What Educational Testing Service (ETS) does

Educational Testing Service (ETS) is a not-for-profit educational measurement organization founded in 1947 and headquartered in Princeton, New Jersey, with 5,001-10,000 employees and operational presence in 20+ countries delivering assessments in 200+ countries and territories. The company develops and administers standardized assessments across four core product families: TOEFL (English proficiency for academic admissions, with sub-brands including TOEFL Essentials, TOEFL Primary, TOEFL Junior, and TOEFL ITP), GRE (graduate and professional school admissions accepted by 20,000+ programs), Praxis (educator certification and licensure for K-12 teachers in US states), and TOEIC (workplace English communication trusted by 14,000+ organizations in 160+ countries). Underlying the assessments is an advanced measurement science and AI platform, including the proprietary e-rater, c-rater, and SPEECHRATER automated scoring engines, supported by 213 awarded patents and 11,900+ publications in the ETS Research Library.

Name

Educational Testing Service (ETS)

Legal name

Educational Testing Service

Website

https://ets.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1947

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

ETS is a not-for-profit founded in 1947 that develops standardized assessments (TOEFL, GRE, Praxis, TOEIC) for test takers, universities, employers, and governments across 200+ countries. Revenue derives from test fees, prep products, institutional licensing, and enterprise credentialing services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Educational Assessment Services

NAICS

Educational Services (611), Exam Preparation and Tutoring (611691)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Testing Laboratories (8734)

akta.pro primary industry

In-Service Professional Development (Workshops/Institutes/Short Courses) (EDACAIAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Tutoring, Study Skills & Learning Strategies for ASE (EDAAABAL), Integrated Education & Training (IET) / Contextualized ABE (Workforce-Linked) (EDAAAAAK)

Keywords

• Standardized assessment services
• English proficiency testing
• Graduate admissions testing
• Educator certification exams
• Workforce credentialing solutions

Headquarters

HQ city

Princeton

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices22 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Test Registration and Administration Fees: ETS generates primary revenue from test registration fees charged to individual test takers for assessments like TOEFL, GRE, Praxis, and TOEIC. Fees vary by test type and include charges for test delivery, scoring, and score reporting.
2. Test Preparation Products: Sale of official test prep materials including practice tests, study guides, courses, flashcards, and eBooks. Products sold directly through ETS websites and partnerships like Study.com.
3. Licensing and Institutional Services: Licensing of ETS assessments, trademarks, and copyrighted materials to educational institutions, governments, and organizations. Includes institutional score reporting, credentialing solutions, and bulk testing services for organizations.
4. Credentialing Services: Enterprise solutions for credentialing including assessment development, delivery, and management services for employers and governments to upskill workforces and recognize credentials.
5. Research and Assessment Services: ETS provides research-based assessment solutions and measurement expertise to governments and institutions worldwide through the ETS Research Institute.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels8 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

ETS is a not-for-profit educational measurement organization that develops, delivers, and scores standardized assessments used for academic admissions, English proficiency certification, educator licensure, and workforce credentialing. Its core products include the TOEFL family, GRE, Praxis series, and TOEIC, complemented by institutional credentialing and talent/workforce solutions, automated scoring engines, and applied research through the ETS Research Institute.

Product overview

ETS offers a unified platform-plus-services portfolio centered on research-based assessments for education and workforce credentialing. The core assessment products include TOEFL iBT (academic English), GRE (graduate/professional school admissions), Praxis (educator certification), and TOEIC (workplace English), supported by sub-brands like TOEFL Essentials, TOEFL Primary, TOEFL Junior, and TOEIC Bridge. These are complemented by credentialing and talent/workforce solutions services, the ETS Research Institute for measurement science innovation, and proprietary automated scoring platforms (e-rater, c-rater, SPEECHRATER). Recent expansion includes the January 2024 acquisition of PSI Services for workforce skills measurement, the February 2026 launch of Adapt AI for K-12 AI literacy assessment, and ongoing development of new assessments in partnership with governments like Kazakhstan's Admissions Insight Test.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• TOEFL: The premier test of English communication, measuring language skills in an academic context. The world's English test measuring all four academic English skills.
• GRE
• Praxis
• TOEIC
• ETS Research Institute

Products and services

• TOEFL iBT The premier English language proficiency test measuring all four academic English skills (reading, listening, speaking, and writing) in an academic context. Accepted by universities worldwide for admissions decisions.
• GRE General Test Internationally respected graduate and professional school admissions assessment accepted by 20,000+ programs worldwide including graduate schools, business schools (1,300+ MBA programs), and 100+ law schools.
• Praxis Educator Certification Assessments Assessment series designed for educators measuring the knowledge and skills needed for classroom preparation and teacher certification. Includes tests for elementary education, special education, core academics, and speech-language pathology.
• TOEIC Listening and Reading Test World's leading English communication skills assessment for the workplace, measuring listening and reading proficiency. Trusted by 14,000+ organizations across 160+ countries for over 45 years.
• TOEIC Speaking and Writing Tests Workplace English assessment measuring speaking and writing communication skills for the global workplace, used for hiring and promotion decisions.
• TOEFL Essentials Assessment measuring English language proficiency in both academic and general contexts, offering a broader assessment of English skills than TOEFL iBT.
• TOEFL Primary English language proficiency test designed for students in elementary and middle school, measuring reading and listening skills at age-appropriate levels.
• TOEFL Junior English language proficiency test for middle school students assessing academic English listening, reading, and speaking skills.
• TOEFL ITP Assessment series for institutional use measuring intermediate to advanced English proficiency in academic and professional contexts.
• Praxis ParaPro Assessment Assessment measuring skills and knowledge essential for classroom assistance, used for paraprofessional certification in education.
• Praxis PPAT Educator preparation assessment measuring teaching skills and knowledge for prospective teachers.
• Praxis ASLPI American Sign Language Proficiency Interview assessing sign language communication skills for certification purposes.
• Praxis Braille Proficiency Test Assessment of braille proficiency for educators requiring this specialized skill certification.
• Praxis School Leadership Series Certification assessments for school and district leadership positions evaluating knowledge required for educational administration.
• Adapt AI Assessment tool designed to evaluate AI literacy and ethical judgment among K-12 educators in the U.S., helping districts understand staff AI readiness and tailor professional development programs.
• ETS Credentialing Solutions Service applying 75+ years of measurement expertise to develop and deliver customized assessments for credentialing programs, helping organizations transform current programs or create new assessment solutions.
• ETS Talent and Workforce Solutions Service leveraging ETS intellectual property to drive organizational growth with innovative workforce assessment tools and software solutions for skill development and credentialing.
• Admissions Insight Test (AIT) for Kazakhstan Custom university admissions test developed for the Republic of Kazakhstan's Ministry of Science and Higher Education to evaluate students' academic achievement and broader competencies.

Quantifiable outcome

• 87% of applicants who submit GRE scores to test-optional programs get accepted
• +7 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability11 records

Feature9 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship, strategic and minor.

• Study.comcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 27 February 2026Study.com announced first-to-market PRAXIS 8000 Series test preparation and flexible path test prep in collaboration with ETS. The collaboration highlights Study.com's AI-first product development capabilities, enabling accurate, research-driven preparatory materials for new exams on aggressive timelines. Partnership also includes Official TOEFL Test Prep ahead of enhanced test debut on January 21, 2026.
• Republic of Kazakhstan (Ministry of Science and Higher Education)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 February 2026ETS and the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of Kazakhstan announced a partnership to develop a new university admissions test called the Admissions Insight Test (AIT). The project aims to create a modern, fair, and internationally recognized assessment to evaluate students' academic achievement and broader competencies, supporting Kazakhstan's goal to become a leading higher education hub in Eurasia.
• PSI Services LLCcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 January 2024ETS acquired PSI Services LLC on January 25, 2024, creating a global leader in workforce skills measurement and credentialing. The partnership aims to develop an end-to-end suite of products leveraging advanced measurement science to help employers and governments upskill their workforce and facilitate international recognition of credentials.
• Kira TalentcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 November 2021ETS acquired a majority interest in the venture-backed company Kira Talent, a holistic admissions platform for higher education, as part of its expansion in the global education sector. The deal enables ETS to strengthen its portfolio with Kira Talent's digital assessment solutions and support its global growth initiatives.
• PreplycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerETS partnered with Preply, a leading provider of independent online tutors, to provide specialized training for tutors to teach academic English for TOEFL iBT. Preply connects test takers with tutors who have received official Teaching TOEFL iBT Skills certificate, with eligible students receiving exclusive discounts on TOEFL iBT registration.
• Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of TeachingstrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerETS, with support from The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, is creating a scalable suite of assessments and analytic tools that capture the full range of skills American students need to excel in K-12, post-secondary education and adulthood.
• Edusoft (Israel subsidiary)coreOthersEdusoft is a wholly-owned subsidiary of ETS based in Israel, providing additional assessment technology and regional capabilities.
• WheeboxcoreOthersWheebox is an ETS subsidiary with offices in Dubai and India, specializing in assessment and talent solutions for emerging markets.
• PippletminorOthersPipplet is an ETS subsidiary focused on language assessment solutions.
• VericantminorOthersVericant is an ETS subsidiary based in Beijing, China, providing interview-based assessment services for international student recruitment.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• Pearson: Pearson operates PTE Academic and Versant English proficiency tests that compete directly with ETS's TOEFL and TOEIC; it is one of the most direct competitors in English-language assessment and credentials.
• College Board: College Board runs the SAT, AP, and CLEP programs and is the most direct US-based peer to ETS in large-scale standardized academic admissions and assessment; both serve higher-education admissions with similar revenue models.
• ACT: ACT operates the ACT college readiness assessment and ACT WorkKeys for workforce certification, directly competing with ETS's GRE and TOEIC offerings in standardized testing for admissions and employment.
• British Council: British Council is a co-owner and global administrator of the IELTS English proficiency test and runs a broad suite of English language assessments that compete head-to-head with TOEFL in admissions, visa, and workforce markets.
• Cambridge Assessment English: Cambridge Assessment English co-owns IELTS and offers Cambridge English qualifications, competing with ETS's TOEFL and TOEIC for English proficiency credentials across academic and workplace segments.
• IDP Education: IDP co-owns IELTS alongside the British Council and Cambridge; it is a direct global competitor to ETS's English proficiency and international student placement testing portfolio.
• SHL: SHL is a workforce skills assessment provider used by employers globally; it directly competes with ETS's Talent & Workforce and credentialing solutions for corporate skills measurement and hiring.

Emerging players

• Duolingo English Test: Duolingo's online, on-demand English proficiency test is a digitally native challenger to ETS's TOEFL, increasingly accepted by universities and used for remote test-takers worldwide.
• Mercer Mettl: Mercer Mettl offers online assessment and proctoring services for hiring and workforce development, increasingly overlapping with ETS's digital credentialing and at-home proctored testing products.

Broad incumbents

• Korn Ferry: Korn Ferry is a broader talent management and assessment incumbent whose psychometric assessments compete with ETS's workforce solutions; a larger, more diversified peer operating across the same employer customer base.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat7 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@ETS_Praxis
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/showcase/ets-praxis
• Xx.com/ETSInsights

Compliance7 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A8 records

Investments4 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Educational Testing Service (ETS)