Regional Accrediting Organizations

• Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSA-CHE): Educational institutions in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands, as well as schools for American children in Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East.
• New England Association of Schools and Colleges, The Commission on Institutions of Higher Education (NEASC-CIHE): Educational institutions in the six New England states: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont.
• North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, The Higher Learning Commission (NCA-HLC): Educational institutions in Arkansas, Arizona, Colorado, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota, Nebraska, Ohio, Oklahoma, New Mexico, South Dakota, Wisconsin, West Virginia, and Wyoming.
• Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU): Postsecondary institutions, colleges and universities, in Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, and Washington.
• Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges (SACS-COC): Educational institutions in Virginia, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Alabama, Tennessee and Texas.
• Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC): Educational institutions in California, Hawaii, Guam, American Samoa, Micronesia, Palau, and Northern Marianas Islands. It has two commissions in the Higher Education sector:
  • The Western Association of Schools and Colleges, The Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (WASC-ACCJC): Evaluates and accredits public and private postsecondary institutions that offer two-year education programs and award the Associate Degree.
  • The Western Association of Schools and Colleges, The Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges and Universities (WASC-ACSCU): Evaluates and accredits public and private senior colleges and universities offering the Baccalaureate Degree and above.

Please visit CHEA to find out the list of the 6th recognized Regional Accrediting Organizations by both CHEA and the United Sates Department of Education (ED).