Regionally Accredited Online Colleges

We all know how important it is to receive your degree from an accredited college. By doing so, you’ll ensure that the degree you’ve worked hard to achieve will be widely recognized and accepted by employers, educational institutions, and more. You will also be able to rest easy knowing that the educational organization you receive your degree from will provide you with a high quality of education. However, there are different levels of regional accreditation, including national accreditation, regional accreditation, and specialized accreditation. Here, we’ll look at what it means to be regionally accredited, and discuss some of the important details and resources you can use to find a regionally accredited educational institution.

Regional accreditation means what it sounds like-a school that is regionally accredited is granted credentials by an agency that is responsible for a specific section of the United States. Becoming accredited means that a school will be reviewed by an accrediting agency that assesses the school’s programs, educational methods, and overall quality to ensure that the school can provide students with an acceptable level of education. This is the same for both regional and national accreditation. However, regional accreditation agencies only grant accreditation to schools in a certain area of the country.

There are no accreditation agencies designed specifically for online colleges, and online schools must be accredited in the same way that traditional colleges do. That means that any regionally accredited college you choose will have the same accreditation credentials as a traditional college accredited by the same agency. This means that your degree from a regionally accredited online college will be just as valuable as one from a brick and mortar institution, and widely accepted as one as well.

When considering which level of accreditation is appropriate for you, there are some factors to consider. If you are planning on transferring to another school at any point, you should know that regionally accredited institutions generally do not accept credits from nationally accredited schools. However, nationally accredited schools will almost always accept credit from both regionally or nationally accredited institutions. Although regionally accredited schools are somewhat restricted when it comes to credit transfers, they are generally the most affordable, as they are often community or state colleges with lower tuition than nationally accredited institutions. Whatever you choose, you can be sure that studying with an accredited institution of any kind will offer you an education with good quality, and recognition just about anywhere.

When searching for your regionally accredited institution, be sure to do your research and make sure that the college you’re interested in actually has the credentials they claim. You can do so by verifying their membership with the appropriate accrediting agency for the area of the country that the college is based in. Regional accrediting organizations include the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, New England Association of Schools and Colleges, and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. A full listing can be found through the Council on Higher Education Accreditation’s Directory of Regional Accrediting Organizations.

Top Online Colleges

	Kaplan University - Associate's, Bachelor's, & Master's Degrees. Kaplan University is a respected online institution that offers a variety of degrees to students. Kaplan has campus locations available as well as degrees available online that students can choose from.
	Ashford University - Associate's, Bachelor's, & Master's Degrees. Ashford University has an outstanding faculty and staff willing to help students succeed in their chosen degree path. Ashford offers accredited degrees entirely available to take online.
	University of Phoenix - Associate's, Bachelor's, Master's & Doctorate Degrees. As the largest online university in existence, University of Phoenix has a large variety of degrees available. Students will find degree programs offered in high growing industries with an immediate need for new employees.
	Liberty University - Associate's, Bachelor's, & Master's Degrees. An accredited Christian online university, Liberty prepares students with a great curriculum and faculty. Liberty graduates impact their workplace with their new knowledge of their field.
	American InterContinental University Online - Associate's, Bachelor's, & Master's Degrees. American InterContinental University is one of the world's largest and well respected online colleges in existence today. Thousands of students have graduated from AIU over the years and have gone on to have amazing careers in their chosen industry.
	DeVry University - Associate's, Bachelor's, & Master's Degrees. Students just starting their educational career or students already with a degree will find a variety of degrees they will be interested in. DeVry offers high-quality, innovative programs that assist students in obtainting the skills they need to be successful.
	Everest University - Associate's, Bachelor's, & Master's Degrees. Everest University is an excellent choice for students interested in obtaining their degree entirely online. With assorted degree levels available, lifelong learners or new college students will find the degree level perfect for them.
	Westwood College - Associate's & Bachelor's Degrees. First time college students will find excellent undergraduate degree programs at Westwood College. With Westwood's online delivery program, students never have to leave their home to get a college degree.