American College of Rheumatology

What American College of Rheumatology does

The American College of Rheumatology (ACR), founded in 1934 and headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, is a nonprofit professional membership organization serving rheumatologists, pediatric rheumatologists, fellows-in-training, advanced practice providers, and interprofessional health professionals across 87 countries. Its core product surface is anchored by ACR Convergence, the organization's flagship annual meeting (2026 edition set for November 6-11 in Orlando at the Orange County Convention Center), and supported by the ACR Education Center (learn.rheumatology.org), an LMS delivering CE/CME/MOC activities; the RISE Registry for clinical quality measurement; and CareerConnection, a rheumatology-specific job board integrated with a network of over 2M healthcare association members. ACR also publishes the field's most comprehensive library of clinical practice guidelines (axial spondyloarthritis, JIA, lupus, RA, vasculitis, gout, and others) and runs the Winter Rheumatology Symposium, Practice Innovation Summit, Ultrasound Conferences, Global Webinar Series, and ACR/EULAR and ACR/APLAR research exchange programs.

The business model is a hybrid nonprofit professional society model. Revenue is diversified across membership dues (annual subscription), conference and event registration (in-person and on-demand, with ACR Convergence 2025 On Demand priced at $1,399 and on-demand replay activities at $99-$139.90), educational program fees (Fundamentals of Rheumatology Course, State-of-the-Art Clinical Symposium at $675, PRSYM at $130, Training Rheum at $799, Business of Rheumatology at $399, Rheumatology Review Course at $375), CareerConnection employer-paid job postings, and industry exhibits and sponsorships (e.g., unrestricted educational grants from Janssen, Amgen, Genentech, and Boehringer Ingelheim). Distribution is direct-to-professional through the ACR/ARP website and digital learning platform, supplemented by in-person flagship events and a public-facing patient resources portal in English and Spanish.

The organization is affiliated with the Rheumatology Research Foundation (EIN 58-1654301), a wholly-owned adjacent operating subsidiary that is one of the largest private funding sources for rheumatology research and training in the United States, and maintains core strategic partnerships with ILAR, AFLAR, APLAR, EULAR, and PANLAR to coordinate global rheumatology advancement.

Name

American College of Rheumatology

Legal name

American College of Rheumatology

Website

https://rheumatology.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1934

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

American College of Rheumatology (ACR) is a 1934-founded nonprofit professional membership organization headquartered in Atlanta that serves rheumatologists and interprofessional health professionals in 87 countries, delivering the flagship ACR Convergence annual meeting, an online CE/CME Education Center, clinical practice guidelines, the RISE quality registry, and the CareerConnection job board.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Medical Association Services

NAICS

Business Associations (813910), Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services (54)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Healthcare & Clinical Professional Development (CME/CE) (EDAGANAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

Real-World Data (RWD) / Real-World Evidence (RWE) & Observational Research Platforms (HLACAOAM)

Keywords

• Professional medical association
• Continuing medical education
• Clinical practice guidelines
• Rheumatology membership
• Annual medical conference

Headquarters

HQ city

Atlanta

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: ACR/ARP membership fees provide revenue and drive engagement. Members receive discounted registration fees, access to publications, and professional resources.
2. Conference & Event Registration: ACR Convergence and other events generate revenue through registration fees. Early registration rates apply with specific deadlines. Commercial supporters and exhibitors also contribute funding.
3. Educational Programs: Online education activities including CME credits, review courses, and specialized programs generate revenue. Pricing varies from free to $675 for premium programs like the State-of-the-Art Clinical Symposium.
4. CareerConnection Job Postings: Employers pay to post jobs and access the candidate database. Job seekers can search and apply at no cost.
5. Industry Exhibits & Sponsorships: Exhibitor and sponsorship opportunities at annual meetings provide significant revenue. Contact for exhibits and industry-supported sessions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

The American College of Rheumatology is a professional membership organization that delivers clinical practice guidelines, continuing medical education, peer-reviewed journals, and professional development resources to rheumatologists and interprofessional healthcare teams. Its flagship offering is ACR Convergence, the world's premier annual rheumatology meeting, complemented by online learning through the ACR Education Center, the RISE Registry for quality measurement, the CareerConnection job board, and patient-facing educational resources.

Product overview

The American College of Rheumatology offers a comprehensive portfolio of professional development and patient education products. The core offerings include ACR Convergence, the premier annual rheumatology meeting; the ACR Education Center for online continuing education with curricula like Rheum2Learn and Rheum4Science; and the ACR CareerConnection job board. Supporting products include the RISE Registry for quality measurement, Clinical Practice Guidelines for evidence-based care, the Global Webinar Series for international education, patient-facing resources including the Patient Blog and treatment fact sheets, and patient advocacy through the Simple Tasks initiative. Additional offerings include exchange programs with EULAR and APLAR, and the Winter Rheumatology Symposium.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ACR Convergence: Annual meeting - the world's premier rheumatology event
• ARP (Association of Rheumatology Professionals)
• CareerConnection
• RISE Registry
• Rheumatology Research Foundation

Products and services

• ACR Convergence Annual Meeting The flagship annual rheumatology meeting of the American College of Rheumatology, offering hundreds of educational sessions covering cutting-edge topics in rheumatology prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. Delivered in-person at major convention centers with on-demand digital access, it provides up to 220 CME credits and 220 ABIM/ABP MOC points.
• ACR Education Center Online learning platform at learn.rheumatology.org offering CE/CME/MOC educational activities, review courses, and specialized curricula including State-of-the-Art Clinical Symposium, Rheumatology Review Course, and The Training Rheum. Members receive discounted access; pricing ranges from free to $1,399 for premium on-demand programs.
• ACR CareerConnection A specialized job board for rheumatology professionals that connects job seekers with employers. Job seekers search and apply free of charge; employers pay to post positions. The platform integrates with a network of healthcare associations providing access to over 2,000,000 potential candidates and more than 2,000 rheumatology-specific jobs.
• RISE Registry A rheumatology-specific clinical quality registry that supports performance measurement and quality improvement initiatives for rheumatology practices, enabling data-driven practice management.
• Clinical Practice Guidelines Evidence-based clinical practice guidelines covering rheumatologic conditions including axial spondyloarthritis, glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis, gout, lupus, osteoarthritis, psoriatic arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, vasculitis, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, vaccinations, and more. Developed and maintained by ACR as the authoritative standard for the specialty.
• Winter Rheumatology Symposium An annual clinical symposium providing up-to-date practical information on the diagnosis and management of patients with rheumatic and immune disorders, typically held in Snowmass Village, Colorado.
• Global Webinar Series A quarterly virtual educational series featuring Global Meet the Experts case-based discussions and Global Journal Club article discussions for rheumatologists worldwide, extending ACR's educational reach to its 87-country international membership.
• ACR/EULAR Research Exchange Program International exchange program promoting clinical and research skills between early-career academic rheumatologists in the US and Europe, with the 2026 program held in London and the 2027 program during EULAR 2027 Congress.
• ACR/APLAR Research Exchange Program International exchange program enabling early-career academic rheumatologists to exchange knowledge and skills during the APLAR Congress, with the 2026 program held in Seoul, Republic of Korea.
• ACR/ARP Membership Annual professional membership in ACR and the Association of Rheumatology Professionals (ARP) providing discounted annual meeting registration, access to peer-reviewed publications, clinical practice guidelines and tools, MOC/CE credit opportunities, career development resources including CareerConnection, global exchange programs, and specialty advocacy. Membership spans 87 countries.

Quantifiable outcome

• 220 CME credits and 220 MOC points available at ACR Convergence 2025
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• International League of Associations for Rheumatology (ILAR)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerACR maintains close partnerships with ILAR, which serves as the umbrella organization connecting rheumatology associations globally. Through ILAR, ACR collaborates with regional leagues including AFLAR, APLAR, EULAR, and PANLAR to advance rheumatology worldwide.
• African League of Associations for Rheumatology (AFLAR)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional rheumatology association for Africa. ACR collaborates through ILAR partnership to promote rheumatology education, training, and research in Africa.
• Asia Pacific League of Associations for Rheumatology (APLAR)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional association for Asia Pacific. ACR operates ACR/APLAR Research Exchange Program allowing early-career academic rheumatologists to exchange knowledge during APLAR Congress (2026 in Seoul, Republic of Korea).
• European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology (EULAR)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEuropean rheumatology association. ACR operates ACR/EULAR Research Exchange Program for early-career rheumatologists. The 2026 program was held June 2-6 in London, United Kingdom. The 2027 program will take place during EULAR 2027 Congress.
• Pan American League of Associations for Rheumatology (PANLAR)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional rheumatology association for the Americas. ACR collaborates through ILAR partnership to advance rheumatology across North, Central, and South America.
• Rheumatology Research FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Rheumatology Research Foundation is one of the largest private funding sources for rheumatology research and training in the United States (EIN 58-1654301). The Foundation is closely affiliated with ACR and supports research grants, clinical trials, and training programs.
• COVID-19 Global Rheumatology AllianceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational collaboration focused on understanding and managing COVID-19 in rheumatology patients. ACR supports this global initiative through its Global Engagement Committee.
• Simple Tasks (Patient Advocacy Initiative)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerPatient advocacy initiative focused on legislation guaranteeing access to rheumatologists, research funding, and workforce initiatives. Part of ACR's patient-facing advocacy programs.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI): ACAAI is a more size-comparable US specialty society operating with similar membership, annual meeting, CME/MOC, and advocacy programs targeted at immunology specialists with overlap into rheumatology conditions.
• European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology (EULAR): EULAR is the European counterpart and closest direct peer, running a parallel annual congress (EULAR Congress), publishing clinical guidelines co-developed with ACR, and serving rheumatology professionals across Europe. ACR and EULAR also operate a joint Research Exchange Program.
• Asia Pacific League of Associations for Rheumatology (APLAR): APLAR is the regional Asia Pacific rheumatology society and a core strategic partner of ACR through the ACR/APLAR Research Exchange Program. It runs its own congress (2026 in Seoul) and represents a direct peer for ACR's international membership and educational efforts.

Broad incumbents

• American College of Cardiology (ACC): ACC is a larger US specialty society operating with an analogous business model: membership dues, a flagship annual meeting, clinical guidelines, CME/MOC programs, and industry-supported education. It is comparable as a structural peer in the medical specialty society category.
• American Academy of Dermatology (AAD): AAD mirrors ACR's structure with member-driven education, a major annual meeting (AAD Annual Meeting), clinical guidelines, patient-facing resources, and CareerCompass job board. It is structurally comparable as another US medical specialty society.
• Endocrine Society: The Endocrine Society operates with a similar model of membership, ENDO Annual Meeting, clinical practice guidelines, CE/MOC, and patient resources. It is a structurally comparable peer among US medical specialty professional societies.
• American Thoracic Society (ATS): ATS is comparable in structure (membership society, annual International Conference, CME, clinical guidelines) and has clinical overlap with ACR through interstitial lung disease and vasculitis guidelines. Boehringer Ingelheim sponsors both societies.
• American Academy of Neurology (AAN): AAN operates a parallel model of membership, annual meeting, CME/CE programs, clinical guidelines, and a Neurology career center. It is a structural peer among US medical specialty societies serving chronic-disease specialists.
• American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS): AAOS is a larger US specialty society with an analogous model around its Annual Meeting, clinical guidelines, CME, and Orthopaedic Job Board. ACR's guidelines on optimal timing of hip/knee arthroplasty indicate clinical overlap with orthopaedics.
• American College of Physicians (ACP): ACP is one of the largest US medical specialty societies with a comparable model of membership, Internal Medicine Meeting, MOC resources, and Annals publication. It is relevant as a broad-incumbent peer in the specialty society space.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/acrheum
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/AmerCollRheumatology
• Facebookfacebook.com/rheumatology
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/american-college-of-rheumatology
• Instagraminstagram.com/acrheum/?hl=en

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about American College of Rheumatology