About
Central Piedmont Community College is a public community college in Charlotte, North Carolina. With an enrollment of more than 40,000 students annually, Central Piedmont is the second-largest community college in the North Carolina Community College System and the largest in the Charlotte metropolitan area. The college has six campuses and three centers and offers nearly 300 degree, diploma and certificate programs.
Graduation rate & outcomes
Completion, retention, and the equity gap between Pell and non-Pell students.
Overall completion
31%-30.5pp vs Community College
Overall completion
31%-30.5pp vs Community College
Full-time retention
70%
Full-time retention
70%
Program outcomes
Federal Program Performance Data: how each program's graduate earnings and debt measure up under Financial Value Transparency and Gainful Employment.
Of 101 Title IV programs, 19 pass the federal Gainful Employment test and 1 fails. 81 have graduate earnings too small to publish, so they carry no pass/fail verdict.
Total programs
101
Passing
19
18.8% of portfolio
Failing (GE)
1
1.0% of portfolio
Fail rate
1.0%
+0.4pp vs 0.6% national
Pass / fail distribution
101programs
- Passing19 · 18.8%
- No Data81 · 80.2%
- Failing1 · 1.0%
Severity spectrum
Critical
1
Severe
0
Recoverable
0
At Risk
1
Watch
3
Safe
15
No data
81
Tiers band programs by how far graduate earnings sit above or below the benchmark, from Critical (below −15%) through Safe (above +25%). No data means earnings were privacy-suppressed.
Earnings premium gap
Graduate earnings versus the federal benchmark, worst gaps first.
Program
Typical
Benchmark
EP gap
Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming Services
Associate Degree · Personal And Culinary Services
$26,550
$32,203
Same-State HS Median
-17.6%
−$5,653
Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming Services
Associate Degree · Personal And Culinary Services
-17.6%
$26,550 vs $32,203
Culinary Arts and Related Services
Associate Degree · Personal And Culinary Services
$34,705
$32,203
Same-State HS Median
+7.8%
+$2,502
Culinary Arts and Related Services
Associate Degree · Personal And Culinary Services
+7.8%
$34,705 vs $32,203
Teacher Education and Professional Development Specific Levels and Methods
Associate Degree · Education
$37,153
$32,203
Same-State HS Median
+15.4%
+$4,950
Teacher Education and Professional Development Specific Levels and Methods
Associate Degree · Education
+15.4%
$37,153 vs $32,203
Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions
Associate Degree · Health Professions And Related Clinical Sciences
$38,741
$32,203
Same-State HS Median
+20.3%
+$6,538
Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions
Associate Degree · Health Professions And Related Clinical Sciences
+20.3%
$38,741 vs $32,203
Accounting and Related Services
Associate Degree · Business, Management, Marketing, And Related Support Services
$38,809
$32,203
Same-State HS Median
+20.5%
+$6,606
Accounting and Related Services
Associate Degree · Business, Management, Marketing, And Related Support Services
+20.5%
$38,809 vs $32,203
Health and Medical Administrative Services
Associate Degree · Health Professions And Related Clinical Sciences
$41,911
$32,203
Same-State HS Median
+30.1%
+$9,708
Health and Medical Administrative Services
Associate Degree · Health Professions And Related Clinical Sciences
+30.1%
$41,911 vs $32,203
Legal Support Services
Associate Degree · Legal Professions And Studies
$43,452
$32,203
Same-State HS Median
+34.9%
+$11,249
Legal Support Services
Associate Degree · Legal Professions And Studies
+34.9%
$43,452 vs $32,203
Business Administration Management and Operations
Associate Degree · Business, Management, Marketing, And Related Support Services
$44,216
$32,203
Same-State HS Median
+37.3%
+$12,013
Business Administration Management and Operations
Associate Degree · Business, Management, Marketing, And Related Support Services
+37.3%
$44,216 vs $32,203
Accreditation status & history
Who accredits the institution, current standing, and any past actions.
AccreditedInstitutional accreditor
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges
Accredited since 1969Next review Dec 2029
Programmatic accreditations · 5
Action history · 25
- Nov 2025Grant Substantive Change: ProgramSouthern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges
- Nov 2025Renewal of AccreditationAmerican Physical Therapy Association, Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education · Physical Therapy (PTA) - Programs for the physical therapist assistant
- May 2025Grant Substantive Change: OtherSouthern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges
- Jan 2025Grant Substantive Change: ProgramAmerican Dental Association, Commission on Dental Accreditation · Dental Assisting (DA)
- Jun 2024Renewal of AccreditationSouthern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges
Tuition & cost
What families actually pay, broken down by family income.
Net price by family income
Aid exceeds costFamily pays
$110k+—
Negative values mean aid exceeds the published cost of attendance for that income band.
Avg net price
$3,660
-$2,102vs Community College median $5,762
Federal loans
0.0%
In-state tuition
$2,792
Out-of-state
$8,936
Federal aid volume & trends
Pell grants and federal Direct Loan volume disbursed to students, and how they've trended.
In AY 2024–25, 8,528 students received $39.5M in Pell grants.
Pell recipients
8,528
AY 2024–25
Pell disbursed
$39.5M
$39,540,888 total
Pell recipients · 5-year trend
6k’20
7k’21
7k’22
7k’23
9k’24
Loan volume by type · AY 2024–25
No Direct Loan volume reported.
Loan awards count each loan type a student holds, not unique borrowers; one student may carry several (e.g. subsidized and unsubsidized), so the per-type figures are the reliable detail.
Student loan default rate
The share of student borrowers who default on federal loans within three years, against the national benchmark.
Of 132 borrowers who entered repayment, 3 (2.2%) defaulted within three years — below the 2.3% national rate.
Default rate
2.2%
-0.1pp vs 2.3% national
Borrowers in repayment
132
Defaulted
3
Measurement window
3 years
Federal CDR standard
Default rate vs national, by cohort
2016
13.5%+4.2
2017
10.6%+1.4
2018
7.4%+0.4
2019
2.2%-0.1
2020*
0.0%
This institutionNational rate
* Cohorts 2020 and later read near 0% because the federal COVID-19 payment pause (CARES Act) suspended defaults nationwide. These years reflect a national policy, not institutional performance; the 2019 cohort is the last measured under normal repayment.
Academic programs at CPCC
Top program areas ranked by completions.
Distinct CIP programs90
UndergraduateOffered
GraduateOffered
Top program families by completions
2,680 total completions
01Liberal Arts
1,82268.0%
01Liberal Arts
1,82268.0%
02Health Professions
2398.9%
02Health Professions
2398.9%
03Business
1244.6%
03Business
1244.6%
04Computer Sciences
1094.1%
04Computer Sciences
1094.1%
05Mechanic
883.3%
05Mechanic
883.3%
06Visual/Performing Arts
792.9%
06Visual/Performing Arts
792.9%
07Engineering
662.5%
07Engineering
662.5%
08Education
582.2%
08Education
582.2%
09Engineering Tech
511.9%
09Engineering Tech
511.9%
10Personal/Culinary
441.6%
10Personal/Culinary
441.6%
Enrollment trends & demographics
Fall headcount, 12-month unduplicated enrollment, and student body composition.
Fall total
20,375
12-mo unduplicated
26,949
Undergraduate
26,949
Graduate
0
Gender split
Men
41%11,095
Women
59%15,854
Race / ethnicity composition
White
34.0%
Black
28.9%
Hispanic
19.7%
Non-resident
6.8%
Asian
4.4%
Two or more
3.3%
Unknown
2.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native
0.4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander
0.1%
Campus safety & crime statistics
Reported on-campus crimes over the last three years, including violence and hate crimes.
Criminal offenses · per 1,000 students
0.45
8 offenses · 17,694 students
3-year trend
0.242 yrs ago0.291 yr ago0.45Latest
Offenses · 3-yr
17
Last three years
VAWA · 3-yr
5
DV, dating, stalking
Hate crimes · 3-yr
0
Res-hall fires · 3-yr
0
Criminal offenses by type
Aggravated assault
3
Motor vehicle theft
3
Robbery
2
By location
8total
- On campus5
- Public property3
VAWA offenses
1
Domestic violence
1
Dating violence
0
Stalking
2 total under the Violence Against Women Act.
Hate crimes by bias
No hate crimes reported.
Arrests vs disciplinary referrals
CategoryArrestsReferrals
Weapons01
Drugs12
Liquor00
Residence-hall fires
No residence-hall fires reported.
Student-faculty ratio
Student-to-faculty ratio and instructional staff counts.
Student-to-faculty
15.0:1
Instructional staff (full-time equivalent)
383
CPCC vs Peer comparison
The peer institutions CPCC selected for federal comparison reporting.
This institutionPeer median
A larger shape on any axis means this institution outperforms its peers on that dimension. For acceptance rate and net price, lower raw values are inverted so "more selective" and "more affordable" appear larger.
| Carnegie | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SubjectCentral Piedmont Community College | 31% | — | 20,375 | $3,660 | Community College |
| — | — | 39,727 | $6,306 | Baccalaureate | |
| — | — | 12,965 | $5,920 | Community College | |
| — | — | 9,876 | $6,313 | Community College | |
| — | — | 19,342 | $3,454 | Community College | |
| — | — | 9,683 | $7,113 | Community College | |
| — | — | 19,267 | $7,272 | Community College | |
| — | — | 6,121 | $2,974 | Community College | |
| — | — | 7,798 | $2,651 | Community College | |
| — | — | 39,548 | $8,986 | Baccalaureate | |
| — | — | 28,081 | $7,233 | Community College | |
| — | — | 10,609 | $8,166 | Community College | |
| — | — | 7,965 | $9,431 | Baccalaureate | |
| — | — | 12,926 | $13,306 | Community College | |
| — | — | 15,744 | $4,648 | Community College | |
| — | — | 20,123 | $4,907 | Community College | |
| — | — | 6,787 | $4,342 | Community College | |
| — | — | 18,165 | $5,436 | Community College | |
| — | — | 14,494 | $5,699 | Community College | |
| — | — | 10,337 | $4,620 | Community College | |
| — | — | 17,840 | $4,538 | Community College | |
| — | — | 10,256 | $4,250 | Community College | |
| — | — | 25,567 | $4,154 | Community College | |
| — | — | 8,090 | $6,358 | Community College | |
| — | — | 7,026 | $4,622 | Community College | |
| — | — | 9,336 | $12,591 | Community College | |
| — | — | 28,071 | $1,699 | Community College | |
| — | — | 14,440 | $2,755 | Community College | |
| — | — | 21,483 | $4,929 | Community College | |
| — | — | 53,253 | $6,738 | Community College | |
| — | — | 110,710 | $6,544 | Community College | |
| — | — | 13,429 | $6,058 | Community College | |
| — | — | 9,328 | $15,805 | Community College | |
| — | — | 24,985 | $5,001 | Community College | |
| — | — | 14,611 | $7,532 | Community College | |
| — | — | 9,463 | $11,245 | Community College | |
| — | — | 16,906 | $11,196 | Community College | |
| — | — | 12,519 | $10,658 | Community College | |
| — | — | 15,999 | $10,200 | Community College | |
| — | — | 17,077 | $13,438 | Community College | |
| — | — | 13,792 | $9,589 | Community College | |
| — | — | 6,733 | $13,235 | Community College | |
| — | — | 20,060 | $4,546 | Community College | |
| — | — | 11,475 | $5,135 | Community College | |
| — | — | 12,556 | $9,682 | Baccalaureate | |
| — | — | 16,283 | $3,123 | Community College | |
| — | — | 20,861 | $9,920 | Community College | |
| — | — | 21,730 | $4,026 | Community College | |
| — | — | 19,920 | $3,974 | Community College | |
| — | — | 19,901 | $5,290 | Community College | |
| — | — | 13,242 | -$818 | Community College | |
| 92% | — | 19,212 | -$904 | Baccalaureate | |
| — | — | 14,257 | -$2,735 | Community College | |
| — | — | 20,969 | $8,508 | Community College | |
| — | — | 8,609 | $16,658 | Community College | |
| — | — | 27,248 | $3,854 | Baccalaureate | |
| — | 100.0% | 7,004 | $4,588 | Community College | |
| — | — | 17,299 | $4,873 | Community College | |
| — | — | 43,928 | $6,073 | Community College | |
| — | — | 15,655 | $5,999 | Community College | |
| — | — | 11,887 | $5,762 | Community College | |
| Peer group median | 62% | 100.0% | 15,655 | $5,762 |
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Explore the federal data for institutions in CPCC's comparison group.
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CPCC Institutional Research office
The IR team responsible for the institution's federal reporting.
Office
Office of Institutional Research
Reports to Office of Planning and Research
Email
research [at] cpcc.edu
Phone
704-330-6842
Address
Central Campus, Norman Building
Central Piedmont's Institutional Research office provides non-biased, timely and accurate information to college leadership and stakeholders.
Visit IR office pageReports & documents (4)
Dashboards, factbooks, data dictionaries, and other reference material published by the IR office.
- DashboardDashboardcpcc.edu
- DFR reportIPEDS Data Feedback Report 20242024nces.ed.gov
- GlossaryGlossary of Terms | Central PiedmontThe page from Central Piedmont Community College provides a searchable glossary of terms and definitions relevant to the information and services offered by the Planning and Research department. This glossary is designed to help users understand common terminology related to institutional research, data, and related services. The list of definitions is periodically updated by a cross-departmental team and can be searched by various criteria such as keywords, term, category, and source.cpcc.edu
- Strategic planVision 2026 Strategic Plan2026Central Piedmont Community College's Vision 2026 Strategic Plan aims to elevate student success by supporting students in navigating well-designed educational pathways. The college focuses on maximizing academic excellence through community partnerships and embedding itself within the economic development community to cultivate talent pipelines. Additionally, the plan emphasizes advancing the organizational culture by developing a diverse workforce and strategic use of resources to enhance educational excellence and equity.cpcc.edu
Frequently asked questions about Central Piedmont Community College
Quick answers to the questions most often asked about CPCC.
What is the graduation rate at Central Piedmont Community College?
Central Piedmont Community College reports a 6-year graduation rate of 31% per the latest IPEDS.
How many students attend Central Piedmont Community College?
Central Piedmont Community College reports a total enrollment of 20,375 students per the latest IPEDS.
What is the average net price at Central Piedmont Community College?
The average net price at Central Piedmont Community College is $3,660 per the latest College Scorecard. Net price is the published cost of attendance minus grant aid.
Where is Central Piedmont Community College located?
Central Piedmont Community College is located in Charlotte, North Carolina 28204.
Who runs Institutional Research at Central Piedmont Community College?
Central Piedmont Community College's IR work is done by the Office of Institutional Research, which reports to Office of Planning and Research.
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