Cape Fear Community College grows as students seek lower-cost degrees

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — As students prepare to head back to the classroom, questions about the cost—and value—of a college degree continue to shape decisions for graduating high school seniors.

Across North Carolina, fewer students are enrolling in college immediately after high school. In recent years, the percentage of graduates continuing their education has dropped from 62% to 55%, as more young people choose to enter the workforce instead.

Despite that statewide trend, Cape Fear Community College is seeing enrollment move in the opposite direction.

More than 27,000 students are expected to attend Cape Fear Community College this academic year, making it one of the region’s largest institutions of higher education.

College President Jim Morton said enrollment has surged over the past year.

“Twenty-three thousand nine hundred students last year. This past year, we jumped to 27,000—a significant increase,” Morton said. “We added over 3,400 students alone, which is a 14% growth.”

Morton said the increase reflects growing interest in affordable, career-focused education as students and families weigh the return on investment of a college degree, with Cape Fear Community College offering programs ranging from health sciences and skilled trades to business, cybersecurity, and engineering technology.

Research from the U.S. Census Bureau shows people with an associate degree can earn hundreds of thousands of dollars more over the course of their lifetime than those whose highest level of education is a high school diploma.