ACT (formerly American College Testing) operated as a nonprofit organization from 1959 to 2024, with a mission to help people achieve education and workplace success. Its programs focus on research, and college and career readiness. ACT annually serves millions of learners, job seekers, schools, government agencies, and employers in the US and around the world with learning resources, assessments, research, and credentials designed to help them succeed from elementary school through college and on to careers.

In April 2024, ACT was purchased by the private equity firm Nexus Capital Management. Through this partnership, the nonprofit organization transitioned to a for-profit company: ACT, Inc. Through the acquisition, ACT became a public benefit corporation, a special business designation that combines corporate structure with certain accountability and transparency requirements. It also retains a nonprofit arm, whose members have seats on the new corporation’s board.

In June 2026, the nonprofit Educational Testing Service (ETS) acquired ACT. Following the purchase, ETS said it planned to keep ACT as a for-profit entity "for now." The deal created a testing giant reaching 35 million people every year.

ACT main programs and tools include:

• ACT – a standardized test designed to assess high school learners' academic achievement and college readiness.
  • In 2024, 36% of the U.S. high school graduating class had taken the ACT test, a decreasing trend from the high of 58% in 2016.
  • Approximately 1.38 million students took the ACT in 2025, down from 1.78 million in 2019.
  • In 2025, the average ACT composite score was 19.4, down from 20.7 in 2019.
• ACT Navigator
• K-12 Toolkits
• Online Curriculum & Assessment Planner
• ACT Online Prep
• Mosaic by ACT: Social Emotional Learning
• ACT WorkKeys National Career Readiness Certificate
• ACT Work Ready Communities and Symposium
• ACT Research (formerly ACTNext) – research and development center focused on integrating psychometric theory and data, educational technology, machine learning and artificial intelligence algorithms to support learning and assessment)
• Global Assessment Certificate - a program for international students to help them gain admission to universities where the primary language is English

The ACT Center for Equity in Learning supports ACT’s efforts to close opportunity and outcome gaps for all individuals, including learners of color, first-generation learners, families with economic challenges, and exceptional and diverse learners. The Center researches and communicates actionable information about the realities, challenges, and opportunities facing learners in middle school, high school, college, and the workforce. Examples of areas of focus include school safety, financial aid, technology gaps, and the digital divide

The American College Application Campaign (ACAC) is a key initiative of the Center. The initiative aims to support first-generation college learners and those from low-income backgrounds in pursuing college degrees or higher education credentials. Through campaign events, it assists high school seniors in completing college applications and ensures each learner submits at least one application.

Resources

ACT Research

Center for Impact & Learning

National Career Readiness Certificate

Global Assessment Certificate

Transition to For-Profit Press Release

ACT Scores' Trend Article

ETS Acquires ACT