Maryland Higher Education Commission

Name

Maryland Higher Education Commission

Legal name

Maryland Higher Education Commission

Website

https://mhec.maryland.gov

Company type

Private

Founded year

1988

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

The Maryland Higher Education Commission is the State of Maryland's higher education coordinating and regulatory board, administering over $100 million annually in financial aid to 57,000+ students and setting policy for 50+ colleges and universities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Baltimore

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. State Financial Aid Administration: MHEC administers more than $100 million each year through financial aid programs including grants, scholarships, and loan assistance repayment programs that positively impact students pursuing higher education goals
2. Regulatory and Coordination Services: State agency providing coordination, policy establishment, and regulatory oversight for Maryland's postsecondary education institutions

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

MHEC is Maryland's higher education coordinating and regulatory board, responsible for establishing statewide policies for Maryland public and private colleges and universities and for-profit career schools. It administers more than $100 million annually in financial aid programs (grants, scholarships, and Loan Assistance Repayment Programs) through the MDCAPS online portal and MHEC One-App, serving over 57,000 Maryland residents each year. It also approves academic programs, reviews institutional budgets, and monitors desegregation and equal educational opportunity compliance.

Product overview

The Maryland Higher Education Commission (MHEC) operates as a state coordinating board offering a platform of financial aid and education access programs. The core offerings include the MHEC One-App system (accessed through MDCAPS) for unified scholarship applications, SmartSAVE (a comprehensive resource of grants and scholarships), and specialized programs like GEAR UP for early college awareness and the Nurse Support Program II for healthcare workforce development. MHEC administers over $100 million annually through these interconnected financial aid programs impacting students across Maryland's public and private colleges, universities, and career schools.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Maryland SmartSave: Financial aid resource program featuring grants, scholarships and other awards to help Maryland students pay for higher education.
• MDCAPS
• MHEC One-App

Products and services

• MDCAPS (Maryland College Aid Processing System) A comprehensive online portal for students and families to access MHEC financial aid programs, submit required documents, and track application status.
• MHEC One-App A unified online application system that allows students to apply for all Maryland state scholarships through a single application process, accessed via the MDCAPS portal.
• Maryland SmartSave A comprehensive resource listing of financial aid programs including grants, scholarships, and Loan Assistance Repayment Programs (LARPs) to help Maryland students pay for college.
• Howard P. Rawlings Educational Assistance (EA) Grant A need-based grant providing financial assistance up to $3,000 (minimum $400) for eligible students enrolled at Maryland postsecondary institutions, renewable up to three additional years.
• Howard P. Rawlings Campus-Based Educational Assistance Grant (CBEAG) A need-based financial aid program for students who missed the March 1st FAFSA deadline, allocating funds to participating institutions to award qualified students. Four-year students receive 40% of OSFA adjusted need; community college students receive 60%. Award range $400-$3,000 annually.
• Howard P. Rawlings Guaranteed Access (GA) Grant Postsecondary financial assistance for eligible high school seniors who complete a college preparatory program, providing guaranteed funding for eligible students.
• Part-Time Grant Grant program providing funds to Maryland colleges based on the number of part-time undergraduate students with demonstrated financial need. Award range $200-$2,000 annually.
• Jack F. Tolbert Memorial Student Grant Program Financial assistance up to $500 for full-time students attending approved private career schools in Maryland. Renewable one time. Requires enrollment for at least 18 clock hours per week.
• Workforce Shortage Student Assistance Grant Program (WSSAG) Grant for students planning careers in specific workforce shortage fields including child care, human services, teaching, nursing, physical and occupational therapy, social work, and public service.
• GEAR UP (Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs) Federal grant program supporting Maryland's goal to increase the number of economically disadvantaged students pursuing postsecondary education through partnerships with local education agencies in Baltimore City, Dorchester County, and Wicomico County. Maximum $15,000 for fall/spring 2023-24, $10,000 for summer.
• Nurse Support Program II (NSP II) State-funded grant program addressing nursing workforce needs by providing financial incentives to nursing faculty and supporting nursing education programs.
• MD-HEOCAP (Maryland Higher Education Outreach and College Access Program) State grant program providing funds to eligible nonprofit organizations to increase college awareness and completion for low-income Maryland high school students.

Quantifiable outcome

• $100 million+ administered annually in financial aid to 57,000+ Maryland residents
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.

• CodePathflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 October 2025Partnership between CodePath (nonprofit), Maryland Higher Education Commission, and Maryland Department of Labor to bolster the state's tech workforce pipeline. The nonprofit provides students with access to cybersecurity, software engineering, and AI training, aiming to support at least 800 students statewide through Bowie State University.
• Bowie State UniversityflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 October 2025Bowie State University serves as the primary educational institution partner in the CodePath tech career pathway expansion initiative, providing the campus environment and student population for the cybersecurity, software engineering, and AI training programs.
• Maryland Department of LaborcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 October 2025State agency partnership for workforce development initiatives, combining MHEC's educational focus with the Department of Labor's workforce training and employment resources to address tech workforce pipeline needs.
• University System of Maryland (USM)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMHEC serves as the coordinating and planning agency for the State and is responsible for overall growth and development of higher education, working closely with USM's Board of Regents and 11 institutions on policy alignment and institutional oversight.
• Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerK-16 Partnership collaboration between MHEC, MSDE, and USM to address educational needs of students including preparation for higher education, operating since 1998 as one of the most successful collaborative efforts of this type in the nation.
• U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights (OCR)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership agreement (1999-2005) for improving educational opportunities for African Americans in Maryland's public institutions of higher education and ensuring compliance with Title VI and Fordice desegregation obligations.
• Maryland GEAR UP SitescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with GEAR UP sites in Baltimore City, Dorchester County, and Wicomico County to increase the number of economically disadvantaged students pursuing postsecondary education through outreach, counseling, and scholarship programs.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Others

• National Association of System Heads (NASH): Association of state public higher education system heads and coordinating board executives; adjacent ecosystem organization that convenes peers like MHEC for policy collaboration.

Direct peers

• California Student Aid Commission: California's state agency administering Cal Grant and other financial aid programs to hundreds of thousands of students; directly comparable financial aid administration scale and mission.
• Virginia State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV): Virginia's statewide higher education coordinating policy and planning body, with parallel responsibilities for institutional coordination, financial aid programs, and policy analysis. Closest geographic and functional peer.
• Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board: Texas's state higher education coordinating and regulatory agency with comparable authority over institutional approval, financial aid administration (TEXAS Grant, etc.), and statewide planning. Direct functional parallel to MHEC.
• Ohio Department of Higher Education: Ohio's cabinet-level state agency coordinating higher education policy, financial aid (Choose Ohio First), and institutional oversight — a structural twin to MHEC.
• New York State Education Department - Office of Higher Education: New York's higher education regulatory and coordinating function housed within NYSED, administering TAP and other state aid with comparable scope to MHEC.
• Massachusetts Department of Higher Education: Massachusetts's statewide higher education coordinating board overseeing public higher education systems and administering state financial aid; structural equivalent to MHEC.
• Illinois Board of Higher Education: Illinois's statewide higher education coordinating body with comparable responsibilities for institutional approval, financial aid administration (MAP Grant), and statewide planning.
• Pennsylvania Department of Education - Postsecondary and Higher Education: Pennsylvania's state-level postsecondary education oversight unit with comparable responsibilities for institutional coordination and state grant administration.

Broad incumbents

• Federal Student Aid (FSA): U.S. Department of Education office administering federal Title IV student aid (Pell, federal loans); broader incumbent that MHEC's state programs layer on top of.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/mdhigheredcomm
• Facebookfacebook.com/mdhigheredcom
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/office-of-the-public-defender-maryland

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments1 record

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Frequently asked questions about Maryland Higher Education Commission