As college costs rise, CFCC offers lower-cost route to workforce

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — As the cost of higher education continues to increase, more students are looking for affordable ways to build a career without taking on significant debt.

At Cape Fear Community College, President Jim Morton says the school is focused on preparing students for the workforce while keeping education accessible.

“We train, we educate, but we really help students find employment too,” Morton said.

Almost a decade being president, Morton will welcome more than 3,000 new students when classes begin next week. He said many students are concerned about the rising cost of college, making affordability more important than ever.

“Education’s gotten more expensive, but the community college has a very high-value education at a reasonable price,” Morton said.

According to the College Board, average annual tuition and fees at a public two-year community college are about $4,000, a 2.7% increase from the previous year. By comparison, average tuition and fees at a public four-year university are about $21,000 annually, a 2.9% increase from the previous year.

Despite rising costs, Morton said community colleges remain an affordable option while offering programs that prepare students for in-demand careers.

“We are nimbler than the universities because they have to stick to their academics, and it’s a longer process,” Morton said. “We really harp on teaching a skill set that helps students become employable as quickly as possible, and we like to target higher-wage incomes because this region is an expensive region to live in.”

Cape Fear Community College offers programs ranging from nursing and electrical engineering technology to its newest surveying program.

The college recently celebrated the first graduating class of its surveying program and has already expanded its workforce offerings.

“We just had our first graduating class last Friday, but from there came a desire and a need for heavy equipment operating,” Morton said. “There’s so much development going on in this region, and those are higher-income wages as well.”

Morton says they will continue adding programs that meet local workforce demands while giving students an affordable path to stable, well-paying careers.

“I truly would love Cape Fear to become known as, if you want a career, come to Cape Fear,” said Morton.