SALISBURY, N.C. – Rowan-Cabarrus Community College is marking a record-setting fall semester with curriculum enrollment reaching the highest level in the College’s history. With 8,082 students enrolled for fall 2026, Rowan-Cabarrus surpassed last fall’s total by 464 students, an increase of 6.1%. The record continues a multiyear increase in demand for the College, with 1,307 more curriculum students enrolled than in fall 2022, a 19.3% increase.
This milestone comes before fall enrollment is even complete. Rowan-Cabarrus is still enrolling students for the second eight-week courses that begin October 21, which means the College has already surpassed its previous fall enrollment record with additional enrollment still underway.
“This is an exciting milestone for Rowan-Cabarrus because it is something we have been preparing for,” said Dr. Carol S. Spalding, president of Rowan-Cabarrus. “We have watched our communities change, anticipated increasing demand and worked to ensure students have more opportunities to access higher education and workforce preparation. Seeing enrollment reach this historic level is exciting because it represents thousands of students choosing to invest in their futures with us. Our responsibility now is to continue increasing access and capacity so we can meet that demand with excellent instruction, strong student support and career guidance, and learning environments that help students succeed.”
Rowan-Cabarrus has responded to increased enrollment with additional course sections, multiple delivery options and continued development of programs tied to student and workforce needs.
Enrollment growth is visible across the College, with some of the strongest increases at South Campus and online. South Campus curriculum enrollment has climbed 68.2% since fall 2022, an increase of 856 students. Online enrollment has added 886 students during the same period, an 18% increase.
The need for additional instructional space at South Campus comes as Cabarrus County continues to experience significant population increases. Rowan-Cabarrus Community College has identified additional capacity at South Campus as a priority need for several years through the College’s capital planning process. The proposed new 70,000-square-foot facility and renovations to existing South Campus facilities were included in the College’s fiscal 2024 capital request. This year, the Cabarrus County Board of Commissioners has placed a $60 million general obligation bond referendum for Rowan-Cabarrus on the November 3 ballot, with an estimated annual impact of about $7.50 per $100,000 of assessed property value. The referendum gives county voters the opportunity to decide whether to authorize funding for the proposed projects.
Some high-demand programs and specific course sections already have waitlists, and Rowan-Cabarrus regularly evaluates course schedules, program capacity and instructional space to make the best use of available resources as enrollment and student needs change.
“We are seeing demand across general education courses as well as many of our career and transfer programs,” said Dr. Michael Quillen, vice president of Academic Programs. “Our focus is on making sure students can get the courses they need and continue moving toward completion. That includes adding sections where demand supports them and offering courses in formats that give students more flexibility.”
Those options include traditional in-person courses, fully online courses and HyFlex courses. HyFlex allows students in participating courses to choose whether to attend in person or online on a given class day, which can make it easier to balance college with work, family and other responsibilities.
Access also extends to high school students through Career and College Promise, which allows eligible students to earn college credits tuition-free while still in high school through college transfer and career-focused pathways. Rowan-Cabarrus offers a range of CCP pathways that can help students get an early start on a degree, credential or career.
Enrollment growth also places greater demand on the services that help students successfully enter college, choose an academic path and stay on track toward completion.
“Record enrollment reflects the trust students and families place in Rowan-Cabarrus as a pathway to opportunity and economic mobility,” said Dr. Natasha Lipscomb, vice president of Student Success Services. “As a community college focused on post-completion outcomes, our navigators, advisors, financial aid staff and wellness support teams work with students from the time they first consider Rowan-Cabarrus through graduation or transfer. As more students come to the College, we remain focused on providing the guidance and support they need to reach their goals.”
The increase in enrollment is also evident in full-time equivalent enrollment, or FTE, which measures the overall amount of instruction generated by students rather than simply counting the number of individual students enrolled. This helps account for differences between students taking a limited number of courses and those carrying fuller course loads. Curriculum FTE is up 7.8% from fall 2025 and 13.3% from fall 2022, another indication that instructional demand is increasing alongside student headcount.
The increase in demand extends beyond curriculum programs. During the 2025-2026 academic year, Rowan-Cabarrus served nearly 13,700 students through Corporate and Continuing Education programs. FTE across those offerings has increased by more than 40% since 2022-2023, showing similar momentum in short-term credentials, professional advancement and workforce development opportunities.
Together, curriculum and Corporate and Continuing Education enrollment demonstrate the scale of Rowan-Cabarrus Community College’s role in the region. The College currently ranks sixth among North Carolina community colleges by headcount.
Students who want to begin or continue their education this fall still have time to enroll. Second eight-week curriculum courses begin Oct. 21 and include general education courses and other options that can help students begin a program, continue making progress or complete needed requirements. Students can begin the enrollment process at rccc.edu/start.
Rowan-Cabarrus also offers ongoing short-term learning opportunities through Corporate and Continuing Education for those seeking career preparation, industry credentials, professional development or personal enrichment. Learn more at rccc.edu/cce.
With enrollment continuing to increase, community members can learn more about plans for future capacity at South Campus during a community information forum about the 2026 Cabarrus County Community College General Obligation Bond. The forum will be held from 6 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, October 1, in Building S201, Room 107 at South Campus, 1531 Trinity Church Road, Concord. The event will provide information about the projects included in the proposed bond, the College’s facility needs and the bond process, with an opportunity for attendees to ask questions.
This historic enrollment milestone reinforces Rowan-Cabarrus Community College’s commitment to helping more students access the education, credentials and support they need to reach their goals, improve their economic mobility and build stronger futures. The College will continue to respond to the needs of students, employers and the communities it serves through expanded access to education, workforce preparation and economic prosperity across the region.