What American Institutes for Research does

American Institutes for Research (AIR) is an independent, nonprofit research organization founded in 1946, headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, with 1,001-5,000 employees operating 36+ specialized research centers across the United States and internationally. AIR conducts rigorous behavioral and social science research, program evaluations, technical assistance, survey design, and data science for federal, state, and local government agencies, foundations, and international clients. The organization is structured around five horizontal domains: Education, Health, Human Services, International Development, and Workforce, with named capabilities spanning research and evaluation, technical assistance, data science and technology, and survey design and administration.

AIR's revenue model is contract- and grant-driven rather than commercial: it serves as a prime contractor on federal vehicles such as GSA MAS and OASIS, competes for federal grants from agencies including NSF and the Department of Education, and engages state agencies (e.g., New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions), school districts, and nonprofit partners (YMCA of Greater San Francisco, DisabilityIN, AcademyHealth). The organization generates revenue through multi-year federal contracts, task orders, research grants, and foundation-supported initiatives, with the $225M+ AIR Opportunity Fund committing to a ten-year reinvestment program. Recent strategic activity includes the acquisition of IMPAQ LLC and Kimetrica (international development), divestiture of the Assessment Division to Cambium Learning Group, hiring a new CTO and CFO, and launching the AI Century Study (100-year longitudinal AI research) and the AI in Education Network.

The company's product surface is services-led rather than platform-led: AIR's offerings are professional research and consulting engagements (Research & Evaluation, Technical Assistance, Data Science and Technology, Survey Design and Administration) supported by named tools (AIR Attendance Lab) and research networks. AIR has also entered the AI research space via proprietary longitudinal study architectures, partnership with NSF on a STEM Education Research Center (May 2026), and a technology integration with Tuva for interactive data analytics. Notable outcomes include the first national randomized controlled trial of Montessori education (588 children, 24 programs), training 1M+ youth coaches under the Million Coaches Challenge, and quantified cost savings in preschool evaluation ($13,000 per child lower for Montessori programs).

Name

American Institutes for Research

Legal name

American Institutes for Research

Website

https://air.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1946

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

American Institutes for Research (AIR) is a nonprofit behavioral and social science research organization founded in 1946, conducting rigorous program evaluations, technical assistance, and data analytics for U.S. federal/state agencies, foundations, and international clients across education, health, human services, international development, and workforce domains.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Research and Evaluation Services

NAICS

Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (54172), Scientific Research and Development Services (5417)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Research Administration & Compliance (Sponsored Programs, IRB/REB) (EDADAKAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Science, Technology & Innovation Administration (National R&D Policy) (BPAIAAAK), Global Health Institutes & Programs (EDAHAGAM)

Keywords

• Behavioral and social science research
• Program evaluation services
• Education policy research
• Workforce development research
• Health policy research

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Federal Government Contracts: AIR serves as a prime contractor for federal agencies, conducting research, evaluation, and technical assistance through government contracting vehicles like GSA MAS and OASIS. Revenue comes from multi-year federal contracts and task orders.
2. Federal Research Grants: The organization receives competitive grants from federal agencies including the National Science Foundation (NSF), Department of Education, and other federal bodies for specific research initiatives and studies.
3. State and Local Government Contracts: AIR contracts with state and local governments, education agencies, and school districts for research, evaluation, and technical assistance services.
4. Foundation and Nonprofit Partnerships: AIR collaborates with foundations and nonprofit organizations on research initiatives, summits, and evidence-based programs, sometimes co-producing events and studies.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

American Institutes for Research (AIR) is an independent, nonprofit research organization that conducts rigorous basic and applied research, program evaluations, technical assistance, survey design and administration, and data science services. It works primarily with federal, state, and local government agencies, foundations, school districts, healthcare organizations, and international clients to build evidence, evaluate program effectiveness, and build client capacity across education, health, human services, international development, and workforce domains.

Product overview

The American Institutes for Research (AIR) is a research organization that offers a portfolio of professional services rather than a unified software product. Its offerings include Research & Evaluation, Technical Assistance, Data Science and Technology, and Survey Design and Administration services. AIR operates through domain-specific work areas covering Education, Health, Human Services, International Development, and Workforce. Notable initiatives include the AI Century Study (a 100-year longitudinal study on AI's impact), the AI in Education Network, the AIR Opportunity Fund ($225M+ investment initiative), and the AIR Attendance Lab. The organization functions as a research and consulting firm with multiple specialized centers and project-based work rather than a platform-plus-modules architecture.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Research & Program Evaluation Rigorous research and evaluations that provide information about the effectiveness of programs and policies in the U.S. and across the globe, delivered to government agencies, foundations, and organizations.
• Technical Assistance Working shoulder-to-shoulder with clients to help them build capacity and transform systems to achieve better outcomes for those they serve.
• Data Science and Technology Uses data and technology to help clients and communities identify challenges, find solutions, and make information usable and easily accessible.
• Survey Design and Administration Helps government agencies and organizations develop, administer, and analyze surveys that create reliable, actionable data.
• AI Century Study A 100-year longitudinal study following U.S. children and families as AI becomes part of everyday life, investigating how the age of AI changes the human condition.
• AI in Education Network A network of experts studying and evaluating AI's impact on K-12 education through research and collaboration.
• AIR Attendance Lab A tool to help districts address and improve student attendance rates through data-driven insights and interventions.
• AIR Opportunity Fund A $225M+ ten-year investment initiative funding innovative research, community-driven projects, and tailored support to expand opportunities for all.

Quantifiable outcome

• Montessori programs cost approximately $13,000 less per child than conventional preschool options
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability2 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• DisabilityINcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 June 2026AIR collaborated with DisabilityIN on a landmark study estimating the disability consumer market at $675 billion, examining discretionary income and economic participation of people with disabilities.
• U.S. National Science FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 May 2026AIR and the U.S. National Science Foundation launched a new Center Supporting STEM Education Research and Practice in May 2026. This represents a major federal partnership for advancing STEM education research through rigorous evidence-based approaches.
• AcademyHealthmajorGTM or Marketing Partner · 27 May 2026AIR serves as a sponsor of AcademyHealth's 2026 Annual Research Meeting in Seattle, with multiple AIR health researchers presenting findings on clinical effectiveness, workforce, and Medicare Advantage topics.
• Million Coaches ChallengemajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 April 2026AIR supported the release of the Million Coaches Challenge four-year study showing that training over one million youth coaches in evidence-based practices improves outcomes.
• American Educational Research AssociationmajorGTM or Marketing Partner · 6 April 2026AIR researchers participate in AERA and NCME annual meetings, presenting education research, engaging in discussions, and hosting networking events for the education research community.
• YMCA of Greater San FranciscomajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 March 2026AIR conducted research on the Reach & Rise youth mentoring program by YMCA of Greater San Francisco, demonstrating significant reductions in problem behaviors among youth participants through CBT-based mentoring.
• Innovate+EducatemajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 March 2026Innovate+Educate and the New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions announced strategic collaboration with AIR to co-produce the 2026 Close It Workforce Summit, bringing together state and national leaders to address skills gaps and workforce innovation.
• University of VirginiacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 February 2026AIR researchers collaborated with University of Virginia and University of Pennsylvania on the first national randomized controlled trial of Montessori education, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
• University of PennsylvaniacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 February 2026AIR collaborated with University of Virginia and University of Pennsylvania on the landmark Montessori study, providing rigorous evaluation methodology for comparing outcomes across 24 public Montessori programs.
• Association for Public Policy Analysis and ManagementmajorGTM or Marketing Partner · 4 November 2025AIR experts presented at APPAM's 2025 Fall Research Conference in Seattle on policy topics including education, equity, and AI.
• KimetricacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025AIR acquired Kimetrica, expanding its international development capabilities and research capacity in developing country contexts.
• IMPAQ LLCcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025AIR completed its acquisition of IMPAQ LLC, strengthening its capabilities in health research, workforce development, and policy evaluation. IMPAQ survey experts joined AIR's team.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• Abt Associates: Abt Associates is a global research and consulting firm that conducts program evaluation, survey research, and policy analysis for federal agencies and international clients. It competes with AIR on large health, education, and workforce evaluation contracts.
• RTI International: RTI International is an independent, nonprofit research institute with global operations in health, education, and international development. Its combination of federal contracting and applied science services places it in the same competitive set as AIR.
• RAND Corporation: RAND is a large nonprofit research institution performing policy analysis, applied research, and evaluation for U.S. federal, state, and international clients. It mirrors AIR's breadth across education, health, and workforce, and competes head-to-head for major federal research and evaluation contracts.
• MDRC: MDRC is a nonprofit, nonpartisan social policy research organization dedicated to improving programs that serve low-income Americans. Its expertise in randomized controlled trials in education and workforce programs closely aligns with AIR's evaluation capabilities.
• NORC at the University of Chicago: NORC is an independent research organization affiliated with the University of Chicago, conducting survey research and program evaluation for federal agencies and foundations. Its work in health, education, and social policy directly parallels AIR's core practice areas.
• Westat: Westat is an employee-owned professional services corporation that provides statistical research, survey design, and evaluation services to U.S. government agencies. It is a direct peer in survey administration, program evaluation, and federal contract delivery.
• Child Trends: Child Trends is a nonprofit research organization that studies children and families, producing evidence on child welfare, education, and youth development. Its domain focus on youth outcomes and family services overlaps directly with AIR's Human Services and Education business units.
• Mathematica Policy Research: Mathematica is an employee-owned, nonpartisan research organization that conducts rigorous program evaluations and policy research for federal and state agencies. Its deep focus on social policy evaluation and education research directly overlaps AIR's largest practice areas.
• Urban Institute: Urban Institute is a nonprofit research organization focused on economic and social policy, producing evidence on housing, health, education, and workforce issues. It shares AIR's federal- and foundation-funded research model and policy-evaluation orientation.

Broad incumbents

• ICF International: ICF International is a large consulting and digital services firm with significant federal practice areas in health, education, and energy research. As a broader commercial services incumbent, it often competes with AIR on integrated federal contracts while also offering implementation and technology services AIR does not.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Education_AIR
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/AmInstForResearch
• Facebookfacebook.com/93244499633
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/6904
• Instagraminstagram.com/airinforms

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles17 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds3 records

Investors2 records

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M&A3 records

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about American Institutes for Research