Purchasing educational materials adds to college costs. The problem addressed in this study is the lack of research on the association between student success and the use of no-cost educational materials in for-profit universities. Grounded in Rawls’ principles of justice, the purpose of this quantitative study was to investigate the association between student success as measured by pass/fail outcomes and the use of embedded no-cost educational and open educational resources (OER) materials in undergraduate courses at a for-profit university. Academic outcomes of 751 undergraduate students across three courses were analyzed using the chi-square test of association. Results showed a weak but statistically significant association in English/communication courses (χ²(1, N = 254) = 5.150, p = .023, φ = .142), but no association in sociology (χ²(1, N = 205) = 1.320, p = .251) or philosophy courses (χ²(1, N = 292) = .492, p = .483). These findings reflect mixed results from similar studies in non-profit universities and suggest that no-cost and OER materials do not directly influence student success. It is recommended that further studies be conducted in for-profit universities to incorporate additional variables, such as demographic data and enrollment trends, as well as students’ perceptions and engagement with no-cost and OER materials. Given the unique socioeconomic profile of for-profit university students, this study has important social change implications. Specifically, it can guide universities in reviewing institutional textbook cost policies and allocating financial resources.

Keywords

open educational resources · student success · no-cost · theory of justice · social change