The Royal College of Music

Analysis

The Royal College of Music is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in London. It was registered in March 1964, 62 years ago. Its declared purposes cover education/training, which this site groups under education and training. It says it provides services.

In the financial year ending July 2025, The Royal College of Music reported income of £41.1m and spending of £37.8m, spending 92% of its income. Across the 5 years on record, from July 2021 to July 2025, income grew from £28.6m to £41.1m (+44%), an average of +9.5% a year. Over the whole period it spent 93% of the income it received.

Among 21,402 England and Wales charities whose main cause is education and training and that reported income, The Royal College of Music sits at the 100th percentile: it is one of the largest 1% in its cause. Against every charity in England and Wales with reported income it ranks in the 100th percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include Hurstpierpoint College Limited (£40.3m), Cheltenham College and Cheltenham College Preparatory School (£41.7m) and The Perse School (£40.1m).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from charitable activities 67%, donations and legacies 16%, investments 9.2% and trading 7.6%. Gifts in wills alone brought in £3.6m. Charitable activities took 97% of spending and raising funds 2.7%. Grants to other organisations totalled £15k. Reserves of £60.3m would cover about 19 months of spending at that rate. It employed 279 people.