ACT (for-profit organization)
 | |
| Type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Standardized testing |
| Founded | 1959 |
| Founders | Everett Franklin Lindquist Ted McCarrel |
| Headquarters | , United States |
| Key people | Steve Tapp (CEO) |
| Products | ACT Standardized Testing |
| Website | www |
ACT, Inc. is an American for-profit company primarily known for the ACT, a standardized test designed to assess high school students' academic achievement and college readiness. It was announced in April 2024 that the company, previously a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (NTEE classification B90, Educational Services, per the IRS), had been purchased by the private equity firm Nexus Capital, raising concerns about transparency and accountability. The company was subsequently acquired by the nonprofit Educational Testing Service in June 2026.
For the U.S. high school graduating class of 2019, 52 percent of graduates had taken the ACT test; the more than 1.78 million students included virtually all high school graduates in 17 states. In addition to the ACT test, ACT programs include ACT Academy, ACT Aspire, ACT CollegeReady, ACT Online Prep, Mawi Learning, ScootPad, PreACT and PreACT 8/9, ACT Tessera, ACT WorkKeys, ACT Work Ready Communities, and the National Career Readiness Certificate.
Founded in Iowa City, Iowa, in 1959, the organization has more than 1,000 employees. Its current CEO is Steve Tapp, who assumed leadership of ACT in 2025. Previous CEOs include Janet Godwin (2020–2025), Marten Roorda (2015–2020), Jon Whitmore (2010–2015), Richard L. Ferguson, (1988–2010), and Oluf Davidsen (1974–1988).