Wake Technical Community College, usually called Wake Tech, serves Raleigh and the rest of Wake County through a network of campuses, specialist centers and online classes. The college began in 1958 as a county industrial-education initiative. When its first permanent campus opened south of Raleigh on October 7, 1963, 34 students attended classes there and another 270 studied through community sites and a nursing program. Today the institution reports more than 72,000 learners a year and offers university-transfer study, career education, workforce credentials and adult learning.
Start with the credential and the kind of admission you need
North Carolina’s open-door policy provides admission to a legal U.S. resident who has graduated from high school, is at least 18, or is an emancipated minor. That is the general entry rule, not automatic placement into every program. Health and other limited-enrollment programs can require prerequisites, separate applications and a competitive selection process. International students seeking an F-1 visa follow a different admissions route.
For a standard application, Wake Tech directs students to complete the North Carolina Residency Determination Service, apply online, activate a student account and submit an official high-school or equivalency transcript. The college can also require prior-college transcripts, placement steps, orientation and program-specific documentation. Foreign academic records may need an approved evaluation and translation. The application is free for most applicants; international applicants pay a published $40 fee. Begin with Wake Tech admissions, then use the catalog checklist that matches your background.
What tuition costs in 2026–27
The current Wake Tech charts list tuition of $76 per credit for in-state students and $268 per credit for out-of-state students. A 15-credit semester is $1,140 in in-state tuition or $4,020 out of state. The published all-in chart for 15 credits is $1,776.35 in state and $4,656.35 out of state; those totals include the technology, athletics, college-access and textbook-access fees shown by the college. Course-specific charges may apply. Students who opt out of the Eagle Advantage textbook program should budget separately for books and supplies. Residency classification matters, so check the current tuition chart and payment dates before building a semester budget.
FAFSA, state grants and local scholarships
Wake Tech’s Financial Aid Office accepts the federal FAFSA for grants, work-study, loans and many scholarship applications. North Carolina’s Next NC Scholarship automatically considers eligible applicants through FAFSA. The published criteria include North Carolina residency, a household adjusted gross income of $80,000 or less, a high-school diploma or equivalency, an eligible credential program and at least six credits; qualifying community-college students are guaranteed at least $3,000, subject to eligibility and satisfactory academic progress. Wake Tech lists June 1 as the FAFSA priority date for fall awards, and warns that later applicants may lose access if funds run out.
The Wake Tech Foundation offers need- and merit-based awards. Its published annual application window is March 1 through April 30, and applicants must have an admissions acceptance by the scholarship deadline. For shorter nondegree workforce courses, the Propel program can cover registration and fees up to $750 for eligible courses. These awards do not all follow the same process as federal aid; review scholarship rules and deadlines before counting on a particular award.
Learning English before or alongside college study
Wake Tech has two distinct English routes. Noncredit ESL through College & Career Readiness serves adult non-native English speakers who live or work in the United States, with lessons tied to workplace communication and college readiness. Students submit an interest form, attend a registration session and take speaking and reading-writing placement tests. There are six levels, from beginning to advanced; online sections are available only from Level 2 upward. Attendance of at least 70% is required, seats are limited, and the program cannot serve people with F-1 or J-1 visas. Use the current ESL interest form; sending it requests information and does not itself enroll a student.
Students preparing for academic coursework may instead need English for Foreign Language (EFL), a credit-bearing academic pathway with its own placement process. Wake Tech recommends English placement for applicants whose first language is not English. A placement result helps determine the starting course; it is not an admissions pass-or-fail test. Ask an advisor which route fits your goal, visa status and transcript before registering.
Programs, credits and realistic time to finish
The 2026–27 catalog lists degrees, diplomas and certificates across dozens of fields, from transfer studies and business to health sciences, information technology, construction, public safety and skilled trades. Courses may meet during the day or evening, online or in a hybrid format, but each program page and term schedule determines what is actually available. Associate transfer degrees are built around a university transfer plan; applied degrees combine general education with occupation-specific study. A credential is not automatically a two-year program simply because the college is a community college.
Time depends on course sequence, prerequisites, placement, selective admission and whether a student studies full or part time. Wake Tech’s culinary and hospitality examples put an applied associate degree at 68–72 semester credits over six semesters, a diploma at 40–43 credits over four semesters and a certificate at 15–18 credits over two semesters. Those are examples for those fields, not a universal schedule. Compare the active program plans and meet an advisor before using a sample timeline to plan work or childcare.
Five Raleigh locations with different jobs
Southern Wake, at 9101 Fayetteville Road, is the original and broadest Raleigh campus: transfer degrees, applied technology, business, construction, student services, a gym and specialized labs share a 139-acre site. Scott Northern Wake, at 6600 Louisburg Road, offers transfer pathways alongside automotive, baking, business, IT and trades; its Hendrick Center, STEM Lab, gym and performance hall give it a strong technical and campus-life identity. Each is a full campus, but class availability still depends on the schedule.
Perry Health Sciences, at 2901 Holston Lane beside WakeMed, concentrates on nursing, radiography, dental hygiene, EMS and related health careers. Simulation rooms, dental clinics and an ambulance bay support practical training, while some clinical work takes place with partner institutions. Public Safety Education, at 321 Chapanoke Road, is a specialist site for criminal justice and public-safety degrees, academy training, fire, EMS and law-enforcement instruction; its barbershop training service is open to the public. Beltline Education Center, at 3200 Bush Street, is the key Raleigh address for noncredit ESL, adult basic education, GED/HiSET preparation, adult high school, apprenticeships, robotics and cosmetology. The college lists separate profiles for Southern Wake, Scott Northern Wake, Perry Health Sciences, Public Safety Education and Beltline Education Center.
Getting to class and choosing where to begin
GoRaleigh serves all five Raleigh sites, and Wake Tech says enrolled students can use a free regional GoPass on GoRaleigh and GoTriangle. The college also offers carpool matching and, for students who meet credit-load and in-person attendance rules, limited gas-card assistance subject to funding. Student parking requires vehicle registration and a college decal; Perry has a parking deck, and other campus maps show their parking areas. Routes, stops and access rules can change, so check the current trip planner and the exact building before setting out.
For a transfer degree or broad first-term advising, start with Southern Wake or Scott Northern Wake. For health careers, contact Perry’s program office; for public-safety credentials, speak with the Public Safety Education division; for adult English and high-school completion, begin with Beltline’s College & Career Readiness team. The linked profiles explain each location’s address, facilities, directions and services. The right first step depends on the credential you want, the language support you need and where your classes will actually meet.
Check current details and choose according to your budget, time and way of travelling.
Options to compare
These options relate to the question. Read each profile and check current details before deciding.
Southern Wake is Wake Tech’s original campus, at 9101 Fayetteville Road south of downtown Raleigh. The college opened here in 1963, and the 139-acre site still carries a broad mix of transfer courses, career training and student services. Its scale means a visit is most useful after confirming the b
The original Wake Tech site combines university-transfer study and career programs with advising, a gymnasium and hands-on labs for culinary arts, cosmetology, heavy equipment and skilled trades.
Wake Tech — Scott Northern Wake Campus
6600 Louisburg Road, Raleigh, NC 27616
Scott Northern Wake sits at 6600 Louisburg Road in Raleigh’s northern corridor. Wake Tech describes this 125-acre campus as a mix of transfer education and career programs, with all of its buildings certified by the U.S. Green Building Council under LEED. For visitors, the key distinction is between
Scott Northern Wake pairs transfer degrees with automotive, baking, IT and skilled-trade training, including the Hendrick Center for Automotive Excellence, a STEM Lab, performance hall and gym.
Wake Tech — Perry Health Sciences Campus
2901 Holston Lane, Raleigh, NC 27610
Perry Health Sciences Campus is at 2901 Holston Lane beside WakeMed’s Raleigh campus. Its location reflects its purpose: students train for health professions in settings designed to connect classroom instruction with clinical practice. The college’s directions page identifies a parking deck on Hols
Adjacent to WakeMed, Perry is Wake Tech’s health-sciences base, with nursing simulation, dental-hygiene clinics, radiography and EMS training spaces, plus a parking deck on Holston Lane.
Wake Tech — Public Safety Education Campus
321 Chapanoke Road, Raleigh, NC 27603
The Public Safety Education Campus sits at 321 Chapanoke Road in south Raleigh. It is a specialized teaching site rather than a general-purpose campus: Wake Tech’s academy and public-safety programs use purpose-built settings for instruction, simulation and practice. The college’s location page give
This Raleigh site combines public-safety degree programs and accredited academy training with specialized scenario rooms, a forensics lab, mock courtroom and jail, and public barbering services.
Beltline Education Center, at 3200 Bush Street, is Wake Tech’s hub for non-degree Workforce Development and College & Career Readiness. It serves adults who may be looking for English instruction, a high-school credential or a short route to a job skill rather than a credit-bearing associate degree.
Beltline is the practical entry point for Wake Tech’s non-degree adult education: ESL, high-school equivalency, adult high school, apprenticeships, robotics and cosmetology training.
Sources & references
Sources for the information and reporting discussed in this guide.
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Official website of Wake Tech — Southern Wake Campus ↗
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Wake Tech · Accessed October 26, 2026
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Wake Tech — Southern Wake Campus campus photograph ↗
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Wake Tech · Accessed October 26, 2026
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Official website of Wake Tech — Southern Wake Campus ↗
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Wake Tech · Accessed October 26, 2026
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Official website of Wake Tech — Southern Wake Campus ↗
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Wake Tech · Accessed October 26, 2026
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Wake Tech official logo ↗
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Wake Tech · Accessed October 26, 2026
Official institution-wide logo shared by all five campus profiles.
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Official website of Wake Tech — Southern Wake Campus ↗
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Wake Tech · Accessed October 26, 2026
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Official website of Wake Tech — Scott Northern Wake Campus ↗
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Wake Tech · Accessed October 26, 2026
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Wake Tech — Scott Northern Wake Campus campus photograph ↗
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Wake Tech · Accessed October 26, 2026
Official photo selected from the exact campus page and converted to WebP for this profile.
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Official website of Wake Tech — Scott Northern Wake Campus ↗
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Wake Tech · Accessed October 26, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Official website of Wake Tech — Scott Northern Wake Campus ↗
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Wake Tech · Accessed October 26, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Wake Tech official logo ↗
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Wake Tech · Accessed October 26, 2026
Official institution-wide logo shared by all five campus profiles.
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Official website of Wake Tech — Scott Northern Wake Campus ↗
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Wake Tech · Accessed October 26, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Official website of Wake Tech — Perry Health Sciences Campus ↗
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Wake Tech · Accessed October 26, 2026
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Wake Tech — Perry Health Sciences Campus campus photograph ↗
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Wake Tech · Accessed October 26, 2026
Official photo selected from the exact campus page and converted to WebP for this profile.
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Official website of Wake Tech — Perry Health Sciences Campus ↗
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Wake Tech · Accessed October 26, 2026
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Official website of Wake Tech — Perry Health Sciences Campus ↗
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Wake Tech · Accessed October 26, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Wake Tech official logo ↗
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Wake Tech · Accessed October 26, 2026
Official institution-wide logo shared by all five campus profiles.
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Official website of Wake Tech — Perry Health Sciences Campus ↗
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Wake Tech · Accessed October 26, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Official website of Wake Tech — Public Safety Education Campus ↗
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Wake Tech · Accessed October 26, 2026
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Wake Tech — Public Safety Education Campus campus photograph ↗
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Wake Tech · Accessed October 26, 2026
Official photo selected from the exact campus page and converted to WebP for this profile.
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Official website of Wake Tech — Public Safety Education Campus ↗
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Wake Tech · Accessed October 26, 2026
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Official website of Wake Tech — Public Safety Education Campus ↗
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Wake Tech · Accessed October 26, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Wake Tech official logo ↗
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Wake Tech · Accessed October 26, 2026
Official institution-wide logo shared by all five campus profiles.
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Official website of Wake Tech — Public Safety Education Campus ↗
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Wake Tech · Accessed October 26, 2026
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Official website of Wake Tech — Beltline Education Center ↗
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Wake Tech · Accessed October 26, 2026
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Wake Tech — Beltline Education Center campus photograph ↗
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Wake Tech · Accessed October 26, 2026
Official photo selected from the exact campus page and converted to WebP for this profile.
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Official website of Wake Tech — Beltline Education Center ↗
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Wake Tech · Accessed October 26, 2026
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Official website of Wake Tech — Beltline Education Center ↗
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Wake Tech · Accessed October 26, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Wake Tech official logo ↗
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Wake Tech · Accessed October 26, 2026
Official institution-wide logo shared by all five campus profiles.
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Official website of Wake Tech — Beltline Education Center ↗
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Wake Tech · Accessed October 26, 2026
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Official website ↗
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Wake Tech · Accessed October 26, 2026
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Wake Tech 2026–27 College Catalog · Accessed October 26, 2026
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Official website ↗
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Wake Tech · Accessed October 26, 2026
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Official website ↗
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Wake Tech 2026–27 College Catalog · Accessed October 26, 2026
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Wake Tech · Accessed October 26, 2026
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Wake Tech · Accessed October 26, 2026
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Official website ↗
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Wake Tech · Accessed October 26, 2026
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Official website ↗
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Wake Tech · Accessed October 26, 2026
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Official website ↗
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Wake Tech 2026–27 College Catalog · Accessed October 26, 2026
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Official website ↗
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Wake Tech · Accessed October 26, 2026
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Wake Tech · Accessed October 26, 2026
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Wake Tech · Accessed October 26, 2026
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Official website ↗
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Wake Tech · Accessed October 26, 2026
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Official website ↗
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Wake Tech 2026–27 College Catalog · Accessed October 26, 2026
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Official website ↗
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Wake Tech 2026–27 College Catalog · Accessed October 26, 2026
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Wake Tech · Accessed October 26, 2026
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Wake Tech · Accessed October 26, 2026
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Wake Tech Care Center · Accessed October 26, 2026
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Wake Tech · Accessed October 26, 2026
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Wake Tech · Accessed October 26, 2026
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Wake Tech — Southern Wake Campus exact public listing ↗
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Google Maps · Accessed October 26, 2026
Exact campus listing checked on 2026-10-26; rating and review count are recorded as research metadata and are not repeated in the profile text.
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Wake Tech — Scott Northern Wake Campus exact public listing ↗
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Google Maps · Accessed October 26, 2026
Exact campus listing checked on 2026-10-26; rating and review count are recorded as research metadata and are not repeated in the profile text.
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Wake Tech — Perry Health Sciences Campus exact public listing ↗
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Google Maps · Accessed October 26, 2026
Exact campus listing checked on 2026-10-26; rating and review count are recorded as research metadata and are not repeated in the profile text.
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Wake Tech — Public Safety Education Campus exact public listing ↗
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Google Maps · Accessed October 26, 2026
Exact campus listing checked on 2026-10-26; rating and review count are recorded as research metadata and are not repeated in the profile text.
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Wake Tech — Beltline Education Center exact public listing ↗
Secondary source
Google Maps · Accessed October 26, 2026
Exact campus listing checked on 2026-10-26; rating and review count are recorded as research metadata and are not repeated in the profile text.