Cape Fear Community College is a public institution offering associate degrees based in Wilmington, North Carolina. It enrolls 9,764 students (a large student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Below you'll find verified data on admissions, cost, student outcomes, programs offered, and what graduates typically earn, all pulled from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard and IPEDS.
AccreditorSouthern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
Academic CalendarSemester
How It Measures Up
US College Data scores each college on four pillars (outcomes, value, affordability, and selectivity) on a 0–100 scale, ranked within its peer group (2-Year). Scores are calculated from verified College Scorecard and IPEDS data, not opinion or paid placement. Where data is missing, that pillar isn't scored.
Good
61/100
UCD Score · 2-Year
Outcomes42
Value55
Affordability33
Selectivity—
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
As a two-year college, Cape Fear Community College generally admits all qualified applicants.
Acceptance Rate
Open
SAT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
ACT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
Cost & Financial Aid
The real cost of attending Cape Fear Community College isn't the sticker price. It's the net price,which is what most students actually pay after grants and scholarships. According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, the average net price is $9,610 per year. That's well below the typical net price for public colleges nationally.
Average Net Price
$9,610
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
18%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
4%
Borrowing to attend
Full Cost Breakdown
Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.
Tuition & Fees (in-state)
$2,748
Tuition & Fees (out-of-state)
$8,892
Room & Board (off-campus)
$7,594
Books & Supplies
$1,600
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$6,064
Total Cost of Attendance
$14,740
Net Price by Family Income
Aid is need-based, so net price varies by family income. Here's what each bracket typically pays after grants and scholarships.
Under $30,000
$7,221
$30,001 – $48,000
$11,035
$48,001 – $75,000
$10,335
$75,001 – $110,000
$14,030
Over $110,000
$14,507
Debt at Graduation
Cumulative federal-loan debt across the full borrowing distribution. The 10th and 90th percentiles bracket the typical range; the median sits in the middle.
$1,75010%percentile
$3,25025%percentile
$9,500Medianpercentile
$12,00075%percentile
$20,89990%percentile
Median Debt by Student Type
Median federal-loan debt at graduation broken down by demographic. Each slice's size is proportional to the dollar amount that group typically borrows.
GroupDebtvs Median
Pell recipients $7,734
↓ $1,766
No Pell $5,500
↓ $4,000
Dependent students $5,500
↓ $4,000
Independent students $9,500
—
Female students $6,647
↓ $2,853
Male students $5,500
↓ $4,000
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $5,750, less than completers ($9,500), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
12% of full-time students who enrolled at Cape Fear Community College graduate within six years, and 68% return for their second year, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
6-Year Graduation Rate
12%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
68%
Returning for their second year
What this means:
Lower than typical completion. Worth asking the school how they support students who fall behind.
After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes
According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, students who entered Cape Fear Community College earn a median of $38,654 ten years after first enrolling. That's close to the national median for U.S. colleges.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$38,654
Earning > $25K
62%
10 yrs after entry
Earnings Growth After Graduation
Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.
Earnings by Demographic
Mean annual earnings 10 years after entry, segmented by demographic. Reveals gaps the headline median can't show.
By Gender
Female graduates
$28,000
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$36,400
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
By Family Income at Entry
Family income (lowest third)
$29,300
Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (middle third)
$35,400
Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (highest third)
$35,800
Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $8,400, about 23% more than female graduates ten years out. The gap reflects industry mix, role choice, and structural pay differences that exist across most US colleges.
Loan Repayment Progression
Share of completer-cohort borrowers paying down at least $1 of principal at the 1-, 3-, 5-, and 7-year mark. Climbing rates show graduates settling into careers and managing debt; flat or declining rates are a warning.
Climbing: graduates increasingly paying down debt ↑
34.9 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Strong. 77% of graduates are actively reducing their debt seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Cape Fear Community College is home to 9,764 students, a large student community. Some distinctive traits: 38% are first-generation college students, 68% study part-time.
Total Enrolled
9,764
Part-Time
68%
First-Generation
38%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
White 65.1%6,358
Hispanic 11.9%1,165
Black 9.7%942
Other 4.5%441
Asian 1.3%127
International 0.4%36
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Cape Fear Community College. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Setting
Midsize CityWilmington, North Carolina
Housing
Commuter campusNo on-campus housing
Adult Learners
41%of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NCAAathletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semesterscheduling structure
What You Can Study
Cape Fear Community College offers
an extensive catalog of programs:
60 distinct programs across
18 majors.
Below are its strongest majors, each with flagship programs and typical earnings.
Open a major to explore it in depth, or browse the full program catalog.
The student-to-faculty ratio at Cape Fear Community College is 13:1, close to the national average.
Student : Faculty
13:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Instruction / Student
$4,884
Annual instructional spending per enrolled student
Endowment
$15M
Modest endowment
Avg Faculty Salary
$59,180
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
269 instructional faculty across 1 ranks.
The rank mix shows how many senior faculty are teaching versus contingent or junior staff, with average salary equated to a 9-month contract.
Rank
Faculty Count
Share
Avg Salary
No Rank
269
100%
$59,180
Pros & Cons of Cape Fear Community College
A quick at-a-glance summary of how Cape Fear Community College tends to stack up for prospective students,weighing its data, size, setting, and cost profile together.
PROS
Very affordable net price after aid
Open admissions
Reasonable class sizes
Low typical debt at graduation
Flexible part-time enrollment options
CONS
Low completion rate, many students don't graduate within six years
First-year retention is below typical
Earnings outcomes are on the lower side
Predominantly serves middle- and upper-income families
Mostly part-time student body, less full-time campus feel
Best for:
Based on the data, Cape Fear Community College is a fit for
students who want a clear path to start college without a competitive admissions barrier; families focused on keeping net cost low; working adults or students needing part-time study options.
Frequently Asked Questions about Cape Fear Community College
Quick answers to the questions most students and parents ask. Every answer below is calculated from verified government data about Cape Fear Community College.
Is Cape Fear Community College hard to get into?
Cape Fear Community College has open or near-open admissions. Most qualified applicants are accepted.
What is the acceptance rate at Cape Fear Community College?
Cape Fear Community College has an acceptance rate of 0%, according to College Scorecard 2023-24 admissions data.
How much does Cape Fear Community College cost?
The average net price after aid at Cape Fear Community College is $9,610 per year, this is what students typically pay after grants and scholarships are applied. Net price data: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Cape Fear Community College worth it?
Solid return on investment. Graduates earn a median of $38,654 ten years after entering, against an average net price of $9,610 per year. That's roughly 4.0x earnings-to-cost. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Cape Fear Community College known for?
Cape Fear Community College is best known for its programs in Liberal Arts, Nursing, Allied Health Diagnostic. These are the most popular fields by completed degrees, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
What do Cape Fear Community College graduates earn?
Median earnings 10 years after entering Cape Fear Community College are $38,654, based on College Scorecard 2023-24 federal earnings data for Title IV recipients.
Is Cape Fear Community College accredited?
Yes. Cape Fear Community College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
How many students attend Cape Fear Community College?
Cape Fear Community College enrolls 9,764 students, per IPEDS 2023-24 fall enrollment data.
What is the graduation rate at Cape Fear Community College?
Cape Fear Community College graduates 12% of full-time students within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
Is Cape Fear Community College a public or private college?
Cape Fear Community College is a Public institution.
Where is Cape Fear Community College located?
Cape Fear Community College is located in Wilmington, North Carolina.
What programs does Cape Fear Community College offer?
Cape Fear Community College offers 60 distinct programs. The most popular include Liberal Arts, Nursing, Allied Health Diagnostic.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Cape Fear Community College?
The student-to-faculty ratio at Cape Fear Community College is 13:1, per IPEDS 2023-24 data.
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