Community Colleges in Illinois: All 51 Schools

Earning a college degree can help improve your life dramatically. However, tuition at private colleges in Illinois costs about $23,000 per year, on average. You can lower your out-of-pocket costs dramatically by focusing your search on community colleges in Illinois.

Illinois features great college towns with an affordable cost of living and job opportunities for recent graduates. Many resources for college students can also help you find the community colleges in Illinois offering the degree you need at the best price.

Many factors should affect what community colleges in Illinois you consider. These popular community colleges offer networking opportunities and supportive communities.

We’ve created a complete list of all nonprofit community colleges in Illinois. Four-year schools that award primarily associate degrees were also included. You can use the table below to compare data on student population and the average net cost.

The following school data comes from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). All data is from 2021-2022. Note that community colleges with a total student enrollment of fewer than 100 were not considered for this list.

Public community and two-year colleges offer Illinois residents significant cost savings compared to the state’s four-year public and private schools. You can put your savings toward a bachelor’s-completion program or another major expense.

Don’t forget that lowering your cost of attendance can help lower the amount of student loan debt to repay. You may save money if you learn online. Some online schools waive out-of-state tuition. Learning online also means less time and money spent commuting.

Although community colleges in Illinois feature a low COA, scholarships for Illinois students can help you reduce your out-of-pocket costs as much as possible. Review scholarship websites for the latest application requirements and deadlines.

The CEFS Economic Opportunity Corporation CSBG Scholarship awards funding to Illinois residents enrolled in a job-training program. Application requirements include a household income statement, two recommendation letters, high school or college transcripts, and proof of residency. Families making more than 200% of the federal poverty level may not apply.

The award amount varies by financial need.

The Hope Chicago Scholarship helps Chicago Public Schools (CPS) graduates finance their college education. The scholarship’s two-generation model provides funding to recipients’ parents wanting to further their education.

Application requirements include graduating from one of five partner CPS high schools and enrolling in a two- or four-year college program. The scholarship does not use a high school or college GPA cutoff.

The Wentcher Foundation Scholarship awards up to $10,000 per year to CPS seniors with a minimum 3.0 unweighted high school GPA. The application checklist includes transcripts, one recommendation letter, FAFSA results, and replies to short-answer questions.

The application window opens in December and closes in February.

Not yet. In March 2023, CBS News Chicago reported a plan from Governor J.B. Pritzker to make community college free for learners making below the national median salary. Eligible students would receive what they need to close the gap between their already-awarded financial aid and their school’s COA.

There are about 50 community colleges in the state of Illinois. Some schools specialize in a specific field, like healthcare. Others feature many academic programs, such as associate degrees designed to prepare you for a bachelor’s-completion program.

Start your search by exploring these schools’ academic offerings and graduate outcomes.

Educating over 21,000 students, College of DuPage, or COD, ranks as the biggest community college in Illinois. Attending a big school lets you experience a campus environment similar to a large four-year Illinois college.

However, you should consider a community college with a smaller student body if you want a more intimate learning environment.