Community College students in Maine won't pay any more in the coming academic year than they did last year.
The Maine Community College System has announced that, thanks to increases in state funding, the cost for a full-time student will stay at about $3,600 per year.
Maine's workforce problems can't be solved without providing affordable higher education, says system Vice President and Chief Financial Officer David Daigler.
"It's just critically important that we do everything we can to support workforce development in the state," Daigler says, "and that includes attracting and retaining students to get credentials that they need to be competitive in this economy."
Daigler says more than 70 percent of community college students in Maine are on financial aid, and raising tuition would make higher education unaffordable for many.
He says while community college tuition in Maine is lower than most of New England, incomes are also lower.
"Our students just really can't afford any more of an increase, and our trustees have been on a long mission to try and manage the cost of attendance," Daigler says.
Most students use community college either to get transfer credits toward a bachelor's degree, or to get a two-year qualification for a specific professional field.
