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Wilmington, NC · Hickory, NC
| Cape Fear Community College | Catawba Valley Community College | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | ||
| Price after aid (average) | $9,610/yr | $10,528/yr |
| Price after aid (family income under $30k) | $7,221/yr | $9,170/yr |
| Typical loan debt at graduation | $9,500 | $4,938 |
| Price after aid ($30k–$48k income) | $11,035/yr | $9,639/yr |
| Price after aid ($48k–$75k income) | $10,335/yr | $13,129/yr |
| Price after aid ($75k–$110k income) | $14,030/yr | $15,469/yr |
| Price after aid (income over $110k) | $14,507/yr | No data reported |
| Typical loan payment after graduation | $101/mo | $52/mo |
| Room & board (off campus) | $7,594/yr | $12,734/yr |
| Borrowers who default | 0% | 0% |
| Books & supplies | $1,600/yr | $1,870/yr |
| Sticker price (before aid) | $14,740/yr | $20,446/yr |
| Tuition (in-state) | $2,748/yr | $2,427/yr |
| Tuition (out-of-state) | $8,892/yr | $7,803/yr |
| Students with Pell Grants | 18% | 28% |
| Students taking federal loans | 4.3% | 0% |
| Getting in | ||
| SAT/ACT policy | Open admission (everyone qualified gets in) | Open admission (everyone qualified gets in) |
| Graduation & earnings | ||
| Students who graduate | 34% | 35% |
| Freshmen who come back | 67% | 65% |
| Typical earnings 10 years in | $38,654/yr | $36,977/yr |
| Earnings range 10 years in | $19,768–$58,224 | $21,101–$53,434 |
| Finish within 8 years (anywhere) | 43% | 35% |
| Typical earnings 6 years in | $32,234/yr | $32,508/yr |
| Earn more than a HS grad | 50% | 51% |
| Graduate on time | 28% | 4.7% |
| First-gen students who finish | 11% | 25% |
| Low-income students who finish | 11% | 22% |
| Students who transfer out | 1.8% | 33% |
| Typical earnings 8 years in | $34,391/yr | $35,885/yr |
| Majors & programs | ||
| Top 3 programs | Liberal Arts & General Studies 41% · Health Professions 15% · Culinary & Personal Services 9% | Liberal Arts & General Studies 40% · Health Professions 12% · Precision Production 10% |
| Most popular program | Liberal Arts & General Studies — 41% of degrees | Liberal Arts & General Studies — 40% of degrees |
| 2nd most popular program | Health Professions — 15% of degrees | Health Professions — 12% of degrees |
| 3rd most popular program | Culinary & Personal Services — 9% of degrees | Precision Production — 10% of degrees |
| 4th most popular program | Business, Management & Marketing — 6% of degrees | Construction Trades — 9% of degrees |
| 5th most popular program | Construction Trades — 5% of degrees | Business, Management & Marketing — 7% of degrees |
| Highest-paying major (1 year out) | Criminal Justice and Corrections — $52,282/yr | No data reported |
| Degrees in STEM | 5.4% | 9.1% |
| Campus & students | ||
| Undergrad enrollment | 9,764 | 2,741 |
| Students per professor | 13 : 1 | 10 : 1 |
| Average professor pay | $6,870/mo | $6,426/mo |
| Full-time professors | 33% | 22% |
| Fully online | No | No |
| Accredited by | Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges | Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges |
| Median family income | $20,638 | $22,585 |
| Setting | City (midsize) | City (small) |
| Location | Wilmington, NC | Hickory, NC |
| Region | Southeast | Southeast |
| Founded | 1958 | 1958 |
| Public or private | Public | Public |
| Main degree offered | Associate degrees | Associate degrees |
| Carnegie classification | Associate's Colleges: High Transfer-High Traditional | Associate's Colleges: High Transfer-Mixed Traditional/Nontraditional |
| Main or branch campus | Main campus | Main campus |
| International students | 0.4% | 1.4% |
| Men | 39% | 45% |
| Women | 61% | 55% |
| White students | 65% | 61% |
| Black students | 9.7% | 8.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino students | 12% | 17% |
| Asian students | 1.3% | 6.9% |
| Two or more races | 3.5% | 3.4% |
| Other / not reported | 8.2% | 1.6% |
| Special type | None | None |
| First-generation students | 38% | 50% |
| Part-time students | 68% | 64% |
| Students age 25+ | 41% | 15% |
| Spent on teaching per student | $7,230/yr | $8,662/yr |
| Endowment | $23.3M | $5.7M |
| Campus life | ||
| Campus data from | 2023 | 2023 |
| On-campus housing | No — no campus housing | No — no campus housing |
| Meal plan offered | No | No |
| Academic calendar | Semester | Semester |
| Federal designation | None | None |
| Study abroad | No | No |
| Undergraduate research | No | No |
| ROTC | No | No |
| Accepts AP credit | Yes | Yes |
| Accepts dual-enrollment credit | No | No |
| Credit for life experience | Yes | Yes |
| Online classes | Yes | Yes |
| Whole degrees online | Yes | Yes |
| Weekend & evening classes | No | Yes |
| Teacher certification | No | No |
| Academic & career counseling | Yes | Yes |
| Job help while you study | Yes | Yes |
| Job placement for graduates | Yes | Yes |
| On-campus day care | No | No |
| Program for students with intellectual disabilities | No | No |
| Yellow Ribbon (GI Bill) school | No | No |
| Credit for military training | Yes | Yes |
| Student veteran organization | Yes | Yes |
| Tuition payment plan | Yes | Yes |
| Guaranteed (locked) tuition | No | No |
| Prepaid tuition plan | No | No |
| Athletics | ||
| Athletics data from | 2024-25 | 2024-25 |
| College sports level | Other | NJCAA Division II |
| Football team | No | No |
| Varsity teams | 5 | 6 |
| Student athletes | 89 | 124 |
| Athletic scholarships | $54,750 | $59,219 |
| Athletics budget | $508,736 | $671,675 |
| Athletics revenue | $508,736 | $671,675 |
| Recruiting spend | $0 | $2,320 |
Data: U.S. Department of Education — College Scorecard 2026-06-10, EADA athletics, IPEDS admissions — each on its own survey year. Campus life: IPEDS institutional characteristics, retrieved from the Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-BY 1.0). Founding year and links via Wikidata / Wikipedia. SHMACS is an independent tool and is not affiliated with or endorsed by any institution shown.