Maricopa Community Colleges expands low-cost bachelor's degrees
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Arizonans will soon have more bachelor's degree options through Maricopa Community Colleges, at a fraction of the price of a traditional university.
Why it matters: The total cost of a four-year degree through Maricopa Community Colleges can run as little as $15,000. At Arizona's universities, the in-state tuition price tag is closer to $50,000.
The big picture: Maricopa Community Colleges, which encompasses 10 colleges Valleywide, aims to prepare locals for the changing economy, and believes the new degrees will fill labor gaps in the state.
Driving the news: The college system announced Tuesday that it'll add three additional bachelor's degree programs next spring:
- Exercise Science: Students who plan to pursue a Doctor of Physical Therapy degree after graduation can take advantage of a partnership between Mesa Community College and A.T. Still University that allows them to begin the doctoral program while in undergrad.
- Health Services Leadership: This degree, offered at GateWay Community College, will prepare students for roles in health care administration, public health and health technology — industries projected to grow by more than 20% in the next decade.
- Law and Legal Studies: Based out of Rio Salado College, this program will prep students to work as legal paraprofessionals, who are licensed to give legal advice and represent clients in some matters of law, including family and probate.
Catch up quick: The Arizona Legislature in 2021 changed state law to allow community colleges to offer some bachelor's degrees — a move that was fiercely opposed by the Arizona Board of Regents, which oversees the state's three universities.
- Community colleges can only offer degree programs that meet a workforce need and can't duplicate existing university offerings.
By the numbers: Maricopa Community Colleges has developed 11 bachelor's programs and graduated 600 students since 2023.
- More than 60% of degree seekers are first-generation college students, and nearly 40% are age 30 or older.
The bottom line: "We are no longer just an option, but rather the most affordable option for a bachelor's degree in Maricopa County," per chancellor Steven Gonzales.