Complete List of Regional Accrediting Agencies
An accreditation organization may be considered a regional accreditor. There are currently six of these in the United States. Each of these organizations carries out the accreditation process for the states in its region. These agencies are recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), which is the primary national voice for voluntary accreditation and quality assurance to the U.S. Congress and U.S. Department of Education (USDE). Unlike National Accreditation, these organizations below accredit the entire school and not just some of the programs provided at the school.
Middle States Association of Schools and Colleges (MSA)—Accredits institutions located in Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Commission on Institutions of Higher Education (NEASC-CIHE)—Accredits institutions throughout New England, including Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont.
North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, the Higher Learning Commission (NCA-HLC)—This association accredits the largest group of institutions, which includes Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU)—Accredits institutions located in Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, and Washington.
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS)—Accredits institutions throughout Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia.
Western Association of Schools and Colleges, Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges and Universities (WASC-ACSCU)—Accredits institutions located in California, Guam, Hawaii and the Pacific Basin.
Regardless of which online university you have chosen to attend, be sure to check the complete list of regional accreditation agencies to make sure the name of your school is accredited by one of the organizations listed above.
