Is regional accreditation better than national accreditation?

Hi Justin -

Accreditation is a process that ensures colleges and universities meet a certain level of quality. As you know, there are different types of accreditation that schools obtain depending on the type of institution and what their focus is. You can find a list of all the types of accreditation below.

There are seven different regional accrediting agencies in the U.S. Although national accreditation may seem more "important", regional accreditation is often older and more difficult to get. Although it's not 100% the case, most regionally accredited institutions are mostly academic and non-profit or state-owned, whereas, most nationally accredited schools are for-profit or may cover specific programs, such as nursing.

Before you decide on a school, you should talk to individuals in the career field you are pursuing and determine if the path you are going down will help you achieve your goal. Guidance counselors are also a great resource to make sure you will meet requirements for the job you're seeking.

Check out the U.S. Department of Education's website to learn more about accreditation: http://www2.ed.gov/admins/finaid/accred/index.html

Hello, I think national accreditation is preferable to regional accreditation because a broad accreditation is accepted throughout the country. A regional accreditation has obvious limitations. Give yourself the greatest advantage and choose national accreditation. Best wishes.