COMNAVCRUITCOMINST 1130.8M
20 Jul 2022
2-43
(5) Regional Accreditation Associations for on-line schools:
(a) Middles States Association of Colleges and Schools (MSA), Middle States
Commission on Higher Education. Created in 1919, the Middle States Commission on Higher
Education accredits degree-granting colleges and universities in Delaware, Maryland, New
Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin
Islands. There are approximately 525 schools accredited by this commission.
(b) New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC), Commission on
Institutions of Higher Education (CIHE). The CIHE covers the six-New England states of
Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont. The
commission is made up of 24 people elected by the member colleges. There are currently about
240 colleges and institutions accredited by the CIHE.
(c) North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA), Higher Learning
Commission. This commission accredits higher education institutions in the 19-north central
states of Arkansas, Arizona, Colorado, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota,
Missouri, North Dakota, Nebraska, Ohio, Oklahoma, New Mexico, South Dakota, Wisconsin,
West Virginia and Wyoming. Over 1000 institutions are currently accredited by this
commission.
(d) Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges, Northwest Commission on
Colleges and Universities (NWCCU). This commission accredits institutions of higher
education in the seven states of Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah and Washington.
It currently has 162 institutions with accredited status.
(e) Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS), Commission on Colleges.
Colleges and universities in the 11-southern states of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky,
Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia are
accredited by this commission which was founded in 1912. There are currently about 800
institutions accredited by this commission.
(f) Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC). This association was
formed in 1962 and has two accrediting agencies that accredit schools of higher education: The
Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges which has about 150 accredited
schools and the Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges and Universities which has
accredited about 160 schools. These commissions accredit institutions in California and Hawaii
as well as some U.S. territories.
j. Prior Service. Prior service veterans who served a complete enlistment of four years or
more in any component of the Armed Forces of the United States are eligible to enlist as high
school diploma graduates and will be coded as “12L” unless they possess a higher level
education credential. Requirements are the DD Form 214 or other appropriate military service
verification documentation.