance policies and spending patterns.
Form 990 (2025)Amir Arani, “National Geographic Society: CEO salary, finances and where your dollar goes,” Charity Math, updated 2026-11-07. https://charitymath.com/charities/national-geographic-society/