NCAA Football: Penn State at Rutgers

A new report reveals where Rutgers' athletic department stands in financial comparisons with its Big Ten rivals. (Jim O'Connor/USA TODAY Sports)

(Jim O'Connor)

PISCATAWAY — Rutgers officials are projecting a 16.6 percent increase in athletics revenue over the next year, in part because of a $10 million check from the Big Ten Conference, according to a Rutgers athletics report unveiled this month.

The report, obtained by NJ Advance Media on Wednesday, gives a clear picture of where the Rutgers athletics department stands financially and academically midway through 2014 and offers a financial forecast for 2015. While the report hasn't been made public, it was presented by Rutgers Athletics Director Julie Hermann as a power-point presentation at last week's Board of Trustees meeting.

Hermann and other Rutgers officials weren't immediately available to comment on the report Wednesday.

According to the report:

• Rutgers projects $35.6 million in athletics revenue for 2014, a total that includes $8.5 million from the American Athletic Conference, $9.5 million in ticket sales, $3.6 million in sponsorship, $9 million in contributions and $5 million in other-event revenue. With an operational budget that stands at $64.1 million, a $28.5 million subsidy -- which includes $19 million from the university's operations budget and $9.5 million in student fees -- is projected to make up the difference.

Rutgers received the highest subsidy ever for a Division 1 program last year — $47 million, to make up a shortfall in a $79 million athletics department budget. School officials attributed the increase to costs involved with the fallout from the Mike Rice bullying scandal. In 2012, Rutgers' subsidy was $27.9 million. Another reason for the increase in subsidy was an 11 percent decrease in revenue from 2012 to 2013.

• For 2015, Rutgers' athletics spending is projected to increase to $69.5 million. Revenue is expected to increase to $41.5 million, a total that includes $10 million from the Big Ten, $12 million in ticket sales, $6 million in sponsorship, $12 million in contributions and $1.5 million in other-event revenue. While institutional support is expected to decrease to $17.5 million, student fees are projected to increase $1 million to $10.5 million for an overall $28 million subsidy.

• A 58 percent increase in number of household donors, from 5,097 to the fiscal year 2013 to 8,057 in 2014. While the 5,097 figure ranks Rutgers next-to-last in the 14-team Big Ten, the 8,057 number would rank Rutgers ninth if the rest of the Big Ten schools hold steady this year.

• While Rutgers lags behind its Big Ten peers in annual donor funds, the report indicates a 41.3 percent increase in donations, from $4.6 million in 2013 to $6.5 in 2014.

• The goal for fiscal year 2015 is "at least 10 percent annual growth in scholarship support.'' The total scholarship cost is $10.5 million, with $4.6 million in private donations currently supporting that total.

• The $64.1 million Rutgers currently spends on athletics ranks last in the Big Ten in total expenditures, according to the report, which lists Ohio State, Michigan, Penn State, Iowa and Wisconsin at or above the $100 million expenditures threshold.

• Rutgers continues to excel on the academic front, according to the report, which lists a 3.101 cumulative grade-point-average, three teams (football, women's golf, women's lacrosse) in the top 10 percent nationally in Academic Progress Rate and 233 students on the Dean's List.

• There are 30,927 in full-season ticket plans sold and 9,443 road-game tickets sold, according to the report.

• As previously reported, facility improvements include widened concourses, additional bathrooms and the installation of Homeland Security camera systems and ribbon-boards in High Point Solutions Stadium.

Keith Sargeant may be reached at ksargeant@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @KSargeantNJ. Find NJ.com Rutgers Football on Facebook.