US higher ed has recorded 38 institution closures since 2024. Most people assume closures are rare. They are becoming routine.

A closure is the last step in a sequence that usually starts two to four years earlier. A program gets suspended. A department gets consolidated. Enrollment projections get revised down three years in a row. Then a board votes to close.

38 closures across 45 states. Small private colleges are the most common casualty. Hellenic College Holy Cross in Massachusetts announced closure this spring. Cabrillo College in California ended its nursing program before announcing broader cuts. Several dozen more are in teach-out agreements right now, meaning they have already stopped admitting students and are winding down.

A teach-out agreement is not a closure announcement. It is a closure in progress.

37 closures recorded. Probably 20 more in progress that have not been announced yet.

What are your thoughts?

Submitted May 2, 2026 at 06:52AM by CodOk8369 https://ift.tt/o30HjGN