Illinois community colleges see biggest enrollment surge in 25 years

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WTVO) — Illinois is reporting a sharp increase in the number of student enrollments at community colleges.

On Tuesday, Gov. JB Pritzker announced that Spring 2025 enrollment is up nearly 9% compared to last year, the largest year-over-year increase in over 25 years.

“With the largest Spring-to-Spring enrollment increase and the third straight year of growth, our community colleges have not only bounced back from the pandemic – they are now stronger than ever thanks to our historic investments in education,” said Pritzker. “We are the home to the third largest community college system in the nation, and we want to continue seeing growth and opportunity for working families by making higher education more affordable and accessible for students across the state.”

Current reports show over 280,000 community college enrollments across Illinois, making it the third-largest community college system in the nation.

During his annual budget address, Pritzker also proposed allowing community colleges to offer 4-year degrees for “in-demand careers.”