The benchmark for being an accredited or sophisticated investor is set by the SEC. An accredited investor is someone who meets one of the three criteria: a) earned an income of $200,000 in the last two years and expect to make the same this year, b) earned an income of $300,000 filing jointly in the last two years, or c) have a net worth of $1,000,000, not including their primary residence. If someone does not meet the accredited investor criteria, they are considered non-accredited.
Sophisticated investors must “have enough knowledge and experience in business matters to evaluate the risks and merits of an investment.”