Capella University is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission and a member of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA). The Higher Learning Commission grants regional accreditation, the type most common for major public, state, and private universities.
In 2000, Capella University became the first online academic institution to become a charter participant of the Academic Quality Improvement Project (AQIP) of the NCA. AQIP participants commit to a program of continuous quality improvement (CQI) similar to initiatives practiced in private industry.