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The massive expansion of online learning programs means there are thousands of legitimate, high-quality online degrees available to distance learners today. While it's important to be aware of diploma mills and other low-quality online degrees that offer little value for students, it's relatively easy to tell which online colleges are legitimate through accreditation.

Accreditation is a mark of excellence that means a school or degree program has been evaluated by an accrediting body and meets universal standards of academic quality. It's a process that schools undergo so they can show students, employers, certifying boards, and industry leaders that they offer quality education to their students.

Colleges and universities voluntarily undergo accreditation to ensure they are up to academic and industry standards. Schools also must be accredited to receive federal funding and to allow students to use federal and state financial aid to pay for their education.

How does the process work? There are two main steps: first, each school conducts a self-assessment to identify how well it performs based on the standards set by the accrediting agency. Next, the accreditor evaluates the entire school to determine if it is able to meet the needs of students. The agency reviews a school's programs, coursework, degree pathways, institutional mission and policies, faculty and staff, student services and support, infrastructure, and other qualities to ensure it meets accreditation requirements.

Once a school is accredited, it has to repeat the process every five to ten years to renew the status. This policy ensures schools continue to meet accreditation standards and are able to adequately meet student needs.

Why should accreditation matter to you? It is one of the most important things to look for when considering an online degree because it indicates whether or not your degree will be seen as legitimate by employers, colleagues, and other schools. Other benefits of accreditation include:

• Your online education will be more likely to meet academic standards
• You'll be able to use any financial aid you qualify for to cover the cost of your education
• It's more likely that other schools will accept your credits if you decide to transfer or pursue more education later on
• Accredited programs are more likely to meet industry standards and requirements for certification and licensure

Students can determine if their school is accredited by searching for it in the are two-year degree programs usually offered through community and technical colleges, although some four-year universities offer associate degrees as well. Many students earn an Associate of Arts (AA) or an Associate of Science (AS) to satisfy the first two years of their bachelor's degree, then transfer to a four-year university to finish their undergraduate degree. Others earn an AA or AS in to qualify them for more jobs or higher pay. Most schools that offer AA and AS degrees will be regionally accredited.

Enrollment in two-year career preparation programs, such as veterinary technician, registered nurse, or dental hygienist programs, typically results in an Associate of Applied Science Degree (AAS). Career and technical schools are more likely to have national than regional accreditation, and they may have programmatic accreditation as well.

If you attend a school that is nationally accredited, it may be difficult to transfer nationally accredited credits to another school. This might not be an issue for you if your program is designed to prepare you for a specific career pathway or credential and you do not plan on pursuing a higher level of education such as a bachelor's or master's degree. Students exploring vocational or technical programs should look for programmatic accreditation as well as national accreditation to ensure their degree will meet requirements for certification, licensure, and employment in their field, and will meet industry standards.

Examples of programmatic accreditors for associate degrees include the through a regionally accredited school, especially if they might transfer to a different school or plan to earn their master's degree. While regionally accredited graduate schools may accept students with nationally accredited bachelor's degrees on a case-by-case basis, it can be harder to get into a master's program or find schools willing to accept your degree.

That being said, it's not impossible to go to graduate school or transfer colleges with a nationally accredited bachelor's degree. While regionally accredited schools often won't accept credits from a nationally accredited institution, other schools with national accreditation usually have more flexible transfer policies. Students who earn a nationally accredited bachelor's degree may be more limited, but will still likely have some options available to them.

Undergraduate students should also be aware of programmatic accreditation for their field of study. For students with specific career goals that require certification or licensure, it's critical to know what education requirements you must meet to become certified. Some certifying boards require programmatic accreditation from the main accreditor for that industry. For other fields of study, programmatic accreditation is less important than regional accreditation. Examples of programmatic accreditors for online bachelor's degrees include the and doctoral degrees are often required for licensure in fields such as counseling and healthcare or are necessary to qualify for a position as a librarian, postsecondary teacher, or other professional roles. Graduate students pursuing a master's or doctoral degree should research what programmatic accreditation is necessary for their professional goals to ensure their education will meet industry standards.

Accreditors for popular master's degree programs include the