Penn Foster College Information

Accreditation

Penn Foster College has met the high standards of integrity and performance set by the Distance Education Accrediting Commission (DEAC) in Washington, D.C. The DEAC is listed by the U.S. Department of Education as a nationally recognized accrediting agency.

Licensing

Penn Foster Career School and High School are licensed by the Pennsylvania State Board of Private Licensed Schools. Penn Foster College is licensed by the Arizona State Board for Private Postsecondary Education and is authorized to award Associate of Science Degrees, Bachelor of Science Degrees, Undergraduate Certificates, and Career Diplomas.

College Credit Recommendations

Many Penn Foster College courses have been reviewed by the ACE College Credit Recommendation Service. The American Council on Education (ACE), the major coordinating body for all the nation’s higher education institutions, seeks to provide leadership and a unifying voice on key higher education issues and to influence public policy through advocacy, research, and program initiatives. Over 2,000 schools consider ACE credit recommendations for transfer to their degree programs. For more information, visit the ACE CREDIT website at www.acenet.edu. Credits earned in Penn Foster College programs may transfer to some, but not all, learning institutions. Students who plan to continue their education with another school after completing coursework at Penn Foster College should check with that school regarding credit transfer policies.

No form of accreditation guarantees that any learning institution will accept credits from any school as transfer credits.

Consumer Contact Information

Click here to view the list of consumer contact information for state agencies.

Penn Foster College's complaint policy is listed in the student catalog. Click here to view the complaint policy.

State Licensing Information

Licensing and/or certification requirements for jobs in certain fields are not the same in every state and may include educational, testing, and/or experiential requirements beyond those offered by your Penn Foster Program. You should contact the state professional licensing board or similar regulatory body in the state(s) where you plan to work to determine their requirements before enrolling in your Program. Please click here for contact information for state licensing/regulatory boards and certain industry licensing information.

Institution Mission Statement

The mission of Penn Foster is to enhance the lives of our students and clients through the acquisition of knowledge, skills, and credentials that can help them work toward their goals of advancing in their chosen field, starting a new career, or pursuing lifelong learning.

These are our Institutional Goals

• Provide educational programs that enable self-motivated, independent learners to acquire core competencies in their chosen technical and professional fields.
• Employ contemporary learning strategies based on academic standards of good practice in distance education.
• Develop and maintain systems that optimize student opportunities for broadly participative, interactive learning.
• Establish and communicate high standards of academic performance for students and the institution.
• Assess student learning and institutional effectiveness systematically in order to improve student performance.
• Provide an extensive suite of student support services based on student needs and interests.
• Conduct fiscally responsible planning that balances the institution's commitment to academic excellence with its concern for profitable financial performance.

The mission is supported by an admissions policy that allows students with appropriate prior education to enroll in programs without regard to race, national origin, religion, age, color, sex, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by local, state, or federal laws, rules, or regulations. The school regularly assesses fulfillment of its mission and achievement of institutional effectiveness through ongoing studies of student learning, measurement of student satisfaction, and evaluation of the career outcomes of graduates.

Areas of Special Focus

Allied Health, Business, Accounting, Technology, Education, and Engineering.

Description of Institution

Penn Foster College provides programs and services that are designed to meet the unique needs of the adult learner. Programs of study, which are offered via distance learning, lead to undergraduate degrees in the areas of business, technology, health, education, and social services.

Student Demographic Profile:

• 66% Female
• Average Age: 31
• Courses/Programs: See here.

Success Indicators

Percentage of Students surveyed¹ who responded that they —

• Achieved their learning goals: 96.3%.
• Would recommend the institution to a friend: 89.5%.
• Were satisfied with their studies: 95%. 

¹ Based on 397 surveys received in March 1, 2023 - February 29, 2024