Licensing is the process used by the state of Wyoming to ensure that the educational institution meets the minimum standards stipulated by statute and rules and regulations. A license is a non-transferable document issued by the Wyoming Department of Education to a post secondary education institution located within the state or located out of state, but whose agents solicit students within the state in the name of the institution that permits the institution to solicit, offer, and maintain a course of instruction.
Accreditation is a voluntary process that colleges and schools elect to participate in.
It is not a state function. Accreditation assures that an institution's programs have met established standards for educational effectiveness. To insure a basic level of quality, accreditation through non-governmental peer evaluation has been instituted. Regional and national private educational associations have assumed this role. Wyoming does not accredit post secondary schools.