Public Associate Good 65/100

Wake Technical Community College

See admissions data, costs, student outcomes, and academic programs, all verified from official US government sources.

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Raleigh, North Carolina

About Wake Technical Community College

Wake Technical Community College is a public institution offering associate degrees based in Raleigh, North Carolina. It enrolls 19,675 students (a very 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.

Acceptance
Open
Graduation
16.3%
Net Price
$8,759
Median Earnings (10yr)
$41,769
Enrollment
19,675
Student : Faculty
17:1

Accreditor Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
Academic Calendar Semester

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
65/100
UCD Score · 2-Year
Outcomes 44
Value 64
Affordability 46
Selectivity

Admissions & Acceptance Rate

As a two-year college, Wake Technical 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 Wake Technical 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 $8,759 per year. That's well below the typical net price for public colleges nationally.

Average Net Price
$8,759
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
28%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
16%
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)
$2,254
Tuition & Fees (out-of-state)
$6,862
Room & Board (off-campus)
$17,334
Books & Supplies
$1,648
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$6,200
Total Cost of Attendance
$15,953

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
    $6,682
  • $30,001 – $48,000
    $7,486
  • $48,001 – $75,000
    $9,108
  • $75,001 – $110,000
    $12,603
  • Over $110,000
    $15,067

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.

$2,276
10% percentile
$3,750
25% percentile
$12,000
Median percentile
$15,750
75% percentile
$28,000
90% 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 $7,852 ↓ $4,148
No Pell $5,500 ↓ $6,500
Dependent students $5,500 ↓ $6,500
Independent students $9,500 ↓ $2,500
Female students $7,852 ↓ $4,148
Male students $5,636 ↓ $6,364
Pell recipients: 18.8% (2,252 students)No Pell: 13.1% (1,577 students)Dependent students: 13.1% (1,577 students)Independent students: 22.7% (2,725 students)Female students: 18.8% (2,252 students)Male students: 13.5% (1,616 students)Overall Median$12,000
Worth knowing: Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $6,250, less than completers ($12,000), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.

Graduation Rate & Retention

16% of full-time students who enrolled at Wake Technical Community College graduate within six years, and 71% return for their second year, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.

6-Year Graduation Rate
16%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
71%
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 Wake Technical Community College earn a median of $41,769 ten years after first enrolling. That's close to the national median for U.S. colleges.

Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$41,769
Earning > $25K
67%
10 yrs after entry

Earnings Growth After Graduation

Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.

$34,000$36,000$39,000$41,000$43,0006 yrs8 yrs10 yrs

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
$31,700

Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.

Male graduates
$40,300

Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.


By Family Income at Entry

Family income (lowest third)
$33,000

Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.

Family income (middle third)
$37,500

Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.

Family income (highest third)
$39,800

Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.

The gender gap: Male graduates earn $8,600, about 21% 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 27.8 pts across 6 years
48.2%1yr55%3yr69.8%5yr76%7yr
What this signals: Strong. 76% of graduates are actively reducing their debt seven years out.

Who Studies Here

Wake Technical Community College is home to 19,675 students, a sprawling student community. Some distinctive traits: 38% are first-generation college students, 61% study part-time.

Total Enrolled
19,675
Part-Time
61%
First-Generation
38%

Race & Ethnicity Breakdown

Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.

GroupShareStudents
White 41.8% 8,228
Black 22.2% 4,360
Hispanic 19.9% 3,923
Asian 5.1% 999
Other 4.6% 899
International 2.7% 539
White: 41.8% (8,228 students)Black: 22.2% (4,360 students)Hispanic: 19.9% (3,923 students)Asian: 5.1% (999 students)Other: 4.6% (899 students)International: 2.7% (539 students)Total19,675

Student Life & Campus Culture

Where students live, learn, and connect at Wake Technical Community College. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.

Setting
Large Suburb Raleigh, North Carolina
Housing
Commuter campus No on-campus housing
Adult Learners
26% of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NCAA athletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semester scheduling structure

What You Can Study

Wake Technical Community College offers an extensive catalog of programs: 57 distinct programs across 16 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.

1 Program
12 Programs
7 Programs
4 Programs
6 Programs
1 Program
1 Program

Faculty & Resources

The student-to-faculty ratio at Wake Technical Community College is 17:1, on the higher side.

Student : Faculty
17:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Instruction / Student
$5,133
Annual instructional spending per enrolled student
Endowment
$17M
Modest endowment
Avg Faculty Salary
$56,866
9-month equivalent across all ranks

Faculty by Rank

610 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 610 100% $56,866

Pros & Cons of Wake Technical Community College

A quick at-a-glance summary of how Wake Technical 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
  • Low typical debt at graduation
  • Flexible part-time enrollment options
CONS
  • Class sizes are on the higher side
  • Low completion rate, many students don't graduate within six years
  • Modest first-year retention
  • Earnings outcomes are on the lower side
  • Mostly part-time student body, less full-time campus feel
Best for: Based on the data, Wake Technical 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 Wake Technical Community College

Quick answers to the questions most students and parents ask. Every answer below is calculated from verified government data about Wake Technical Community College.

Is Wake Technical Community College hard to get into?
Wake Technical Community College has open or near-open admissions. Most qualified applicants are accepted.
What is the acceptance rate at Wake Technical Community College?
Wake Technical Community College has an acceptance rate of 0%, according to College Scorecard 2023-24 admissions data.
How much does Wake Technical Community College cost?
The average net price after aid at Wake Technical Community College is $8,759 per year, this is what students typically pay after grants and scholarships are applied. Net price data: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Wake Technical Community College worth it?
Solid return on investment. Graduates earn a median of $41,769 ten years after entering, against an average net price of $8,759 per year. That's roughly 4.8x earnings-to-cost. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Wake Technical Community College known for?
Wake Technical Community College is best known for its programs in Liberal Arts, Information Systems, Business Administration. These are the most popular fields by completed degrees, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
What do Wake Technical Community College graduates earn?
Median earnings 10 years after entering Wake Technical Community College are $41,769, based on College Scorecard 2023-24 federal earnings data for Title IV recipients.
Is Wake Technical Community College accredited?
Yes. Wake Technical Community College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
How many students attend Wake Technical Community College?
Wake Technical Community College enrolls 19,675 students, per IPEDS 2023-24 fall enrollment data.
What is the graduation rate at Wake Technical Community College?
Wake Technical Community College graduates 16% of full-time students within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
Is Wake Technical Community College a public or private college?
Wake Technical Community College is a Public institution.
Where is Wake Technical Community College located?
Wake Technical Community College is located in Raleigh, North Carolina.
What programs does Wake Technical Community College offer?
Wake Technical Community College offers 57 distinct programs. The most popular include Liberal Arts, Information Systems, Business Administration.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Wake Technical Community College?
The student-to-faculty ratio at Wake Technical Community College is 17:1, per IPEDS 2023-24 data.

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