Step 1 - Regional Accreditation

A good online university has to be regionally accredited by one of the following six regional accrediting agencies recognized by the National Board of Education -

1. New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC)
2. North Central Association of Schools and Colleges (NCA)
3. Middle States Association of Schools and Colleges (MSA)
4. Southern Association of Schools and Colleges (SACS)
5. Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC)
6. Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges (NWCCU)

NOTE - There is also a "national" accrediting agency called DETC, however, its accreditation though recognized by the government [http://www.ed.gov/admins/finaid/accred/accreditation_pg8.html#det] is not considered nearly as valuable by most employers and universities as regional accreditation, so this accreditation should not be considered adequate when selecting the best online degree.