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年美国马里兰州教育部批准境外正规高校名单：

　　Aaron‘s Academy of Beauty (Waldorf)

　　AccuTech Career Institute (Frederick)

　　Aesthetics Institute of Cosmetology (Gaithersburg)

　　All-State Career School (Baltimore)

　　Allegany College of Maryland (Cumberland)

　　American Beauty Academy (Wheaton)

　　American Language Academy (Potomac)

　　Americare School of Allied Health (Wheaton)

　　Anne Arundel Community College (Arnold)

　　Award Beauty School, Inc. (Hagerstown)

　　Baltimore City Community College (Baltimore)

　　Baltimore Hebrew University (Baltimore)

　　Baltimore International College (Baltimore)

　　Baltimore School of Massage (Baltimore)

　　Baltimore Studio of Hair Design Inc. (Baltimore)

　　Blades School of Hair Design (California)

　　Bowie State University (Bowie)

　　Brescook, LLC (Timonium)

　　Broadcasting Institute of Maryland (Baltimore)

　　Bureau of Medicine and Surgery (Bethesda)

　　Bureau of Medicine and Surgery - Branch Campus (Bethesda)

　　Capital Bible Seminary (Lanham)

　　Capitol College (Laurel)

　　Carroll Community College (Westminster)

　　Cecil Community College (North East)

　　Chesapeake College (Wye Mills)

　　College Of Notre Dame Of Maryland (Baltimore)

　　College of Southern Maryland (La Plata)

　　Columbia Union College (Takoma Park)

　　Community College of Baltimore County (Baltimore)

　　Coppin State College (Baltimore)

　　Defense Acquisition University - Branch Campus (California)

　　Defense Information School (Ft. George G. Meade)

　　Defense Security Service Academy (Linthicum)

　　Del-Mar-Va Beauty Academy (Salisbury)

　　Diesel Institute of America (Grantsville)

　　Empire Beauty School, Inc. (Owings Mills)

　　Frederick Community College (Frederick)

　　Frostburg State University (Frostburg)

　　Garrett College (Mchenry)

　　Gordon Phillips School of Beauty Culture (Baltimore)

　　Goucher College (Baltimore)

　　Hagerstown Business College (Hagerstown)

　　Hagerstown Community College (Hagerstown)

　　Hair Academy, Inc. (New Carrolton)

　　Hair Expressions Academy, Inc. (Rockville)

　　Harford Community College (Bel Air)

　　Harrison Career Institute (Baltimore)

　　Hood College (Frederick)

　　Howard Community College (Columbia)

　　International Beauty School Bel-Air (Bel Air)

　　International Beauty School (Cumberland)

　　Johns Hopkins University (Baltimore)

　　L’Academie de Cuisine (Gaithersburg)

　　Lincoln Technical Institute (Columbia)

　　Loyola College in Maryland (Baltimore)

　　Maple Springs Baptist Bible College and Seminary (Capital Heights)

　　Maple Springs Seminary (Capital Heights)

　　Maryland Beauty Academy of Essex, Inc. (Baltimore)

　　Maryland Beauty Academy (Reisterstown)

　　Maryland Institute College of Art (Baltimore)

　　McDaniel College (Westminster)

　　Medix School (Towson)

　　Montgomery Beauty School (Silver Spring)

　　Montgomery College (Germantown)

　　Montgomery College (Rockville)

　　Montgomery College (Takoma Park)

　　Morgan State University (Baltimore)

　　Mount Saint Mary`s College and Seminary (Emmitsburg)

　　Mount Saint Mary‘s Seminary (Emmitsburg)

　　National Cryptologic School (Ft. Meade)

　　National Geospatial Intelligence College - Branch Campus (Bethesda)

　　National Labor College (Silver Spring)

　　Ner Israel Rabbinical College (Baltimore)

　　New Creation Academy of Hair Design (Suitland)

　　Omega Studio’s School of Applied (Rockville)

　　Prince George`s Community College (Largo)

　　Robert Paul Academy of Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (Timonium)

　　St. John`s College (Annapolis)

　　St. Mary`s College of Maryland (St. Mary`s City)

　　Saint Mary`s Seminary & University (Baltimore)

　　Salisbury University (Salisbury)

　　Scott College of Cosmetology (Cumberland)

　　Sojourner - Douglass College (Baltimore)

　　TAI Sophia Institute (Laurel)

　　TESST College of Technology (Baltimore)

　　TESST College of Technology (Beltsville)

　　TESST College of Technology (Towson)

　　Towson University (Towson)

　　Ultrasound Diagnostic School (Landover)

　　Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (Bethesda)

　　United States Naval Academy (Annapolis)

　　University of Baltimore (Baltimore)

　　University of Maryland, Baltimore (Baltimore)

　　University of Maryland, Baltimore County (Baltimore)

　　University of Maryland, College Park (College Park)

　　University of Maryland Eastern Shore (Princess Anne)

　　University of Maryland University College (Adelphi)

　　U.S. Army Ordnance Mechanical Maintenance School (Aberdeen Proving Ground)

　　Villa Julie College (Stevenson)

　　Washington Bible College (Lanham Seabrook)

　　Washington Bible College/Capital Bible Seminary (Lanham Seabrook)

　　Washington College (Chestertown)

　　Wor-Wic Community College (Salisbury)

　　Yeshiva of the Nation‘s Capital (Silver Spring)