Surge in high school graduates enrolling at Maricopa Community Colleges

PHOENIX — Maricopa Community Colleges (MCC) is breaking records again as it heads into the new school year, marking its 11th straight semester of enrollment growth.

Enrollment is up 17.6% this fall, according to MCC spokesperson Lindsey Wilson. The increase is driven by growth in dual enrollment programs, workforce training courses and especially bachelor’s degree programs, which saw the largest jump.

Wilson said 90% of students are Maricopa County residents and — when looking at the data — affordability could be big factor for the growth.

“I think as students are looking at their college options, they want to know that when they graduate, they’re going to graduate with a with a new career, not a new payment,” Wilson told KTAR News 92.3 FM on Thursday.

Wilson added MCC provides workforce training for students so they can go directly into the workforce after college. She said they work directly with employers in the Valley to make sure students are prepared for their careers.

“You see the growth in advanced manufacturing with companies like TSMC investing here in Phoenix. And so, we’ve really added a lot of flexible both short-term and long-term programs for students to find success in these new industries like advanced manufacturing and information technology, so that they can really get the jobs of the future,” she said.

MCC includes 10 colleges within its system and serves around 140,000 students annually.

Funding for this journalism is made possible by the Arizona Local News Foundation.

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