Des Moines Area Community College was granted accreditation candidacy status by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, now Higher Learning Commission, on March 21, 1971 and was fully accredited on March 27, 1974. DMACC has maintained full accreditation status through PEAQ, the AQIP Pathway, and most recently - reaffirmation of accreditation in the Open Pathway provided by the HLC Institutional Actions Council on February 27, 2017.
Higher Learning Commission (HLC) accreditation assures a standard of quality by verifying that an educational institution meets established criteria and is engaged in continuous improvement.
https://www.dmacc.edu/oie/Pages/accreditation.aspx