FY25 State Budget Continues Investments In Higher Education

Governor JB Pritzker signed the fiscal year 2025 state budget that includes a historic general funds appropriation of $2.6 billion for higher education, an increase of nearly $76 million (3 percent) compared to the previous fiscal year. Meaningful investments include operating funds increases of $24.6 million (2 percent) for public universities and $5.9 million (2 percent) for community colleges, plus a $10 million increase for the Monetary Award Program (MAP).

In addition to the meaningful investments in operating funds, the fiscal year 2025 state budget includes $575 million for the construction, repair and renovation of infrastructure on campuses across the state to offer equitable and high-quality learning experiences to every Illinois student. These funds are crucial in helping institutions continue and finish projects through Rebuild Illinois. Passed in 2019, Rebuild Illinois is the largest capital program in state history.

The state’s fiscal year 2025 budget builds on the historic funding of higher education over the last several years, with fiscal year 2024’s higher education budget representing the largest increase in higher education in two decades.

“The fiscal year 2025 higher education budget will allow us to continue increasing equitable and affordable access to higher education while removing barriers to access and completion,” said Illinois Board of Higher Education (IBHE) Chair Pranav Kothari. “The Board is committed to meeting the ambitious goals of the strategic plan and believes that continuing meaningful and measurable investments in higher education is crucial to developing an inclusive and thriving Illinois economy.”

The state has continued important investments for the Pipeline for Advancement of the Healthcare (PATH) Workforce and Advanced Manufacturing and Electric Vehicle Technologies – both of which are workforce development initiatives to help meet the state's workforce needs in critical fields. The budget also includes new state funding for the Early Childhood Access Consortium for Equity (ECACE) scholarships, a statewide early childhood workforce program, which was previously funded by one-time federal funding.

The budget includes an increase of $10 million for the Monetary Award Program (MAP), bringing the total MAP appropriation to a historic high of $711 million. This supports the goal of increasing funding for MAP to $1 billion within 10 years as set out in the strategic plan for higher education in 2021. From 2019 to the fiscal year 2025 higher education budget, Governor JB Pritzker and the General Assembly have supported a 77% increase in MAP. The historic increases in MAP over the last five years have made significant inroads in affordability, allowing the state to offer a larger grant to more students from low-income households statewide.

The fiscal year 2025 state budget includes:

$24.6 million (2 percent) increase in operating funds for public universities

$5.9 million (2 percent) increase in operating funds for community colleges

$10 million increase for MAP

$50 million for AIM HIGH program for public university students

$30 million for new workforce development grants

$5 million in new state funds for the Early Childhood Access Consortium for Equity (ECACE)

$8 million for the Minority Teachers of Illinois Scholarship to support minority teachers-in-training

Additionally, $575 million for deferred maintenance and construction through Rebuild Illinois:

$450 million for universities

$125 million for community colleges

The complete higher education budget for fiscal year 2025 can be accessed here.