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<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0001140361-08-001232
<TYPE>3
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>2
<PERIOD>20080107
<FILING-DATE>20080111
<DATE-OF-FILING-DATE-CHANGE>20080111
<ISSUER>
<COMPANY-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>CAREER EDUCATION CORP
<CIK>0001046568
<ASSIGNED-SIC>8200
<IRS-NUMBER>363932190
<STATE-OF-INCORPORATION>DE
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>1116
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<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>2895 GREENSPOINT
<STREET2>SUITE 600
<CITY>HOFFMAN ESTATES
<STATE>IL
<ZIP>60195
<PHONE>8477813600
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<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>2800 WEST HIGGINS ROAD
<STREET2>SUITE 790
<CITY>HOFFMAN ESTATES
<STATE>IL
<ZIP>60195
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<REPORTING-OWNER>
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<CONFORMED-NAME>O'Sullivan Colleen M
<CIK>0001423332
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<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>3
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>000-23245
<FILM-NUMBER>08526830
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<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<PHONE>(847) 781-3600
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<STREET1>CAREER EDUCATION CORPORATION
<STREET2>2895 GREENSPOINT PARKWAY, SUITE 600
<CITY>HOFFMAN ESTATES
<STATE>IL
<ZIP>60169
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<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>3
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>doc1.xml
<DESCRIPTION>FORM 3
<TEXT>
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    <periodOfReport>2008-01-07</periodOfReport>

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            <rptOwnerState>IL</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>60169</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
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            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
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            <officerTitle>VP and Corporate Controller</officerTitle>
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        <signatureDate>2008-01-11</signatureDate>
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<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>EX-24.1
<SEQUENCE>2
<FILENAME>poa1.htm
<DESCRIPTION>POWER OF ATTORNEY
<TEXT>
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  <head>
    <title>Unassociated Document</title>
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    <div>&#160;</div>
    <div>
      <hr style="MARGIN-TOP: -5px; COLOR: #000000" noshade size="4">
      <hr style="MARGIN-TOP: -10px; COLOR: #000000" noshade size="1">
    </div>
    <div><br><br>&#160;</div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="right"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman;"><strong>EXHIBIT
      24</strong></font></div>
    <div><br></div>
    <div><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman;"><strong>Power
      of Attorney</strong></font></div>
    <div><br></div>
    <div><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman;">Know
      all
      by these presents, that the undersigned hereby constitutes and appoints each
      of
      Michael J. Graham and Gail B. Rago, signing singly, the undersigned&#8217;s true and
      lawful attorney-in-fact to:</font></div>
    <div><br></div>
    <div>
      <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="list" width="100%">

          <tr valign="top">
            <td align="right" style="WIDTH: 36pt">
              <div><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman;">1.&#160;&#160;</font></div>
            </td>
            <td>
              <div style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman;">prepare,
                execute in the undersigned&#8217;s name on the undersigned&#8217;s behalf, and submit
                to the United States Securities and Exchange Commission a Form ID,
                including amendments thereto, and any other documents necessary or
                appropriate to obtain codes, passwords, and passphrases enabling
                the
                undersigned to make electronic filings with the SEC of reports required
                by
                Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended,
                or any
                rule or regulation of the SEC;</font></div>
            </td>
          </tr>

      </table>
    </div>
    <div>
      <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="list" width="100%">

          <tr valign="top">
            <td align="right" style="WIDTH: 36pt"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman;">&#160;</font></td>
            <td><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman;">&#160;</font></td>
          </tr>

      </table>
      <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="list" width="100%">

          <tr valign="top">
            <td align="right" style="WIDTH: 36pt">
              <div><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman;">2.&#160;&#160;</font></div>
            </td>
            <td>
              <div style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman;">execute
                for an on behalf of the undersigned, in the undersigned&#8217;s capacity as an
                officer and/or director of Career Education Corporation (&#8220;CEC&#8221;), Forms 4
                and 5 in accordance with Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange
                Act of
                1934, as amended, and the rules
                thereunder;</font></div>
            </td>
          </tr>

      </table>
    </div>
    <div>
      <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="list" width="100%">

          <tr valign="top">
            <td align="right" style="WIDTH: 36pt"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman;">&#160;</font></td>
            <td><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman;">&#160;</font></td>
          </tr>

      </table>
      <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="list" width="100%">

          <tr valign="top">
            <td align="right" style="WIDTH: 36pt">
              <div><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman;">3.&#160;&#160;</font></div>
            </td>
            <td>
              <div style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman;">do
                and perform any and all acts for and on behalf of the undersigned
                which
                may be necessary or desirable to complete and execute any such Form
                4 or
                5, complete and execute any amendment or amendments thereto, and
                file such
                form with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission and
                any
                stock exchange or similar authority;
                and</font></div>
            </td>
          </tr>

      </table>
    </div>
    <div>
      <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="list" width="100%">

          <tr valign="top">
            <td align="right" style="WIDTH: 36pt"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman;">&#160;</font></td>
            <td><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman;">&#160;</font></td>
          </tr>

      </table>
      <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="list" width="100%">

          <tr valign="top">
            <td align="right" style="WIDTH: 36pt">
              <div><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman;">4.&#160;&#160;</font></div>
            </td>
            <td>
              <div style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman;">take
                any other action of any type whatsoever in connection with the foregoing
                which, in the opinion of such attorney-in-fact, may be of benefit
                to, in
                the best interest of, or legally required by, the undersigned, it
                being
                understood that the documents executed by such attorney-in-fact on
                behalf
                of the undersigned pursuant to this Power of Attorney shall be in
                such
                form and shall contain such terms and conditions as such attorney-in-fact
                may approve in such attorney-in-fact&#8217;s
                discretion.</font></div>
            </td>
          </tr>

      </table>
    </div>
    <div><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 72pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman;">The
      undersigned hereby grants to each such attorney-in-fact full power and authority
      to do and perform any and every act and thing whatsoever requisite, necessary,
      or proper to be done in the exercise of any of the rights and powers herein
      granted, as fully to all intents and purposes as the undersigned might or could
      do if personally present, with full power of substitution or revocation, hereby
      ratifying and confirming all that such attorney-in-fact, or such
      attorney-in-fact&#8217;s substitute or substitutes, shall lawfully do or cause to be
      done by virtue of this power of attorney and the rights and powers herein
      granted. The undersigned acknowledges that the foregoing attorneys-in-fact,
      in
      serving in such capacity at the request of the undersigned, are not assuming
      any
      of the undersigned&#8217;s responsibilities to comply with Section 16 of the
      Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.</font></div>
    <div><br></div>
    <div>
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              <div>&#160;</div>
            </td>
            <td>
              <div align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman;">This
                Power of Attorney shall remain in full force and effect until the
                undersigned is no longer required to file Form 4 and 5 with respect
                to the
                undersigned&#8217;s holdings of, and transactions in, CEC securities, unless
                earlier revoked by the undersigned in a signed writing delivered
                to the
                foregoing attorneys-in-fact.</font></div>
            </td>
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          <tr valign="top">
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            </td>
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              <div align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman;">IN
                WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has caused this Power of Attorney
                to be
                executed as of this 11th day of January,
                2008.</font></div>
            </td>
          </tr>

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    <div><br></div>
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              <div style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center">&#160;</div>
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              <div style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman;"><u>/s/
                Colleen M. O'Sullivan</u></font></div>
            </td>
          </tr>

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    <div style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman;"><font id="TAB1" style="MARGIN-LEFT: 72pt;"></font><u>Colleen
      M.
      O'Sullivan</u></font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman;"><font id="TAB1" style="MARGIN-LEFT: 72pt;"></font>Print
      Name</font></div><br>
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