The Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC) is nonprofit, public benefit corporation founded in 1962. ACCJC is accredited by the U.S. Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). It accredits about 138 public and private institutions granting associate degrees and other credentials. Its primary mission is to ensure the quality of education provided by these institutions. The commission requires member colleges to undergo a self-study and peer review every 6 years to maintain their accreditation status. For many years, ACCJC’s accreditation span was the Western region in the United States, its territories, and affiliates: California, Hawai‘i, and U.S. Pacific territories/protectorates such as Guam, American Samoa, the Federated States of Micronesia, the Marshall Islands, Palau, and the Northern Mariana Islands. According to its strategic plan 2025, its formal scope has expanded to include other institutional applicants (some applicants are in New York and Arizona).
Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges. (2025). ACCJC. ACCJC. Retrieved November 18. 2025 from https://accjc.org/.