The landscape of small private nonprofit colleges in the United States is undergoing rapid change in 2026. Analysts such as Huron Consulting estimate that nearly a quarter of the country’s roughly 1,700 private nonprofit four-year institutions could either close or merge within the next decade, signaling structural shifts rather than isolated events. In this climate, eight colleges have announced they will cease operations in 2026, and multiple consolidations are moving forward, illustrating how fragile institutions can be when enrollment and revenue pressures intensify.
Two Massachusetts campuses—Hampshire College and Anna Maria College—have become emblematic of the strain facing tuition-dependent liberal arts schools. Hampshire announced its intent to close on April 14, 2026, and labor organizing and relief efforts began as layoffs approached. Anna Maria declared on April 23, 2026, that its Board of Trustees lacked sufficient resources to maintain academic operations beyond the spring 2026 semester, following a formal closure risk notice from the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education. These announcements arrived amid a steady stream of small-college shutdowns and mergers that have accelerated since summer 2026.
Table of Contents:
2026 closures: who has announced shutdowns and the common patterns
The eight institutions
Eight nonprofit colleges are slated to close in 2026 or have already ceased operations. The affected schools and their announcements are: Siena Heights University (Adrian, MI) — announced June 30, 2026; closing at the end of the 2026–26 academic year; Trinity Christian College (Palos Heights, IL) — announced November 4, 2026; final commencement May 8, 2026; Sterling College (Craftsbury Common, VT) — announced November 13, 2026; final commencement May 16, 2026; Providence Christian College (Pasadena, CA) — announced February 7, 2026; closing at end of 2026–26 academic year; Lourdes University (Sylvania, OH) — announced February 11, 2026; closing at end of spring 2026 semester; Labouré College of Healthcare (Milton, MA) — announced February 2026; operations ceasing August 31, 2026; Hampshire College (Amherst, MA) — announced April 14, 2026; closing at the end of fall 2026; and Anna Maria College (Paxton, MA) — announced April 23, 2026; ceasing academic operations at the end of spring 2026, with full wind-down by year-end.
Shared financial and enrollment trends
Several recurring conditions appear across these institutions: steep enrollment declines—often between 30% and 70% over the last decade—heavy reliance on net tuition revenue, and, in some cases, the loss of federal grants or major internal subsidies. For example, Providence Christian cited the end of its Hispanic-serving institution grant, worth roughly $600,000 annually, and reported an endowment of only $25,322. Lourdes University said the Sisters of St. Francis could no longer underwrite operations at prior levels. Anna Maria’s FY2025 audit included a going concern qualification that triggered federal financial aid restrictions shortly before the closure announcement.
Mergers and acquisitions: a quieter route to survival
Current consolidations in progress
Alongside outright closures, several institutions have pursued mergers or acquisitions that preserve programs under a new administrative structure. Active cases include: Ursuline College (OH) into Gannon University (PA) — Letter of Intent September 16, 2026; definitive agreement January 2, 2026; change of control June 30, 2026, with full merger targeted for December 15, 2026; New Jersey City University → Kean University (NJ) — definitive agreement October 1, 2026, with enabling legislation signed January 13, 2026 and a full merger effective July 1, 2026 backed by $25 million in state transition funding; Rosemont College → Villanova University — announced March 31, 2026, with Rosemont awarding degrees through 2028 before conversion to a Villanova campus; Cornish College of the Arts → Seattle University — definitive agreement March 14, 2026; transaction closed May 31, 2026; Queens University of Charlotte → Elon University — intent announced September 16, 2026; definitive agreement December 18, 2026, with SACSCOC approval anticipated June 2026; and East Georgia State College → Georgia Southern University — Board of Regents final approval December 2026; consolidation effective January 1, 2026.
Why mergers are chosen
Mergers often preserve academic programs and campus identity while shifting financial risk to a larger institution. The motivation mirrors closure drivers—shrinking enrollment and unsustainable tuition dependence—but merges can allow continuity through teach-outs, retained faculty roles, and maintained student services that wind-downs cannot. For policymakers and college leaders, consolidation offers a way to stabilize regional higher education ecosystems without fully eliminating local access.
Practical guidance for students and families
Students at closing or merging colleges should act quickly. Federal rules allow a closed school discharge of federal student loans for borrowers who cannot transfer and complete a comparable program, but the Department of Education typically requires withdrawal within 120 days of the official closure date to qualify. Most closing schools have arranged teach-out partners: Providence Christian is working with Biola, Concordia, and The Master’s University; Lourdes partnered with the University of Toledo; Labouré will transition nursing programs to Curry College; and Trinity Christian has agreements with Saint Xavier, Calvin, and Olivet Nazarene universities.
Families should verify program-level credit articulation and expect that a transfer will trigger a new financial aid package calculated by the receiving school’s cost of attendance. State grant portability varies. Prospective students ought to include financial viability in their research: the Department of Education’s College Scorecard shows enrollment trends, graduation rates, and transfer statistics, while the federal financial responsibility indicators flag elevated closure risk when a school’s enrollment drops more than 25% over five years, tuition discount rates exceed 55%, or the CFI falls below 1.0. With 16 nonprofit colleges closed in 2026 and roughly 48 closures or planned closures since March 2026 impacting an estimated 52,600 students, according to tracking by Higher Ed Dive and BestColleges, vigilance is now an essential part of college planning.
