As an Illinois community college, Triton College served as a participant in a new study released by the Illinois Community College Board (ICCB) that finds an Illinois community college education increases earnings for workers, even during a recession.

For Illinois community college graduates, the return on investment equates to a total lifetime earnings gain of more than $570,000 and an average annual rate of return of 14.2 percent. Triton College reports a similar rate of return at 14 percent.

The study also shows that by taking courses at an Illinois community college, a student can increase their earnings by 25.3 percent over pre-enrollment wages, while Triton reports a 33 percent increase, which supports the immense value of a community college education in Illinois that Triton upholds.

As major employers and business entities, Illinois community colleges generate substantial economic benefits for communities through local expenditures and employment. According to the report, in fiscal year 2012, Illinois community colleges generated a total economic output of $3.1 billion and almost 51,000 jobs.

The Illinois Community College Board is the state coordinating board for community colleges. For more information, including a copy of the full report, visit http://www.iccb.org/eis.html. For more information about Triton College, visit www.triton.edu.