根据美国宪法规定，各州政府负责注册并审批各类高等院校，但各院校是否被社会所认可则取决于政府承认的认证机构的认证。
美国高等院校包括公立与私立两种。主要实行二年学制或四年学制，二年制的多为技术专科学校和社区学院。据统计，目前美国各类高等院校有3600多所。
美国高等院校的质量认证一般由专业认证机构负责，经美国教育部认可的专业认证机构主要有六大区域认证机构及近百个专业认证机构。联邦政府通过认证机构间接起到对各院校的管理与规范。全美高等教育认证委员会（CHEA）是协调并审核认证机构的专业机构。 通过区域性认证协会或其它专业认证机构的认证，各院校可实现学分相互转换，所颁发的学位证书或文凭证书能获得社会的广泛认可.
以下为美国权威新闻类期刊US NEWS一年一度总结出的院校学术声望排名名单（2007年综合排名）
1. Princeton University(NJ)
2. Harvard University(MA)
3. Yale University(CT)
4. California Institute of Technology
4. Stanford University(CA)
4. Massachusetts Inst. of Technology
7. University of Pennsylvania
8. Duke University(NC)
9. Dartmouth College(NH)
9. Columbia University(NY)
9. University of Chicago
12. Cornell University(NY)
12. Washington University in St. Louis
14. Northwestern University(IL)
15. Brown University(RI)
16. Johns Hopkins University(MD)
17. Rice University(TX)
18. Vanderbilt University(TN)
18. Emory University(GA)
20. University of Notre Dame(IN)
21. Carnegie Mellon University(PA)
21. University of California—Berkeley *
23. Georgetown University(DC)
24. University of Virginia *
24. University of Michigan—Ann Arbor *
26. Univ. of California—Los Angeles *
27. U. of North Carolina—Chapel Hill *
27. Univ. of Southern California
27. Tufts University(MA)
30. Wake Forest University(NC)
31. College of William and Mary(VA) *
31. Brandeis University(MA)
33. Lehigh University(PA)
34. Univ. of Wisconsin—Madison *
34. Boston College
34. New York University
34. University of Rochester(NY)
38. Case Western Reserve Univ.(OH)
38. Univ. of California—San Diego *
38. Georgia Institute of Technology *
41. U. of Illinois—Urbana - Champaign *
42. University of Washington *
42. Rensselaer Polytechnic Inst.(NY)
44. University of California—Irvine *
44. Tulane University(LA) 11
44. Yeshiva University(NY)
47. Pennsylvania State U.—University Park *
47. University of Texas—Austin *
47. University of California—Davis *
47. Univ. of California—Santa Barbara *
47. University of Florida *
52. George Washington University(DC)
52. Syracuse University(NY)
54. Pepperdine University(CA)
54. University of Miami(FL)
54. Univ. of Maryland—College Park *
57. Ohio State University—Columbus *
57. University of Pittsburgh *
57. Boston University
60. Miami University—Oxford(OH) *
60. Texas A&M Univ.—College Station *
60. University of Georgia *
60. Rutgers—New Brunswick(NJ) *
64. Purdue Univ.—West Lafayette(IN) *
64. University of Iowa *
64. Worcester Polytechnic Inst.(MA)
67. University of Connecticut *
67. University of Delaware *
67. Univ. of Minnesota—Twin Cities *
70. Clemson University(SC) *
70. Southern Methodist University(TX)
70. Brigham Young Univ.—Provo(UT)
70. Indiana University—Bloomington *
70. Michigan State University *
70. Fordham University(NY)
76. Univ. of California—Santa Cruz *
77. Virginia Tech *
77. University of Colorado—Boulder *
77. St. Louis University
77. Stevens Institute of Technology(NJ)
81. North Carolina State U.—Raleigh *
81. Baylor University(TX)
81. Marquette University(WI)
81. Iowa State University *
81. Clark University(MA)
86. American University(DC)
86. SUNY—Binghamton *
88. University of Tulsa(OK)
88. University of Tennessee *
88. University of Vermont *
88. University of Alabama *
88. Auburn University(AL) *
88. Univ. of California—Riverside *
88. University of Denver
88. Howard University(DC)
88. University of Kansas *
88. Univ. of Missouri—Columbia *
98. University of Arizona *
98. University of the Pacific(CA)
98. Northeastern University(MA)
98. Univ. of Massachusetts—Amherst *
98. Univ. of Nebraska—Lincoln *
98. SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry *
98. SUNY—Stony Brook *
105. University of New Hampshire *
105. Texas Christian University
105. University of Dayton(OH)
105. University of San Diego
105. Illinois Institute of Technology
110. Ohio University *
110. Florida State University *
112. University of Missouri—Rolla *
112. University of Kentucky *
112. Loyola University Chicago
112. Washington State University *
112. University of San Francisco
112. Univ. of South Carolina—Columbia *
112. Drexel University(PA)
112. University of Oklahoma *
120. University of Utah *
120. University of Oregon *
120. Catholic University of America(DC)
120. University at Buffalo—SUNY *
124. Colorado State University *
124. Kansas State University *
124. New Jersey Inst. of Technology *
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