Short answer: an accredited Bible college has been approved by an accreditor that the U.S. Department of Education or CHEA recognizes, most often ABHE, TRACS, ATS, or a regional accreditor. Only those schools can offer federal financial aid, and their credits are the most likely to transfer.
Below are the accreditors that count, a quick way to check any school, and accredited Bible colleges in every state.
Recognized accreditors for Bible colleges
- ABHE: the main accreditor built for Bible colleges. See the ABHE schools list.
- ATS (Association of Theological Schools): accredits seminaries and graduate theology schools.
- TRACS (Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools): accredits Christian colleges, including many small Bible colleges.
- Regional accreditors (SACSCOC, HLC, MSCHE, NECHE, NWCCU, WSCUC): accredit Christian universities that offer Bible degrees.
Some agencies sound official but are not recognized. Read our accreditation guide before paying tuition.
Check any school in two minutes
- Find the school's accreditor on its website, usually on the "About" or "Accreditation" page.
- Search the school in the DAPIP database.
- Confirm the accreditor appears in the CHEA directory.
Or use our accreditation lookup.
Accredited Bible colleges by state
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Study online instead
No school nearby? Compare accredited online Bible colleges and the cheapest online Bible schools.
Frequently asked questions
- What makes a Bible college accredited?
- A Bible college is accredited when an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education or CHEA has reviewed and approved it. For Bible colleges that usually means ABHE (Association for Biblical Higher Education), TRACS, ATS for graduate schools, or a regional accreditor such as SACSCOC, HLC or WSCUC.
- Why does Bible college accreditation matter?
- Only schools accredited by a federally recognized agency can offer federal financial aid such as Pell Grants and Direct Loans. Accreditation also affects whether your credits transfer, whether graduate schools accept your degree, and whether denominations and chaplaincy endorsers recognize it.
- How do I check if a Bible college is accredited?
- Search the school in the U.S. Department of Education's DAPIP database and confirm the accreditor is one the Department recognizes. Then check the accreditor's own member directory. Be cautious if a school's accreditor does not appear in DAPIP or the CHEA directory.
- Are there accredited online Bible colleges?
- Yes. Many ABHE- and regionally accredited schools offer fully online degrees with the same accreditation as their campus programs. See our list of accredited online Bible colleges.
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