MACC Legislative Resources

Community colleges remain the most affordable postsecondary option in Maryland’s higher education landscape; however, the cost of attending a community college has risen steadily over the past several years. Continuous rebasing of the formulas that determine the annual state aid to our institutions has moved the community college funding premise of 33% state-funded, 33% county-funded, and 33% student-funded to a point where students now often pay the lion’s share of 40% or more.

Cost is the primary barrier to postsecondary education. For every percentage increase in tuition, students stop out of higher ed – often forever. With rapid technological asdvancements and an increasingly global economy, it has never been more important for Maryland to facilitate access to postsecondary education – not only for citizens, but for the economic welfare of the State.