Improving Business in the Wilmington Region

Education

K-12 Public and Private

The Greater Wilmington Region has 50 public and charter schools scattered throughout the two counties. Please click on New Hanover County and/or Pender County to see a listing of their respective schools.

Each year the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction releases Report Cards for each of the School Districts within the state.  Both New Hanover County and Pender County school systems consistently outperform the North Carolina averages in most categories. Please click on the respective counties to view their report cards.

Private Schools
The Greater Wilmington Area has several private and parochial schools including, Cape Fear Academy, Friends of Wilmington School, Myrtle Grove Christian School, New Horizons Elementary School, Saint Mary Catholic Church School, Seventh Day Adventist Church School, Wilmington Academy of Arts and Sciences and Wilmington Christian Academy.

Cape Fear Academy
Since its opening in 1967, Cape Fear Academy has been a leader in the educational community of southeastern North Carolina. Known for its academic excellence and outstanding college preparatory program, the pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade curriculum emphasizes hands-on learning across academic disciplines.  Respect and integrity, which foster an atmosphere of trust and safety for the Cape Fear Academy community, are also key components of the school’s mission. Co-curricular programs such as athletics, visual and performing arts, student government, and clubs constitute an integral part of the student experience at CFA. Recent multi-million dollar facilities expansion and improvements have included a new athletic complex with a synthetic turf field, a new theatre for our award-winning drama department, as well as a new gymnasium and additional classrooms.

For the approximately 600 students attending Cape Fear Academy, there are state-of-the-art spaces for music, art, physical education, and computer instruction, as well as two media centers for each of the three divisions of the school.  Instructional class sizes of 15 – 20 students allow close personal relationships between faculty and students, a hallmark of Cape Fear Academy

University of North Carolina Wilmington

The University of North Carolina at Wilmington (UNCW) was established as Wilmington College in 1947. Approved as a constituent school of the University of North Carolina system in 1969, UNCW offers 56 bachelor’s degree programs and 40 graduate programs, which include a Ph.D. in marine biology, one of only three offered on the East Coast.  UNCW has consistently ranked among the top public master’s universities in the South by U.S. News & World Report. Among both public and private institutions in the South, UNCW is 15th out of 127 institutions. As the only public university in Southeast North Carolina, UNCW is committed to lifelong learning opportunities, assisting with the improvement of public school education, and enhancing the personal, cultural, and economic health of the region. UNCW has become a leader in the use of technology and employs distance learning and hypermedia in the teaching of its classes. The university is also committed to lifelong learning and offers a wide array of enrichment opportunities. For more information contact the UNCW Admissions Office at 910-962-3243

Cape Fear Community College

Cape Fear Community College is among the largest of North Carolina’s 59 community colleges. Over 24,000 people attend classes at CFCC every year. CFCC has something for everyone. Students can train for a new career in one of CFCC’s 60 technical programs or earn a two-year college transfer degree to continue their education at a four-year institution. CFCC also offers a wide variety of adult education and continuing education classes for lifelong learning. CFCC’s main campus is located in historic downtown Wilmington, North Carolina on the banks of the Cape Fear River and a North Campus in northern New Hanover County. The College also offers classes in Pender County center in Burgaw and Surf City. Day and evening classes are offered at all campuses. CFCC also offers a large number of online classes through an expanding distance education program. Focused Industry Training (FIT) is a core part of CFCC’s mission. FIT provides for the development and delivery of customized training programs for existing industry for skilled and semi-skilled workers employed in industrial occupations. Training can be held at CFCC, the firm’s site or another appropriate location. Apprenticeship training is also offered as is cooperative education which provides job experience in a field related to the student’s area of study. For further information about the school contact CFCC at 910-251-5100

Other Area Colleges

Miller-Motte Business College
James Sprunt Community College
Fayetteville State University
Methodist College
St. Andrews Presbyterian College
The University of North Carolina at Pembroke
Shaw University – satellite campus
Mt. Olive College – satellite campus

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