Waubonsee Community College

What Waubonsee Community College does

Waubonsee Community College is a public community college organized under Illinois state law as Waubonsee Community College District 516, operating across four campuses in Sugar Grove (main), Aurora Downtown, Aurora Fox Valley, and Plano. The college delivers associate degree programs, transfer pathways to four-year universities, career and technical certificates, apprenticeships, and adult education (HSE/GED and English Language Acquisition). It also runs workforce development, professional development, summer youth camps, and houses the Illinois Small Business Development Center at the Aurora Downtown Campus. The institution is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and designated a Hispanic-Serving Institution, serving residents of Kane, Kendall, and portions of DeKalb, DuPage, Grundy, LaSalle, and Will counties.

The college's technology platform is built on Canvas LMS for online and hybrid course delivery, accessed via SAML single sign-on through the mywcc student portal, which handles registration, academic records, financial aid, and student services. Supporting integrations include Google Analytics for web measurement and Illinois workNet for workforce-development coordination. Core academic products are Transfer Programs (with a GECC Credential and Specialty Transfer Degrees) and Career Programs, supplemented by sub-products such as Waubonsee Online, apprenticeships, WIOA tuition-free training, Adult Education, Professional Development, and Summer Camps.

Revenue is generated through a multi-stream model: tiered tuition and fees (in-district, out-of-district, out-of-state), recurring state appropriations via the Illinois Community College Board, local property tax support, WIOA-funded workforce training, foundation donations, and fees from non-credit offerings such as summer camps and driver safety programs. Go-to-market is sales-led and enrollment-focused, combining direct admissions outreach, campus events, virtual advising, employer partnerships, and community workshops to drive student enrollment and employer engagement.

Name

Waubonsee Community College

Legal name

Waubonsee Community College

Website

https://waubonsee.edu

Company type

Public

Founded year

1968

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Waubonsee Community College is a public community college serving northeastern Illinois through four campuses, offering associate degrees, university transfer pathways, career training, adult education, workforce development, and small business services to residents of a seven-county district.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community College Education

NAICS

Junior Colleges (6112), Junior Colleges (61121), Junior Colleges (611210)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Junior Colleges (Associate-Degree Granting) (EDAHADAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Multi-Campus Community College Districts (EDAHADAM), Public Community Colleges (EDAHADAA), Community & Adult Education (Municipal/Community Schools) (EDAAAEAB)

Keywords

• Community college education
• Associate degree programs
• Workforce development training
• Adult education services
• Transfer degree programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Sugar Grove

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Fees: Revenue from student tuition and fees for credit courses. Tuition rates average 60-80% less than four-year universities. In-district, out-of-district, and out-of-state pricing tiers available.
2. Non-Credit Programs: Revenue from non-credit community offerings including professional development, summer camps, driver safety, and continuing education courses.
3. State Funding: Public community college funding from Illinois Community College Board (ICCB) and state appropriations.
4. Foundation Donations: Waubonsee Foundation raises funds for scholarships and student support through donations from alumni, community members, and corporate partners.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Waubonsee Community College is a public two-year community college delivering associate degree and certificate programs, university transfer pathways, career and technical education, adult education (GED/ESL), workforce training, and community enrichment offerings. It serves students across four campuses (Sugar Grove, Aurora Downtown, Aurora Fox Valley, and Plano) and online via Canvas LMS and the mywcc student portal. The college also operates community programs such as the Illinois Small Business Development Center, summer youth camps, and professional development courses.

Product overview

Waubonsee Community College offers a comprehensive portfolio of educational programs and services across multiple delivery modes (on-campus, online, hybrid, and accelerated). The core educational products include Transfer Programs (associate degrees for four-year university transfer) and Career Programs (workforce-ready certificates and degrees). These are delivered primarily through Canvas LMS via the mywcc student portal. The college extends its reach through community-focused offerings including the Illinois SBDC for small business development, Adult Education (ESL/GED), WIOA-funded workforce training, Professional Development courses, and summer camps for youth. Programs are offered across four campuses (Sugar Grove, Aurora Downtown, Aurora Fox Valley, Plano) with robust student support services including academic advising, tutoring, career exploration, and library resources.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Transfer Programs Associate degree programs enabling students to complete general education and major coursework for seamless transfer to four-year universities, available to prospective college students seeking bachelor's degrees.
• Career Programs Credit-bearing career and technical programs awarding college credit, certificates, and degrees that prepare students for immediate workforce entry in fields such as health sciences, manufacturing, IT, and public services.
• Apprenticeships Apprenticeship programs in which hired apprentices have their Waubonsee tuition paid and earn wages during on-the-job training, leading to permanent employment opportunities after graduation.
• Waubonsee Online Fully online credit-bearing college courses delivered through Canvas LMS under the MyChoice flexible learning options, enabling students to complete associate degrees and certificates remotely.
• Adult Education Free non-credit programs including English Language Acquisition (ELA), High School Equivalency (HSE/GED) preparation, and the Waubonsee Works initiative providing free tuition and books for qualifying individuals aged 16-24 pursuing a GED or short-term career certificate.
• Illinois Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Free business development and consulting services hosted at the Aurora Downtown Campus for new and existing small businesses, including Academia Emprende, Business Growth Academy, New Venture Academy, and Spanish-language small business services.
• WIOA Tuition-Free Career Training Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act-funded tuition-free career training covering many credit career programs and select noncredit offerings for eligible dislocated or laid-off workers, with referrals handled through workNet Batavia.
• Professional Development Non-credit workforce training programs including customized corporate training, industrial maintenance microcredentials, health professions and public service programs, and real estate courses for working professionals and employers.
• Summer Camps for Kids and Teens Seasonal youth programs including Esports Camp, Trades Tech and Design Camp, Sparkforce Girls Manufacturing Camp, Co-Ed Basketball, Girls Volleyball, and Cheer Camp, offered in partnership with the Sugar Grove Park District.
• Driver Safety Program Court-approved driver safety course offered to eligible drivers through scheduled classroom sessions, with eligibility, scheduling, payment, and employer training inquiry processes defined by the college.
• Lifelong Learning Institute Community-based lifelong learning program for adult learners, with courses proposed by community instructors via a formal Course Proposal Form.

Named customers2 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Hollywood Casino AuroraminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 October 2025Hollywood Casino Aurora hosted a job fair at Waubonsee's downtown Aurora campus on October 25, in anticipation of its new $360 million location opening next year. Over 35 positions were to be filled with on-the-spot interviews.
• Illinois Small Business Development Center (Illinois SBDC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIllinois SBDC offers free services to new and existing small businesses at Waubonsee's Aurora Downtown Campus. Programs include Academia Emprende, Business Growth Academy, New Venture Academy, and El Centro de Desarrollo de Pequeños Negocios.
• Mutual Ground of AuroracoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMutual Ground has partnered with Waubonsee to provide confidential advisors for emergency and ongoing support to student survivors of sexual violence. Mutual Ground is an extensively trained organization on sexual violence issues.
• Sugar Grove Park DistrictminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership for summer youth camps including esports camps, sports camps (basketball, volleyball, cheer), and trades/tech/design camps. The park district handles registration for these programs.
• Illinois workNet / WIOAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorkforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) partnership providing free tuition career training for eligible dislocated workers. Referrals through workNet Batavia for WIOA eligibility and training options.
• Boys and Girls ClubminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFree on-campus after-school childcare program offered in partnership with Boys and Girls Club at the Aurora Downtown Campus.
• Four-Year Universities (Transfer Partners)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTransfer degree programs and pathways allowing students to complete bachelor's degrees at partner institutions. Includes General Education Core Curriculum (GECC) Credential and specialty transfer degrees.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Elgin Community College: Public Illinois community college located in Elgin, adjacent to Waubonsee's service area, offering associate degrees, transfer programs, and adult education. Highly comparable in mission, scale, funding model, and student profile.
• College of DuPage: Large Illinois community college in Glen Ellyn serving Chicago's western suburbs. Directly comparable as a multi-campus, transfer-and-career focused public community college competing for similar students in the broader Chicagoland region.
• Joliet Junior College: One of the oldest and largest Illinois community colleges, also offering associate degrees, transfer pathways, and workforce training. Comparable as a multi-campus Illinois public community college sharing the same ICCB funding model.
• Harper College: Public community college in Palatine serving the northwest Chicago suburbs. Direct peer with overlapping programs (transfer, career, adult education) and a similar multi-campus footprint anchored in suburban Illinois.
• Moraine Valley Community College: Public community college in Palos Hills serving the southwest Chicago suburbs. Comparable as a multi-campus Illinois community college with similar credit, non-credit, and workforce programming.

Regional players

• McHenry County College: Public Illinois community college in Crystal Lake serving McHenry County. Comparable in mission and program mix but operating in a separate northern Illinois district from Waubonsee.
• Prairie State College: Public Illinois community college in Chicago Heights. Comparable as a Chicagoland-region public community college with similar credit and workforce offerings, though it serves a more southern territory.
• Triton College: Public Illinois community college in River Grove serving western Cook County suburbs. Direct peer in mission and funding model though geographically distinct from Waubonsee's service area.

Broad incumbents

• Northern Illinois University: Regional four-year public university and a common Waubonsee transfer destination. Not a direct competitor at the associate-degree level, but operates in the same education ecosystem with overlapping transfer pathways and dual-credit competition.
• Aurora University: Private university headquartered in Aurora, Illinois, and a likely Waubonsee transfer partner. Comparable as part of the same regional higher-education ecosystem with overlapping student populations.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/waubonsee
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/waubonsee
• Facebookfacebook.com/62591500688
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/waubonsee-community-college
• Instagraminstagram.com/waubonsee
• TikToktiktok.com/@waubonsee

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Waubonsee Community College