Maricopa Community Colleges save students $270M in textbooks

By Stacy Mantle
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Maricopa Community Colleges, the nation’s largest community college system, announced this month that it has surpassed $270 million in savings for students through its Open Educational Resources initiative.

The milestone reflects more than a decade of work to replace expensive textbooks with low-cost or no-cost digital materials across its 10 colleges.

“Our system has been a leader in OER for more than a decade,” said Chancellor Dr. Steven R. Gonzales. “For us, affordability means more than just low tuition; it means finding ways to save our students’ financial resources through all facets of their educational journey.”

The Open Maricopa initiative began in 2013, making the system an early adopter of OER. Today, the program provides free or low-cost alternatives to traditional textbooks in the form of complete courses, lectures, assignments, lab activities, simulations and more. Faculty can adapt, remix and share materials released under Creative Commons licensing.

"Lowering textbook costs reflects our commitment to being the most affordable and accessible higher education provider in Arizona," said Lindsey Wilson,  chief marketing and communications officer for Maricopa Community Colleges. "Every dollar saved on textbooks and course materials helps students focus more fully on their education and future."

Maricopa’s affordability initiative now includes three textbook options:

• Low Textbook Cost: Required course materials cost no more than $40 through the campus bookstore, excluding shipping and tax. Many LTC courses end up being free.
• Zero Textbook Cost: Students pay nothing for required learning materials. All instructional content is fully available at no cost.
• Open Educational Resources: Unlike low or zero textbook cost, OER materials are openly licensed or public domain, giving faculty and students the freedom to reuse, revise, remix and redistribute them.

Together, the three measures provide options that put students in control of both their learning and their budgets, officials said.

The push for cost savings comes as the financial realities of higher education weigh heavily on families. Tuition at four-year public universities has nearly tripled since 1963, and textbooks have risen by 177% over the past 25 years. Even after adjusting for inflation, that represents a 50% increase.

The College Board estimates first-year students now spend at least $1,463 annually on books and supplies, with costs running higher for those in professional programs such as law, business or health sciences. As a result:

• 25% of college students rent their course materials.
• 65% of students report skipping at least one required textbook due to cost.

“When students cannot afford materials, their success is at risk before the semester even begins,” said Dr. Lisa Young, faculty administrator of Open Education and Innovation. “The real story of Open Maricopa is the people, the faculty and staff who have worked tirelessly to make education more affordable.”

Growth and impact of OER

The adoption of open initiative across the district has been wide-reaching:

• More than 270 faculty and staff have directly supported the initiative.
• More than 4,500 instructors have taught courses using OER.
• Students have enrolled in more than 103,000 OER course sections.

Maricopa’s model offers two pathways: no-cost courses, which carry no additional charges beyond tuition and fees, and low-cost courses, which cap material expenses at $40. Together, they reduce costs that often create equity gaps.

"OER underscores our mission to keep education in Arizona both affordable and accessible," said Wilson. "It is one more way we ensure students have every opportunity to succeed."

A better way to do college

This fall, the system launched A Better Way To Do College, a multimedia series designed to guide students through challenges ranging from textbooks to financial aid. The first installment, A Better Way To Do Textbooks, focuses on OER and features explainer videos, blogs, FAQs and a forthcoming podcast.

By presenting advice in accessible formats, the college district hopes to empower students to make informed decisions whether they attend Maricopa or another institution.

“Higher education doesn’t just need to be affordable; it needs to be understandable and transparent,” Gonzales said. “This series is about putting useful tools into students’ hands.”

Maricopa Community Colleges’ $270 million milestone underscores a forward-looking approach to affordability, officials said. As more institutions confront the realities of rising costs, OER is emerging as both a financial solution and a pedagogical opportunity.

For Arizona students, the initiative means fewer barriers and more chances to succeed. And for the state, it signals a model of how community colleges can lead in reimagining the economics of higher education.

Editor’s note: A grant from the Arizona Local News Foundation made this story possible. The foundation awarded 15 newsrooms to pay for solutions-focused education reporters for two years. Please submit comments at yourvalley.net/letters or email them to AzOpinions@iniusa.org. We are committed to publishing a wide variety of reader opinions, as long as they meet our Civility Guidelines.