New Audit Report Shows Low Vacancy Rate Across North Carolina Community College System

This week, the Office of State of State Auditor released a report assessing the long-term vacancies and associated lapsed salaries across North Carolina’s community college system.  

Here are some of the key findings in the report:  

• “As of December 31, 2025, the North Carolina Community College System employed more than 31,000 personnel across 58 institutions. Within this workforce, only 136 long-term vacancies were identified, representing a very small proportion of total positions.” 

• “This low vacancy level reflects effective workforce management across the system. The data show that more than 60% of the long-term vacant positions have been filled, are in the final stages of hiring, or are actively being recruited. This demonstrates that community colleges are actively managing staffing needs.” 

• “Our community colleges have an important role, helping educate and build a homegrown workforce here in North Carolina. The limited number of long-term vacancies identified in this audit is a sign of strong operational oversight and responsible management of personnel by North Carolina’s community college presidents.”