The Council for Higher Education Accreditation oversees accreditation standards in the United States. There are six regional accrediting organizations, each in charge of a distinct region whereas national accreditation is largely theme based.
Regional accreditation is the most respected accreditation. According to the CHEA website, determining U.S. accreditation consists of "a quality review process occur[ing] on a periodic basis, usually every three to 10 years." National accreditation can be sought by any college, including faith-based trade schools.
One of the most significant differences between national and regional accreditation is the transferability of college credits. According to eLearners.com "While nationally accredited institutions will usually accept credit from a regionally or nationally accredited institutions, regionally accredited schools often do not accept credit from nationally accredited institutions."
Accreditation signifies the academic integrity of an institution. Regional accreditation is the highest accreditation a college or university can achieve. National accreditation is typically seen in vocational and/or technical programs. Both levels of accreditation are eligible for state and government financial aid.
CHEA warns that that there are "accreditation mills, " which are dubious providers of accreditation and quality assurance that may offer a certification of quality of institutions without a proper basis.