Where to check a program’s accreditation, how to read what the directory shows, and the separate check that confirms certification eligibility.
A program’s accreditation is the single most important thing to confirm before enrolling, because in many cases it decides whether a graduate can certify at all. It is also easy to get wrong, because a program’s own marketing is not where the answer lives. Accreditation is confirmed at the accreditor. Here is how.
Step 1 — Check the accreditor’s own directory
The Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) publishes a public “Find an Accredited Program” directory, and it is the authoritative list (CAAHEP). A program that is currently accredited appears there. A program that does not appear there — and is not in a recognized pre-accreditation step — is not currently CAAHEP-accredited, whatever its website says.
Step 2 — Read the status, not just the listing
The directory shows more than a yes-or-no. Two details matter:
- “Letter of Review” is not full accreditation. Only currently accredited programs and those holding a Letter of Review are listed (CAAHEP). A Letter of Review is a pre-accreditation status for newer programs working toward full accreditation — a real distinction worth understanding before treating a listing as full accreditation.
- A past evaluation date is usually not a problem. If a program’s next evaluation date has already passed, it is likely under routine review; CAAHEP accreditation remains in place throughout that review until the Board votes (CAAHEP). A missing listing is the warning sign — an old date is not.
Step 3 — Cross-check JRC-DMS
The Joint Review Committee on Education in Diagnostic Medical Sonography (JRC-DMS) is the committee that reviews sonography programs for CAAHEP, and it points to the same CAAHEP directory as the canonical list (JRC-DMS). Finding the program on that shared list is the confirmation.
Step 4 — Confirm certification eligibility separately
Accreditation status and certification eligibility are two different checks, and CAAHEP advises confirming both before enrolling (CAAHEP). A program can be accredited, but a prospective student still needs to confirm that completing it makes them eligible to sit for the exam in the specialty they want — through ARDMS or CCI. Licensing and Certification covers the credentials, and Accreditation covers why accreditation gates eligibility.
A note on other accreditors: CAAHEP is the dominant accreditor for sonography programs, but it is not the only one — the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES) accredits some programs as well, and a few other pathways to certification exist. CAAHEP vs ABHES compares the two main routes. The verification principle is the same: confirm the status at the accreditor, then confirm exam eligibility with the certifying body.
Last verified: 2026-06-14. Accreditation directories and statuses change; confirm current details at CAAHEP, JRC-DMS, and ABHES directly. This page is informational and does not endorse or evaluate specific programs.