Springfield, IL (CAPITOL CITY NOW) – The people who run Illinois’ 45 community colleges now have a study to back up their claim as a real investment.

“For every dollar invested, students gain $4.30 in lifetime earnings,” said Avis Proctor, president of Harper College, “taxpayers receive $1.30 back in added revenue and public savings, and society benefits from $6.70 in total return.” Proctor is chair of the Illinois Council of Community College Presidents and helped present the study’s findings at a Capitol news conference Thursday.

Brian Durham, executive director of the Illinois Community College Board, said, “They drive workforce development for local businesses and create pathways to strengthen families in an entire region.”

The study reports a $27.2 billion economic impact, supporting 324,273 jobs.

State Rep. Tracy Katz Muhl is sponsoring a bill allowing community colleges to award baccalaureate degrees, a priority Gov. JB Pritzker has mentioned in State of the State speeches.

“Community colleges are, quite simply, the backbone of Illinois’ workforce pipeline,” said Katz Muhl. “It is critical that we do everything we can to fully leverage the potential of community colleges. This study demonstrates exactly why community college baccalaureates are so important today.”