One of the most attractive features of the U.S. higher education system is the flexibility it provides through the number and diversity of institution types it encompasses. This diversity offers students options to specialize in a variety of academic disciplines and even gain employment training.

Nearly 4,000 accredited institutions make up U.S. higher education in the United States. Unlike many countries, U.S. higher education institutions are not centrally organized or managed but are accredited on a national or regional level by independent accrediting bodies.

A variety of institution types offer higher-education degrees. Liberal arts institutions, for example, offer courses in the arts, humanities, languages, and social and physical sciences. The majority of liberal arts institutions are private. Private colleges and universities are funded by a combination of endowments, gifts from alumni, research grants, and tuition fees. Private colleges and universities are usually smaller than public institutions and can have a religious affiliation or be single-sex schools.