What Elgin Community College does

Elgin Community College is a public, nonprofit community college founded in 1949 and governed by the elected Community College District 509 Board of Trustees in northeastern Illinois. Headquartered at 1700 Spartan Drive in Elgin, IL, the institution operates a 232-acre main Spartan Drive Campus with 13 buildings alongside the Education and Work Center, the Streamwood Village Hall site, and a 120-acre Center for Emergency Services in Burlington, Illinois, and is constructing a 150,000-square-foot Manufacturing and Technology Center (~ $85M) scheduled to open in Fall 2026. The college serves approximately 16,000 credit students and 54,000+ total students of all ages each year across a five-county service area (Kane, Cook, DeKalb, DuPage, and McHenry) anchored by a 440,419-resident district and 12,000+ local businesses.

ECC's academic product covers seven associate degrees, 30 areas of study, and more than 130 certificate programs across university transfer pathways, career and technical education, adult basic education and ESL, continuing education, apprenticeships, and public-safety training (fire science, EMS, criminal justice). Specialized facilities include a simulation-equipped Health and Life Sciences Building, the Renner Academic Library, the renovated Arts Center (Building H) with maker spaces and recording studios, and the new Manufacturing and Technology Center. The college has been a federally designated Hispanic Serving Institution since 2009 — 52% of Fall 2024 enrollment self-identifies as Latinx — and is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission with multiple program-level accreditations (ACEN, JRCERT, CODA, NAACLS, CoARC, CAAHEP, COMTA, ICA, CAPTE, ABA, NASOE, IDPH, NFA FESHE).

Revenue is generated through a layered public-funding model: per-credit-hour tuition tiered by residency ($148 in-district, $297 out-of-district, $396 out-of-state/international, $260/$310 internet-only variants effective Summer 2026), District 509 property tax levies, state appropriations via the Illinois Community College Board, and federal grants. Go-to-market is community- and event-driven — campus tours, open houses, high-school dual-credit partnerships with district schools, employer and workforce partnerships (e.g., Haumiller Engineering apprenticeship), and digital channels (elgin.edu, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn). Technology backbone is standard EdTech: Ellucian Cloud (AccessECC) as the student information system, D2L Brightspace for online learning, and Terminalfour for content management. ECC reports 1,105 employees, a 17:1 student-to-faculty ratio, 79% of faculty holding a master's or higher, and a three-year graduation rate of 43% that exceeds national averages.

Name

Elgin Community College

Legal name

Elgin Community College

Website

https://elgin.edu

Company type

Public

Founded year

1949

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Elgin Community College is a public community college in northeastern Illinois serving about 16,000 credit students annually across a five-county district through associate degrees, 130+ certificate programs, workforce training, and adult education. It operates four campuses and is opening a $85M Manufacturing and Technology Center in Fall 2026.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community College Education

NAICS

Junior Colleges (61121), Junior Colleges (6112), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Comprehensive Community Colleges (Transfer + Workforce) (EDAHADAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Public Community Colleges (EDAHADAA), Urban/Metropolitan Community Colleges (EDAHADAL)

Keywords

• Community college education
• Associate degree programs
• Career technical training
• Workforce development
• Adult continuing education

Headquarters

HQ city

Elgin

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Fees: ECC generates revenue primarily through tuition charges based on residency status. In-district students pay $148 per credit hour, out-of-district students pay $297 per credit hour, and out-of-state/international students pay $396 per credit hour. Additional revenue comes from enrollment fees, course fees, laboratory fees, and instructional fees.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Elgin Community College is a public community college that delivers higher education through associate degrees, university transfer pathways, and over 130 career and technical certificates. It serves approximately 16,000 students annually across multiple campuses in District 509 (Kane, Cook, DeKalb, DuPage, McHenry counties) through on-campus, online, and workforce training modalities.

Product overview

Elgin Community College is a comprehensive public community college serving approximately 16,000 students annually through a multi-campus operation. The institution operates the main 232-acre Spartan Drive Campus, the Education and Work Center, Streamwood Center, and the 120-acre Center for Emergency Services in Burlington. Its academic offerings include seven associate degrees, 30 areas of study for university transfer, and over 130 career-oriented certificates and degrees through Career and Technical programs. The flagship new facility is the 150,000-square-foot Manufacturing and Technology Center opening in fall 2026, joining established facilities like the Health and Life Sciences Building (Building A), Renner Academic Library (Building C), and renovated Arts Center (Building H). Student support services include the Spartan Pantry food assistance program, while community partnerships like the Elgin Police Department Explorer program provide pathways to college credit. The college serves District 509 residents across five counties and has been designated a Hispanic Serving Institution since 2009.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• University Transfer Degrees Transfer-oriented associate degrees (AA, AS, AES, AFA) for students planning to transfer to four-year institutions, supported by partnerships with 30+ colleges and universities and the Illinois Articulation Initiative.
• Career and Technical Programs Over 130 occupational degrees and certificates in fields including Advanced Manufacturing, Automotive, Business, Computer Information Systems, Criminal Justice, Culinary Arts, Healthcare, HVAC, and Welding for career-focused students.
• Adult Education Programs including Adult Basic Education, GED/HiSET/TASC preparation, English as a Second Language (ESL), and Intensive English Program for adult learners seeking foundational education and credentials.
• Continuing Education Non-credit courses and programs for personal enrichment, professional growth, and corporate training, serving a portion of the 54,000+ credit and non-credit students ECC reaches annually.

Quantifiable outcome

• Three-year graduation rate of 43% exceeds national average and peer colleges
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Elgin Police DepartmentcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 June 2026Explorer program partnership allows young people interested in law enforcement to gain real-world experience and earn up to 6 college credits through ECC criminal justice courses.
• Harper CollegeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership through Education and Work Center providing day and evening classes and career development skills in collaboration.
• Chicago-Cook Workforce PartnershipminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership providing workforce development classes and career development skills at Education and Work Center.
• Illinois Articulation InitiativecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerECC partners with more than 100 schools in the Illinois Articulation Initiative for seamless transfer pathways.
• 30+ Colleges and UniversitiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSpecialized transfer partnerships with more than 30 colleges and universities covering more than 100 college majors.
• Local Manufacturing EmployerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with local manufacturing employers including Haumiller Engineering to inform workforce programming decisions and provide apprenticeship opportunities.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• McHenry County College: Community college in Crystal Lake, Illinois, serving McHenry County, which is part of ECC's five-county district. Comparable in size, mission, and program mix to ECC.
• Joliet Junior College: The nation's first public community college, located in Joliet, Illinois. Comparable in scale (~14,000+ students) and program breadth, with a similar transfer and CTE portfolio.
• College of DuPage: Large public community college in Glen Ellyn, Illinois, serving DuPage County — one of ECC's core service counties. Offers a comparable mix of transfer degrees, career/technical certificates, and continuing education at similar scale.
• Harper College: Nearby Illinois community college in Palatine that is an explicit ECC partner through the Education and Work Center, serving overlapping suburban Chicago districts with similar associate degree, transfer, and workforce programs.
• Prairie State College: Community college in Chicago Heights, Illinois, serving the south suburban Chicago region. Comparable associate degree, transfer, and workforce training portfolio with similar student demographics.
• Waubonsee Community College: Public community college in Sugar Grove, Illinois, serving portions of Kane, Kendall, DeKalb, and LaSalle counties — directly overlapping ECC's District 509 footprint with similar transfer and workforce programming.
• Triton College: Public community college in River Grove, Illinois, serving the western Chicago suburbs. Comparable mission, scale, and program mix including technical/trade and transfer degrees.
• Oakton College: Community college in Des Plaines, Illinois, serving northern Cook County suburbs with overlapping feeder markets. Comparable in offering associate degrees, transfer pathways, and continuing education.
• Kishwaukee College: Public community college in Malta, Illinois, serving DeKalb County — also within ECC's service area. Offers parallel associate degree, transfer, and career/technical education pathways.

Broad incumbents

• Ivy Tech Community College: Indiana's statewide community college system — the largest in the U.S. — offering a comprehensive, multi-campus model with similar transfer, CTE, and workforce development programming. Useful scale and operating-model benchmark for ECC's multi-campus, multi-county operation.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/57038997074
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/elgin-community-college
• Instagramlinkedin.com/school/elgin-community-college
• Xx.com/elgincommcoll

Compliance17 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

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 Elgin Community College