Massachusetts's campuses and the stories they hold.
The Story
Cape Cod Community College, known locally as 4Cs, is the only community college on Cape Cod. Its 116-acre wooded campus in West Barnstable holds the Tilden Arts Center, the Wilkens Library and a Cape history archive with scrimshaw, whaling logbooks and ship models. Students train for the Cape's own economy, including dental hygiene, nursing, outboard engine repair and FAA-certified aircraft maintenance, and many go on to four-year degrees.
About this site
Cape Cod Community College is a college & university in West Barnstable, Barnstable County. It is one of 2 colleges & universities documented in Barnstable County, among 6,897 historic sites cataloged across the county on MassRoam.
The site sits at 41.6913, -70.3377 near West Barnstable. The nearest cataloged historic site is Building at 2071 Main St (landmark), about 0.4 miles away. Others within a short drive include Building at 2119 Main St, Alden - Taylor House, and Sandy Street Cemetery.
This record is drawn from MassRoam. Use the map below for its exact position and turn-by-turn directions.
What makes Cape Cod Community College different
The W. B. Nickerson Cape Cod History Archives on campus hold more than 10,000 items from the 1600s to today, including scrimshaw, whaling artifacts, ship models and logbooks. nickersonarchives.org
The college's first building was the 1897 Hyannis State Normal School, which Massachusetts Maritime Academy also used until 1948. It is now Barnstable Town Hall. en.wikipedia.org
The college's Lyndon P. Lorusso Applied Technology Building earned LEED certification when it was finished in 2006. en.wikipedia.org
In 2026 the estate of Maureen Wilkens gave the college's foundation $20 million, its largest gift ever, doubling the endowment. capecod.edu
In its marine technician program, run with Yamaha Marine University and the Massachusetts Marine Trades Association, students learn to repair modern four-stroke outboard engines in a campus marine technology lab. capecod.edu
4Cs holds commencement at the Cape Cod Melody Tent in Hyannis. The 2026 class of more than 600 graduates was the first in Massachusetts to benefit from free community college. capecod.edu
Cape Cod Community College was established in 1961 as the second college in what became the Massachusetts community college system, opening under its first president, Irving Bartlett, in the building that is now Barnstable Town Hall. Its first class enrolled 166 students from thirty-three communities. In 1970 the college moved to its present 116-acre campus in West Barnstable, becoming the first community college in the state to build a new campus, and it remains the only community college serving Cape Cod.
The college's first home was no ordinary building. Its first classes met in the old Hyannis State Normal School, a teachers college from 1897 to 1944. Massachusetts Maritime Academy then used the building until 1948, before the academy moved to Buzzards Bay. When 4Cs left for West Barnstable in 1970, the town turned the building into a school annex, and since 1979 it has been Barnstable Town Hall.
On the new campus the college added an applied technology building, the Lyndon P. Lorusso building, which earned LEED certification in 2006. Through its Center for Community and Professional Education it offers short programs such as outboard engine training with Yamaha Marine University. It also partners with Bridgewater State, UMass Dartmouth, Suffolk and other universities so students can finish bachelor's and master's degrees without leaving the Cape.
The 2026 commencement at the Cape Cod Melody Tent honored more than 600 graduates, the first class to benefit from Massachusetts's free community college programs. That June the estate of Maureen Wilkens left the college's foundation a $20 million bequest, the largest in its history, which doubled its endowment. In July 2026 Ellen Kennedy, the longtime president of Berkshire Community College, became interim president while the college searches for a permanent leader.
4Cs offers associate degrees in the arts, sciences and applied sciences, along with certificates in health, technical and business fields. A noncredit division trains workers for Cape industries. Through university partnerships, students can also complete bachelor's and master's degrees on the West Barnstable campus.
Known for
Aviation Maintenance Technology
The program prepares students for FAA airframe and powerplant certification and an associate degree. The college says airlines and operators, including JetBlue, Cape Air and the U.S. Coast Guard, are waiting to hire its graduates.
Known for
Dental Hygiene
This selective-admission associate degree prepares students for licensure. Students also provide free screenings and care to children at community events such as TeamSmile.
Known for
Nursing and Nursing Assistant
In its first year (fiscal 2026), the new noncredit nursing assistant program had a 97% completion rate and a 95% pass rate on the Massachusetts Nurse Aide exam, and it feeds students into the college's nursing degree.
Known for
Blue economy (coastal and ocean environments)
4Cs offers an associate degree in the applied economics of coastal and ocean environments, aimed at the Cape's marine-based economy.
Known for
Marine outboard engine technician
This 158-hour apprenticeship-aligned program leads to four industry credentials, including a Yamaha Marine University certificate and preparation for the ABYC systems exam.
Dana LeVangie — Boston Red Sox pitching coach for the 2018 World Series champions (attended 4Cs, 1987–1989) en.wikipedia.org
Sara Imari Walker — theoretical physicist and astrobiologist who studies the origins of life (attended 4Cs) en.wikipedia.org
Steven Xiarhos — Massachusetts state representative and retired police officer (A.S. in criminal justice) en.wikipedia.org
Watch
Aviation Maintenance Technology Program at Cape Cod Community College · The Local SeenAviation Maintenance at Cape Cod Community College · Cape Cod Community College2026 Cape Cod Community College Commencement · Cape Cod Community College
As the only community college on the Cape, it is known for health programs such as dental hygiene and nursing, aviation maintenance technology, marine trades training, and transfer pathways to four-year universities.
Where is Cape Cod Community College?
On a 116-acre campus in West Barnstable, off Route 132, in the middle of Cape Cod.
How big is Cape Cod Community College?
NCES counted 3,260 credit students in Fall 2024. The college graduated more than 600 students in 2026.
Is Cape Cod Community College free?
For many Massachusetts residents, yes. Through the state's free community college programs, eligible residents can attend tuition-free, and the 2026 graduating class was the first to benefit.
Can the public visit the Nickerson Archives?
Yes. The archives are open Tuesday through Friday afternoons and by appointment, and the staff recommend calling or emailing ahead.
Does Cape Cod Community College have sports teams?
4Cs does not field intercollegiate varsity teams. It has a campus fitness center.
Who is the president of Cape Cod Community College?
Ellen Kennedy, the former president of Berkshire Community College, has served as interim president since July 2026 while the college runs a national search.
The self-guided Cape Cod Community College campus tour tells the story of each landmark as you reach it (3.2 mi · driving · ~22m · 4 stops). It's included with MassRoam+, alongside 82,000+ Massachusetts historic sites on one live map.
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