Best Community Colleges in Illinois of 2023

Program options at Frontier include certificates, degree tracks, and transfer degrees that prepare students to move on to a four-year university. The usual occupational tracks are available–EMS, automotive, health sciences, and programs specialized to the region, including coal mining technology and mine electrical maintenance. Student support services include the federally funded TRIO program and a Student Success Center offering math, humanities, writing, and science tutoring. Frontier strives to make earning a degree, GED, or training for a new career accessible for all students. In-district students can expect to pay between $100 to $147 per credit hour, depending on the program. Some programs have online options as well as in-person classes.

Olney Central College is the only school in Illinois offering both a certificate and a degree track in unmanned aerial technology. Drone technology is one of the fastest-growing industries, and OCC is on the leading edge, providing in-class and hands-on instruction. The degree program requires four semesters and 60 credit hours. Students can complete the UAT certificate in two part-time semesters and 12 credit hours. Both programs prepare students for the Part 107 Commercial Remote Pilot test and prepare them for careers as drone operators in industry sectors, including agriculture, public safety, surveying, inspection, and logistics. Beyond the UAT program, OCC offers a number of other programs, including health sciences, office administration, massage therapy, automotive, and general studies.

Elgin Community College has a Career Development Office that works with students when they start their studies, not just when they’re graduating and ready for a career. The staff helps incoming students determine the best course of study and program placement, so they can identify passions and strengths, setting students up for long-term career success. Additional support is available, helping students overcome obstacles and prepare for graduation and transitions to the workforce. The average class size is around 15, so you can connect with teachers and receive personalized instruction. Annual tuition comes at approximately $3,972, so ECC ranks among the affordable options in Illinois. The school is nationally recognized and frequently ranked in the Aspen Prize’s Top 150 for community college excellence.

Richland Community College is committed to ensuring the health and well-being of its student body through its dedicated team for student success, vibrant community opportunities, and wellness services, including a food pantry, mental health services, tutoring, library resources, and a fitness center. The college offers more than 80 degree and certificate programs, so options abound whether you’re looking for continuing education, industry training, or preparing to transfer to a four-year university. The support for the student body also includes nearly $950K awarded in scholarships each year. Another bonus is that the program catalog includes possible career opportunities for each track, so students can explore the workforce options that align with each program.

By collaborating with 12 universities in Illinois, Lincoln Trail College can streamline the transfer process for students planning to springboard into a bachelor's degree program. Spending two years at a community or junior college is a great way to make a degree more affordable and accessible, and LTC works to make the transfer process easy. With tracks to earn an associate degree in arts, science, or general studies, students are able to work through their first two years in an intimate setting with small class sizes and one-on-one instruction. LTC has various options for those looking to earn certificates or technical degrees, including nursing, medical records, manufacturing skills, pharmacy technician, and special event management.

Lake Land College offers all the typical degrees and certificate programs. But they go a step beyond and provide unique tracks that include Crime Scene Technician, Court Reporting and Captioning, Geospatial Technology, Computer Game Production, and Livestock Production. LLC’s online 60-question career survey helps prospective students to pair their strengths and interests with a career field. Offering over 100 available areas of study, LLC has something for everyone. Variable timelines are also possible at LCC. The court reporting program takes two years and requires 60 credit hours, and the computer game production track requires 30 credit hours and typically takes two semesters. Other certificate programs are ideal for part-time students.

Serving more than 35,000 students annually, Harper College offers associate degree and certificate programs, advanced career programs, workforce training, and continuing education in the suburbs of northwest Chicago. Harper’s competitive programs prepare students for careers in fashion studies, graphic arts technology, nursing, and emergency medicine, to name a few. Options abound, and Harper’s dedicated faculty work with students interested in the arts, STEM, and occupational technology. With an eye to real-world skills and career placement, many of Harper’s programs include internships and work experience opportunities. Degree and career tracks are relevant and cutting edge–where else can you earn a certificate in cannabis science and therapeutics?

Offering a number of associates in applied science tracks, Morton College has options for students who would like to earn a degree that will prepare them for the workforce. Possible AAS tracks at Morton include accounting, automotive, CAD, CIS, fire science technology, HVAC, nursing, law enforcement, and office management. Typically, these degrees take four semesters to complete, but some programs have part-time options and let students take coursework at their own pace. Some classes are offered online to accommodate working professionals and students with challenging schedules. Online courses provide the same content as in-person and are taught by college faculty.

Understanding that some students crave efficiency and want to focus on what they need to know to be valuable in their field, the Workforce Institute at Lincoln Land Community College offers certificate classes that specialize in trades. The short-term, affordable training is focused on preparing students for high-wage, high-demand jobs. LLCC’s Workforce Institute provides training in auto technology, aviation mechanics, commercial electrical maintenance, construction, electrical distribution lineman, hospitality & culinary, HVACR, commercial truck driving, and welding. The programs are available for both day and night students, and program duration ranges from four weeks to two years, depending on track and degree.

Spoon River College puts the spotlight on celebrating its first-generation college students. The Aspen Institute has recognized them as one of the top 120 community colleges in the nation, and they’ve been recognized as the 8th in the nation for improved technology for students. Beyond their commitment to improvement, Spoon River recognizes the impact of supporting students without a family history of higher education. Certificate programs qualify students for the workforce, and degree programs help them to transition to universities where they can earn four-year and post-graduate degrees. Because Spoon River acknowledges the unique position of first-generation college students, they’re able to support them and enable them to excel.