Education & Learning

Accreditation in Online Education: A Plain-Language Breakdown

Education & Learning Editorial Team 7 min read · Jul 1, 2024
Accreditation in Online Education: A Plain-Language Breakdown

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In this article
  1. Why Accreditation Matters Before You Enroll
  2. How the U.S. Accreditation System Is Structured
  3. How to Verify an Online School's Accreditation
  4. Red Flags and Common Misconceptions

Accreditation affects whether your degree is recognized by employers and other schools. Here's how to understand it before you enroll.

Key Takeaways

  • Accreditation is granted by independent organizations, not the government, and signals that a school meets quality standards.
  • Regional accreditation is generally considered the most widely recognized form in the U.S. for degree-granting institutions.
  • Degrees from unaccredited schools may not be accepted by employers, licensing boards, or other colleges.
  • You can verify any school's accreditation status for free through the U.S. Department of Education's database.
  • Programmatic accreditation applies to specific fields like nursing or engineering, layered on top of institutional accreditation.

Why Accreditation Matters Before You Enroll

Choosing an online program is a significant investment of time and money. Accreditation is often the single most important factor that determines whether that investment pays off — yet it's one that many students overlook until it's too late.

Without accreditation from a recognized body, your degree may be treated as worthless by employers, rejected by licensing boards in regulated fields like nursing or education, or refused by other colleges if you ever want to transfer credits or pursue a graduate degree. The consequences are real and difficult to undo after the fact.

See our enrollment verification checklist for a broader look at what to confirm before paying any tuition.

Check Accreditation Before You Apply — Not After

Accreditation status should be one of the first things you verify, not an afterthought. Look up the school in the U.S. Department of Education database at ope.ed.gov before you fill out an application or pay any fees. If you plan to transfer credits later or work in a licensed profession, also check whether the specific program holds relevant programmatic accreditation.

How the U.S. Accreditation System Is Structured

The United States does not have a single national ministry of education that certifies colleges. Instead, accreditation is a peer-review process carried out by private, non-governmental organizations called accrediting bodies. These bodies are themselves recognized — or denied recognition — by either the U.S. Department of Education (ED) or the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), or both.

There are two broad categories of institutional accreditation:

  • Regional accreditation — Historically granted by six regional bodies (now being reorganized into fewer entities), this is the standard associated with nonprofit universities and four-year colleges. It is the most widely recognized form for degree-granting schools.
  • National accreditation — Granted by agencies often focused on career and vocational schools, including some for-profit institutions. Credits earned here may not transfer to regionally accredited schools, which is an important practical consideration.

On top of institutional accreditation, specific academic programs may also hold programmatic accreditation from a field-specific body — for example, the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) for engineering programs, or the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) for nursing programs. In regulated professions, this type of accreditation may be required for state licensure.

~7,500

Accredited institutions in the U.S. ED database

The U.S. Department of Education's Database of Accredited Postsecondary Institutions and Programs lists thousands of recognized institutions across the country.

19

Institutional accrediting bodies recognized by ED

As of recent ED records, roughly 19 institutional accrediting agencies are recognized by the U.S. Department of Education, each covering different types of institutions.

~60%

Employers who verify applicant credentials

Surveys by the HR Policy Association and similar groups have found that a majority of large employers conduct some form of education verification during hiring.

How to Verify an Online School's Accreditation

Schools are required to disclose their accreditation status, but not all do so clearly — and some make misleading claims. Here is how to check independently:

  1. Use the ED database. The U.S. Department of Education maintains a free, searchable Database of Accredited Postsecondary Institutions and Programs at ope.ed.gov. Search by school name to see its accrediting body and current status.
  2. Check the CHEA directory. The Council for Higher Education Accreditation maintains a parallel database at chea.org, which lists both institutions and recognized accrediting bodies.
  3. Identify the accrediting body. Once you know the accreditor's name, verify that the accreditor itself is recognized by ED or CHEA. Diploma mills sometimes invent fake accrediting bodies with official-sounding names.

For a deeper look at how credentials are categorized and valued, see our guide to digital credentials in online education.

Red Flags and Common Misconceptions

Accreditation can be confusing territory, and some organizations exploit that confusion. A few patterns to watch for:

  • Unrecognized accreditors: If a school cites an accrediting body you cannot find in the ED or CHEA databases, treat this as a serious warning sign.
  • "Accreditation pending" claims: Being in the accreditation process is not the same as being accredited. A school that is not yet accredited offers no guarantee of future recognition.
  • Confusing accreditation with state authorization: A school can be licensed to operate by a state without being independently accredited. These are separate processes.

A common misconception is that online degrees from accredited schools are inherently less respected than in-person ones. Research and employer surveys generally do not support this, particularly for well-known institutions. Our article on myths about online degrees explores this in more detail.

Accreditation Rules Are Changing

The U.S. accreditation landscape has been evolving, with ongoing federal rule changes affecting how regional and national accreditation distinctions are applied. The longstanding six regional accreditor structure has been consolidating in recent years. Always verify current status directly through official government or CHEA sources, as the details may shift over time.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes. Accrediting bodies evaluate an institution as a whole, whether it delivers courses online, in person, or both. An online degree from an accredited institution carries the same accreditation status as a campus-based degree from the same school.
Regional accreditation is historically associated with nonprofit colleges and universities and is widely recognized by employers and other institutions. National accreditation has often been associated with for-profit and vocational schools. Credits from nationally accredited schools may not transfer to regionally accredited ones, so it's worth checking transfer policies before enrolling.
Visit the U.S. Department of Education's Database of Accredited Postsecondary Institutions and Programs at ope.ed.gov. You can search by school name and see which accrediting body has recognized it. Always verify directly rather than relying solely on a school's own marketing.
Generally, no. Federal student aid programs, including Pell Grants and federally backed loans, require that the institution be accredited by a U.S. Department of Education-recognized accrediting agency. Attending an unaccredited school typically means no access to federal funding.
A diploma mill is an organization that sells academic credentials without requiring meaningful coursework. They often claim fake or unrecognized accreditation. If a school offers a degree for a flat fee with little or no coursework, that is a strong warning sign. Always cross-reference accreditation through official government or CHEA databases.
Both matter, but for different reasons. Institutional accreditation is the baseline that determines whether the school itself is credible. Programmatic accreditation — such as ABET for engineering or CCNE for nursing — signals that a specific program meets the profession's standards and may be required for licensure in some fields.
Education & Learning Editorial Team

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Education & Learning Editorial Team

Education & Learning Editorial Team is the collective byline for our editorial team and contributor network. Articles published under this byline or an editorial pen name are researched, written, and reviewed according to our editorial standards for clarity, consistency, and independence before publication.

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