Who are the Accrediting Agencies?

The six Department of Education and CHEA-approved regional agencies are:

• Middle States Commission on Higher Education
• New England Association of Schools and Colleges
• North Central Association of Colleges and Schools
• Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities
• Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
• Western Association of Schools and Colleges

There are also a number of specialized accredited agencies which are approved by both the Department of Education and CHEA. Some schools have both regional and specialized accreditation. If you select a school that only has specialized accreditation, be aware that your efforts may not be as accepted within academe. For better or worse, there are various levels of respect associated with the different accrediting agencies and the regional agencies are considered the standard. However, four relevant specialized agencies are:

• Association for Biblical Higher Education (ABHE)
• Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada (ATS)
• Distance Education and Training Council (DETC)
• Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools (TRACS)

The Institution Accreditation database sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education lists all recognized accreditation agencies as well as institutions accredited by a recognized agency.