<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0001140361-09-010814
<TYPE>4
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20090430
<FILING-DATE>20090501
<DATE-OF-FILING-DATE-CHANGE>20090501
<REPORTING-OWNER>
<OWNER-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>Snyder Edward A
<CIK>0001430330
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>4
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>000-23245
<FILM-NUMBER>09789899
</FILING-VALUES>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>CAREER EDUCATION CORPORATION
<STREET2>2895 GREENSPOINT PARKWAY, SUITE 600
<CITY>HOFFMAN ESTATES
<STATE>IL
<ZIP>60169
</MAIL-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>60169
<PHONE>8477813600
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>2895 GREENSPOINT PARKWAY
<STREET2>SUITE 600
<CITY>HOFFMAN ESTATES
<STATE>IL
<ZIP>60169
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</ISSUER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>doc1.xml
<DESCRIPTION>FORM 4
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0303</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2009-04-30</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

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

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001430330</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Snyder Edward A</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>2895 GREENSPOINT PARKWAY, SUITE 600</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>HOFFMAN ESTATES</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>IL</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>60169</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle></officerTitle>
            <otherText></otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable></nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Employee Stock Option (right to buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>22.04</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2009-04-30</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>24000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2019-04-30</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>24000</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>24000</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Immediately exercisable as to 8,000 of the underlying shares of Common Stock and exercisable as to 8,000 of the remaining underlying shares on each of April 30, 2010 and April 30, 2011.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Gail B. Rago, as attorney-in-fact</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2009-05-01</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SUBMISSION>
