Enrollment at community colleges in Illinois is in its largest fall-to-fall increase since the 2000s.
On Thursday, the Illinois Community College Board (ICCB) announced that statewide enrollment has seen its highest increase since Fall 2008 to Fall 2009.
Statewide enrollment has now grown for the third consecutive year, and it continues to outpace the national community college growth rates.
“Our community colleges are stronger than ever, and the proof is in the numbers,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “The Fall 2023 to Fall 2024 rate of enrollment incline for the Illinois Community Colleges System is outpacing growth nationally and is the best we’ve seen in 15 years.”
The Illinois Community College System’s opening Fall 2024 enrollment report recorded an increase of 7.4%, outpacing last year’s fall increase of 5.7%. The increase was both in headcount (7.4%) and Full-time Equivalent (FTE) (6.7%) from the previous year.
According to Pritzker, the national increase was only 4.7%, nearly 3% lower than that of Illinois’. In the state, only the Fall 2008 to Fall 2009 increase of 7.5% during the Great Recession has been higher.
Across the state, enrollment shows 37 of 45 community colleges had an increase in headcount from last year to this year. Part of this growth is linked to the Dual Credit program, which saw an increase in enrollment of nearly 20% by students that earned college credit while still in high school.
The report also shows that more students are returning to the classroom this year. Students taking at least one online course accounted for just 35.6% of the overall student population for Fall 2024.
This is third consecutive year this number has dropped. Online students made up 42.3% of the student body in 2023, 47.3% in 2022 and 56.8% in 2021.
“Illinois Community Colleges are affordable, equitable, and serve as pathways to economic opportunity,” said ICCB Executive Director Brian Durham. “They continue to adapt and innovate, by meeting students where they are, and delivering access to higher education in more ways than ever.”