If you are looking at massage schools, you may have seen that some are accredited and others are not. Accreditation is one way to evaluate the quality of education coming from specific schools. The U.S. Department of Education sets national standards that accrediting agencies then use to evaluate programs. Accreditation is a voluntary process initiated by the massage school. While becoming accredited lends credibility to a program, it is also expensive and creates much extra work for the administrators at the school, which can sometimes increase the cost of tuition. Because of this fact, it is important to examine other criteria such as state and national certification and licensing to see if the school is following national standards.

There are many reasons why you might want to attend an accredited massage school over one that is not accredited. Federal financial aid such as loans and grants are only available to students of accredited programs. Also, some states require students to graduate from an accredited program in order to become licensed. If the state where you plan to practice requires accreditation, then you will want to know that you are investing your time and money in an accredited massage school. A third reason for considering an accredited school is in consideration of future credit transfers. Many schools will not transfer credits from schools that are not accredited.

There are several organizations that may provide accreditation to massage schools that work under recognition of the U.S. Department of Education:

• Commission on Massage Therapy Accreditation (COMTA) is an independent, non-profit accrediting agency through which many massage schools receive accreditation.
• Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges of Technology (ACCSCT) provides accreditation to occupational, trade, and technical career schools.
• National Accrediting Commission of Cosmetology Arts and Sciences (NACCAS) offers accreditation to schools specializing in cosmetology arts and sciences.
• Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES) accredits allied health education programs, so most of the massage schools accredited through this agency tend to focus on more clinical approaches.
• Accrediting Council for Continuing Education and Training (ACCET) focuses on organizations with educational purposes and specifically on those which offer continuing education and training to prepare adults for careers.
• Council on Occupational Education (COE) provides accreditation to career and technical education schools.
• Accrediting Commission of Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS) offers accreditation to independent schools conferring certificates, diplomas, or degrees for professional, technical, and occupational careers.

In addition to these accrediting agencies, another organization that lends credibility to massage school programs is the American Massage Therapy Association Council of Schools, which promotes quality education and high standards among its member schools. Member schools must meet all guidelines for their particular jurisdiction as well as provide a minimum of 500 hours of instruction. A member school is not necessarily an accredited school, though, so check carefully if you must attend an accredited school.