Public community college in Wilmington serving 23,000+ students with 240+ programs and career pathways.
Cape Fear Community College offers over 240 programs of study, including credentials, degrees, certificates, and short-term job training. Academic areas include aviation, health sciences, marine technology, math/engineering/technology/science, liberal arts, business and information technology, fine arts and design, career and technical education, education, and public safety. The college emphasizes both university transfer pathways and career-focused vocational training, with an average class size of 13 students.
The college operates a main campus in downtown Wilmington plus satellite locations in Castle Hayne, Burgaw, and Surf City, serving New Hanover and Pender counties. Athletics teams, known as the Sea Devils, compete in the Carolinas Junior College Conference (NJCAA) and offer men's and women's basketball, soccer, volleyball, and cheerleading. The Joe and Barbara Schwartz Center hosts basketball and volleyball games. Student services include counseling, academic advising, tutoring, a library, food pantry, drop-in childcare, and veterans center.
CFCC operates public-facing services including a dental clinic staffed by dental hygiene and assisting students, cosmetology and esthetics salons, barbering services, a child development center (ages 6 weeks to 60 months), and a hospitality/culinary student dining room. The college also offers small business center support, workforce development programs, and community enrichment activities.
The college is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC), which granted membership in 1975 and reaffirmed accreditation in 1986, 1996, and 2007. However, SACSCOC issued a warning in December 2023 citing significant non-compliance with core accreditation requirements. The college is governed by a Board of Trustees and is part of the North Carolina Community College System.