It was established in 1961, the second institution to open as part of what is now a 15 community college system in Massachusetts.

Cape Cod Community College is the only community college and one of three colleges (along with Massachusetts Maritime Academy (Mass Maritime) in Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts (a Census-Designated Place in Bourne, Massachusetts) and Bridgewater State University's Cape Cod satellite campus) on Cape Cod.

[1] Cape Cod Community College formally had a partnership with Wheelock College before that merged with Boston University to become the Boston University Wheelock College of Education & Human Development on Boston University's Fenway Campus.

Cape Cod Community College is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education.

[2] The college is home to the Lyndon P. Lorusso Applied Technology Building, a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certified facility completed in 2006.