Cape Fear Community College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Cape Fear Community College charges a net price of $9,610/yr after aid — a 2-year total of $19,220. Median earnings ten years after entry are $38,654, below the $48,360 high-school baseline, so on this institution-wide metric the degree does not clear its cost. Program choice is what changes that. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
On institution-wide earnings, Cape Fear Community College does not clear its cost — it ranks #49 of 115 North Carolina colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $9,610/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (2 yrs) | $19,220 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $38,654 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$9,706/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $9,500 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$213,340 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Cape Fear Community College's own numbers. Net price $9,610 × 2 years = $19,220 total. Median earnings $38,654 fall $9,706 short of the $48,360 high-school baseline, so the premium this formula divides by is not positive and no break-even year exists on institution-wide pay. A programme here earning $58,360 would clear the $19,220 bill in about 1.9 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Cape Fear Community College students graduate with?
A median $9,500 in federal loans among completers, or 25% of the $38,654 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Cape Fear Community College students graduate?
34% finish their degree — 66% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $19,220 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $56,529 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Cape Fear Community College expensive compared with other North Carolina colleges?
Its $9,610 net price runs $1,236 below the $10,846 median across the 115 North Carolina colleges we profile, and $2,472 less across the full degree.