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Why Is College Accreditation Important?

Aug 20, 2025   |   Higher Education
Why Is College Accreditation Important?

So youre interested in going back to school to earn a degree and are exploring your options. But how do you know whether a school youre interested in is reputable and meets rigorous standards of excellence? This is where university/college accreditation comes into play.

In this article, we discuss why accreditation is important as well as different types of accreditation for colleges and universities, namely, institutional accreditation and specialized/programmatic accreditation.

What Does Accredited College Mean?

A U.S. accredited college or university is one that has been evaluated by an Higher Education has met that agencys specific criteria for academic quality. Because it indicates that an institution meets certain educational standards, accreditation can lend legitimacy to the school that has achieved it. In this way, accreditation can help both students and potential employers feel confident that the student has received their education from a quality institution.

According to the U.S. Department of Education, accreditation functions to:

  • Assess the quality of academic programs at institutions of higher education;
  • Create a culture of continuous improvement of academic quality at postsecondary institutions and stimulate a general raising of standards among educational institutions; and
  • Involve faculty and staff comprehensively in institutional and programmatic evaluation and planning.1

How Does the College Accreditation Process Work?

In the United States, there is no centralized federal control over colleges and universities, and the level of state control over colleges and universities varies. This decentralized structure can lead to significant inconsistencies between institutions of higher learning in terms of character and quality. The practice of college accreditation arose to address these potential inconsistencies. Following passage of the Higher Education Act of 1965, Congress tasked accrediting agencies with ensuring the academic quality of educational institutions that received federal student aid funds. Since that time, accrediting agencies have adopted criteria and evaluation procedures to ensure that educational institutions or programs are meeting their quality standards.1

The Department of Education currently lists six primary accrediting activities, i.e., steps in the accreditation process:

  • Standards: The agency, in collaboration with educational institutions and/or programs, establishes standards.
  • Self-study: The institution or program seeking accreditation prepares an in-depth self-evaluation report that measures its performance against the standards established by the agency.
  • On-site evaluation: A team of peers selected by the agency reviews the institution or program on-site to determine first-hand if the applicant meets the established standards.
  • Decision and publication: Upon being satisfied that the applicant meets its standards, the accrediting agency grants accreditation or preaccreditation status and lists the institution or program in an official publication with other similarly accredited or preaccredited institutions or programs.
  • Monitoring: An accrediting agency monitors each accredited institution or program throughout the period of accreditation granted to verify that it continues to meet the accrediting agency's standards.
  • Reevaluation: The agency periodically reevaluates each institution or program that it accredits to ascertain whether continuation of its accredited or preaccredited status is warranted.1

What Are the Types of Accreditation for Colleges and Universities?

There are two basic types of accreditation for colleges and universities. There is institutional accreditation, which until 2020 was broken down into national accreditation or regional accreditation, and programmatic accreditation, also known as specialized accreditation.

Institutional Accreditation

Institutional accreditation applies to the entire educational institutionall of its programs, delivery methods and locations.2 As part of the accreditation process, the institutional accrediting agency, or institutional accreditor, evaluates a schools educational offerings, governance, operations and finances.2 Achieving university or college standards set by the accreditor.2

Institutional accreditation indicates that each entity of a school contributes to the achievement of the schools objectives, though it does not necessarily indicate that all parts of the school offer the same quality level of education.3

Institutional accreditation is especially important because of the role it plays regarding federal financial assistance programs. Among other requirements, to qualify for federal student aid from the U.S. Department of Education, an educational institution must be accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting agency.4

Sidebar: Institutional Accreditation Replaces the National vs. Regional Accreditation Distinction

National accreditation and regional accreditation were the two types of institutional accreditation recognized by the Department of Education prior to its issuing of a Final Rule eliminating that distinction, which became effective July 1, 2020.5 Since then, the only accreditation distinction the Department recognizes is between institutional accreditation and programmatic accreditation.5

In a letter to state leaders, the Department explained the rationale behind its decision to no longer recognize the national vs. regional accreditation distinction. It noted that some states had been treating nationally and regionally accredited institutions and students differently, despite the fact that the Department of Education holds all accrediting agencies to the same standard.5 For example, prior to the rule change, transfer of credit determinations at public institutions [were] limited to students who attended regionally accredited institutions.5 The Department viewed such unequal treatment as unfounded.5 (Note that transfer-credit policies continue to be at the discretion of individual institutions. Students wishing to transfer are advised to always confirm a schools transfer-credit policies with the admissions office before making any major moves.)

Interestingly, while the Department of Education may not recognize a difference between national and regional accreditation/accreditors, accrediting bodies based on geographic scope continue to exist. For instance, as of the time of this writing, the Council for Higher Education Accreditation continues to maintain a list of regional accreditors.

Programmatic Accreditation

Programmatic, or specialized, accreditation applies to specific programs at a college or university. Programmatic accreditors conduct in-depth assessments of specialized or professional programs at educational institutions.2 Educational institutions seek this type of accreditation to enhance a programs quality and reputation or to meet specific licensing or hiring requirements set by state laws or employers, or both.2

CTUs Accredited Online Degree Programs

Colorado Technical University (CTU) holds institutional accreditation, and some programs are programmatically accredited.

For a more complete listing of our accredited online degree programs, please visit our Accreditation Licensure page.

Why College Accreditation Matters

In sum, college accreditation is important because it:

  • Indicates a specific level of educational quality and academic rigor;
  • Impacts whether a student may qualify to receive federal financial aid and;
  • May matter to employers who want to ensure that a candidate has graduated from a reputable institution.

When you pursue a degree, you are making a choice to invest in yourself. Like any investment, you should do your due diligence before making any commitments. Ensuring that your institution or online degree program is accredited is an important first step on your educational journey.

1 Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE), U.S. Dept. of Education, History and Context of Accreditation in the United States (updated May 8, 2025) https://www.ed.gov/laws-and-policy/higher-education-laws-and-policy/college-accreditation/overview-of-accreditation-united-states/history-and-context-of-accreditation-united-states.

2 Higher Learning Commission (HLC), How Accreditation Works for You, https://www.hlcommission.org/for-students/how-accreditation-works-for-you/ (last visited June 25, 2025).

3 U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security, Study in the States, The Basics of School Accreditation, https://studyinthestates.dhs.gov/schools/apply/the-basics-of-school-accreditation (last visited June 25, 2025).

4 Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE), U.S. Dept. of Education, Overview of Accreditation in the United States (updated May 8, 2025), https://www.ed.gov/laws-and-policy/higher-education-laws-and-policy/college-accreditation/overview-of-accreditation-united-states.

5 Office of the Education Under Secretary, U.S. Dept. of Education, Letter to State Leaders re: Final Accreditation and State Authorization Regulation, Feb. 26, 2020, https://sacscoc.org/app/uploads/2020/03/State-Authorization-Letter-w-Diane-Signature-2.26.19.pdf.

Colorado Technical University cannot guarantee employment, salary, or career advancement. Not all programs are available to residents of all states.REQ2146174 7/2025