U.S. College Closures: Financial Strains, Enrollment Declines, and the Rise of Online Education
Data analysis from Higher Ed Dive reveals that since 2016, 91 private colleges in the U.S. have either closed, merged with other institutions, or announced closure plans. Nearly half of these closures occurred after the onset of the Covid pandemic in 2020. Financial challenges and declining enrollment emerged as recurring factors behind these closures.