Career and Technical Education Enrollment Grows by Nearly 6 Percent at Illinois Community Colleges
CTE programs now serve more than one in four community college students
October 27, 2026
CHICAGO – Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois Community College Board (ICCB) announced that enrollment in Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs at Illinois community colleges grew 5.9 percent this fall as more students continue to turn to career-focused training, the highest in nine years. This increase reflects Governor Pritzker’s commitment to ensuring community colleges have diverse career and training offerings that lead to good-paying jobs.
“I’m proud that our investments in career and technical education continue to open doors to for Illinoisans to build skills and find good jobs in the industries of the future,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “Our 26% increase over the past four years means more students with a pathway to opportunity, a more robust workforce pipeline to help businesses grow and compete, and a stronger economy for all of Illinois.”
Statewide, total community college enrollment held steady with 271,845 students in Fall 2026 — a slight 0.7 percent decrease from Fall 2025, following four consecutive years of growth. Enrollment remains 0.2 percent above pre-pandemic levels (Fall 2019), reflecting the system’s sustained recovery and the enduring demand for accessible, affordable higher education across Illinois, according to ICCB’s annual Fall 2026 Opening Enrollment Report.
CTE enrollment has grown every year since Fall 2022, rising 26.1 percent over that span, and now accounts for 27.7 percent of all community college enrollments. Vocational Skills Training, another hands-on instructional area, grew 9.6 percent from last year. In FY 26, there were 4,404 total active programs being offered across the system. This included 1,173 Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degrees, 2,957 Certificates, and 274 baccalaureate/transfer degrees.
“Growth in career and technical education means more Illinoisans are gaining the skills that lead directly to good-paying jobs,” said ICCB Executive Director Brian Durham. “Whether they’re earning a degree, advancing their career, or returning to school for new skills, Illinois community colleges are opening doors and transforming lives.”
The state continues to strengthen its commitment to career and technical education through strategic investments, including Manufacturing Training Academies, Electric Vehicle training programs, specialties like a truck driver training program in Litchfield and additional grant programs that expand access to high-quality, career-focused training opportunities across Illinois. Illinois’ investments in specialty programs align with the needs of employers as well as workforce needs – setting students up for success in high-demand careers.
The state has also increased funding for community colleges by nearly $63.1 million (43%) since FY19. The FY27 budget also included $721.6 million to maintain the Monetary Award Program (MAP) funding level, representing a $320 million funding increase (80% increase) in the need-based assistance program since FY19. As a result of these investments, virtually all community college students at or below the median income level can have their tuition and fees fully covered through a combination of MAP and Pell Grant funding.
The Fall 2026 enrollment report highlights:
- Career and Technical Education: CTE enrollment grew 5.9% to 75,208 students and now represents 27.7% of all enrollments. Vocational Skills Training rose 9.6%.
- Overall enrollment: Systemwide headcount decreased 0.7%, and FTE enrollment declined 1.0% from Fall 2025. Enrollment remains above pre-pandemic (Fall 2019) levels.
- College-level trends: 19 of 45 community colleges reported higher headcount enrollment compared to last year.
- Program trends: Transfer programs declined 1.8%, and Adult Education and ESL programs decreased 11.3%.
- Dual credit: Enrollment for high school students earning college credit grew 2.0% to 56,043 and is up 44.8% since Fall 2022.
- Online learning: More than one in three students (36.5%) took at least one online course this fall.
“Students are telling us what they want: hands-on training that leads directly to a career,” said Dr. Sylvia Jenkins, Chair of the Illinois Community College Board. “The continued growth in career and technical education reflects the work our colleges are doing to build programs that fit students’ lives and prepare them for the jobs Illinois needs most.”
The ICCB’s Fall 2026 Opening Enrollment Report provides an early snapshot of enrollment on the 10th day of the fall semester. More comprehensive student-level data, including demographics and program-level participation, will be available in the ICCB’s annual Data Book and through the joint ICCB-IBHE Illinois Postsecondary Profiles platform later this year.
The full Fall 2026 Enrollment Report is available online at www.iccb.org/data.
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