University of the Potomac was originally established in 1989 as Potomac Educational Foundation to operate an educational institution of higher learning. In 1991, it became Potomac College, a two-year, upper division degree-completion institution in Rockville, Maryland serving working adults who were currently employed and were seeking to complete their college degrees.

In December 1994, Potomac was accredited by the Accrediting Council of Independent Colleges and Schools.
Potomac College relocated from Rockville, Maryland to 4000 Chesapeake Street NW, Washington, DC in 1997 and was granted approval to award Bachelor of Science degrees by the District of Columbia Education Licensure Commission.

In 1998, the State Council on Higher Education of Virginia granted Potomac College approval to award Bachelor of Science degrees at Virginia campus. Courses were initiated in Herndon, Virginia in 2001.

During these times, Potomac experienced a distinct shift in their student and employer- customer demands and both companies, and their employees, began to demand regional accreditation as a response to the shifting marketplace. As a result, Potomac College pursued, and was granted in June 2006, regional accreditation through Middle States Commission on Higher Education. The Middle States Commission on Higher Education is a post-secondary accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education and Council of Higher Education Accreditation.

In 2005, in order to respond to demands in the marketplace, Potomac launched Associate Degree programs.
In 2007, the College received approval to offer online programs, and in the fall of 2008, the College initiated online course delivery to complement the two on-ground campus location.

In November 2011, the Commission reaffirmed the College’s accreditation and confirmed that its next evaluation visit was scheduled for 2013-14.

In 2012, the Virginia branch campus was relocated to 2070 Chain Bridge Road, near Tyson’s Corner, in Vienna, VA.

In 2013, Potomac College was renamed University of the Potomac. This name change has been approved by the District of Columbia Education Licensure Commission in the Office of the State Superintendent of Education. The school’s new “University” status is the result of years of academic growth for the institution. To accommodate its growth, University of the Potomac relocated its Washington, D.C. campus into the heart of the city’s business and government district at 1401 H Street NW, three blocks from the White House.

In 2019, the Virginia branch campus was relocated to 7799 Leesburg Pike, Suite 200, near Tyson’s Corner in Falls Church, VA. 

The University of the Potomac currently offers three Doctoral degrees, nine Master’s degrees, sixteen Bachelor of Science degrees, five Associate of Science degrees, and 14 certificate programs. Management, information technology, and business are the primary areas of education.