Community Colleges in North Carolina
With over ten million residents, the state of North Carolina is the ninth largest state by population. Historically, it was the first state in America to launch a public university (UNC) back in 1795. In terms of community colleges, the state boasts around five dozen schools across the state. Community colleges are public higher education institutions that traditionally have provided less than two-year undergraduate education opportunities to students via degree pathways and certificate programs. That being said, there are a handful of community colleges experimenting with three and four-year degree pathways to students.
Benefits of Attending a Community College in North Carolina
Other salient features you will discover about community colleges is imbedded within affordability and access. From a cost standpoint, a community college will typically be significantly less than private colleges and public universities. The tuition and overall costs are effectively subsidized by public dollars to help students afford a quality education. The other prominent aspect of a community college is the guaranteed admissions policy. In other words, schools will accept any qualifying student for admissions. By combining access to higher education with a more affordable price point, millions of students every year utilize the community college system.Locating Top Rated Community Colleges in North Carolina
Top ranked community colleges in North Carolina include schools in every corner of the state from Charlotte to Raleigh and from Asheville to Durham. Popular NC colleges that can be explored start with Rowan-Cabarrus Community College, Central Piedmont Community College, Wake Technical Community College, Guilford Technical Community College, Forsyth Technical Community College, Blue Ridge Community College, and Pitt Community College.Top Degrees Offed at North Carolina Community Colleges
The immense variety of community colleges provide students with a nearly unlimited number of learning opportunities. Students can jump into direct-entry programs like welding, computer systems, cosmetology, auto body, diesel mechanic, and court reporting or more traditional pathways. Regionally influenced degrees and popular programs may include operations management, atmospheric science, economics, teaching, computer science, communications, applied mathematics, and psychology. In either case, start your college search by collecting the right information to help connect with schools that fit your goals and objectives.The following link may provide helpful information about community colleges in North Carolina:
- North Carolina Community College System (Official Website)
Metro Area Links for Community Colleges in North Carolina
- Charlotte, Gastonia, Concord (5 Colleges)
- Raleigh, Cary (2 Colleges)
- Greensboro, High Point (3 Colleges)
- Durham (2 Colleges)
- Winston, Salem (2 Colleges)
- Asheville (3 Colleges)
- Hickory, Lenoir, Morganton (3 Colleges)
- Rocky Mount (2 Colleges)
- New Bern (2 Colleges)
Community Colleges in Charlotte, Gastonia, Concord
We have ranked the community colleges in the Charlotte, Gastonia, and Concord area by the percent of students who either completed their degree or transferred to a 4-year institution. Rowan - Cabarrus Community College in Salisbury, NC ranked as the #1 community college in this area. Visit their official website at http://www.rccc.edu/
Rowan - Cabarrus Community College Highlights
- Serving students from Salisbury and surrounding areas
- 35% of students either graduated or transferred to a 4-year college/university
- Tuition & fees are about $2,600 per year for state residents ($9,100 for out of state)
Top Community Colleges in Charlotte, Gastonia, and Concord
| Rate | Institution Name | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 35% | Rowan - Cabarrus Community College | Salisbury, NC |
| 34% | Mitchell Community College | Statesville, NC |
| 33% | Gaston College | Dallas, NC |
| 32% | Central Piedmont Community College | Charlotte, NC |
| 28% | York Technical College | Rock Hill, SC |
Community Colleges in Raleigh, Cary
We have ranked the community colleges in the Raleigh and Cary area by the percent of students who either completed their degree or transferred to a 4-year institution. Johnston Community College in Smithfield, NC ranked as the #1 community college in this area. Visit their official website at http://www.johnstoncc.edu
Johnston Community College Highlights
- Serving students from Smithfield and surrounding areas
- 65% of students either graduated or transferred to a 4-year college/university
- Tuition & fees are about $2,500 per year for state residents ($9,000 for out of state)
Top Community Colleges in Raleigh and Cary
| Rate | Institution Name | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 65% | Johnston Community College | Smithfield, NC |
| 42% | Wake Technical Community College | Raleigh, NC |
Community Colleges in Greensboro, High Point
We have ranked the community colleges in the Greensboro and High Point area by the percent of students who either completed their degree or transferred to a 4-year institution. Guilford Technical Community College in Jamestown, NC ranked as the #1 community college in this area. Visit their official website at http://www.gtcc.edu
Guilford Technical Community College Highlights
- Serving students from Jamestown and surrounding areas
- 35% of students either graduated or transferred to a 4-year college/university
- Tuition & fees are about $2,300 per year for state residents ($7,400 for out of state)
Top Community Colleges in Greensboro and High Point
| Rate | Institution Name | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 35% | Guilford Technical Community College | Jamestown, NC |
| 33% | Rockingham Community College | Wentworth, NC |
| 31% | Randolph Community College | Asheboro, NC |
Community Colleges in Durham
We have ranked the community colleges in the Durham area by the percent of students who either completed their degree or transferred to a 4-year institution. Piedmont Community College in Roxboro, NC ranked as the #1 community college in this area. Visit their official website at http://www.piedmontcc.edu
Piedmont Community College Highlights
- Serving students from Roxboro and surrounding areas
- 44% of students either graduated or transferred to a 4-year college/university
- Tuition & fees are about $2,500 per year for state residents ($9,000 for out of state)
Top Community Colleges in Durham
| Rate | Institution Name | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 44% | Piedmont Community College | Roxboro, NC |
| 30% | Durham Technical Community College | Durham, NC |
Community Colleges in Winston, Salem
We have ranked the community colleges in the Winston and Salem area by the percent of students who either completed their degree or transferred to a 4-year institution. Davidson County Community College in Thomasville, NC ranked as the #1 community college in this area. Visit their official website at http://www.davidsonccc.edu
Davidson County Community College Highlights
- Serving students from Thomasville and surrounding areas
- 47% of students either graduated or transferred to a 4-year college/university
- Tuition & fees are about $2,600 per year for state residents ($9,000 for out of state)
Top Community Colleges in Winston and Salem
| Rate | Institution Name | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 47% | Davidson County Community College | Thomasville, NC |
| 14% | Forsyth Technical Community College | Winston-Salem, NC |
Community Colleges in Asheville
We have ranked the community colleges in the Asheville area by the percent of students who either completed their degree or transferred to a 4-year institution. Blue Ridge Community College in Flat Rock, NC ranked as the #1 community college in this area. Visit their official website at http://www.blueridge.edu
Blue Ridge Community College Highlights
- Serving students from Flat Rock and surrounding areas
- 30% of students either graduated or transferred to a 4-year college/university
- Tuition & fees are about $2,500 per year for state residents ($9,000 for out of state)
Top Community Colleges in Asheville
| Rate | Institution Name | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 30% | Blue Ridge Community College | Flat Rock, NC |
| 27% | Asheville - Buncombe Technical Community College | Asheville, NC |
| 20% | Haywood Community College | Clyde, NC |
Community Colleges in Hickory, Lenoir, Morganton
We have ranked the community colleges in the Hickory, Lenoir, and Morganton area by the percent of students who either completed their degree or transferred to a 4-year institution. Western Piedmont Community College in Morganton, NC ranked as the #1 community college in this area. Visit their official website at http://www.wpcc.edu/
Western Piedmont Community College Highlights
- Serving students from Morganton and surrounding areas
- 24% of students either graduated or transferred to a 4-year college/university
- Tuition & fees are about $2,600 per year for state residents ($9,100 for out of state)
Top Community Colleges in Hickory, Lenoir, and Morganton
| Rate | Institution Name | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 24% | Western Piedmont Community College | Morganton, NC |
| 21% | Catawba Valley Community College | Hickory, NC |
| 20% | Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute | Hudson, NC |
Community Colleges in Rocky Mount
We have ranked the community colleges in the Rocky Mount area by the percent of students who either completed their degree or transferred to a 4-year institution. Edgecombe Community College in Tarboro, NC ranked as the #1 community college in this area. Visit their official website at http://www.edgecombe.edu/
Edgecombe Community College Highlights
- Serving students from Tarboro and surrounding areas
- 12% of students either graduated or transferred to a 4-year college/university
- Tuition & fees are about $2,500 per year for state residents ($8,900 for out of state)
Top Community Colleges in Rocky Mount
| Rate | Institution Name | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 12% | Edgecombe Community College | Tarboro, NC |
| 7% | Nash Community College | Rocky Mount, NC |
Community Colleges in New Bern
We have ranked the community colleges in the New Bern area by the percent of students who either completed their degree or transferred to a 4-year institution. Pamlico Community College in Grantsboro, NC ranked as the #1 community college in this area. Visit their official website at http://www.pamlicocc.edu/
Pamlico Community College Highlights
- Serving students from Grantsboro and surrounding areas
- 67% of students either graduated or transferred to a 4-year college/university
- Tuition & fees are about $2,500 per year for state residents ($8,900 for out of state)
Top Community Colleges in New Bern
| Rate | Institution Name | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 67% | Pamlico Community College | Grantsboro, NC |
| 40% | Craven Community College | New Bern, NC |
Other Community Colleges in North Carolina
The table below lists all the other community colleges in North Carolina that do not belong to any large metropolitan or urban concentrated area. The table also displays the "Rate" column, which is the percent of students completing course work.
Notes: Tuition & fee amounts are for both North Carolina in-state residents and out of state students, unless noted otherwise. The tuition information displayed is an estimate, which we calculated based on historical data and should be solely used for informational purposes only. Please contact the respective school for information about the current school year.
Source: IPEDS Survey 2012-2015: Data obtained from the US Dept. of Education's Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS). Data may vary depending on school and academic year.