College Closures: A Comprehensive Overview
The landscape of higher education is constantly evolving. Factors such as fluctuating enrollment rates, rising operating costs, and changes in funding models can significantly impact an institution's long-term sustainability. This article examines the increasing trend of college closures, focusing on the reasons behind these closures, the impact on students, and provides a list of specific institutions that have recently closed or merged.
The Rising Trend of College Closures
Across the United States, colleges and universities are facing increasing pressure. Declining enrollment, driven by natural population trends and higher operating costs, is forcing many institutions to shutter their doors. According to data from the State Higher Education Executive Office (SHEEO) and The Hechinger Report, approximately 312 colleges and universities that grant at least associate degrees closed between 2008 and 2024.
Factors Contributing to College Closures
Several factors contribute to the increasing number of college closures:
- Financial Difficulties: Many colleges struggle with financial sustainability due to factors such as declining enrollment, stagnating state funding, and the pressure to lower tuition costs.
- Enrollment Decline: A shrinking pool of high school graduates and changing student preferences have led to enrollment declines, straining many institutions' bottom lines.
- Accreditation Issues: Loss of accreditation can prevent a college from enrolling new students, leading to closure.
- The COVID-19 Pandemic: The pandemic accelerated economic challenges for many institutions, contributing to closures.
- Government Regulations: Government regulations, particularly those related to for-profit institutions, can significantly impact a college's viability.
For-Profit vs. Nonprofit Closures
The trend in college closures has shifted over time. From 2012 to 2019, for-profit colleges closed at a higher rate than nonprofits. This was partly due to increased government oversight of for-profit institutions, including the "gainful employment" rule, which required colleges to prove the value of their degrees. While the Trump Administration initially shed these requirements, the Biden Administration reverted to Obama's ruling and further tightened regulations on for-profits.
In recent years, private nonprofit schools have been increasingly affected by enrollment declines and high operating costs. This shift reflects the broader challenges facing higher education institutions across the board.
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Predicting College Closures
The Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia developed a model to predict college closures, identifying fiscal challenges and enrollment declines as the strongest predictors. Their research suggests that under a worst-case scenario of an abrupt enrollment drop, as many as 80 colleges could close, impacting over 100,000 students and 20,000 staff. Even with a gradual enrollment decline, an average of 4.6 colleges could close annually, affecting over 7,300 students and 1,200 staff each year.
Impact on Students
When a college closes, students face significant disruption. According to SHEEO and the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center, only 47% of students who experienced a college closure between 2004 and 2020 re-enrolled in another program. Students who experienced an abrupt closure had lower re-enrollment rates (40%) compared to those who experienced an orderly closure (64%).
Notable College Closures and Mergers (2020-2025)
The following table lists nonprofit college closures and mergers that have occurred or are planned between 2020 and 2025. The table includes the school name, state, school type, closure or merger status, year of closure/merger, enrollment, and the reason for closure/merger.
| School Name | State | School Type | Closure or Merger | Year | Enrollment | Reason(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences | NY | Private Nonprofit | Merger | 2027 | 875 | Merging with Russell Sage College to become Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences at Russell Sage |
| Rosemont College | PA | Private Nonprofit | Merger | 2027 | 777 | Merging with Villanova University |
| Siena Heights University | MI | Private Nonprofit | Closure | 2026 | 1,832 | Financial |
| East Georgia State College | GA | Public Nonprofit | Merger | 2026 (est.) | 1,756 | Merging with Georgia Southern University |
| Bluffton University | OH | Private Nonprofit | Merger | 2025 | 745 | Merged with University of Findlay |
| Northland College | WI | Private Nonprofit | Closure | 2025 | 485 | Financial |
| Cornish College of the Arts | WA | Private Nonprofit | Merger | 2025 | 443 | Merged with Seattle University |
| Eastern Nazarene College | MA | Private Nonprofit | Closure | 2025 | 535 | Financial |
| Fontbonne University | MO | Private Nonprofit | Closure | 2025 | 944 | Enrollment, Financial |
| Limestone University | SC | Private Nonprofit | Closure | 2025 | 1,782 | Financial |
Resources for Students from Closed Institutions
Students affected by college closures have several resources available to them:
- Federal Student Aid Office: Provides information and assistance regarding federal student loans and financial aid.
- State Higher Education Executive Office (SHEEO): Offers data and resources related to higher education in each state.
- National Student Clearinghouse Research Center: Tracks student enrollment and outcomes, including those impacted by college closures.
- Commission for Independent EducationFlorida Department of Education: Students seeking transcripts from closed institutions like Peter C. Brown Mackie College - Ft. Lauderdale should contact the Commission for Independent EducationFlorida Department of Education at 325 W. Gaines Street, Suite 1414, Tallahassee, FL 32399.
- West Virginia Business College: For Transcripts from West Virginia Business College contact at 304-558-0265.
Specific Institution Information
- Peter C. Brown Mackie College - Ft. Lauderdale: This institution is now closed.
- West Virginia Business College: This institution is now closed. Contact 304-558-0265 for transcripts.
- Kentucky Higher Education Institutions:
- University Hospital Louisville: Located at 530 S. Jackson St., Louisville, KY 40202.
- Baptist Health Hardin Hospital: Located at 913 N. Dixie Ave., Elizabethtown, KY 42701.
- Mount St. Joseph University: Located at 5701 Delhi Rd., Cincinnati, OH 45233.
- Northpoint Bible College Office of the Registrar: Located at 320 S. Main St., Haverhill, MA 01830.
- Spalding University: Located at 845 S. Third St., Louisville, KY 40203.
- St. Catharine College: Located at 2735 Bardstown Road, St. Catharine, KY 40061.
- St. Xavier University - Ft. Campus location: Columbia Center, 207 Grandview Avenue, Ft. Wright, KY 41011.
- Sullivan University - Ft. Site: Fort Knox, 31 Warehouse Street, Building 65, Ft. Knox, KY 40121.
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