Online University
You shouldn’t think that just because a university says they are from those schools accredited online, that they really are. There are many "diploma mill" schools that lie and make up their own fake accrediting agencies. Any programs accredited online you are hoping to get an online degree from should be accredited by the regional agency in your area.
Who can grant accreditation?
You should know that not all accreditation is equal. Make sure that your online college is accredited by an agency approved by either the United States Department of Education (USDE) or the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). These organizations have extensive lists of legitimate accreditors.
If you want your online degree, whether it be an accounting degree, an online masters degree or an mba, for ir to be commonly accepted, select a school that is accredited by one of the six regional accreditation agencies mentioned below:
New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC)
Accredited online schools in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont, Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Middle East.
North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement (NCA)
Schools accredited online in Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Navajo Nation, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
Middle States Association of Schools and Colleges (MSA)
Accredits schools in Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Central America, Europe, and the Middle East.
Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges (NWCCU)
Accredits schools in Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, and Washington.
Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC)
Accredits schools in California, Hawaii, Guam, American Samoa, Palau, Micronesia, Northern Marianas, Marshall Islands, and other Australasian locations.
Southern Association of Schools and Colleges (SACS)
Accredits schools in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and Latin America.
If you get a degree from accredited online programs from one of these associations, you can be certain that it will be just as accepted as a degree from an ordinary university.
On the other hand, some online schools are accredited by the Distance Education Training Council. The DETC is also accepted by the United States Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. DETC accreditation is considered suitable by many employers but, many regionally accredited schools will not acknowledge course credits from a DETC accredited school and some employers may be doubtful of these degrees.