Catholic colleges acquire the same accreditations that secular schools do. The types of accreditations are national, regional, and program accreditation. Regional Accreditation is the most sought after and the hardest to get. Regional accreditation holds the highest standards, but also ensures that a school meets those high standards before accreditation is awarded.
Accreditation is like quality control for colleges. It ensures that schools meet up to specific standards and properly prepare students for their careers and life after college. Some careers, specifically ones that require a license or certification, require that students obtain their degrees from programs that are accredited, which is where program accreditation comes into play. This is very common for the field of nursing. That type of accreditation focuses on the specific academic program in question to make sure that its classes, professors, and facilities are up to a certain standard and prepare students sufficiently for a career in that field.
Catholic colleges, like most other colleges, obtain accreditation through a private, government-approved accreditor, and the process can take up to 10 years. Once accreditation is obtained, it must be renewed, typically every 10 years though it may vary depending on the type and the accreditor. A list of approved accreditors can be found on the United States Department of Education website. As for specific accreditation given to certain Catholic colleges, students will need to check the website or inquire with an admissions office of the college(s) they are interested in.