A NEW REPORT LOOKS AT THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF COMMUNITY COLLEGES IN ILLINOIS.

THE STUDY FOUND THAT MORE THAN 84 PERCENT OF APPLIED SCIENCES STUDENTS EARNING AN ASSOCIATES OR LONG-TERM CERTIFICATE GOT A SOLID PAYING JOB WITHIN A YEAR OF GRADUATION. STUDENTS IN OTHER FIELDS SUCH AS ARCHITECTURE, MANUFACTURING AND CONSTRUCTION ARE ALSO DOING WELL, EARNING 54 TO OVER 60 THOUSAND DOLLARS WITHIN FIVE YEARS OF GRADUATION SAYS ILLINOIS COMMUNITY COLLEGE BOARD EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR BRIAN DURHAM.

THE REPORT FOUND THAT THE TOTAL IMPACT OF ILLINOIS COMMUNITY COLLEGES ON THE STATEWIDE ECONOMY IN FISCAL YEAR 2020 WAS ABOUT THREE POINT FIVE BILLION DOLLARS AND MORE THAN 43 THOUSAND JOBS.

DURHAM SAYS WHEN COMPARING EARNINGS ONE YEAR AFTER COMPLETION OF A COMMUNITY COLLEGE PROGRAM TO THREE YEARS AFTER, AFRICAN AMERICA STUDENTS SAW THEIR PAY INCREASE BY 47 PERCENT AND LATIN-X STUDENTS BY 57 PERCENT.