Exhibit 99.1

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:	John Springer
	Senior Vice President, Finance and Investor Relations
	(847) 585-3899
	www.careered.com

CAREER EDUCATION CORPORATION

COMPLETES PURCHASE OF LE CORDON BLEU BRAND RIGHTS FOR CULINARY EDUCATION PROGRAMS

Hoffman Estates, IL, September 1, 2009 - Career Education Corporation (NASDAQ:CECO) announced today, effective August 31, 2009, that it has completed the previously announced purchase of the outright rights to the Le Cordon Bleu brand in the education services field for the U.S. and Canada. As a part of the transaction CEC has also acquired the right of first refusal to purchase all non-acquired brand rights and operations of Le Cordon Bleu International (LCBI) in the event LCBI proposes to sell such rights and operations.

About Career Education Corporation

The colleges, schools and universities that are part of the Career Education Corporation (CEC) family offer high-quality education to a diverse student population of over 90,000 students across the world in a variety of career-oriented disciplines. The more than 75 campuses that serve these students are located throughout the U.S. and in France, Italy, and the United Kingdom, and offer doctoral, master’s, bachelor’s and associate degrees, and diploma and certificate programs. Approximately one-third of CEC’s students attend the web-based virtual campuses of American InterContinental University and Colorado Technical University.

CEC is an industry leader whose gold-standard brands are recognized globally. Those brands include, among others, American InterContinental University; Brooks Institute; Colorado Technical University; Harrington College of Design; INSEEC Schools; International Academy of Design & Technology; Istituto Marangoni; Le Cordon Bleu North America; and Sanford-Brown Institutes and Colleges. CEC is committed to providing quality education, enabling students to graduate and pursue rewarding careers.

For more information, see CEC’s website at www.careered.com. The website includes a detailed listing of individual campus locations and web links to CEC’s more than 75 colleges, schools, and universities.

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