9 Colleges Closing In 2026: Full List Of Closures And Mergers

No U.S. nonprofit college has announced a closure since the University of Valley Forge on July 29, 2026. The fallout from this year’s closures is still playing out, and Anna Maria College’s campus auction was canceled on October 20 after no bid met its minimum terms. Families watching for warning signs their own college could close have plenty of recent examples to study.

Massachusetts is adding an early-warning rule in response. Private colleges in the state must post a public notice by December 31 if they risk falling short on their obligations over the next 18 months. The rule lands as many schools are raising tuition under real financial strain.

Mergers kept closing at the same time. Kean University, Lackawanna College and Northeastern University each finalized one this summer, while Willamette University and Pacific University signed a binding deal in Oregon. Penn State’s plan to close 47 programs shows the pressure isn’t limited to small private colleges.

What follows is a running tracker of both, based on institutional announcements and verified reporting as of October 28, 2026. If you’re weighing schools right now, pair it with our College ROI calculator.

2026 College Closure List

Nine nonprofit colleges have closed or announced they will close in 2026. Three are in Massachusetts, and three announced their closures within a week of each other in February. Nearly all of them showed the warning signs families should watch for, starting with steep enrollment declines.

Anna Maria College has had the hardest wind-down of the group. After filing for Chapter 11 in June, the college agreed to sell its nursing program for $1.1 million to pay down its debts. Former students who left midyear should review what happens to financial aid when you leave college.

Hampshire College remains on track to close at the end of December 2026. The college secured a loan agreement in June to fund its final fall semester, after warning it might have to close early. Students admitted for fall 2026 had to change their college decision after acceptance, and Hampshire refunded their deposits.

The University of Valley Forge moved fastest, with instruction ending on August 26, 2026. The school surrendered its accreditation effective September 12, according to the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. Messiah University is one of three recommended transfer partners, and former students can compare others with free college comparison tools.

The closures follow a hard 2025. Inside Higher Ed counted 16 nonprofit colleges that announced closures last year, matching the 2024 total. Larger schools are cutting too, as the University of Denver’s $30 million shortfall shows.

The 2026 list shares several common threads. Enrollment declines of 30% to 70% over the last decade appear in nearly every case. Every closing school relied heavily on net tuition revenue, a problem rooted in how colleges price a degree.

Several schools also lost federal grant funding heading into fiscal 2026. Providence Christian cited the end of its Hispanic-serving institution grant (roughly $600,000 a year) as a loss its $25,322 endowment could not absorb. Lourdes University said the Sisters of St. Francis could no longer subsidize the 68-year-old school, which partnered with the University of Toledo on a path for students to switch schools.

Labouré, a nursing-focused college in Milton, transitioned its programs to nearby Curry College. Anna Maria’s FY2025 audit carried a “going concern” qualification that triggered new federal financial aid restrictions. That audit flag is one of the clearest signs a college could close, and it came just weeks before the closure decision.

Which Colleges Are At Risk Of Closing In 2027?

No official national list of at-risk colleges exists. The first public list of this kind will come from Massachusetts, where private colleges must post a notice by December 31 if they risk running short of resources within 18 months. Families elsewhere have to track the five warning signs of a college in trouble on their own.

The national risk is large. Huron Consulting projects that 442 of the nation’s roughly 1,700 private nonprofit colleges could close or merge within 10 years, as reported by The Hechinger Report. Public universities aren’t immune, and consultants warned Southern Oregon University it risks closure without cuts despite $15 million in emergency state aid. Many schools are already cutting jobs and degrees to stay open.

Closures Already Scheduled For 2027

Several closures are already on the calendar for 2027. These schools and campuses will finish their final terms next year, so current students should plan transfers now with tools like our College ROI calculator.

California College of the Arts: The San Francisco school will close after the 2026–27 academic year, and Vanderbilt University will take over the campus. Seven Penn State campuses: Trustees voted to close DuBois, Fayette, Mont Alto, New Kensington, Shenango, Wilkes-Barre and York after the spring 2027 semester. Middlebury Institute of International Studies: Middlebury College will end its residential graduate programs in Monterey by June 2027. UHSP non-pharmacy programs: The University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy in St. Louis will end its other programs after 2026–27 as its pharmacy college moves to Washington University in St. Louis. M State Detroit Lakes: Minnesota State Community and Technical College is moving forward with closing its Detroit Lakes campus, while its other three campuses stay open.

Which Colleges Are Merging In 2026?

Four college mergers have closed so far in 2026, and six more are moving through accreditor and federal approvals. Mergers draw less attention than closures because the campus often keeps its name, though the financial logic is frequently the same. Under Secretary of Education Nicholas Kent told financial aid administrators in June that the department wants to make the process “a lot easier.”

What Changed Since July

Most of the movement this summer came from final federal and accreditor approvals. For students at an acquired school, tuition and what families really pay out of pocket can change once the buyer’s pricing takes over.

Kean and NJCU: Kean University completed its merger with New Jersey City University on July 1, and the Jersey City campus now operates as Kean Jersey City. Lackawanna and Peirce: The U.S. Department of Education finalized the Lackawanna–Peirce merger on July 8, ending a process that began in August 2024. Northeastern and Marymount Manhattan: Final approvals let Northeastern complete its Marymount Manhattan merger in July. The Upper East Side campus is now Northeastern University – New York City. Elon and Queens: Elon took control of Queens after the accreditor approved the first step in June, and the full merger is expected by 2028. Queens diplomas will recognize Queens College as part of the university. Gannon and Ursuline: Gannon’s president became Ursuline’s president and a consolidated board took over on June 30, Front Office Sports reports. Ursuline will operate as the Ursuline College Campus of Gannon University. Willamette and Pacific: Both boards ratified a merger agreement in July. The combined school, provisionally named the University of the Northwest, is expected by early 2027 pending approvals. WashU and UHSP: The University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy in St. Louis agreed in February to fold its pharmacy college into Washington University in St. Louis. Villanova and Rosemont: Students still enrolled at Rosemont on December 1, 2026, will be admitted to Villanova’s College of Professional Studies. The campus becomes Villanova University, Rosemont Campus in 2028.

Two for-profit deals are worth watching as well. Perdoceo Education agreed to buy South University for $140 million and will convert it to a for-profit school. Westcliff University acquired Pacific College in August, as Congress weighs a bill to cut off federal aid to for-profit colleges.

What This Means For Students And Families

A closure or merger announcement should set off warning bells for current and prospective students. The first decision is whether to take a teach-out or apply for a closed school discharge of federal student loans. That choice affects your debt, your credits and your financial aid if you leave school.

Closed School Discharge Vs. Teach-Out

Federal student loan borrowers can have their loans discharged if the school closes while they’re enrolled or soon after they withdraw. For loans first disbursed on or after July 1, 2020, the school must close within 180 days of withdrawal, according to Federal Student Aid. Older loans use a 120-day window. Students who finish a comparable program through a teach-out or credit transfer give up the discharge.

The discharge covers federal loans only, so borrowers with private student loans need to call their lender directly. Students who believe their school misled them before it closed can also look at borrower defense to repayment.

Most 2026 closing schools lined up teach-out partners. Providence Christian worked with Biola, Concordia and The Master’s University. Lourdes partnered with the University of Toledo, while Trinity Christian signed agreements with Saint Xavier, Calvin and Olivet Nazarene universities. Compare any partner school’s outcomes with free college comparison websites before you commit.

Credit Transfer And Financial Aid

Credit transfer is typically honored, but families should confirm program-level articulation. Specialized credits in nursing, education or the arts don’t always map cleanly to a new school’s degree requirements. Check the refund policy at the new school before paying any deposit.

Financial aid also resets. A teach-out student’s federal aid is rebuilt at the new school based on its cost of attendance, including any Pell Grant eligibility. State aid portability varies, so families relying on Pennsylvania’s PHEAA grants, New Jersey’s TAG or a Cal Grant should verify eligibility before transferring.

How To Check A College’s Financial Health

Financial health belongs on every family’s due-diligence checklist before committing. The Department of Education’s College Scorecard shows enrollment trends, graduation rates and transfer rates, and our list of free college comparison tools covers other sources.

Common red flags include enrollment down more than 25% over five years and a tuition discount rate above 55%. A failing federal financial responsibility composite score, or a “going concern” warning in the audit, is a more serious signal. Our breakdown of five warning signs a college could close walks through each one.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Many Colleges Closed In 2026?

At least nine U.S. nonprofit colleges have closed or announced closures in 2026. The list runs from Siena Heights University in Michigan to the University of Valley Forge in Pennsylvania. Most showed warning signs of financial trouble for years beforehand.

What Happens To My Student Loans If My College Closes?

Your federal loans may qualify for a closed school discharge if you were enrolled when the school closed or withdrew shortly before. You lose that option if you finish a comparable program through a teach-out. Private student loans aren’t covered, so contact your lender.

Can I Still Get My Transcript If My College Closed?

Yes, closing colleges must hand their records to a custodian. Regis College holds Anna Maria College’s records, and Hampshire’s records move to UMass Amherst after December 31, 2026. Valley Forge students can order transcripts through the National Student Clearinghouse, which matters if you’re sorting out financial aid after leaving school.

Is There A List Of Colleges In Danger Of Closing?

There’s no official national list. Massachusetts will publish the first state-level notices by December 31, 2026, and Huron Consulting estimates 442 private colleges nationwide are at risk. Your best tool is checking your own school against the five warning signs.

The post 9 Colleges Closing In 2026: Full List Of Closures And Mergers appeared first on The College Investor.