What is accreditation?

The purpose of the accreditation process is to ensure that the universities offering MBA programs are operating at a reasonable quality level.

Why does accreditation matter?

• In order to qualify for government-sponsored financial aid, a student typically must receive their MBA from an accredited institution. This is true at both the state and federal level.

• During the pre-employment screening process, many employers will ask if your school is accredited.

Who accredits MBA programs?

In the United States, there is not a government body (such as a Ministry of Education) responsible for the accreditation of universities. Instead, the accreditation is done by private, non-governmental organizations.

In many other countries, the accreditation of universities is done by the government.

In the US, the majority of MBA programs are accredited by a regional accrediting organization. Below is a list of these:

Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools (MSA)
New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC-CIHE)
North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA-HLC)
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS)
Western Association of Schools and Colleges

A few MBA programs are accredited by a national accrediting organization, such as the Distance Education and Training Council.

International Accreditation

The Council for Higher Education Accreditation provides an accreditation resource for countries around the globe.

Other Accreditation Information
AACSB Accreditation
MBA Diploma Mills