2023 Best Online Community Colleges in North Carolina

Central Piedmont Community College (CPCC) is a public institution in Charlotte, NC and the second largest community college within the North Carolina Community College System. The school's selection of remote learning programs are 100% online — including for-college-credit certificates, associate degrees, and non-credit programs. It offers two transfer programs, an Associate of Arts and an Associate of Science, each designed for students interested in pursuing bachelor's degrees. It also offers two Associates of Applied Science in Information Technology, an Associate of Applied Science in Simulation and Game Development, and an Associate of Applied Science in Fire Protection Technology. Finally, there are several options for certificates, ranging from criminal justice to game design. CPCC's non-credit courses are in corporate and continuing education. The LMS Brightspace handles all online coursework, and enrolled students are eligible for career and IT services, as well as remote counseling.

Wake Technical Community College (WTCC), also known as WakeTech, is a public college located in North Carolina's capital city of Raleigh. It offers two-year degree programs and even shorter non-degree programs known as Workforce Continuing Education courses. There are over 100 online programs among more traditional associate degrees, including an Associate of Applied Science in Accounting, an Associate of Applied Science in Computer Programming and Development, and an Associate in Fine Arts - Visual Art. As far as non-credit programs, students can engage in individual online courses, such as Become a Physical Therapy Aide, Writing for ESL, Human Resources Professional, and Multimedia Arts Certificate. All online courses are taken through the LMS Moodle. Additionally, academic advising, tutoring, and career services are all available for remote students.

Durham Technical Community College, which is a two-year, public college, offers 18 online associate degrees and certificates. Online learners can earn associate degrees in business administration, criminal justice technology, public safety administration, and general studies. For those students who plan to transfer to a four-year school to complete a bachelor's degree, there is also an Associate of Arts transfer program available. Durham Technical has a slightly low graduation rate of 18%.

Canvas is the learning management system used at Durham Technical. Of all the school's enrollees, 82% are part-time students.

The state-run Nash Community College offers a small selection of online associate degrees, certificates, and diplomas. The four associate degree programs require the completion of 60 credit hours. Students can opt for either an Associate of Arts or an Associate of Science transfer degree in either general studies or teacher preparation. Nash has a 23% graduation rate.

Nash graduates 40% of its students, and 72% of enrollees study part time. Online learners can use the career center and library resources.

Rowan-Cabarrus Community College (RCCC) is a public college with campuses throughout Rowan County and Cabarrus County, North Carolina. It features more than 250 online courses that makeup 19 associate degrees, nine diplomas, and 33 certificates. Associate degrees are focused in areas such as business administration, healthcare management technology, and information technology, while certificates cover more specific areas of focus, including criminal justice, fire protection technology, and early childhood education. Transfer pathways are also available for an Associate of Arts, Associate of Science, and Associate of Fine Arts in Visual Arts. Blackboard is the primary LMS for RCCC students. Distance learners have access to tutoring, technology assistance, digital libraries, and career and academic advising.

Fayetteville Technical Community College (FTCC) is a public institution in Fayetteville, NC. It offers associate degrees and certificates for remote students that want to study 100% online and on a flexible schedule. There are over 30 undergraduate degrees in a variety of subjects, such as information technology, accounting, hospitality, healthcare, and business. For example, students may choose to pursue an Associate of Applied Science in Finance, an Associate of Applied Science in Geospatial Intelligence, or an Associate of Applied Science in General Early Childhood Education. FTCC's certificate programs are even more expansive, with dozens of offerings in 10 different fields, like public service, emergency management, and business. Students use Blackboard's learning management system (LMS) to study online while also taking advantage of support that include student success coaches and financial literacy services.

Forsyth Technical Community College, a two-year, public institution, currently offers just two fully online associate degrees in information technology. One features a specialization in cybersecurity and the other in systems security. Forsyth has a 21% graduation rate.

About two-thirds of Forsyth students are part-time learners, while the rest study full time. Online students can take advantage of the school's many student resources, such as academic advising, tutoring, and tech support.

Online learners at Gaston College have an extensive array of online associate degrees, diplomas, and certificates to choose from. In addition to an online Associate in Arts transfer degree for students who plan to continue on at a four-year university, there are 15 online associate degrees in subjects such as information technology, business administration, and medical office administration. Gaston has a 37% graduation rate.

Blackboard is Gaston's online learning platform, giving students access to course materials, homework assignments, and group discussions. The school provides academic advising, counseling, library resources, and tech support for all students.

Pitt Community College is exceptionally strong in distance learning. This public school features close to 60 fully online associate degrees, certificates, and diplomas, primarily in the areas of business, information technology, education, and health services. Among the associate degree options are business administration, health information technology, early childhood education, and medical office administration. On average, about 25% of students at Pitt earn their degrees.

Online learners at Pitt participate in their courses through the Moodle platform, and they have access to library resources and tech support. Two-thirds of Pitt's student population attend school part time.

Guilford Technical Community College (GTCC) is a public college situated in the Piedmont Triad between Greensboro, Winston-Salem, and Highpoint, NC. It serves over 26,000 students each year through in-person and online programs. Online programs are offered in both certificate and associate degree levels. Within the criminal justice field, for example, GTCC features an Associate of Applied Science in Criminal Justice Technology and four additional certificates covering criminal justice foundations, homeland security, intervention, and law enforcement management. Other areas of study include business administration, customer service, information technology, and medical office administration, among others. Out-of-state students, except those in California, are permitted to apply for a GTCC online program. Coursework is delivered via the Canvas LMS, and remote students also have access to telehealth counseling services and a remote student success center.

Vance-Granville Community College (VGCC) is a public school that offers 12 online degree programs. For those who want to earn associate degrees before moving into the workforce, online programs are available in accounting, business, and supply chain management. For those who plan to transition to a bachelor's program at a four-year university, there is a choice of Associate of Arts or Associate of Science transfer programs. At VGCC, approximately 27% of students obtain their degrees.

Nearly three-quarters of VGCC students are enrolled part time. Distance education students use Moodle to view lectures and readings, submit assignments, and participate in group learning activities. They have access to the school's tutoring, academic advising, and library services.

Distance learners at Southwestern Community College, a public institution, have their choice of 35 online associate degrees, diplomas, and certificates. One option is an Associate of Arts transfer program that enables students to more easily transition to a four-year bachelor's program. Other associate degree possibilities include criminal justice technology, early childhood education, business administration, and information technology. Southwestern maintains a 42% graduation rate, which is fairly high considering its open admissions policy.

Of all of Southwestern's enrollees, 75% study part time. Students use the Moodle learning management system to access their online courses. The school provides academic advising, counseling, and career services for all students.

The publicly run Haywood Community College offers a total of 26 fully online programs — seven associate degrees, 15 certificates, and four diplomas. Among the possible areas of study are accounting and finance, business administration, medical office administration, and information technology. There is also an Associate of Arts transfer program that prepares students for transferring to a four-year school. Overall, Haywood's graduation rate is 33%.

About two-thirds of Haywood students are enrolled part time. Online learners engage in their courses through the Moodle learning management system. All students have access to career development services, library resources, and tech support.

Surry Community College, which is a two-year, public school, offers 11 online associate degrees, as well as certificates and diplomas. Online students can choose to study subjects such as office administration, nursing, early childhood education, or digital media technology. If desired, they can also earn an Associate of Arts transfer degree, fulfilling most of their general education requirements before transferring to a four-year bachelor's program.

Among Surry's 1,682 undergraduate students, around 32% reach graduation. Surry provides several resources for students, including academic advising and career services. About three-quarters of enrollees are part-time students.

At Wayne Community College, students can opt for one of more than 50 online degrees, diplomas, and certificates. Those who want to earn an associate degree can major in AI and cloud technologies, emergency management, software development, cybersecurity, IT business support, and more. Some may want to enroll in the Associate of Arts transfer program with the intention of later transferring to a four-year university. Of Wayne's 2,522 students, around 33% are projected to graduate with their degrees.

Three-quarters of this public school's students are enrolled part time. Students use the Moodle platform to access online course materials and communicate with peers and instructors. The school features a number of student services, such as achievement coaching, tutoring, and writing support.

The public Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute (CCCTI) offers a broad selection of 25 online programs, including 12 fully online associate degrees. Some of the possible areas of study include business administration, early childhood education, human services technology, and medical office administration. Students who plan to continue on at a four-year university may also be interested in the Associate in Arts or Associate in Science transfer programs. Currently, CCCTI has a 27% graduation rate.

At CCCTI, distance learners use Moodle to view course materials, submit assignments, and participate in class discussions. About two-thirds of the school's student population are enrolled part time. All students have access to academic advising and tutoring services.

Central Carolina Community College (CCCC) provides an extensive selection of more than 50 online associate degrees, diplomas, and certificates in the areas of business technologies, health sciences and human services, public service technologies, and general studies. Some specific examples of associate degree programs at CCCC include accounting and finance, health information technology, criminal justice technology, and medical office administration. There are also five associate degree transfer programs that prepare students for bachelor's programs at four-year colleges.

At this publicly run school, online learners use the Brightspace learning system to complete their distance education courses. Of all enrollees at CCCC, 71% are part-time students, and the school has a 31% graduation rate. The school provides academic advising, counseling, tutoring, and library services for all students.

Miller-Motte College Online (MMC) is based in Chatanooga, Tennessee, with Raleigh, Fayetteville, Wilmington, and Jacksonville campuses. It's a private, for-profit institution offering online undergraduate degrees at the associate and bachelor's levels in fields of study such as technology, business, and healthcare. Majors include cybersecurity, business administration, software development, and allied health management. Approximately 75% of MMC students enroll in distance-only learning. Its open admission policy allows it to accept all applicants, creating greater access to job training and higher education. Despite this generous admission policy, over half — 56% — of students graduate.

MMC has approximately 1,000 students and a 43:1 student-to-faculty ratio. A technology package and a Chromebook are included with tuition. Distance learners have the same access to student resources as their on-campus peers, including tutoring and career services.

Stanly Community College (SCC) has 1,638 undergraduate students and is located in the small town of Albemarle in North Carolina. It hosts a range of online programs at the certificate and diploma level, but it also has 11 fully online associate degrees. These majors range from accounting and information technology to human services and early childhood education. SCC has a 28% graduation rate overall and open admissions.

The class sizes at SCC are very small, with an 11:1 student-to-faculty ratio. Since it's designed to be a highly flexible institution, 69% of its learners are enrolled on a part-time basis.

Wilmington's Cape Fear Community College (CFCC) is a public two-year institution offering online associate degrees in education, public service, and business to prepare for job market entry and transfer to four-year universities. It enrolls about a third of its students in distance-only education. Majors include criminal justice technology, emergency management, accounting and finance, and business administration. CFCC's online associate degrees take two years of full-time study. It accepts all applicants through its open admission policy, and 38% of students graduate with degrees.

CFCC gives distance learners access to Blackboard to participate asynchronously in classes. It has a 14:1 student-to-faculty ratio. The Cape Fear Community College Foundation awards thousands of scholarships each year to help students pay for college. Students only have to complete one application to be considered for all eligible scholarships.

Lenoir Community College (LCC) in Kinston is a public, two-year institution offering several online associate degrees to help prepare students for entry-level careers and university transfer. Over 80% of LCC students attend solely online. Fields of study include business, criminal justice, emergency management, information technology, and medical office administration. An online emergency medical science bridging associate degree program also allows certified, non-degree paramedics to apply 45 transfer credits toward earning their degrees. LCC accepts all applicants, and a quarter of students graduate.

LCC delivers its online programming via Moodle. It's a small college serving 2,300 students with a 10:1 student-to-faculty ratio. The average annual cost to attend LCC is just over $4,000, about $12,000 less than comparable schools. It's a diverse school, with 50% of students identifying as White, 36% as Black, and 9% as Hispanic.

Asheboro's Randolf Community College (RCC) is a public two-year institution offering online associate degrees in several fields, including business administration, criminal justice technology, information technology, and medical office administration. Online teacher preparation associate degrees are also available for students pursuing four-year degrees and earning their credentials. Almost three-quarters of RCC students participate in distance-only education. Like other community colleges, RCC has an open admission policy, while 32% of students end up graduating.

Moodle is the digital learning platform students at RCC use to access online coursework and instruction. It's a small college with an 8:1 student-to-faculty ratio. Online student services include Career Coach for career exploration and access to the Student Success Team to provide academic counseling and advising and help students through their educational journeys.

With a student body of approximately 2,700, Craven Community College (CCC) in New Bern is a public institution offering a limited selection of online associate degrees, diplomas, and certificates. Almost half of CCC students attend complete online. Study areas include accounting and finance, business administration, criminal justice, early childhood education, medical billing and coding, and medical office administration. It takes full-time students two years to complete these online undergraduate degrees. CCC has a 100% acceptance rate, open admission, and a 31% graduation rate.

CCC distance learners receive online programming via Moodle. It has a 12:1 student-to-faculty ratio and small classes. CCC is considered military-friendly and offers priority registration to all service members and dependents.

Public, two-year College of the Albemarle (COA) in Elizabeth City offers online associate degrees in criminal justice technology, business administration, general education, and global business management. It also offers an online Associate in Arts for transfer to four-year colleges and universities. Just over 80% of students participate in online-only education. It generally takes full-time students two years to complete CCC's online degree programs. However, students can complete an online accelerated associate degree in business administration in a little over a year. CCC accepts all applicants. It has a 27% graduation rate.

Moodle helps make online learning accessible to distance learners at CCC, which has a student-to-faculty ratio is 13:1. Since attending college online isn't for everyone, CCC offers an online learning assessment prospective students can take to determine their readiness for this unique learning environment.

Davidson-Davie County Community College (DDCCC) in rural Thomasville is a public institution offering several online associate degrees in emerging fields. These areas of study include criminal justice, health information technology, supply chain management, and emergency medical science. About one-third of DDCCC students attend exclusively online. Graduating requires completing approximately 60 credits and takes two years. CCC accepts all applicants while 34% of students graduate.

DDCCC delivers its online curriculum via Moodle. It has a 17:1 student-to-faculty ratio and an average class size of 18. DDCCC is affordable at $76 per credit for in-state tuition and $268 for out of state. However, 75% of students receive financial aid, and some are awarded scholarships through the Davidson-Davie Community College Foundation.

Located outside of the capital of Raleigh, Wilson Community College (WCC) is a public institution offering online associate degrees. About 60% of WCC's 1,700 student body attend solely online. Notable majors include business administration, criminal justice, and information technology networking and cybersecurity. Two fast-track online associate degrees that can be completed in a year are available for students planning on transferring to four-year colleges and universities. WCC accepts all applicants, and about a third of students graduate.

Like many of North Carolina's community colleges, WCC provides access to Moodle for distance learning. WCC has an 11:1 student-to-faculty ratio. WCC supports online learners by providing remote access to student services, such as advising, orientation, tech support, tutoring, and test proctoring.

Uniquely-named Isothermal Community College (ICC) in Spindale is a public institution offering a variety of online associate degrees that nearly half of ICC students enroll in. These online degrees are available in majors such as business administration, criminal justice, information technology, and medical office administration to help fill growing employer needs. An emergency medical science degree bridge is also available for actively certified EMTs/paramedics to receive credit for work experience to meet degree requirements quickly. ICC has a 100% acceptance rate and a 23% graduation rate.

ICC uses Moodle for online programming delivery. It serves just under 2,000 students and has a 12:1 student-to-faculty ratio. Online learning resources include access to the library, tutoring, and writing help.

Rural Tarboro's Edgecombe Community College (ECC) is a predominantly Black two-year institution offering online associate degrees. Overall, 41% of ECC students enroll in distance-only education. Notable majors include software & web development, trucking operations, and distribution and network management. Two online criminal justice technology degrees are also offered—one for career entry and one for college transfer. To increase access to higher education, ECC accepts all applicants. However, 19% of students graduate, which is significantly lower than average.

ECC distance learners log into Moodle to participate in their classes. ECC has a 10:1 student-to-faculty ratio and small classes allowing individualized instruction. ECC has received accolades for its students, instructors, and programming. For example, students brought home five SkillsUSA state competition awards in 2022 for demonstrating career and technical skills. Additionally, Its Foundation director received an International Distinguished College Administrator Award from Phi Theta Kappa as one of only 28 award recipients worldwide.

Richmond Community College (RCC) in Hamlet is designated a Native American nontribal institution and offers selected online associate degrees. Currently, around 31% of RCC students participate in distance-only education. They choose from areas of study, such as business administration, criminal justice technology, healthcare management technology, and information technology. It generally takes full-time students two years to complete RCC's online associate degree programs. It has a 100% acceptance rate, and 31% of students graduate.

RCC utilizes Moodle as its learning platform. It's a small college with a 12:1 student-to-faculty ratio. Online students can access services, such as the Learning Resource Center for instructional assistance. RCC is diverse, with less than 40% of students identifying as White, 30% as Black, 14% as American Indian/Alaska Native, and 5% as Hispanic. This diversity helps students learn from everyone's unique experiences and gain new perspectives.

Bolivia's Brunswick Community College (BCC) is a public institution near North Carolina's border with South Carolina in the Myrtle Beach metro area. More than half of BCC students enroll in distance-only education through online associate degrees in majors similar to those in the State's other community colleges, including health and fitness science and early childhood education. Several information technology certificates are also available in C++ programming, cyber security, and JAVA programming. BCC has open admission and a 28% graduation rate.

By logging into Moodle, BCC online students can attend classes and receive instruction. BCC has a 1,700 student body and a 12:1 student-to-faculty ratio. BCC aims to make higher education accessible and affordable.

Designated as a Native American nontribal institution, rural Dublin's Bladen Community College (BCC) offers online associate degrees. About half of BCC students attend solely online. While it doesn't specifically identify which majors are available online, BCC generally has programs of study in areas such as business technologies, health sciences, and public services technologies. An admissions advisor can help determine which degrees students can complete entirely remotely. While BCC accepts all applicants, it has a low graduation rate of around 16%.

BCC delivers its online curricula via Moodle. Its student-to-faculty ratio is 10:1, with a student population of approximately 1,000. BCC's annual average cost of $7,600 is less than half of what it costs to attend comparable two-year schools. Median earnings for graduates are on par with the national average.

Central Piedmont Community College (CPCC) is a public institution in Charlotte, NC and the second largest community college within the North Carolina Community College System. The school's selection of remote learning programs are 100% online — including for-college-credit certificates, associate degrees, and non-credit programs. It offers two transfer programs, an Associate of Arts and an Associate of Science, each designed for students interested in pursuing bachelor's degrees. It also offers two Associates of Applied Science in Information Technology, an Associate of Applied Science in Simulation and Game Development, and an Associate of Applied Science in Fire Protection Technology. Finally, there are several options for certificates, ranging from criminal justice to game design. CPCC's non-credit courses are in corporate and continuing education. The LMS Brightspace handles all online coursework, and enrolled students are eligible for career and IT services, as well as remote counseling.

Washington's Beaufort County Community College (BCCC), located in rural northeastern North Carolina, is a public institution offering a selection of online associate degrees in alignment with other community colleges across the state. Approximately one-third of BCCC students choose to attend exclusively online. Notable online majors include emergency medical science and information technology degrees, with concentrations in information systems and network management to help students keep pace with current technology trends. BCCC accepts all applicants and has a higher-than-average graduation rate of 39%.

BCCC engages distance learners through Blackboard. It has less than 2,000 students and a 10:1 student-to-faculty ratio. BCCC has several scholarships and endowments through its Foundation that help students pay for college to minimize potential student debt. Awards are based on financial need and merit.