Regional accreditation is the best kind of accreditation that a school can achieve. There are six different regional accrediting agencies: the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Middle States Association of Schools and Colleges, North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement, Western Association of Schools and Colleges, Southern Association of Schools and Colleges, and the Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges. All of these associations are recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation, and in turn, by the U.S. Department of Education, as capable of setting appropriate testing standards for postsecondary institutions. None of these regional accrediting bodies is superior to the other; they are just responsible for reviewing colleges and universities from different parts of the country. Some of these agencies, however, may have a different scope or description of their accrediting power. For example, CHEA recognizes that the New England Association of Schools and Colleges can award accreditation to institutions that award bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral degrees, as well as schools who offer certain types of associate’s degrees. The Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools on the other hand, requires that institutions in their jurisdiction offer at least one postsecondary program that lasts at least one full academic year.

The six regional accrediting agencies are generally recognized as awarding the highest kind of accreditation. Both traditional schools and distance education or online schools can apply for accreditation with their respective regional agency. You can find a list of these agencies and their contact information on the CHEA website.