据了解，美国宪法规定，各州政府负责注册并审批各类高等院校，但各院校是否被社会所认可则取决于政府承认的认证机构的认证。

　　美国高等院校包括公立与私立两种。主要实行二年学制或四年学制，二年制的多为技术专科学校和社区学院。据统计，目前美国各类高等院校有3600多所。

　　美国高等院校的质量认证一般由专业认证机构负责，经美国教育部认可的专业认证机构主要有六大区域认证机构及近百个专业认证机构。联邦政府通过认证机构间接起到对各院校的管理与规范。全美高等教育认证委员会（CHEA）是协调并审核认证机构的专业机构。 通过区域性认证协会或其它专业认证机构的认证，各院校可实现学分相互转换，所颁发的学位证书或文凭证书能获得社会的广泛认可。

　　2012年美国阿里桑纳州教育部批准境外正规高校名单：

　　American Graduate School of International Management (Glendale)

　　American Indian College of the Assemblies of God (Phoenix)

　　American Institute of Technology (Phoenix)

　　Apollo College (Mesa)

　　Apollo College (Phoenix)

　　Apollo College (Tucson)

　　Arizona Academy of Beauty, Inc. (Tucson)

　　Arizona Academy of Beauty-North Inc. (Tucson)

　　Arizona Automotive Institute (Glendale)

　　Arizona College of Allied Health (Glendale)

　　Arizona State University (Tempe)

　　Arizona State University West (Phoenix)

　　Arizona Western College (Yuma)

　　The Art Center Design College (Tucson)

　　The Art Institute of Phoenix (Phoenix)

　　Artistic Beauty Colleges (Chandler)

　　Artistic Beauty Colleges (Flagstaff)

　　Artistic Beauty Colleges (Glendale)

　　Artistic Beauty Colleges (Phoenix)

　　Artistic Beauty Colleges (Prescott)

　　Artistic Beauty Colleges (Scottsdale)

　　Artistic Beauty Colleges (Tucson)

　　The Bryman School (Phoenix)

　　Carsten Institute (Tempe)

　　Central Arizona College (Coolidge)

　　Chaparral College (Tucson)

　　Charles of Italy Bty College & Mass. Ther. School (Lake Havasu City)

　　Cochise College (Douglas)

　　Coconino County Community College (Flagstaff)

　　CollegeAmerica (Flagstaff)

　　Collins College (Tempe)

　　Conservatory of Recording Arts (Tempe)

　　Desert Institute of the Healing Arts (Tucson)

　　DeVoe College of Beauty (Sierra Vista)

　　Din?College (Tsaile)

　　Earl‘s Academy of Beauty (Mesa)

　　Eastern Arizona College (Thatcher)

　　Everest College (Phoenix)

　　Frank Lloyd Wright School of Architecture (Scottsdale)

　　Golf Academy of Arizona (Chandler)

　　Grand Canyon University (Phoenix)

　　HDS Truck Driving Institute (Tucson)

　　High-Tech Institute (Phoenix)

　　International Academy of Beauty (Mesa)

　　International Academy of Hair Design (Tempe)

　　International Baptist College (Tempe)

　　International Institute of the Americas (Mesa)

　　International Institute of the Americas (Phoenix)

　　International Institute of the Americas (Tucson)

　　ITT Technical Institute (Tempe)

　　ITT Technical Institute (Tucson)

　　Kar-Che’ The Professional Career Center (Phoenix)

　　Lamson College (Tempe)

　　Laun & Associates, Inc. (Phoenix)

　　Long Technical College (Phoenix)

　　Maricopa Beauty College (Avondale)

　　Maricopa County Community College-Chandler-Gilbert Community College (Chandler)

　　Maricopa County Community College-Estrella Mountain Community College (Avondale)

　　Maricopa County Community College-GateWay Community College (Phoenix)

　　Maricopa County Community College-Glendale Community College (Glendale)

　　Maricopa County Community College-Mesa Community College (Mesa)

　　Maricopa County Community College-Paradise Valley Community College (Phoenix)

　　Maricopa County Community College-Phoenix College (Phoenix)

　　Maricopa County Community College-Rio Salado Community College (Tempe)

　　Maricopa County Community College-Scottsdale Community College (Scottsdale)

　　Maricopa County Community College-South Mountain Community College (Phoenix)

　　Metropolitan College (Phoenix)

　　Mohave Community College (Kingman)

　　Motorcycle Mechanics Institute (Phoenix)

　　Mundus Institute (Phoenix)

　　Northcentral University (Prescott)

　　Northern Arizona University (Flagstaff)

　　Northland Pioneer College (Holbrook)

　　Phoenix Seminary (Scottsdale)

　　Phoenix Therapeutic Massage College (Scottsdale)

　　Pima County Community College District (Tucson)

　　Pima Medical Institute (Mesa)

　　Pima Medical Institute-Mesa (Mesa)

　　Pima Medical Institute (Tucson)

　　Premier Training, Inc. (Tucson)

　　Prescott College (Prescott)

　　Quantum Helicopters (Chandler)

　　Rainstar University (Scottsdale)

　　The Refrigeration School (Phoenix)

　　Remington College -Tempe Campus (Tempe)

　　Roberto-Venn School of Luthiery (Phoenix)

　　Safford College of Beauty Culture (Safford)

　　Scottsdale Culinary Institute (Scottsdale)

　　Southwest Institute of Healing Arts (Tempe)

　　Southwestern College (Phoenix)

　　Toni & Guy Hairdressing Academy (Phoenix)

　　Toni & Guy Hairdressing Academy (Scottsdale)

　　Tucson College (Tucson)

　　Tucson Design College (Tucson)

　　Turning Point Beauty College, Inc. (Casa Grande)

　　Universal Technical Institute (Phoenix)

　　University of Advancing Technology (Tempe)

　　University of Arizona (Tucson)

　　University of Phoenix (Phoenix)

　　Western International University (Phoenix)