Calumet College of St. Joseph has been accredited by the commission since 1968. Its accreditation is at the baccalaureate level and includes degree sites at various locations within Northwest Indiana and Chicago. The Commission on Institutions of Higher Education is one of six accrediting agencies in the United States that provides institutional accreditation on a regional basis.
Institutional accreditation evaluates an entire institution and accredits it as a whole.
Other agencies provide accreditation for specific programs. Accreditation is voluntary. The commission accredits approximately 950 institutions of higher education in a 19-state region. The commission is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For the past 18 months, Calumet College of St. Joseph has been engaged in a process of self-study, addressing the commission's requirements and criteria for accreditation.