AS NOTED IN ITS ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION, THE MISSION OF THE ACLU IS "TO MAINTAIN AND ADVANCE CIVIL LIBERTIES, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, THE FREEDOMS OF ASSOCIATION, PRESS, RELIGION AND SPEECH, AND THE RIGHTS TO THE FRANCHISE, TO DUE PROCESS OF LAW, AND TO EQUAL PROTECTION OF THE LAWS FOR ALL PEOPLE THROUGHOUT THE U.S. AND ITS JURISDICTIONS. THE ACLU'S OBJECTS SHALL BE SOUGHT WHOLLY WITHOUT POLITICAL PARTISANSHIP." THE ACLU TODAY REMAINS FOCUSED ON THE OVERARCHING GOALS SET BY ITS FOUNDERS MORE THAN 100 YRS AGO, SERVING AS THE NATION'S GUARDIAN OF LIBERTY, WORKING DAILY IN COURTS, LEGISLATURES AND COMMUNITIES TO DEFEND AND PRESERVE THE INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS AND LIBERTIES THAT THE CONSTITUTION AND LAWS OF THE US GUARANTEE. THE ACLU ALSO WORKS TO EXTEND RIGHTS TO SEGMENTS OF THE POPULATION THAT HAVE TRADITIONALLY BEEN DENIED THEIR RIGHTS, INCLUDING PEOPLE OF COLOR; WOMEN; LESBIANS, GAY MEN, BISEXUALS AND TRANSGENDER AND GENDER NONBINARY PEOPLE; PRISONERS; AND PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES.
Executive compensation, broken down
Form 990 · Part VII & Schedule J · 16 reported individuals · Filing year 2024
Percentile bands compare each position's total pay with the same role at nonprofits nationwide, across all sectors.
- Base
- $755k
- Bonus
- $2k
- Other
- $4k
- Benefits
- $17k
- Base
- $566k
- Bonus
- $2k
- Other
- $2k
- Benefits
- $35k
- Base
- $568k
- Bonus
- $2k
- Other
- $420
- Benefits
- $18k
- Base
- $491k
- Bonus
- $1k
- Other
- $420
- Benefits
- $18k
- Base
- $307k
- Bonus
- —
- Other
- $124k
- Benefits
- $55k
- Base
- $464k
- Bonus
- $2k
- Other
- $966
- Benefits
- $3k
- Base
- $322k
- Bonus
- —
- Other
- $630
- Benefits
- $55k
- Base
- $360k
- Bonus
- $1k
- Other
- $630
- Benefits
- $3k
- Base
- $289k
- Bonus
- —
- Other
- $420
- Benefits
- $59k
- Base
- $289k
- Bonus
- $2k
- Other
- $557
- Benefits
- $56k
- Base
- $292k
- Bonus
- $2k
- Other
- $630
- Benefits
- $34k
| Position | Base | Bonus | Other | Benefits | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Executive Director/ceo Director (Operational) Above 90th percentile | $755k | $2k | $4k | $17k | $1.1M $1.2M |
Dep. Executive Director/general Counsel Director (Operational) Above 90th percentile | $566k | $2k | $2k | $35k | $659k $713k |
Dep. Executive Director of Strategy & Culture Above 90th percentile | $568k | $2k | $420 | $18k | $619k $670k |
COO Above 90th percentile | $491k | $1k | $420 | $18k | $539k $583k |
Chief Information Officer (thru 11/30/2024) Chief Information Officer Above 90th percentile | $307k | — | $124k | $55k | $504k $545k |
Chief Political & Advocacy Officer Key Employee Above 90th percentile | $464k | $2k | $966 | $3k | $499k $540k |
Chief Strategy Officer Highest Compensated Employee Above 90th percentile | $322k | — | $630 | $55k | $394k $426k |
CFO Above 90th percentile | $360k | $1k | $630 | $3k | $382k $413k |
Chief Tech & Analytics Officer Highest Compensated Employee 75th to 90th percentile | $289k | — | $420 | $59k | $364k $394k |
Chief Equity & Inclusion Officer Highest Compensated Employee 75th to 90th percentile | $289k | $2k | $557 | $56k | $363k $393k |
Deputy Chief Operating Officer Above 90th percentile | $292k | $2k | $630 | $34k | $353k $382k |
National Director of Affiliates Support & Nationwide Initiatives Key Employee 25th percentile to median | — | — | — | — | $148k $160k |
Chief Development Officer 10th to 25th percentile | — | — | — | — | $69k $75k |
National Legal Director (as of 10/16/2024) Key Employee 25th percentile to median | — | — | — | — | $62k $67k |
National Legal Director (thru 10/15/2024) Key Employee 10th to 25th percentile | — | — | — | — | $37k $40k |
Chief Communications & Marketing Officer Key Employee 10th to 25th percentile | — | — | — | — | $24k $26k |
Teal figures restate each filed amount in 2026 dollars.
Estimated with New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA metro-area CPI-U, restating filed pay into May 2026 dollars. A restatement of past pay, not current or projected pay.
Plus 86 unpaid individuals.
Funded by
Private foundations whose Form 990-PF Part XV grants matched this organization.
Down 18%
from 2023
From $1.4M in 2023 to $1.1M in 2024.
Estimated with New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA metro-area CPI-U, restating filed pay into May 2026 dollars. A restatement of past pay, not current or projected pay.
Director (Operational) pay fell 18% from 2023 to 2024, while revenue rose 56%.
- Chief Operating Officer pay rose 7% from 2023 to 2024.
- Chief Information Officer pay rose 46% from 2023 to 2024.
Pay for the position itself, not any one person. The officeholder may have changed between 2023 and 2024.
Revenue and expenses over time
AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION INC reported revenue and expenses across 2 filing years.
Common questions about AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION INC
What does the Director (Operational) of AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION INC earn?
In 2024, the Director (Operational) of AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION INC received $1,128,202 in total compensation. This pay is in the top 10% for Director (Operational) roles among nonprofits nationwide, across all sectors: at least 9 in 10 comparable filings report less. Based on IRS Form 990 data.
How does Director (Operational) pay at AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION INC compare with similar nonprofits?
Compared with the same role at nonprofits nationwide, across all sectors, the 2024 pay of the Director (Operational) at AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION INC falls in the top 10%.
What are AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION INC's revenue and expenses?
In 2024, AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION INC reported $222.1M in total revenue and $185.6M in total expenses on its IRS Form 990.
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