About KC
Welcome to Kaskaskia College! Since its start as Centralia Township Junior College in 1940, KC has proudly served the residents of south-central Illinois. Thousands of students choose KC each year to begin their educational careers.
With more than 100 academic and certificate programs on tap, Kaskaskia College provides you the opportunity to explore your interests, find your talents, and chart a path for your future, all the while supported by a faculty and staff wholly committed to your success.
So, what, exactly, is the success you’re after? Is it a high-paying job? A fulfilling job? A job that does both? Do you aspire to be an entrepreneur? A problem solver? An innovator? A leader? Whatever your goals, KC provides you with what you need to succeed.
Kaskaskia College offers an outstanding education, affordable tuition, a convenient location in a community you're already a part of, credits that transfer to any four-year college or university, and career-building training. These are the values of Kaskaskia College.
We also prioritize providing our students with engaging campus life. KC offers a wide array of clubs, activities, service learning, and athletics programs, everything that makes for a rewarding college experience.
It’s out there, waiting for you. It’s your future, and it’s bright! We are here to help you realize your dreams at an affordable college that is close to home and has extraordinary resources. You won’t be traveling along the path to success alone.
Kaskaskia College at a Glance*
- 9,797 students served annually
- 20:1 Student to faculty ratio
- 44 Degrees offered
- 72 Certificates offered
- 31% of students at Kaskaskia College qualify for some type of financial aid
- Over $6 million in financial aid awarded
- Over $1.7 million in scholarships awarded in institutional scholarships
- Over $2.5 million in savings in KC tuition and fees by those in dual credit classes, KC Now and KC Jumpstart
- 575 scholarships awarded
- Degrees awarded - 399
- Certificates awarded - 489
*2023-2024 data
History
In the early 1960s, a Master Plan for Higher Education in Illinois was developed and included recommendations concerning the development of an improved system of higher education in Illinois. Subsequently, many of these recommendations were written into the Illinois Public Junior College Act, which passed the state legislature on June 29, 1965, and was signed into law on July 15, 1965. The Public Junior College Law provided for the establishment of Junior College Districts in Illinois by direct vote of the people in a given area. Junior College District 501 was established on October 16, 1965, including all of Marion County, all of Clinton County, most of Washington County, and part of Jefferson County. This district has since been expanded to include most of Bond, much of Fayette, and parts of St. Clair, Madison, and Montgomery counties. Kaskaskia College was the first Class I Junior College to be established under provisions of the Public Junior College Act of the State of Illinois. Kaskaskia College, Junior College District 501, encompassed all of Centralia Junior College, which was established as a part of Centralia High School District in 1940. Consequently, Centralia Junior College ceased to exist as a legal entity on July 1, 1966, when Kaskaskia College assumed responsibility for the education program.
