Education Department's database of accredited educational institutions

The Education Department's Office of Postsecondary education has created an online database at http://www.ope.ed.gov/accreditation that will ease the identification of diploma mills and provide information about the accreditation of legitimate educational institutions.

"The database lists approximately 6,900 postsecondary educational institutions and programs, each of which is accredited by an accrediting agency or state approval agency recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education as a “reliable authority as to the quality of postsecondary education” within the meaning of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA).The database does not include a number of postsecondary educational institutions and programs that elect not to seek accreditation but nevertheless may provide a quality postsecondary education"