<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0001179110-07-000252
<TYPE>4
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20061228
<FILING-DATE>20070103
<DATE-OF-FILING-DATE-CHANGE>20070103
<REPORTING-OWNER>
<OWNER-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>DOWDELL ROBERT E
<CIK>0001216302
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>4
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>000-23245
<FILM-NUMBER>07506259
</FILING-VALUES>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>11762 HIGHVIEW
<CITY>SANTA ANA
<STATE>CA
<ZIP>92705
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
</REPORTING-OWNER>
<ISSUER>
<COMPANY-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>CAREER EDUCATION CORP
<CIK>0001046568
<ASSIGNED-SIC>8200
<IRS-NUMBER>363932190
<STATE-OF-INCORPORATION>DE
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>1231
</COMPANY-DATA>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>2895 GREENSPOINT
<STREET2>SUITE 600
<CITY>HOFFMAN ESTATES
<STATE>IL
<ZIP>60195
<PHONE>8477813600
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>2800 WEST HIGGINS ROAD
<STREET2>SUITE 790
<CITY>HOFFMAN ESTATES
<STATE>IL
<ZIP>60195
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</ISSUER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>edgar.xml
<DESCRIPTION>FORM 4 -
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2006-12-28</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001046568</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>CAREER EDUCATION CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>CECO</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001216302</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>DOWDELL ROBERT E</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>11762 HIGHVIEW</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>SANTA ANA</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>60901</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>Interim President &amp; CEO</officerTitle>
            <otherText></otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>10000</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2006-12-28</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>J</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>31408</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>139906</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>See footnote</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable></derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">In-kind distribution of 15,704 shares of Common Stock to each of John L. Dowdell and Kevin J. Dowdell, both of whom were limited partners in RGD Partners, L.P., for whom Mr. Dowdell was general partner.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Includes 38,377 shares of Common Stock held by Mr. Dowdell, as Custodian for Brian M. Dowdell under the Uniform Transfers to Minors Act; 31,977 shares of Common Stock held by Mr. Dowdell, as Custodian for Sharon T. Dowdell under the Uniform Transfers to Minors Act; 69,552 shares of Common Stock held indirectly by the Robert E. and Grace Dowdell Living Trust dated July 11, 1991 for which Mr. Dowdell is co-trustee.  In prior reports, Mr. Dowdell reported beneficial ownership of 64,100 shares of Common Stock held by RGD Partners, L.P., for whom Mr. Dowdell was general partner; as a consequence of the in-kind distributions reported on this Form 4 and in-kind distributions by RGD Partners, L.P. of 15,705 shares of Common Stock to each of Brian M. Dowdell and Sharon T. Dowdell and 1,282 shares of Common Stock to the Robert E. and Grace Dowdell Living Trust dated July 11, 1991 for which Mr. Dowdell is co-trustee, Mr. Dowdell held 31,408 fewer shares of Common Stock indirectly.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Robert E. Dowdell</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2007-01-03</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SUBMISSION>
