The accrediting process is made up of a number of organizations, one to umbrella over another, to make a quality check system. The U.S. Department of Education holds the most authority over the accrediting process. All accrediting associations must pass by the U.S. government if it will pass at all. Under the Department of Education are two main agencies that grant approval of smaller agencies, both regionally and nationally. These are the Council for Higher Education Association (CHEA), formerly known as COPA and CORPA, and the Association of Specialized and Professional Accreditors (ASPA). These overarching associations delegate the regional, and national boards that are appropriated to accredit a college or university.

As a whole, the associations within the accreditation process help to uphold the quality education offered in post-secondary schools throughout the country. None of these boards, however, would exist without the people who organized them. All accreditation boards are made up of government officials with experience in the world of education, or experts in a particular field of study. There are also every day citizens who sit on accreditation boards, to balance out the decision making process. Whatever the background of each person on the board, they are all highly respected in their fields.