The History of Accreditation
Accreditation in the United States was first developed as a means to protect public health and safety and to better serve the public interest. Communities were growing quickly, and quality standards needed to be set for organizations offering public needs, such as health care and education. In the 1800′s, higher education was gaining ground in the United States, but there were few standards in place to determine the educational quality of an institution and distinguish one school from the next. Accreditation of colleges and universities first evolved because both students and school officials needed a process to define which schools met traditionally-held standards of educational quality. There was also a growing need to develop national standards for the transfer of credits between foreign institutions and U.S. schools, and this was another major catalyst to the beginning of accreditation.
Some of the first accrediting agencies in the country were regional accrediting organizations that formed in the 1880′s. Accreditation then began to evolve along with the growth of peer-review between institutions and accrediting agencies, the advancement of regulation, and legislation by the state and federal governments. The development of regional standards in quality was the first natural step in the progression of accreditation. Later, national accreditation organizations were developed in order to set up minimum standards of quality throughout the country.
|
School
|
Rank
|
Accept. Rate
|
Avg.
Under-grad GPA |
Avg. GMAT
|
Avg. Class size
|
3yr Grad Rate
|
Tuition
(in-state) |
Tuition
(out-state) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona State University | 9 | 64% | 3.2 | 592 | 50 | 92% | $1435 | $1435 |
| Arkansas State University | 1 | 76% | 3.7 | 602 | 26 | 94% | $587 | $587 |
| Ashland University | N/A | 3 | N/A | 21 | 56% | $635 | $635 | |
| Auburn University | 11 | 70% | 3.4 | 572 | 32 | 61% | $850 | $850 |
| Ball State University | 5 | 78% | 3.4 | 571 | 25 | 57% | $394 | $590 |
| Baylor University | 33 | 68% | 3.1 | 613 | 25 | N/A | $1027 | $1027 |
| Boise State University | 64 | 93% | 3.4 | 539 | 25 | N/A | $750 | $750 |
| California State University | N/A | 47% | 3.3 | 575 | 15 | N/A | $254 | $626 |
| Carnegie Mellon University | N/A | 64% | 3.3 | 658 | 29 | N/A | $1920 | $1920 |
| Central Michigan University | 39 | 46% | 3.2 | 538 | 24 | 70% | $600 | $600 |
| City University of Seattle | N/A | 41% | N/A | N/A | 10 | 77% | $678 | $678 |
| Clarion University of Pennsylvania | 5 | 95% | 3.4 | 456 | 27 | 60% | $483 | $522 |
| Clarkson University | 21 | 61% | 3 | 533 | 12 | 87% | $1100 | $1100 |
| Cleveland State University | 34 | 87% | 3.2 | 452 | 20 | N/A | $569 | $1074 |
| Columbus State University | 12 | 61% | 3.1 | 483 | 4 | 95% | $739 | $739 |
| Creighton University | N/A | 60% | 3.2 | 540 | 15 | N/A | $1025 | $1025 |
| DeSales University | 10 | 87% | 3.3 | N/A | 14 | 75% | $815 | $815 |
| Drexel University | 31 | 89% | 3.1 | 488 | 23 | 80% | $1255 | $1255 |
| East Carolina University | 61 | 80% | 3.2 | 517 | 28 | 48% | $353 | $985 |
| Embry Riddle Aeronautical University | 27 | 74% | 3.1 | 483 | 15 | 49% | $620 | $620 |
| Emporia State University | N/A | 44% | 3.4 | N/A | 21 | N/A | $247 | $371 |
| Florida Atlantic University | 41 | 68% | 3.1 | 514 | 28 | N/A | $800 | $800 |
| Florida Institute of Technology | N/A | 3.1 | 438 | 20 | 47% | $896 | $896 | |
| Florida International University | 10 | 54% | 3.3 | 520 | 17 | 82% | $1000 | $1000 |
| Florida State University | 13 | 64% | 3.5 | 558 | 25 | 79% | $750 | $750 |
| George Washington University | 26 | 69% | 3.1 | 530 | 50 | 68% | $1690 | $1690 |
| Georgia College State University | 18 | 84% | 3 | 526 | 15 | 92% | $739 | $739 |
| Georgia Southern University | 46 | 77% | 3.1 | 500 | 28 | 94% | $739 | $739 |
| Hofstra University | 38 | 86% | 3.1 | N/A | 24 | 100% | $1579 | $1579 |
| Indiana University Bloomington | 2 | 83% | 3.4 | 641 | 32 | 79% | $1300 | $1300 |
| James Madison University | 16 | 96% | 3.2 | 506 | 18 | 100% | $900 | $900 |
| Kansas State University | N/A | 3.4 | 583 | 16 | N/A | $833 | $833 | |
| Kennesaw State University | 45 | 68% | 3.2 | 590 | 28 | 96% | $739 | $739 |
| Lehigh University | 44 | 81% | 3.3 | 613 | 23 | 36% | $1075 | $1075 |
| Marist College | 42 | 42% | 3.3 | 530 | 23 | 47% | $780 | $780 |
| Mercer University | 19 | 55% | 3.2 | 525 | 19 | N/A | $727 | $727 |
| Mississippi State University | 24 | 71% | 3.3 | 580 | 25 | 48% | $426 | $426 |
| Missouri State University | 15 | 74% | N/A | 590 | 20 | 70% | $1230 | $1230 |
| North Carolina State University | 24 | 69% | 3.3 | 598 | 30 | 93% | $1039 | $1659 |
| Northeastern University | 58 | 87% | 3.2 | N/A | 17 | 44% | $1513 | $1513 |
| Norwich University | N/A | 3.1 | N/A | 9 | 69% | $760 | $760 | |
| Oklahoma State University | 37 | 92% | 3.1 | 553 | 29 | 60% | $210 | $825 |
| Old Dominion University | 36 | 67% | 3.2 | 566 | 14 | N/A | $478 | $516 |
| Pennsylvania State University | 2 | 89% | 3.3 | 546 | 23 | 97% | $1185 | $1185 |
| Pepperdine University | 7 | 71% | 3.2 | 565 | 26 | 66% | $1670 | $1670 |
| Portland State University | N/A | 64% | 3.3 | 548 | 42 | 86% | $575 | $575 |
| Queens University of Charlotte | N/A | 3 | 538 | 22 | N/A | $990 | $990 | |
| Robert Morris University | 52 | 34% | 3.3 | 520 | 17 | 71% | $900 | $900 |
| Rochester Institute of Technology | 47 | 66% | 3.2 | N/A | 8 | 78% | $1489 | $1489 |
| Rutgers University Camden | N/A | 3.3 | 510 | 32 | N/A | $1256 | $1256 | |
| Sam Houston State University | 43 | 78% | 3.4 | 527 | 29 | 34% | $286 | $286 |
| Samford University | 60 | 88% | 3.3 | 547 | 30 | 87% | $789 | $789 |
| Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania | 37 | 92% | 3.2 | 528 | 25 | 34% | $483 | $493 |
| Southern Illinois University | 23 | 63% | 3.3 | 600 | 45 | 85% | $854 | $854 |
| Stevens Institute of Technology | 42 | 83% | 3.1 | 521 | 14 | N/A | $1501 | $1501 |
| SUNY Oswego | 22 | 83% | 3.3 | 555 | 19 | 71% | $600 | $1016 |
| Syracuse UniveSrsity | 27 | 77% | 3.1 | 580 | 16 | 49% | $1443 | $1443 |
| Temple University | 2 | 45% | 3.4 | 582 | 24 | 97% | $1245 | $1245 |
| Tennessee Technological University | 56 | 46% | 3.3 | 531 | 23 | 52% | $447 | $706 |
| U Mass – Amherst | 53 | 83% | 3.4 | 597 | 48 | 59% | $825 | $825 |
| U Mass – Lowell | 30 | 90% | 3.3 | 555 | 27 | 57% | $630 | $630 |
| U of C – Colorado Springs | N/A | 75% | 3.3 | 568 | 10 | 50% | $763 | $801 |
| UNC – Chapel Hill | 1 | 45% | 3.2 | 670 | 13 | 94% | $1585 | $1585 |
| University of Arizona | 14 | 78% | 3.3 | 563 | 28 | N/A | $1000 | $1000 |
| University of Baltimore | 37 | 83% | 3.3 | 507 | 25 | N/A | $824 | $824 |
| University of Cincinnati | 62 | 82% | 3.3 | 596 | 63 | N/A | $806 | $821 |
| University of Delaware | 32 | 72% | 3.3 | 597 | 20 | 68% | $813 | $813 |
| University of Florida | 4 | 54% | 3.3 | 578 | 43 | 88% | $1113 | $1113 |
| University of Houston – Clear Lake | 48 | 43% | N/A | 525 | 22 | 58% | $438 | $917 |
| University of Houston – Victoria | 51 | 89% | N/A | 503 | 21 | N/A | $322 | $730 |
| University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign | 15 | 21% | 3.4 | 638 | N/A | N/A | $250 | $250 |
| University of Kansas | N/A | 3.3 | 568 | 50 | N/A | $775 | $775 | |
| University of Louisiana | 49 | 72% | 3.2 | 564 | 20 | 48% | $583 | $583 |
| University of Maryland College Park | 9 | 68% | 3.2 | 602 | 17 | N/A | $1481 | $1481 |
| University of Memphis | 59 | 78% | 3.2 | 518 | 44 | 52% | $596 | $841 |
| University of Miami | 35 | 48% | 3.5 | 462 | 18 | N/A | $1900 | $1900 |
| University of Michigan | 63 | 38% | 3.4 | 587 | 21 | 52% | $859 | $1356 |
| University of Mississippi | 15 | 39% | 3.2 | 583 | 38 | 43% | $669 | $669 |
| University of Nebraska – Lincoln | 20 | 89% | 3.4 | 606 | 36 | 38% | $600 | $600 |
| University of Nevada – Reno | 15 | 79% | 3.2 | 505 | 31 | 100% | $833 | $833 |
| University of New Hampshire | N/A | 100% | 3.4 | 488 | 21 | 47% | $800 | $880 |
| University of North Dakota | N/A | 3.4 | 570 | 18 | 63% | $360 | $360 | |
| University of North Texas | 20 | 54% | 3.3 | 538 | 15 | 58% | $303 | $710 |
| University of Scranton | N/A | 3.2 | N/A | 15 | 49% | $965 | $965 | |
| University of South Dakota | 57 | 90% | 3.1 | 518 | 35 | 46% | $442 | $442 |
| University of South Florida | 6 | 47% | 3.4 | 550 | 26 | 77% | $462 | $907 |
| University of Southern California | 8 | 46% | 3.2 | 630 | 16 | N/A | $1778 | $1778 |
| University of Tennessee | 54 | 88% | 3.2 | 546 | 18 | 86% | $507 | $558 |
| University of Texas – Dallas | 3 | 39% | 3.6 | 616 | 36 | 40% | $706 | $1245 |
| University of Texas – Tyler | 25 | 87% | 3.2 | 456 | 81 | 81% | $744 | $1155 |
| University of Utah | 29 | 68% | 3.4 | 573 | 36 | N/A | $1250 | $1250 |
| University of West Georgia | 55 | 93% | 3.2 | 438 | 22 | 88% | $739 | $739 |
| University of Wisconsin | 4 | 70% | 3.3 | 501 | 35 | 79% | $638 | $638 |
| Washington State University | 7 | 58% | 3.5 | 568 | 26 | 74% | $750 | $750 |
| West Chester University of Pennsylvania | 17 | 92% | 3.4 | 531 | 25 | 60% | $483 | $493 |
| West Texas A&M University | 3 | 61% | 0 | 540 | 0 | 0 | $380 | $410 |
| West Virginia University | 40 | 89% | 3.2 | 520 | 28 | 89% | $932 | $932 |
| Western Kentucky University | 50 | 95% | 3.4 | 544 | 14 | 55% | $679 | $679 |
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In 1918, the American Council on Education (ACE) was founded in order to include more schools with different academic programs and improve the effectiveness of the accreditation process. The ACE still focuses on the inclusion of all types of schools in the accreditation process, and membership institutions of the ACE enroll about 80 percent of all college students today.To address the need for national standards, in 1912, 23 private career schools created the National Association of Accredited Commercial Schools, now the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS), in order to work together toward the establishment of national education standards. ACICS became one of the first national accrediting bodies in the United States. Today, the organization is one of the most respected national accrediting agencies in the country, and accredits over 800 institutions in the United States and abroad, totalling a student population of around 700,000, according to Acics.org.
During the 30′s, accreditation became common in the United States and was mainly organized and overseen by the accrediting agencies themselves. Then, when the GI Bill was developed at the end of World War II, the government began a program that provided funding for the education of military veterans. Because of this, the federal government started to depend on accreditation to determine which schools should receive funding. Much of the funding for veterans would be applied to education in a particular trade or professional area, so there was a sudden need for clear pictures as to which accrediting agencies could evaluate professional and specialized schools on a national scale. According to Acics.org, new accrediting bodies were formed in order to create national standards for specialized and professional educational programs. Accrediting agencies like the National Commission on Accrediting (NCA) and the Federation of Regional Accrediting Commissions of Higher Education (FRACHE) were formed to compensate for this need.
In 1952, near the end of the Korean War, the government passed another measure to provide veterans with educational funding. With the Veteran’s Readjustment Assistance Act, Congress enacted an educational assistance program similar to the GI Bill and also established a requirement that the U.S. Secretary of Education publishes a list of recognized accreditation agencies. This fueled the need for the development of COPA, which would become CHEA, as an organization that could provide a comprehensive assessment of the quality of all accreditation agencies.
In 1996, COPA was replaced by the Council for Higher Education (CHEA). Today, CHEA serves as a primary authority to the Congress and Department of Education on higher education accreditation and the quality of accrediting agencies. This means that, if CHEA does not approve the standards and methodology of an accrediting agency, that agency will not be published on the U.S. Department of Education’s list of recognized agencies. CHEA also serves as a source to the general public and international audiences on anything related to accreditation in the U.S.
According to CHEA At a Glance (pdf), published by the organization, CHEA is the largest education membership organization in the United States, and includes approximately 3,000 colleges and universities. CHEA members also include sixty institutional and specialized accrediting agencies. The organization is overseen by a board of college and university presidents, institutional representatives and members of the public. CHEA serves as a national resource on facts and current issues in accreditation quality assurance and provides a forum for discussion about emerging topics in accreditation. The organization often enacts projects centred on strengthening the effectiveness of accreditation to better serve the public interest and also mediates disputes between member organizations and institutions. CHEA keeps an up to date database of all of its accredited institutions and programs.
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