Wilkes Community College

1328 South Collegiate Dr
Wilkesboro, NC 28697
Top Ranked (2025): View Rankings
  • As a public, two-year, "open door" institution, Wilkes Community College is committed to providing comprehensive education and educational support services for people in Wilkes, Ashe, and Alleghany counties and beyond. As a member of the North Carolina Community College System, the college seeks to enhance intellectual, economic, cultural, and social development through a variety of means, by providing quality education, training and retraining for the workforce, including basic skills education, occupational, technical, and pre-baccalaureate programs; support for economic development through services to business and industry, both public and private; and a variety of services and cultural activities that improve the quality of life.

School Highlights

Wilkes Community College serves 3,028 students (33% of students are full-time).
The college's student:teacher ratio of 8:1 is lower than the state community college average of 13:1.
Minority enrollment is 20% of the student body (majority Hispanic), which is less than the state average of 48%.

Quick Stats (2025)

  • Enrollment: 3,028 students
  • In-state tuition: $2,444
  • Out-state tuition: $8,588
  • Student:teacher ratio: 8:1
  • Minority enrollment: 20%
  • Source: Verified school update

Top Rankings

Wilkes Community College ranks among the top 20% of public schools in North Carolina for:

Category
Attribute
Completion Rates

School Overview

The teacher population of 376 teachers has stayed relatively flat over five years.
Wilkes Community College
(NC) Community College Avg.
Carnegie Classification
Associate's Colleges: Mixed Transfer/Career & Technical-Mixed Traditional/Nontraditional
Associate's Colleges: Mixed Transfer/Career & Technical-High Nontraditional
Institution Level
At least 2 but less than 4 years
At least 2 but less than 4 years
Institution Control
Public
Public
Total Faculty
376 staff
256 staff
This chart displays total faculty of Wilkes Community College and community college average number of faculty in North Carolina by year, with the latest 2022-23 school year data.

Student Body

The student population of Wilkes Community College has grown by 12% over five years.
The student:teacher ratio of 8:1 has increased from 6:1 over five years.
The Wilkes Community College diversity score of 0.35 is less than the state average of 0.66. The school's diversity has declined by 16% over five years.
Total Enrollment
3,028 students
2,542 students
This chart displays the total enrollment of Wilkes Community College and community college average number of enrollment of North Carolina by year, with the latest 2023-24 school year data.
Student : Teacher Ratio
8:1
13:1
This chart displays the student staff ratio of Wilkes Community College and community college average student staff ratio of North Carolina by year, with the latest 2022-23 school year data.
# Full-Time Students
1,008 students
766 students
This chart displays the total number of Full-time students enrollment of Wilkes Community College and average number of community college Full-time students enrollment of North Carolina by year, with the latest 2023-24 school year data.
# Part-Time Students
2,020 students
1,813 students
This chart displays the total number of Part-time students enrollment of Wilkes Community College and average number of community college Part-time students enrollment of North Carolina by year, with the latest 2023-24 school year data.
This chart displays the Full-time students and Part-time students enrollment breakdown of Wilkes Community College.
This chart displays community college average Full-Time students and Part-Time students enrollment breakdown of North Carolina.
# Enrollment Undergraduate
302 students
316 students
# Full-Time Undergraduate Students
1,008 students
766 students
This chart displays the total number of Full-time undergraduate students enrollment of Wilkes Community College and average number of community college Full-time undergraduate  students enrollment of North Carolina by year, with the latest 2023-24 school year data.
# Full-Time Graduate Students
n/a
22 students
# Part-Time Undergraduate Students
2,020 students
1,990 students
# Part-Time Graduate Students
n/a
3 students
Total Dormitory Capacity
n/a
717 students
% American Indian/Alaskan
n/a
1%
This chart displays the percentage of American Indian/Alaskan students in Wilkes Community College and the percentage of American Indian/Alaskan community college students in North Carolina by year, with the latest 2023-24 school year data.
% Asian
1%
3%
This chart displays the percentage of Asian students in Wilkes Community College and the percentage of Asian community college students in North Carolina by year, with the latest 2022-23 school year data.
% Hispanic
11%
13%
This chart displays the percentage of Hispanic students in Wilkes Community College and the percentage of Hispanic community college students in North Carolina by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
% Black
3%
21%
This chart displays the percentage of Black students in Wilkes Community College and the percentage of Black community college students in North Carolina by year, with the latest 2022-23 school year data.
% White
80%
52%
This chart displays the percentage of White students in Wilkes Community College and the percentage of White community college students in North Carolina by year, with the latest 2022-23 school year data.
% Hawaiian
n/a
1%
This chart displays the percentage of Hawaiian students in Wilkes Community College and the percentage of Hawaiian community college students in North Carolina by year, with the latest 2023-24 school year data.
% Two or more races
2%
3%
This chart displays the percentage of Two or more races students in Wilkes Community College and the percentage of Two or more races community college students in North Carolina by year, with the latest 2022-23 school year data.
% Non Resident races
n/a
1%
This chart displays the percentage of Non Resident students in Wilkes Community College and the percentage of Non Resident community college students in North Carolina by year, with the latest 2019-20 school year data.
% Unknown races
2%
5%
This chart displays the percentage breakdown of students of all ethnic groups in Wilkes Community College.
This chart displays the percentage breakdown of students of all ethnic groups in North Carolina.
Diversity Score
0.35
0.66
This chart displays the diversity score of Wilkes Community College and the community college average diversity score of North Carolina by year, with the latest 2022-23 school year data.
College Completion Rate (Students who graduate in less than 4 years)
0.5457%
0.3684%
This chart displays completion rates for First-Time of Full-time students of Wilkes Community College and community college average completion rates for First-Time of Full-time students of North Carolina by year, with the latest 2023-24 school year data.
College Completion Rate (Students who graduate in 4 years or more than 4 years)
n/a
0.4286%
Average Graduate Earnings (10 Years)
$25,600
$27,500
This chart displays average graduate earnings (10 Years) of Wilkes Community College and community college average graduate earnings (10 Years) of North Carolina by year, disaggregated by student subgroups with the latest 2012-13 school year data.

Tuition and Acceptance Rate

The public in-state tuition of $2,444 is less than the state average of $3,915. The in-state tuition has stayed relatively flat over four years.
The public out-state tuition of $8,588 is less than the state average of $9,508. The out-state tuition has stayed relatively flat over four years.
In-State Tuition Fees
$2,444
$3,915
This chart displays tuition fees for an in-state student of Wilkes Community College and the public community college average tuition fees for an in-state student of North Carolina by year, with the latest 2023-24 school year data.
Out-State Tuition Fees
$8,588
$9,508
This chart displays tuition fees for an out-of-state student of Wilkes Community College and the public community college average tuition fees for an out-of-state student of North Carolina by year, with the latest 2023-24 school year data.
% Students Receiving Some Financial Aid
71%
82%
This chart displays the percent of students who is receiving some financial aid in Wilkes Community College and the percent of community college students who is receiving some financial aid in North Carolina by year, with the latest 2022-23 school year data.
Median Debt for Graduates
$8,000
$11,865
This chart displays median debt for students who have completed a certificate or degree in Wilkes Community College and average median debt for community college students who have completed a certificate or degree in North Carolina by year, with the latest 2022-23 school year data.
Median Debt for Dropouts
$5,500
$5,846
This chart displays median debt for students who have not completed a certificate or degree in Wilkes Community College and average median debt for community college students who have not completed a certificate or degree in North Carolina by year, with the latest 2022-23 school year data.
Acceptance Rate
n/a
82%
SAT Reading
n/a
488
SAT Math
n/a
498
ACT Composite
n/a
20
ACT English
n/a
13
ACT Math
n/a
16
Source: 2024 (or latest year available) Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS)

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does Wilkes Community College cost?
Wilkes Community College's tuition is approximately $2,444 for In-State students and $8,588 for Out-State students.
What schools are Wilkes Community College often compared to?
Wilkes Community Collegeis often viewed alongside schools like Surry Community College by visitors of our site.
What is Wilkes Community College's ranking?
Wilkes Community College ranks among the top 20% of community college in North Carolina for: Highest completion rates and Least debt for graduating students.

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Quick Stats (2025)

  • Enrollment: 3,028 students
  • In-state tuition: $2,444
  • Out-state tuition: $8,588
  • Student:teacher ratio: 8:1
  • Minority enrollment: 20%
  • Source: Verified school update

Related School Videos

Did You Know?

For North Carolina public community colleges, the average tuition is approximately $3,915 per year for in-state students and $9,508 for out-of-state students. For private community colleges, the average yearly tuition is approximately $19,438 per year. Read more about average community college tuition costs across the country.

The average community college acceptance rate in North Carolina is 77%. Read more about national community college acceptance rates.

North Carolina community colleges have a diversity score of 0.66, which is higher than the national average of 0.00. The most diverse community college in North Carolina is Gaston College. Read more about community college diversity statistics in the USA.

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