Online education is increasingly becoming the preferred method for non-traditional students to obtain a degree at their own pace, place, and convenience. Many folks with full time careers also continue their professional development by taking online courses. In the process of considering an online education or continuing professional development, it is important to complete the studies with nationally accredited online colleges in the U.S. Why is this important?

National accreditation for a college degree program is important because first, it ensures high-quality education and training; second, many employers only hire college graduates who have completed accredited programs of study; and third, it also ensures that programs are generally standardized across the country.

1. What does it mean to be a nationally accredited online college in the U.S.?
Unlike in Europe where the accreditation process is overseen by a governmental organization, in the United States the process is controlled by private membership organizations. There are five national main organizations recognized by either the Department of Education or the nonprofit Council for Higher Education Accreditation, known as CHEA, that accredit for-profit technical and career colleges:

• Council on Occupational Education (COE)
• Distance Education and Training Council (DETC)
• Accrediting Council for Continuing Education and Training (ACCET)
• Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS)
• Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC)

2. National accreditation for online institutions
Accreditation often involves a self-review, requiring institutions to provide evidence that they satisfy set standards, and a site visit, generally by a team including faculty and administrators from similar institutions and practitioners in the field chosen by the accreditor to check those claims, experts say. Expectations about quality aren’t lower just because a program is online. However, there are steps an accreditor takes to ensure that these programs meet the specific needs of online learners, for example they might look at how student services function and how students and faculty interact.

3. Regional accreditation
One additional consideration is that some online colleges hold regional accreditation, which is different than national accreditation. It is advisable to be clear what accreditation the colleges you are considering hold.

4. Finding accredited online educators
Does one find nationally accredited online colleges? The United States Department of Education Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE) maintains and publishes the Database of Accredited Postsecondary Institutions and Programs (DAPIP), which contains information reported to the Department of Education directly by recognized accrediting agencies and state approval agencies. The full database can be downloaded or a search by college name can be completed online. There are many private online sites that list nationally accredited online colleges in the U.S. Some sites facilitate searches by degree level or certificate, affordable, military-friendly, non-profit or highly rated. Also, many colleges present their accreditations on their website. But be sure to contact the registrar’s office for information and to confirm.