Accreditation of Online Colleges
Employers may worry about the legitimacy of an online degree, especially if it is from a school they haven’t heard of. They are right to be cautious, as many "degree mills" exist.
These pseudo-colleges have names that sound like legitimate universities but grant degrees for little more than a fee. If you decide to pursue an online degree, it is important that you attend a well-established and accredited distance learning school.
Why college accreditation is important:
- Non-accredited schools are not eligible to participate in government student assistance programs. Therefore, as a student, you will not be eligible for federal tuition assistance in the form of grants or loans.
- Employers who offer tuition assistance may not reimburse your tuition if you attend a school that is not accredited.
- You will only be able to transfer credits from one school to another if you attend an accredited school.
Not all college accreditation associations are legitimate. Just as there are diploma mills, there are also accreditation mills. Diploma mills, ever eager for your cash, have set up accreditation mills. Some colleges and diploma mills create their own accrediting authority and then grant themselves “accreditation”.
How to identify legitimate accrediting agencies:
If you are considering taking online courses we recommend that you look up whether the school you are considering has a legitimate accreditation.
Legitimate accrediting agencies are recognized by two organizations:
There are also six regional accrediting agencies that are recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and CHEA. Credits or degrees earned from a school accredited by one agency will be recognized by any school accredited by any of the other agencies.
Listed below are the six agencies, with the states they administer, and a link to a database of the schools that each agency accredits.
- Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools – accredits schools in Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.
- New England Association of Schools and Colleges – accredits schools in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont.
- North Central Association of Colleges and Schools – accredits schools in Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Utah and Washington.
- Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges (under construction) – accredits schools and colleges in Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah and Washington.
- Southern Association of Colleges and Schools – accredits schools in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia.
- Western Association of Schools and Colleges – accredits schools in California, Hawaii and Guam.
