據了解，美國憲法規定，各州政府負責注冊并審批各類高等院校，但各院校是否被社會所認可則取決于政府承認的認證機構的認證。

　　美國高等院校包括公立與私立兩種。主要實行二年學制或四年學制，二年制的多為技術?？茖W校和社區學院。據統計，目前美國各類高等院校有3600多所。

　　美國高等院校的質量認證一般由專業認證機構負責，經美國教育部認可的專業認證機構主要有六大區域認證機構及近百個專業認證機構。聯邦政府通過認證機構間接起到對各院校的管理與規范。全美高等教育認證委員會（CHEA）是協調并審核認證機構的專業機構。 通過區域性認證協會或其它專業認證機構的認證，各院?？蓪崿F學分相互轉換，所頒發的學位證書或文憑證書能獲得社會的廣泛認可。

　　2012年美國西弗吉尼亞州教育部批準境外正規高校名單：

　　West Virginia

　　Alderson-Broaddus College (Philippi)

　　Appalachian Bible College (Bradley)

　　Beckley Beauty Academy (Beckley)

　　Bethany College (Bethany)

　　Bluefield State College (Bluefield)

　　Charleston School of Beauty Culture (Charleston)

　　Clarksburg Beauty Academy (Clarksburg)

　　Concord College (Athens)

　　Davis and Elkins College (Elkins)

　　Fairmont State College (Fairmont)

　　Fairmont State Community and Technical College (Fairmont)

　　Glenville State College (Glenville)

　　Harpers Ferry Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center (Harpers Ferry)

　　Huntington Junior College (Huntington)

　　Huntington School of Beauty Culture, Inc. (Huntington)

　　International Academy of Design and Technology (Fairmont)

　　International Beauty School (Martinsburg)

　　Marshall University (Huntington)

　　Meredith Manor International Equestrian Centre (Waverly)

　　Morgantown Beauty College, Inc. (Morgantown)

　　Mountain State College (Parkersburg)

　　Mountain State University (Beckley)

　　Mountaineer Beauty College, Inc. (St. Albans)

　　National Institute of Technology (Cross Lanes)

　　Ohio Valley College (Vienna)

　　Potomac State College of West Virginia University (Keyser)

　　Salem International University (Salem)

　　Scott College of Cosmetology (Wheeling)

　　Shepherd College (Shepherdstown)

　　Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College (Mount Gay)

　　The University of Charleston (Charleston)

　　Valley Beauty School (Parkersburg)

　　Valley College of Technology (Beckley)

　　Valley College of Technology (Martinsburg)

　　Valley College of Technology (Princeton)

　　West Liberty State College (West Liberty)

　　West Virginia Business College (Nutter Fort)

　　West Virginia Business College (Wheeling)

　　West Virginia Junior College (Bridgeport)

　　West Virginia Junior College (Charleston)

　　West Virginia Junior College (Morgantown)

　　West Virginia Northern Community College (Wheeling)

　　West Virginia State College (Institute)

　　West Virginia University Institute of Technology (Montgomery)

　　West Virginia University (Morgantown)

　　West Virginia University at Parkersburg (Parkersburg)

　　West Virginia Wesleyan College (Buckhannon)

　　Wheeling Jesuit University (Wheeling)