As the largest community college system in Arizona, Maricopa Community Colleges remains the top choice for students seeking higher education. The system, which offers eight bachelor's degrees, will launch three additional programs this fall. Recent nationwide data, including FAFSA submissions and first-year student enrollment figures, signal that students still want to attend college. Students looking to start or resume their higher education can take advantage of the Valley’s most affordable bachelor’s degree programs, all with a 100% acceptance rate.
The Big Picture
The cost of attendance at U.S. colleges and universities has skyrocketed, with tuition and fees tripling since 2000. Today, students can expect to pay, on average, $11,610 in tuition alone to attend a public, four-year university. In Arizona, the total is slightly lower, at $7,556. Why break the bank when community colleges offer high-quality education, including bachelor's degrees—for a fraction of the cost?
“Today, more than ever, students need access to opportunities that will help them move into high-demand jobs and earn a living wage,” said Dr. Steven R. Gonzales, Maricopa Community Colleges Chancellor. “Affordability doesn’t mean that students lose out on academic rigor or real-world training, it simply means a student’s dollar stretches further; for the same education a traditional, four-year institution offers.”
Bachelor’s Degrees Made for the Real World
Maricopa Community Colleges’ bachelor’s degree programs were created to address critical workforce needs. Intentional by design, the system’s current and future offerings will help combat shortages in critical areas, including teaching, nursing, public safety, and information technology. Since launching eight bachelor’s degree programs, more than 5,200 students have enrolled. Today’s learners need realistic options when it comes to higher education. Through Maricopa Community Colleges’ bachelor’s degrees, students can:
- Reduce the burden of student debt: Today, more than 42 million Americans have student loan debt. At the end of 2024, the average American borrower’s student loan debt was $38,375. At Maricopa Community Colleges, students save 75 percent on tuition, about one-quarter of the tuition cost of a public, in-state university.
- Learn close to home: Students can take up to 90 credits at any of the system’s 10 colleges.
- Boost earning potential: Students who earn a bachelor’s degree have the potential to increase their monthly income by an estimated $2,000.
Driving the Change
Community colleges have long been drivers of regional workforce development, creating programs that prepare students to move directly into roles our community depends on. From 2021 to 2023, the number of community colleges offering bachelor’s degrees grew by 32%. Today, 203 public, two-year colleges award bachelor’s degrees. According to data from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System, community colleges accounted for 25,000 bachelor’s degrees conferred nationwide during the 2020-21 academic year. This fall, Maricopa Community Colleges will offer three new bachelor’s degrees in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning at Chandler-Gilbert Community College, Business Administration-Accounting at Paradise Valley Community College, and Business Administration-Management at Scottsdale Community College.
A Student’s Perspective
Aryanaz Besharatlou, a student earning her bachelor’s degree in Information Technology, felt relief knowing she could pursue higher education without the burden of debt, stating, “When I heard about the program, a huge weight was lifted from my shoulders because just the thought about going to college, having to already start paying for loans at 20 was so, so scary.”
Learn more about the Valley’s most affordable bachelor’s degrees by visiting maricopa.edu/bachelors.