Trevor Bates President | Linkedin
Trevor Bates President | Linkedin
Data shows that students paid $6,862 on average to attend higher education courses at the time, $51 more than the previous school year.
Among the four institutions in the county, Miller-Motte College-Wilmington stood out with the highest tuition fees, reaching an average of $25,240. The College of Wilmington followed with an average of $17,178 per year. Cape Fear Community College students were offered the lowest annual tuition fees at $2,871.
At the time, a total of $11 million in grants or scholarships were awarded to full-time undergraduates who started at the New Hanover County universities in the 2022-23 school year. Additionally, federal student loans reached $9.7 million.
Currently there are four higher education institutions in New Hanover County, including Cape Fear Community College, College of Wilmington, and University of North Carolina Wilmington.
Undergraduate education costs have seen a significant increase over the past few decades. Data shows a 169% rise in the average total cost, including tuition, fees, room, and board, between 1980 and 2020.
According to a 2023 College Board report, in-state students at public universities paid an average of $11,260, while out-of-state students paid $29,150 in the 2023-24 academic year.
Meanwhile, student loan debt has steadily increased over the last 30 years, reaching $1.75 trillion in 2024, averaging a total of $28,950 per borrower. Federal loans make up 92% of the debt, with over half of students at both public and private four-year colleges graduating with student loans.
Available data sometimes exceeds 100% due to rounding and administrative calculations.
| Institution | Number of Students Receiving Grants | Total Amount of Grants Received | Average Amount of Grant Per Student | Number of Students Receiving Loans | Total Amount of Loans Received | Average Amount of Loans Per Student |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of North Carolina Wilmington | 1,274 | $8,301,036 | $6,516 | 1,058 | $9,143,101 | $8,642 |
| College of Wilmington | 36 | $201,174 | $5,588 | 35 | $248,984 | $7,114 |
| Cape Fear Community College | 325 | $2,266,535 | $6,974 | 14 | $102,174 | $7,298 |
| Miller-Motte College-Wilmington | 30 | $182,220 | $6,074 | 23 | $160,108 | $6,961 |
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