Middle States Commission on Higher Education

Name

Middle States Commission on Higher Education

Legal name

Mid-Atlantic Region Commission on Higher Education

Website

https://msche.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1919

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education Accreditation Services

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Accreditation Evaluation, Peer Review & Site-Visit Organizations (EDADACAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Accreditation Standards, Benchmarking & Framework Organizations (EDADACAJ), National/Institutional Accreditors (Career, Faith-Based, Distance, etc.) (EDADACAB), Higher Education Academic Standards & Degree Framework Authorities (EDADAEAG)

Keywords

• Higher education accreditation
• Institutional accreditation services
• Peer review accreditation
• Educational quality assurance
• Regional accrediting commission

Headquarters

HQ city

Philadelphia

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Others, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Institutional Membership and Accreditation Fees: As a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization doing business as MSCHE, the Commission generates revenue through membership fees from accredited institutions and fees associated with the accreditation process including applications, evaluations, and reviews.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

MSCHE provides institutional accreditation and pre-accreditation (Candidacy status) to colleges, universities, and other institutions of higher education through peer review against published Standards for Accreditation and Requirements of Affiliation. The Commission conducts self-study evaluations, periodic reviews, substantive change approvals, and acts as a U.S. Department of Education-recognized Title IV gatekeeper that enables member institutions to access federal student aid programs.

Product overview

MSCHE is a higher education institutional accreditor providing a portfolio of accreditation services, standards, and professional development offerings. The core product is the Standards for Accreditation and Requirements of Affiliation (Fifteenth Edition), which defines accreditation standards applied through peer review. Supporting services include the Institution Portal and Volunteer Portal for managing accreditation workflows; the Institution Directory listing over 630 accredited institutions; the Annual Conference (December 2026: 'Innovate Boldly. Transform Together.'); the Pillars of Change Podcast on diversity, equity, and inclusion; Self-Study Institute training programs; a Webinar Series; Policies and Guidelines documentation; Commission Actions transparency reporting; and the Peer Evaluator Program. These offerings work together to fulfill MSCHE's mission of promoting educational excellence through innovation across diverse institutions, with over 500 member institutions spanning 46 states, 2 territories, DC, and 100 countries.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Institutional Accreditation and Pre-Accreditation Services Peer review accreditation and pre-accreditation (Candidacy status) services for colleges, universities, and other institutions of higher education, including public, private non-profit, for-profit, two-year, four-year, free-standing professional, and international institutions; includes self-study review, periodic review reports, and substantive change approvals.
• Standards for Accreditation and Requirements of Affiliation (Fifteenth Edition) The Commission's primary accreditation standards framework (Fifteenth Edition, effective July 1, 2026) defining objectives, equitable accreditation standards, analytical self-assessments, and objective peer reviews for measuring, verifying, and advancing the quality of higher education institutions; reduced from 14 to 7 standards with a mission-centric approach.
• Institution Portal Web-based portal for institutional key contacts (CEO, ALO, CFO) to view and modify institution information, access Annual Institutional Update (AIU), accreditation reviews, training resources, and key contacts.
• Volunteer Portal Web-based portal for peer evaluators and commissioners to view and modify evaluator data, submit conflict of interest disclosures, manage meeting attendance, and process expense forms.
• Institution Directory Online searchable directory of over 630 MSCHE member institutions, providing accreditation status, state/country, phase, and Carnegie classification, with filter options for control type, state, country, phase, and classification.
• Annual Conference Annual premier event focused on advancing quality and excellence in higher education through innovative accreditation practices; features student poster presentations, sponsorship opportunities, and educational sessions; the 2026 conference is themed 'Innovate Boldly. Transform Together.' and scheduled for December 9-11, 2026; nearly 350 students have presented since 2022.
• Substantive Change Processing Review and approval service for significant changes to accredited institutions including new locations, programs, mergers, and other material alterations requiring Commission review.
• Self-Study Institute Training workshops and programs to help institutions prepare self-studies for accreditation reviews, including self-study guides for institutions in the Standards for Accreditation (SSI) cycle.
• Webinar Series Ongoing webinar programming covering the Commission's standards, requirements of affiliation, policies and procedures, federal compliance, and accreditation topics; accepts proposals from internal and external presenters.
• Commission Actions Disclosure Public disclosure of accreditation actions from Commission meetings, including accreditation placements, reaffirmations, and adverse actions against member institutions.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 500 institutions accredited across diverse geographic regions
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers16 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

22 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• United States Department of Education (USDE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMSCHE is recognized by USDE as an accrediting authority on higher education quality. The recognition enables institutions to access Title IV federal student aid programs through MSCHE accreditation. Recognition is maintained through periodic review by NACIQI and was renewed until May 31, 2028.
• National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity (NACIQI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNACIQI provides recommendations to the US Secretary of Education regarding accrediting agencies and institutional eligibility for federal student aid. NACIQI met December 16, 2025 to consider MSCHE recognition.
• Council of Recognized Accrediting Commissions (C-RAC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerC-RAC was created in 1996 by regional accreditors to exchange ideas and information, create joint policies, and work with Congress, higher education, and the public. MSCHE President Heather Perfetti serves as Chair of C-RAC.
• Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerC-RAC member - regional accrediting commission for community and junior colleges.
• Higher Learning Commission (HLC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerC-RAC member - regional accrediting commission (formerly North Central Association of Colleges and Schools).
• New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerC-RAC member - regional accrediting commission for New England institutions.
• Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerC-RAC member - regional accrediting commission for institutions in the Pacific Northwest.
• Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerC-RAC member - regional accrediting commission for Southern institutions.
• WASC Senior College and University Commission (WASC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerC-RAC member - regional accrediting commission for Western institutions.
• American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for collaboration on higher education standards and practices.
• American Council on Education (ACE)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on higher education policy, accreditation philosophy, and principles.
• Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMSCHE President Heather Perfetti serves on CHEA board of directors.
• Network for Quality Assurance Agencies in Higher Education (INQAAHE)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational network for quality assurance agencies; MSCHE participates in INQAAHE projects including drafting international good practices and creating certificates for quality assurance professionals.
• Kurdistan Accrediting Association for Education (KAAE)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMSCHE President Heather Perfetti serves as board member of KAAE.
• Husch BlackwellminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDiamond sponsor for MSCHE Annual Conference 2026.
• EllucianminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPlatinum sponsor for MSCHE Annual Conference 2026.
• Civitas LearningminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPlatinum sponsor for MSCHE Annual Conference 2026.
• EvisionsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPlatinum sponsor for MSCHE Annual Conference 2026.
• ACUEminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGold sponsor for MSCHE Annual Conference 2026.
• InterfoliominorGTM or Marketing PartnerGold sponsor for MSCHE Annual Conference 2026.
• NuventiveminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGold sponsor for MSCHE Annual Conference 2026.
• EdSightsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGold sponsor for MSCHE Annual Conference 2026.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Peers

• Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA):

Direct peers

• Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU): Regional accreditor for institutions in the Pacific Northwest. C-RAC peer of MSCHE providing parallel USDE-recognized institutional accreditation and peer review services.
• Higher Learning Commission (HLC): Regional accreditor (formerly North Central Association) covering a large U.S. footprint. Direct peer to MSCHE within C-RAC, offering institutional accreditation under the same USDE recognition framework.
• WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC): Regional accreditor for western U.S. institutions, serving as MSCHE's direct C-RAC counterpart on the West Coast with the same accreditation remit and federal recognition status.
• New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE): Regional institutional accreditor for New England institutions, recognized by USDE. Direct peer within C-RAC alongside MSCHE, sharing identical Title IV gatekeeper function and peer review model.
• Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC): Regional institutional accreditor serving southern U.S. institutions. Direct peer to MSCHE under the C-RAC umbrella, with the same Title IV-eligibility accreditation scope and peer review methodology.
• Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC): Regional accreditor focused on community and junior colleges. C-RAC peer of MSCHE serving an overlapping higher education accreditation role with a narrower institutional scope.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses1 record

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/mscheorg
• YouTubeyoutube.com/mscheorg
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mscheorg

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Middle States Commission on Higher Education