City Colleges of Chicago - Harold Washington College

What City Colleges of Chicago - Harold Washington College does

City Colleges of Chicago - Harold Washington College is one of seven community colleges in the publicly funded City Colleges of Chicago (CCC) district, a governmental educational institution headquartered in downtown Chicago at 30 E. Lake Drive. Founded in 1962 and named after Chicago's first Black mayor, the college delivers associate degrees, certificates, workforce training, and free adult education programs (ESL, GED/HiSET) to Chicago-area residents. Operating within a system that includes seven colleges and five satellite campuses, it serves multiple student segments including traditional college students, adult learners, working adults seeking professional development, high school students in the Early College program, and engineering/STEM transfer candidates.

Program offerings span Adult Education (free ESL and GED/HiSET), Credit Programs (associate degrees and certificates with tuition per credit hour), Continuing Education (fee-based), Apprenticeships (Earn and Learn), and specialized institutes including the School of Engineering, Washburne Culinary and Hospitality Institute, and Dawson Technical Institute. The Star Scholarship program has supported approximately 20,000 Chicago Public Schools and Big Shoulders Fund graduates pursuing debt-free associate degrees since inception, with over 1,000 graduates completing degrees in the 2025-2026 academic year and 26 university transfer partners including Northwestern, UIUC Grainger College of Engineering, Columbia, and Stanford.

The technology stack includes the Brightspace learning management system for online course delivery, Salesforce CRM for enrollment and partnership management, EAB Navigate for student academic planning and success tracking, PeopleSoft for HR/payroll, Taleo for recruiting, and Google Analytics/Ads for marketing analytics. New partnerships with IBM (FutureNow Chicago apprenticeship at Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park), Amazon Web Services (AWS Machine Learning University regional lead designation with four inaugural faculty fellows), and employer-funded scholarship programs from CME Group and eero extend the institution's AI/ML, quantum, and workforce credentialing capabilities.

Name

City Colleges of Chicago - Harold Washington College

Legal name

City Colleges of Chicago

Website

https://ccc.edu

Company type

Public

Founded year

1962

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Harold Washington College is a public community college in downtown Chicago within the City Colleges of Chicago system, offering associate degrees, career certificates, free ESL/GED adult education, and workforce training to Chicago-area residents with transfer pathways to 26 four-year universities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community College Education

NAICS

Junior Colleges (6112)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Community Colleges (EDAHADAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Junior Colleges (Associate-Degree Granting) (EDAHADAC), Multi-Campus Community College Districts (EDAHADAM)

Keywords

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

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Fees: Credit program tuition charged per credit hour for degree-seeking students. Illinois resident tuition rates apply with additional fees for specific programs.
2. Adult Education Programs: Free GED/HiSET and ESL classes funded through state and federal grants. No tuition charged to eligible students.
3. State and Federal Funding: Primary funding from Illinois state appropriations and federal student aid (Pell Grants, federal loans).
4. Continuing Education: Fee-based professional development and personal enrichment courses for non-credit students.
5. Foundation and Corporate Donations: Private donations and corporate partnerships supporting scholarships, programs, and infrastructure through the City Colleges Foundation.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

City Colleges of Chicago is a public community college district operating seven colleges including Harold Washington College, delivering affordable associate degrees, certificates, adult education (ESL/GED/HiSET), continuing education, apprenticeships, and specialized institutes such as the School of Engineering, Washburne Culinary Institute, and Dawson Technical Institute to Chicago-area residents. The system combines in-person instruction across campuses and satellite sites with online learning supported by Brightspace LMS, EAB Navigate, and Salesforce.

Product overview

City Colleges of Chicago operates as a community college system with seven colleges (Harold Washington, Harry S Truman, Kennedy-King, Malcolm X, Olive-Harvey, Richard J. Daley, and Wilbur Wright) and five satellite sites. The institution offers a unified portfolio of educational products and services centered on adult education (ESL/GED), credit programs (associate degrees and certificates), continuing education, apprenticeships, and specialized institutes (School of Engineering, Washburne Culinary Institute, Dawson Technical Institute). These programs are supported by technology platforms including Brightspace LMS, Salesforce CRM, EAB Navigate student success software, and emerging AI/ML education through AWS partnerships. The system serves approximately 20,000 Star Scholars and over 1,000 engineering students with transfer pathways to elite universities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Star Scholarship Program: Program helping approximately 20,000 CPS and Big Shoulders Fund high school graduates pursue associate degrees debt-free
• School of Engineering
• Adult Education
• Early College Program
• Washburne Culinary and Hospitality Institute
• Dawson Technical Institute
• Arturo Velasquez Institute
• Future Ready

Products and services

• Adult Education (ESL, GED/HiSET) Free English as a Second Language (ESL) classes, high school equivalency preparation (GED/HiSET), and career bridge programs for Illinois residents aged 18+, including transition support into college credit or job credential programs.
• Credit Programs (Associate Degrees and Certificates) Associate degree and certificate credit programs offered across Harold Washington, Harry S Truman, Kennedy-King, Malcolm X, Olive-Harvey, Richard J Daley, and Wilbur Wright colleges.
• Continuing Education Professional development and personal enrichment courses for adult learners seeking career advancement or personal growth outside of degree credit.
• School of Engineering Engineering degree pathways with transfer agreements to universities including UIUC Grainger College of Engineering, Northwestern, and Stanford. Includes hands-on internships at NASA, Argonne National Laboratory, Fermilab, CME Group, and UIC Energy Resource Center.
• Apprenticeships (Earn and Learn) Earn and Learn apprenticeship programs that connect students with employers for workforce training and employment pathways.
• Star Scholarship Scholarship program helping Chicago Public Schools and Big Shoulders Fund high school graduates pursue associate degrees debt-free, with guaranteed transfer pathways to 26 partner universities including Northwestern, University of Michigan, Columbia, and Stanford.
• Washburne Culinary and Hospitality Institute Culinary arts and hospitality management training institute located at Kennedy-King College.
• Dawson Technical Institute Technical training institute at Kennedy-King College offering programs including Overhead Electrical Line Worker training and other workforce development certifications.
• Arturo Velasquez Institute Satellite campus of Richard J Daley College providing technical and workforce training programs.
• Future Ready Chicago Free workforce training program helping eligible Chicagoans prepare for in-demand careers including forklift operation certification.
• Early College Program

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 1,000 Star Scholars graduated in 2025-2026, comprising over one-fourth of graduating class
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 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

Integration12 records

AI capability3 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• NASA, Argonne National Laboratory, FermilabcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 May 2026Nearly 100 engineering students secured cutting-edge summer internships at NASA, Argonne National Laboratory, Fermilab, CME Group, and UIC Energy Resource Center as part of the School of Engineering expansion program.
• 26 Star Scholarship University PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 May 2026Partnership with 26 four-year universities for guaranteed transfer pathways through the Star Scholarship program. Students completing associate degrees at CCC with 3.0+ GPA can transfer to partner institutions including Grainger College of Engineering at UIUC, Northwestern, University of Michigan, Columbia, Stanford, and others.
• Amazon Web Services (AWS)coreTechnology or Integration · 18 May 2026City Colleges of Chicago was selected as a regional lead institution for AWS Machine Learning University. Four faculty members selected as inaugural AWS Machine Learning University Faculty Fellows. Partnership establishes the Midwest AI/Machine Learning Initiative bringing cloud learning environment to faculty and classrooms at no cost.
• IBMcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 April 2026IBM will work with City Colleges of Chicago to design an apprenticeship program supporting 500 apprentices, with commitment to hire some graduates for full-time positions. IBM is establishing a FutureNow Chicago delivery center at the Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park, creating 750 new jobs.
• Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park (IQMP)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 April 2026City Colleges is partnered with the Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park to build quantum workforce pathways. IBM's new facility at IQMP will create 750 jobs with apprenticeship opportunities for CCC students.
• USDA Forest ServiceminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 April 2026USDA Forest Service partnered with Truman College on a hackathon to inspire next generation of data leaders. Event designed as a bridge between public service and student opportunities.
• National Model United Nations (NMUN)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2026Harold Washington College students participated in NMUN•NY conference - the world's largest intercollegiate simulation of the United Nations. Students engaged in committee debates on global issues and visited Permanent Missions to the UN to network with international policy experts.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Houston Community College: Large urban community college system with multiple campuses serving the Houston metropolitan area. Highly comparable as a multi-campus urban community college system serving diverse, lower-income populations with workforce-aligned programs.
• Harper College: Public community college in Chicago's northwest suburbs offering associate degrees, workforce certificates, and adult education. Directly comparable as a neighboring community college serving similar Chicago-area populations with overlapping transfer and workforce programs.
• Joliet Junior College: Public community college in Joliet, Illinois, the first public community college in the US, offering associate degrees and certificates. Comparable as a Chicago-area public two-year institution with similar credit, adult education, and workforce programs.
• College of DuPage: Large suburban Chicago-area community college offering associate degrees, certificates, and continuing education to a similar demographic. Comparable in scale and mission as an open-access public two-year institution serving the greater Chicago metropolitan area.
• Dallas College: Multi-campus community college system serving the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area with associate degrees, certificates, and continuing education. Comparable as a large Texas urban community college system with similar structure and mission to City Colleges of Chicago.
• Oakton College: Public community college serving Chicago's northern suburbs with associate degree and continuing education programs. Comparable as a two-year public institution with similar transfer partnerships, adult education offerings, and workforce development focus.
• Moraine Valley Community College: Public community college in Palos Hills, Illinois, serving Chicago's southwest suburbs with associate degrees, certificates, and continuing education. Comparable as a Chicago-area two-year public institution with similar mission and program mix.
• Miami Dade College: One of the largest community college systems in the US, with multiple campuses serving the Miami metropolitan area. Comparable scale and structure as a large urban community college system offering associate degrees, adult education, and workforce programs.

Regional players

• Pima Community College: Multi-campus community college system serving the Tucson, Arizona metropolitan area. Comparable as a multi-campus public community college system, though operating in a different geographic market with smaller scale than City Colleges of Chicago.

Broad incumbents

• University of Illinois Chicago: Major Chicago public research university that serves as a primary transfer destination for City Colleges of Chicago graduates. Comparable as a Chicago-area public higher education institution with overlapping transfer pipelines, though operating at the four-year degree level rather than two-year.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/HW_College
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/citycollegeschicago
• Facebookfacebook.com/159994197369621
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/citycollegeschicago
• Instagraminstagram.com/citycollegeschicago

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about City Colleges of Chicago - Harold Washington College