Degree and diploma mills refer to institutions that offer educational credentials (also known as qualifications) which are not accredited and are not based on common standards of academic assessment. Though the terms are often used synonymously, there are differences between the terms.

Degree mills typically issue diplomas from unaccredited institutions which may be legal in some states but are generally illegitimate. Degree mills may claim to be accredited but they are accredited by fake or phony accreditation agencies.

Diploma mills issue counterfeit diplomas using the names of real colleges or universities. The term is also used to describe a legitimate educational institution that has low academic admission standards and a low job placement rate, such as some for-profit schools.

A third-party organization, GetEducated.com, tracks and maintains a free list of online colleges which do not have proper distance learning accreditation, or which have consumer fraud or scam warnings lodged against it. This service is available for consumer information and protection.

See: Fraudulent Credentials | Learn & Work Ecosystem Library (learnworkecosystemlibrary.com)