American Council on Education
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
ACE LEADS HIGHER EDUCATION WITH A UNITED VISION FOR THE FUTURE, GALVANIZING OUR MEMBERS TO MAKE CHANGE. THE COUNCIL COLLABORATES ACROSS THE SECTOR TO DESIGN SOLUTIONS FOR TODAY'S CHALLENGES, SERVES THE NEEDS OF A DIVERSE STUDENT POPULATION, SHAPES EFFECTIVE PUBLIC POLICY, AND PROMOTES A MORE INCLUSIVE FUTURE.
- Income
- $34.3 million
- Spending
- $41.3 million
- Spent on programs
- 63%
- Reserves
- 14.9 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 54%
- Employees
- 163
- Volunteers
- 40
- Highest pay
- $1.0 million, president, ex officio
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Fair: 69 out of 100. Higher than 61% of charities in its peer group (education, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 14.9 months of spending.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 24% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 21% of income.
Income trend
10 of 15Income fell 5% on the year before.
Spending floor
8 of 1563% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 21 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 50% of charities in its peer group (education, $10m to $100m).
Independent board
25 of 2529 of 29 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (6)
- $7.5 million spent. ADULT LEARNING AND EDUCATIONAL CREDENTIALSTHE AMERICAN COUNCIL ON EDUCATION (ACE) ADMINISTERS A NATIONAL PROGRAM THAT EVALUATES, VALIDATES, AND DOCUMENTS COLLEGE-LEVEL LEARNING GAINED THROUGH MILITARY TRAINING, OCCUPATIONAL EXPERIENCE, EMPLOYER-BASED INSTRUCTION, AND OTHER NONTRADITIONAL LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS. THROUGH FACULTY-LED REVIEW PROCESSES, ACE DEVELOPS ACADEMICALLY SOUND CREDIT RECOMMENDATIONS AND BENCHMARKS INDUSTRY COMPETENCIES THAT ASSIST LEARNERS IN APPLYING VERIFIED LEARNING TOWARD ACCREDITED POSTSECONDARY CREDENTIALS. THE PROGRAM MAINTAINS PUBLICLY ACCESSIBLE RESOURCES THAT HELP LEARNERS, INSTITUTIONS, AND EMPLOYERS UNDERSTAND DOCUMENTED LEARNING OUTCOMES AND MAKE INFORMED DECISIONS ABOUT THE APPLICABILITY OF PRIOR LEARNING.ACE ALSO ADVANCES RESEARCH, CROSS-SECTOR PARTNERSHIPS, AND TECHNICAL INITIATIVES AIMED AT IMPROVING INSTITUTIONAL RECOGNITION OF LEARNING, CREDENTIAL TRANSPARENCY, AND THE INTEROPERABILITY OF EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE SYSTEMS. THESE ACTIVITIES SUPPORTED STATE SYSTEMS, HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS, FEDERAL AGENCIES, AND EMPLOYERS IN IMPLEMENTING POLICIES AND PRACTICES THAT EXPAND LEARNER MOBILITY AND STRENGTHEN ALIGNMENT BETWEEN EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE PATHWAYS.ACE CONTINUES ITS LONGSTANDING SUPPORT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE BY EVALUATING MILITARY TRAINING AND OCCUPATIONAL EXPERIENCES AND BY ENHANCING THE SYSTEMS THAT COMMUNICATE VALIDATED LEARNING TO SERVICE MEMBERS, VETERANS, AND ACADEMIC INSTITUTIONS. THESE EFFORTS CONTRIBUTE TO IMPROVED READINESS, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, AND TRANSITION OUTCOMES BY ENSURING THAT LEARNING GAINED DURING MILITARY SERVICE IS RECOGNIZED THROUGH TRUSTED AND CONSISTENT ACADEMIC CREDIT RECOMMENDATIONS.THE COMBINED PORTFOLIO ADVANCES ACE'S MISSION TO PROMOTE HIGH-QUALITY RECOGNITION OF LEARNING, REDUCE BARRIERS TO DEGREE COMPLETION, AND SUPPORT THE SUCCESS OF MILITARY LEARNERS, ADULT LEARNERS, AND CAREER-FOCUSED STUDENTS ACROSS THE NATION. ANNUALLY, OVER 400,000 TRANSCRIPTS REFLECTING ACE CREDIT RECOMMENDATIONS ARE SUBMITTED BY LEARNERS TO INSTITUTIONS.
- $4.7 million spent. CARNEGIE CLASSIFICATIONFOR THE LAST 50 YEARS, THE CARNEGIE CLASSIFICATIONS OF INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION HAVE BEEN THE GOLD STANDARD FOR ORGANIZING COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES BY A VARIETY OF CHARACTERISTICS, AND THEY ARE USED BY RESEARCHERS AROUND THE WORLD TO STUDY THE HIGHER EDUCATION SECTOR IN AMERICA. ACE BEGAN A COLLABORATION WITH THE CARNEGIE FOUNDATION IN FEBRUARY 2022 TO REDESIGN THE CARNEGIE CLASSIFICATIONS SO THEY BETTER REFLECT THE DIVERSE SET OF INSTITUTIONS AND MISSIONS IN HIGHER EDUCATION TODAY AND TO ESTABLISH NEW CLASSIFICATIONS, INCLUDING ONES THAT ARE CENTERED ON STUDENTS' SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC MOBILITY. IN FY25, ACE CONTINUED ENGAGEMENT WITH A LARGE, DIVERSE SET OF STAKEHOLDERS, ULTIMATELY REACHING MORE THAN 15,000 PEOPLE IN TOTAL SINCE THE PROJECT BEGAN, INCLUDING 600 UNIQUE INSTITUTIONS. ACE RELEASED THE REVISED 2025 RESEARCH ACTIVITY DESIGNATIONS IN FEBRUARY 2025 AND THE FULL 2025 CARNEGIE CLASSIFICATIONS IN APRIL 2025, INCLUDING THE NEW STUDENT ACCESS AND EARNINGS CLASSIFICATION, AND THE RELEASES WERE AMPLIFIED BY MORE THAN 300 NEWS STORIES AND INSTITUTIONAL PRESS RELEASES. BY THE END OF FY25, THE CARNEGIE CLASSIFICATIONS WEBSITE HAD MORE THAN 900,000 VIEWS FROM MORE THAN 150,000 VISITORS SINCE THE RELEASE DATE. ADDITIONALLY, ACE FURTHERED WORK ON THE ELECTIVE CLASSIFICATIONS, INCLUDING LAUNCHING A PILOT FOR A NEW CARNEGIE ELECTIVE CLASSIFICATION FOR SUSTAINABILITY, AND THE TEAM RECEIVED 270 APPLICATIONS FOR INSTITUTIONS TO BE CLASSIFIED OR RECLASSIFIED UNDER THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT ELECTIVE CLASSIFICATION.
- $4.6 million spent. GOVERNMENT RELATIONS & PUBLIC AFFAIRSACE'S DIVISION OF GOVERNMENT RELATIONS AND NATIONAL ENGAGEMENT (GRNE) COORDINATES THE EFFORTS OF THE HIGHER EDUCATION COMMUNITY IN REPRESENTING ITS CONCERNS TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. STAFF MEMBERS, ENGAGE WITH FEDERAL POLICY MAKERS ON PROPOSED FEDERAL LEGISLATION AND REGULATIONS, PREPARE TESTIMONY FOR CONGRESSIONAL HEARINGS AND FILE AMICUS CURIAE BRIEFS ON COURT CASES WITH IMPORTANT IMPLICATIONS FOR HIGHER EDUCATION, AND CREATE SHARED ADVOCACY MATERIALS AMONG OTHER ACTIVITIES. FOR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT POLICY MAKERS, THE DIVISION ACTS AS THE CENTRAL SOURCE OF INFORMATION AND COUNSEL ON ISSUES IMPORTANT TO THE HIGHER EDUCATION COMMUNITY. DIVISION STAFF MEMBERS ALSO COMMUNICATE INFORMATION ON RELEVANT FEDERAL AND STATE EDUCATIONAL CONCERNS AND ACE POLICY POSITIONS TO THE MEDIA, COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY OFFICIALS, AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC. ANOTHER MEANS OF DISSEMINATION OF THIS INFORMATION IS THE ACE ANNUAL MEETING, WHICH IS AN IDEAL SETTING FOR NETWORKING WITH COLLEAGUES AND ADDRESSING FUTURE CHALLENGES OF HIGHER EDUCATION, INCLUDING IN THE PUBLIC POLICY ARENA.THE OFFICE OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS WORKS TO MAINTAIN THE COUNCIL'S PRESENCE AS A TOP SOURCE FOR MEDIA ON HIGHER EDUCATION ISSUES AND POLICY, ENHANCE PUBLIC UNDERSTANDING OF A WIDE RANGE OF HIGHER EDUCATION TOPICS, ADVOCATE ON BEHALF OF ACE MEMBERSHIP ON KEY ISSUES, AND PROMOTE THE IMPORTANT WORK OF ACE PROGRAMS.
- $3.7 million spent. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMSACE CONNECT SERVES AS ACE'S CENTRAL HUB FOR COMMUNITY STRATEGY AND ENGAGEMENT, BUILDING PARTNERSHIPS AND FOSTERING COLLABORATION ACROSS THE HIGHER EDUCATION ECOSYSTEM. THROUGH SIGNATURE NETWORKS, STRATEGIC CONVENINGS, AND DIGITAL ENGAGEMENT TOOLS, ACE CONNECT CREATES SPACES FOR LEADERS TO SHARE EXPERTISE, STRENGTHEN RELATIONSHIPS, AND ADVANCE SOLUTIONS TO THE SECTOR'S MOST PRESSING CHALLENGES.AS THE UNIT RESPONSIBLE FOR ACE'S MAJOR CONVENINGS, ACE CONNECT LEADS THE PLANNING AND EXECUTION OF THE ACE EXPERIENCE, ACE'S FLAGSHIP EVENT SERIES WITH ITS ANNUAL MEETING AS THE FEATURED CENTERPIECE OF ENGAGEMENT. THE ACE EXPERIENCE CONVENES NEARLY 700 HIGHER EDUCATION LEADERS FOR DIALOGUE ON CRITICAL ISSUES SHAPING THE FUTURE OF THE SECTOR AND, BEYOND THE ANNUAL MEETING, FEATURES COMPONENTS SUCH AS ACE ON THE HILL, THE UNIVERSITY NETWORK SUMMIT AS A PARTNER CONFERENCE, THE ACE WOMEN'S NETWORK LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE, AND THE COUNCIL OF FELLOWS GATHERING. ALL THESE COMBINE TO ELEVATE THE ACE EXPERIENCE AS A CATALYST FOR COLLABORATION, ADVOCACY, AND INNOVATION.ACE CONNECT ALSO MANAGES THREE CORNERSTONE COMMUNITIES: -THE ACE COUNCIL OF FELLOWS (COF), REPRESENTING ALUMNI OF THE ACE FELLOWS PROGRAM, A LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE WITH MORE THAN 2,000 GRADUATES SINCE 1965. THE COF CONVENES FELLOWS ANNUALLY AND PROVIDES ONGOING OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEER LEARNING AND ENGAGEMENT, INCLUDING A SPECIAL GATHERING DURING THE ACE EXPERIENCE 2026. -ESTABLISHED IN 1977 THE ACE WOMEN'S NETWORK, A SYSTEM OF STATE-BASED NETWORKS REACHING THOUSANDS OF WOMEN AND ALLIES ANNUALLY, DEDICATED TO DIVERSIFYING THE LEADERSHIP PIPELINE. THE WOMEN'S NETWORK LEADERSHIP CONFERENCEHELD DURING THE ACE EXPERIENCERECENTLY SURPASSED ITS REGISTRATION GOAL, UNDERSCORING THE CONTINUED DEMAND FOR GENDER-FOCUSED LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT. -THE COMMISSION ON FAITH-BASED COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES, WHICH CONVENES LEADERS FROM FAITH-BASED INSTITUTIONS TO ADDRESS SHARED CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES. IN 2025, THE COMMISSION CONVENED OVER 130 PRESIDENTS AND LEADERS. ITS THIRD ANNUAL MEETING, SCHEDULED FOR JUNE 8, 2026, WILL INTRODUCE A NEW FORUM FOR GENERAL COUNSELS TO EXPLORE LEGAL ISSUES UNIQUE TO FAITH-BASED CAMPUSES, STRENGTHENING INSTITUTIONAL RESILIENCE AND COMPLIANCE STRATEGIES.TO EXTEND THE REACH OF THESE EFFORTS, ACE CONNECT LEVERAGES ACE ENGAGE, ACE'S DIGITAL PLATFORM FOR VIRTUAL NETWORKING AND LEARNING. THROUGH WEBINARS, WORKSHOPS, AND A ROBUST RESOURCE LIBRARY, ACE ENGAGE COMPLEMENTS IN-PERSON CONVENINGS AND PUBLICATIONS SUCH AS THE RECENT WHITE PAPER, DUAL MISSION INSTITUTIONS: BRIDGING TRADITIONAL AND WORKFORCE LEARNING FOR REGIONAL IMPACT, WHICH GENERATED SIGNIFICANT ENGAGEMENT WITHIN WEEKS OF RELEASE.
- $3.4 million spent. ANNUAL MEETING AND OTHER PROGRAMS: ACE'S ANNUAL MEETING BRINGS TOGETHER HIGHER EDUCATION LEADERS FROM ALL SECTORS. THE ANNUAL MEETING IS AN EVENT TO NETWORK WITH COLLEAGUES, HEAR ABOUT EMERGING TRENDS FROM NATIONAL THOUGHT LEADERS, AND LEARN ABOUT NEW APPROACHES TO CAMPUS CHALLENGES.
- $2.0 million spent. POLICY ANALYSIS AND RESEARCHTHE RESEARCH UNIT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR CREATING, AGGREGATING, AND DISSEMINATING KNOWLEDGE, INSIGHTS, AND DATA THAT HELP THE COUNCIL AND SECTOR IT REPRESENTS MEASURE AND ARTICULATE THEIR RESPECTIVE IMPACT. THE UNIT SERVES THESE FUNCTIONS THROUGH CONDUCTING RESEARCH THAT ESTABLISHES BENCHMARKS AND MEASURES COLLECTIVE IMPACT OF THE POSTSECONDARY SECTOR; AND THROUGH PROVIDING TIMELY ANALYSIS OF PUBLIC POLICY ISSUES. THE UNIT IS ALSO TASKED TO CONDUCT SUMMATIVE AND FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT OF THE COUNCIL'S ACTIVITIES THAT WILL INFORM ITS STRATEGIC PRIORITIES AND CATALYZE ONGOING ORGANIZATIONAL IMPROVEMENT AND IMPACT.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 30, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 10, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending September 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since July 1936.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 7, 2026.
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