Indiana Vocational Technical College was established in 1963 by the General Assembly. It was Indiana's first statewide technical college teaching vocational and industrial skills. The name was changed to Ivy Tech State College in 1995. The 2005 state legislature renamed it Ivy Tech Community College. Ivy Tech grew from 3,233 students in 1968 to over 100,000 enrolled for the 2004-2005 academic year. The college is accredited by the North Central Association of Schools and Colleges.
The Ivy Tech Community College system employs 4,800 full- and part-time instructors. The curriculum is divided into the academic areas of business, general education, health sciences, public and social services, technology, applied science and engineering, liberal arts and sciences, and fine arts and design. The college has over 150 programs and course concentrations. Distance education is an option with about 350 classes and 12 online degree programs available. Over 32,000 students take the online classes taught by Ivy Tech's regular instructors over the Internet.
With college tuition at all-time high levels, community colleges can be a dollar-wise educational investment. In 2011, Ivy Tech Community College's annual tuition cost is $3,137, compared to $12,060 charged to attend other Indiana public, private and online colleges and universities. Indiana residents pay Ivy Tech $104.55 a credit hour while out-of-state students pay $221.35 per credit hour. Internet-based distance education courses incur a charge of $20 per credit hour.
Through Indiana's Corporate and Continuing Education Services, Ivy Tech partners with Indiana businesses to provide customized training programs to fit specific industry needs. The Workforce and Economic Development office at Ivy Tech provides local workers and employers with seminars, workshops and short-term courses tailored to fit their individual needs. A curriculum is developed on a one-time or an ongoing basis. These services seek to keep the skill levels of Indiana employees current with ever-changing market demands.