Statement of Accreditation Status
as of July 3, 2024
Maricopa Community Colleges-Rio Salado Community College
2323 W. 14th Street
Tempe, AZ 85281-6950
(480) 517-8000
http://www.riosalado.edu/
The information on this page describes the accreditation relationship between this institution and the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). General information about HLC and the accreditation process is provided at the end of this document.
Accreditation Information
Current status: Accredited
• Action Letter - Reaffirmation of Accreditation
Candidacy date(s): |
|
Accreditation granted: |
|
Most recent reaffirmation of accreditation: 2021 - 2022
Next reaffirmation of accreditation: 2031 - 2032
Upcoming or In-Progress Reviews
Date | Event | Description |
02/09/2026: | Assurance Review | |
2031 - 2032: | Comprehensive Evaluation | |
Most Recent History With HLC
Date | Event | Description |
05/23/2022: | Comprehensive Evaluation | Reaffirm Accreditation |
11/20/2020: | Monitoring, Non-Financial Indicator | Accepted |
11/22/2019: | Monitoring, Non-Financial Indicator | Accepted |
02/13/2018: | Monitoring, Non-Financial Indicator | Accepted |
02/13/2018: | Monitoring, Non-Financial Indicator | Accepted |
06/26/2017: | Interim Report | Accepted |
05/16/2016: | Assurance Review | Review Completed with Monitoring |
11/06/2015: | Monitoring, Non-Financial Indicator | Accepted |
08/20/2012: | Reaffirmation of Accreditation (PEAQ) | |
Student Success Outcomes
Student outcome information, including graduation rates and other measures, is available on the institution's website and the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard and College Navigator.
• Maricopa Community Colleges-Rio Salado Community College Student Achievement Data
• College Scorecard: Maricopa Community Colleges-Rio Salado Community College
• College Navigator: Maricopa Community Colleges-Rio Salado Community College
Note: The College Scorecard and College Navigator links above will take you to information about the institution's main campus. Some colleges or universities may report separate information on these websites for certain divisions or branch campuses. Search these sites to find this additional information.
Institutional Characteristics
Please note: All institutions are required to represent themselves accurately and consistently to multiple agencies. Information about the institution that is published by other agencies may appear differently, depending on the timing of the institution's updates to those agencies or those agencies' definitions or standards. For example, an institution's control may be categorized differently by the U.S. Department of Education for other purposes under its standards.
Control
Public
Number of Educational Programs
Degree programs:
- Associate's: 31
- Bachelor's: 2
Branch Campuses and Additional Locations
Approved Branch Campuses and Additional Locations
The institution's accreditation includes courses and programs offered at the branch campuses and additional locations listed below. This list includes campuses and locations that are active and inactive (i.e., not currently enrolling students).
Last updated: 06/12/2024
In-State
Branch Campuses
None.
Additional Locations
Achieve - Tempe, Arizona
Agua Fria High School - Avondale, Arizona
Alaska Airlines - Chandler, Arizona
Allstate Insurance - Chandler, Arizona
Arizona Department of Juvenile Corrections-Adobe Mountain School - Phoenix, Arizona
Arizona Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Division - Phoenix, Arizona
Arizona Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Division - Phoenix, Arizona
Arizona Public Service - Phoenix, Arizona
Arizona Public Service - Phoenix, Arizona
ASPC - Douglas - Douglas, Arizona
ASPC - Eyman - Florence, Arizona
ASPC - Kingman - Golden Valley, AZ, Arizona
ASPC - Phoenix - Phoenix, Arizona
ASPC - Safford - Safford, Arizona
ASPC - Tucson - Tucson, Arizona
ASPC - Winslow - Winslow, Arizona
ASPC - Yuma - Yuma, Arizona
ASPC Lewis - Buckeye, Arizona
ASPC-Perryville - Goodyear, Arizona
Barry Goldwater High School - Phoenix, Arizona
Blue Cross Blue Shield - Phoenix, Arizona
Blue Cross Blue Shield - Phoenix, Arizona
Boulder Creek High School - Anthem, Arizona
Brophy College Preparatory - Phoenix, Arizona
Buckeye Union High School - Buckeye, Arizona
Canyon View High School - Waddell, Arizona
Central Arizona Correctional Facility - Florence, Arizona
Copper Canyon High School - Glendale, Arizona
Corona Del Sol High School - Tempe, Arizona
Correctional Officer Training Academy - Tucson, Arizona
Cox Communications - Phoenix, Arizona
CVS Caremark - Phoenix, Arizona
CVS Caremark - Phoenix, Arizona
CVS Caremark - Chandler, Arizona
Deer Valley High School - Glendale, Arizona
Department of Economic Security - Phoenix, Arizona
Department of Economic Security - Phoenix, Arizona
Department of Economic Security - Phoenix, Arizona
Department of Public Safety - Phoenix, Arizona
Department of Rehabilitation and Supervision - Gila River Indian Community - Sacaton, Arizona
Desert Edge High School - Goodyear, Arizona
Desert Vista High School - Phoenix, Arizona
Discover Financial Services - Phoenix, Arizona
Dysart High School - El Mirage, Arizona
Estrella Foothills High School - Goodyear, Arizona
FCI - Phoenix - Phoenix, Arizona
Florence West Correction and Rehabilitation Facility - Florence, Arizona
Freedom Financial Network - Phoenix, Arizona
Freedom Financial Network - Tempe, Arizona
Heritage Academy - Mesa, Arizona
Heritage Academy - Gateway - Queen Creek, Arizona
Heritage Academy - Laveen - Laveen Village, Arizona
Heritage Academy - Maricopa - Maricopa, Arizona
Horizon High School - Scottsdale, Arizona
La Joya Community High School - Avondale, Arizona
La Palma Correctional Center - Eloy, Arizona
Marcos de Niza High School - Tempe, Arizona
Maricopa County Sheriff's Office - Phoenix, Arizona
Maricopa County Sheriff's Office - Lake Patrol Division - Mesa, Arizona
Maricopa County Sherriff's Office Detention Academy - Phoenix, Arizona
McClintock High School - Tempe, Arizona
Mesa Police Academy - Mesa, Arizona
Midwestern University Dental Institute - Glendale, Arizona
Millennium High School - Goodyear, Arizona
Mountain Pointe High School - Phoenix, Arizona
Mountain Ridge High School - Glendale, Arizona
Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company - Scottsdale, Arizona
North Canyon High School - Phoenix, Arizona
Paradise Honors High School - Surprise, Arizona
Paradise Valley High School - Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix Police Academy (formerly, Phoenix Regional Police Academy) - Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix Police Department 911 Call Center - Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix West Correctional and Rehabilitation Facility - Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix West Correctional and Rehabilitation Facility - Phoenix, Arizona
Pinnacle High School - Phoenix, Arizona
Progressive Insurance - Phoenix, Arizona
Red Rock Correctional Center - Eloy, Arizona
RSC Northern - Phoenix, Arizona
RSC Southern - Tempe, Arizona
RSC Thomas - Phoenix, Arizona
Saguaro Correctional Center - Eloy, Arizona
Salt River Pima Maricopa Indian Community Department of Corrections - Scottsdale, Arizona
Salt River Project - Mesa, Arizona
Salt River Project - Tempe, Arizona
Salt River Project - Mesa, Arizona
Salt River Project - Queen Creek, Arizona
Salt River Project - Tempe, Arizona
Sandra Day O'Connor High School - Phoenix, Arizona
Shadow Mountain High School - Phoenix, Arizona
Shadow Ridge High School - Surprise, Arizona
Sierra Linda High School - Phoenix, Arizona
State Farm Insurance - Tempe, Arizona
Surprise Police Department - Surprise, Arizona
Take Charge America - Phoenix, Arizona
Televerde - Phoenix, Arizona
Tempe High School - Tempe, Arizona
Tempe Preparatory Academy - Tempe, Arizona
USAA - Phoenix, Arizona
Valley Vista High School - Surprise, Arizona
Verrado High School - Buckeye, Arizona
Willow Canyon High School - Surprise, Arizona
Xavier College Prep - Phoenix, Arizona
Youngker High School - Buckeye, Arizona
Out-of-State
Branch Campuses
None.
Additional Locations
None.
International
Branch Campuses
None.
Additional Locations
None.
HLC's Notification Program for Additional Locations
Institutions that meet certain eligibility criteria may apply to participate in HLC's Notification Program for Additional Locations. This program allows institutions to open new locations after notifying HLC and receiving confirmation that the location has been added to our records, rather than applying for approval through the standard substantive change process.
Participation Status
The institution participates in the Notification Program for Additional Locations.
About HLC and Accreditation
HLC is an institutional accreditation agency that accredits degree-granting colleges and universities that are based in the United States.
Institutional accreditation validates the quality of an institution as a whole and evaluates multiple aspects of an institution, including its academic offerings, governance and administration, mission, finances, and resources. HLC's accreditation includes all degree levels as well as on-site and online course delivery. Institutions of higher education in the United States may also seek accreditation through specialized or programmatic accreditation agencies, which accredit programs, departments or schools within a college or university.
Evaluation Process
Institutions that HLC accredits are evaluated against its Criteria for Accreditation and other HLC requirements. HLC accreditation assures quality by verifying that an institution (1) meets threshold requirements and (2) is engaged in continuous improvement. In addition, all institutions are required to report data annually in the Institutional Update, undergo annual monitoring of financial and non-financial indicators, and adhere to HLC policies and practices.
The accreditation process is based on a system of peer review. Faculty and staff from institutions of higher education serve as HLC peer reviewers conducting accreditation evaluations for other institutions. They make recommendations to HLC’s decision-making bodies, which take final action on institutional evaluations.
Decision Making
HLC's decision-making bodies evaluate and make decisions, called actions, on recommendations from peer reviewers and staff that review institutions for their compliance with HLC's Criteria for Accreditation and other requirements. The decision-making bodies are comprised of institutional representatives and public members. See Decision-Making Bodies and Processes for more information.
Public Information
HLC is committed to providing information to the public regarding accreditation decisions made regarding individual institutions.
Actions that are taken by HLC regarding an institution's accreditation status are disclosed to the public. In cases of reaffirming continued accreditation, placing an institution on or reviewing a sanction, or withdrawing accreditation, the Action Letter issued to the institution is made available on the institution's Statement of Accreditation Status, found by searching the institution's name through HLC's online directory. Public Disclosure Notices (PDNs) are also issued and posted in the directory in cases of sanction, assigning or removing an institutional designation, resignation of accreditation or candidacy, institutional closing or withdrawal of accreditation by HLC. The PDN provides the public with the most applicable information from the posted Action Letter. HLC decision-making outcomes also are summarized on the HLC Institutional Actions page.
Complaints Against Institutions
HLC has a formal complaint process, consisting of an online complaint form for faculty, students and other parties to submit information regarding a member institution’s potential non-compliance with HLC requirements. As stated in HLC policy, the complaints process is designed to enable HLC to review, in a timely and fair manner, information that suggests potential substantive non-compliance with an institution's ability to meet HLC requirements.