Accreditation and state approval, explained

State approval

States approve some programs directly:

• Nursing programs (practical/vocational, ADN, BSN) are approved by state boards of nursing. NCSBN explains that to be eligible for the NCLEX, a new nurse must show they graduated from an approved nursing program. Some boards also require national nursing accreditation by rule or statute; NCSBN keeps a map of which ones.
• Nurse aide training is approved by the state, usually the health department.
• Other programs may need state approval where a state credential depends on it, such as California's Dental Board-approved RDA programs.

Accreditation

Accreditors are independent agencies that review a program against published standards. The U.S. Department of Education keeps a database of recognized accreditors and the institutions and programs they accredit. The main programmatic accreditors in healthcare include:

• Nursing: ACEN (practical through doctoral), CCNE (baccalaureate and higher) and NLN CNEA
• Dental assisting and dental hygiene: CODA
• Medical assisting: CAAHEP and ABHES
• Respiratory therapy: CoARC
• Phlebotomy: NAACLS
• Physical therapy: CAPTE
• Occupational therapy: ACOTE
• Speech-language pathology: CAA

Each program type page lists its accreditor with a link to the official directory. See program types.

Why it matters

• Licensing: For dental hygienists, PTs, OTs and SLPs, licensure generally requires graduating from an accredited program.
• Moving on: Accreditation can affect whether credits transfer and whether you can be admitted to a later program.
• Financial aid: Federal student aid is available only at eligible institutions. Check a school's eligibility when you file the FAFSA.

How to check

1. Find the program in the accreditor's own directory (not just on the school's website).
2. For nursing, find it on your state board of nursing's approved list.
3. Note the status. "Candidate," "probation" or "warning" statuses are worth asking about.