When you're enrolling in college, you need to make sure that your school is accredited. Colleges and universities can be either regionally or nationally accredited.
In this article, we'll dive into what exactly national accreditation means and list some of the top nationally accredited online schools.
What Does Nationally Accredited Mean?
The top colleges and universities in the United States can be nationally or regionally accredited. Accreditation means that a school has met the board's standards for quality in education.
Regional Accreditation
Most schools in the U.S. are regionally accredited. Regional accreditation is the most widely recognized and is used for state schools and non-profit colleges and universities.
Credits from regionally accredited schools are usually accepted at both regionally accredited and nationally accredited schools.
National Accreditation
National accreditation compares schools nationwide with a similar career focus or curriculum. It's usually used for trade and vocational schools as well as for-profit schools.
Within a college or university, specific programs may also be accredited by a programmatic accreditation agency.
However, credits from nationally accredited institutions often do not transfer to regionally accredited institutions.
There are several national accreditation agencies recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
The majority of online programs are accredited by the Distance Education Accrediting Commission (DEAC), which focuses on distance education and online education.
Other national accreditation agencies include:
- Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES)
- Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC)
- Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
- Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools (TRACS)
Top Nationally Accredited Online Schools
Even though nationally accredited schools only make up about 15% of schools in the country, there are still a lot of them.
Below, we've compiled an alphabetical list of some of the largest and most well-known nationally accredited online schools.
1. Aspen University
Aspen University is a private for-profit university based in Denver, CO. It typically enrolls around 10,000 students each year, with over 75% taking some amount of online courses.
It's accredited by the Distance Education Accrediting Commission. Certain programs within the school, such as nursing and psychology degrees, are individually accredited as well.
Aspen University offers degrees from the associate to the doctoral level as well as certificates. Students can earn degrees in fields such as:
- business
- education
- nursing
- psychology
- technology
2. Columbia Southern University
Columbia Southern University is a private, for-profit university. While based in Orange Beach, AL, it only offers online programs. It currently enrolls over 16,000 online students.
Columbia Southern is both nationally and regionally accredited. It's nationally accredited by the Distance Education Accrediting Commission and regionally accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.
Students can earn degrees from an associate to a doctorate at Columbia Southern. Examples of programs offered include:
- business
- criminal justice
- human resources
- information technology
- occupational safety and health
3. Full Sail University
Full Sail University is a private, for-profit college with a campus in Winter Park, FL. The university enrolls over 25,000 students, with almost all of them in partly or exclusively online courses.
Full Sail University is accredited by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges. It offers bachelor's and master's degrees online.
The majority of Full Sail's degree programs are art based. Students can earn degrees in fields such as:
- art and design
- business
- film and television
- media and communications
- technology
4. Miller-Motte College
Miller-Motte College is a private, for-profit vocational college. The college has numerous campuses throughout the south and over a thousand students enrolled online.
The college is accredited by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges. It offers associate and bachelor's degrees as well as diplomas and certificates.
The online programs are offered through the Chattanooga campus in Tennessee. Students can take career-focused vocational programs in categories such as:
- business
- education
- healthcare
- technology
5. Penn Foster College
Penn Foster College is a private, for-profit online college. It also includes a career college as well as a for-profit online high school.
The college is accredited by the Distance Education Accrediting Commission. The veterinary programs are also accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association.
College students can earn associate or bachelor's degrees as well as career diplomas and certificates through Penn Foster. Areas of study include:
- business
- design and creative
- healthcare
- trades and industrial
- veterinary
6. Ultimate Medical Academy
Ultimate Medical Academy is a nonprofit career college specializing in healthcare careers. It has a physical campus in Clearwater, FL, but the majority of its students learn online.
The school is accredited by the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools and offers associate degrees and diplomas.
Most programs focus on the administrative side of health science. Degree options include:
- health information management
- healthcare accounting
- medical administrative assistant
- medical billing and coding
- pharmacy technician
7. University of Arkansas, Grantham
In 2021, the for-profit Grantham University was bought out by the University of Arkansas. However, it's not part of the university system and only offers online programs.
The Grantham campus is accredited by the Distance Education Accrediting Commission. Its various colleges are accredited by the appropriate programmatic accrediting agencies.
Students can earn associate, bachelor's, or master's degrees as well as certificates. Programs include:
- business administration
- computer science
- criminal justice
- healthcare administration
- nursing
FAQs about Nationally Accredited Online Schools
Find the answers to commonly asked questions about nationally accredited online schools.
Is National or Regional Accreditation Better?
Most students prefer schools with regional accreditation since credits from regionally accredited schools transfer better. However, there are many excellent nationally accredited schools available.
Are All Nationally Accredited Schools For-Profit?
Not all nationally accredited schools are for-profit. There are several non-profit schools that are nationally accredited. There are also some for-profit schools that are regionally accredited.
How Can I Tell What Accreditation My School Has?
Colleges and universities should list their accreditation on their website. If you're struggling to find that information, try searching the name of the university plus 'accreditation.'
Find a Nationally Accredited Online School Today
There are several nationally accredited online colleges in the United States. If you want to earn your degree online, be sure to pick a program from an accredited college to ensure you receive a quality education.
