In 2013-14 the Illinois Community College Board (ICCB) contracted with Northern Illinois University (NIU) Center for Governmental Studies (CGS) to do an in-depth study of the economic impacts of the Illinois Community College System (ICCS).  Major findings of The ICCS Economic Impact Study Report follow:

• An Illinois community college education increases earnings for workers – even during the recession.
• Illinois community colleges add skills to the Illinois workforce and boost the competitiveness of our businesses.
• Illinois community college graduates generate billions of dollars in state and federal income tax revenues.
• Illinois community colleges boost the economy of their local communities by generating billions of dollars in local sales and wages and approximately 48,000 jobs as major employers.
• Illinois community colleges are advancing the State’s goal of 60% of adults with a college degree or marketable credential by the year 2025.
• Illinois community colleges are responding to the State’s changing demographic and educational needs.

The approach that Illinois used to measure impact is unique from many other state and national higher education economic impact analyses because the ICCB, in collaboration with Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES) and NIU Center for Governmental Studies (CGS), maximized student- and employee-level data using the Illinois Longitudinal Data Systems. Specifically, ICCB Centralized Data System student-level data and IDES Workforce Longitudinal Data System employee-level wage data were matched by NIU CGS to determine economic impact through students’ employment and earnings gains.  The economic impacts of the Illinois community colleges were identified through employee-level data, operations expenditures, and capital expenditures from ICCB’s Centralized Data System and annual ICCB financial submissions.

Learn more and discover current data on community colleges in Illinois from Community College Review.

Dr. Karen Hunter Anderson is the Executive Director for the Illinois Community College Board (ICCB). During her tenure at ICCB, Dr. Anderson has worked, supervised others, provided leadership, and has served as an administrator for nearly all the Board’s functions in the divisions related to workforce, career & technical education, student services, minority affairs, accountability and assessment, adult education, institutional research, education technology, international education, and academic affairs.