🎓 A Growing Wave of Small College Closures Hits Higher Education
In recent weeks, the higher education landscape has been shaken by announcements from two small private institutions: Labouré College of Healthcare in Milton, Massachusetts, and Lourdes University in Sylvania, Ohio. Both are set to cease operations by the end of the 2025-2026 academic year, joining a troubling trend of small college closures amid enrollment declines and financial strains. These closures highlight the vulnerabilities facing many small, private colleges, particularly those with specialized missions like nursing education or faith-based learning.
Labouré College will wind down academic operations on August 31, 2026, while transitioning its core nursing programs to nearby Curry College. Lourdes University plans to close in May 2026 after 68 years of service. This wave is not isolated; it reflects broader pressures on institutions with fewer than 1,000 students, where fixed costs outpace shrinking revenues. For students, faculty, and local communities, these decisions raise urgent questions about teach-outs, job transitions, and the future of accessible higher education.
Understanding this phenomenon requires looking at the specific stories of these colleges, the systemic challenges driving closures, and potential pathways forward. As small college closures accelerate, prospective students and professionals in higher ed must navigate these changes thoughtfully.
Labouré College of Healthcare: Preserving a Nursing Legacy Through Merger
Founded over 130 years ago, Labouré College of Healthcare has long focused on training nurses and allied health professionals to serve underserved communities in Greater Boston. Specializing in programs like Associate of Science in Nursing (ASN), RN to Bachelor of Science in Nursing (RN-BSN), Respiratory Care, and Healthcare Administration, the college emphasized accessible education for adult learners and diverse populations.
However, persistent challenges led to its closure announcement on February 12, 2026. Enrollment plummeted from 1,188 students in fall 2020 to just 530 in fall 2024, exacerbated by financial pressures and regulatory scrutiny. In 2023, Massachusetts regulators nearly shuttered the nursing program due to first-time pass rates on the national licensure exam falling below the required 80%, though an appeal reversed the decision. These issues, combined with rising operational costs, made independent sustainability impossible.
In a proactive move, Labouré's Board of Directors partnered with Curry College, located just five miles away. Pending regulatory approval, nursing programs will integrate into Curry's School of Nursing and Health Science starting fall 2026. The Labouré Center for Advancing Healthcare Opportunity will be established on Curry's Milton campus to support student access and preserve the mission. Current ASN students completing degrees post-closure will seamlessly transfer to Curry's campus, with tuition locked at 2026-2027 Labouré rates. Credits from other programs transfer fully, and select faculty and staff have been invited to join Curry.
This merger exemplifies a 'soft landing' strategy, minimizing disruption. For more details, read President Christina Hsu's full community message.
Lourdes University: A Franciscan Institution Grapples with Unsustainable Debt
Established in 1958 by the Sisters of St. Francis of Sylvania as a junior college, Lourdes University grew into a comprehensive private Catholic institution offering undergraduate and graduate degrees in fields like business, education, nursing, and theology. Known for its strong athletics programs in the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference (WHAC) and National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), it served northwest Ohio with affordable tuition and a tight-knit community.
On February 11, 2026, the Board of Trustees and Sisters announced closure at the end of the 2025-26 academic year due to 'insurmountable financial pressures.' Enrollment fell 13% from 2021 to 2024, reaching 964 students—a drop of one-third since 2018 and nearly two-thirds from 2011 peaks. Fiscal 2024 saw a $2.8 million operating deficit, with net tuition revenue down 7%. Liabilities totaled $18.1 million, including $13.9 million in long-term debt, against a $9.4 million endowment largely restricted by donors. The Sisters provided $7.3 million in subsidies that year but could no longer sustain operations.
Despite exploring alternatives, no viable path emerged. The university commits to normal operations through spring 2026, with upcoming details on student transfers, faculty support, and alumni engagement. Athletes and commuters face particular challenges, prompting local reactions on social media about lost opportunities and campus repurposing.
Visit the official closure page for updates. This case underscores how even subsidized faith-based schools struggle in competitive markets.
📉 Understanding the Broader Wave of Small College Closures
Labouré and Lourdes mark the latest in a surge: at least 16 nonprofit colleges closed in 2025, matching 2024's tally, with four announced in 2026 alone—including Providence Christian College in California and California College of the Arts. Small private colleges, often under 1,500 students, are hit hardest, especially in the Northeast and Midwest.
The primary driver is the 'demographic cliff'—a sharp drop in traditional college-age students starting in 2026. U.S. birth rates bottomed in 2007-2008 during the Great Recession, leading to 15% fewer high school graduates by the early 2030s. Enrollment in four-year colleges has already declined 15% since 2010, per National Center for Education Statistics data. Small colleges, reliant on tuition (often 70-80% of revenue), can't absorb these losses like larger publics or research universities.
- Rising costs: Inflation in labor, facilities, and compliance outpaces revenue growth.
- Competition: Online programs, community colleges, and bootcamps draw cost-conscious students.
- Post-COVID shifts: Enrollment never fully recovered, with 330,000 fewer undergraduates projected by 2030.
- Regulatory pressures: As seen at Labouré, program accreditation adds hurdles.
Experts predict 20-30 more closures annually through 2030. For a comprehensive list, see this analysis of recent closures.
Human Impacts: Students, Faculty, Staff, and Local Economies
Closures disrupt lives profoundly. Students mid-degree worry about credit transfers and delays; Labouré's model offers reassurance, but Lourdes' outcomes remain pending. Athletes at Lourdes, with robust NAIA teams, seek new homes amid recruiting scrambles.
Faculty and staff face job loss—hundreds potentially across these cases. In higher ed, adjuncts and tenure-track professors must pivot quickly. Communities lose economic anchors: Labouré contributed to Boston's healthcare workforce; Lourdes supported Sylvania's jobs and events.
Actionable steps for affected individuals:
- Verify credit transferability via tools like Transferology.
- Document achievements for resumes; leverage alumni networks.
- Explore higher ed jobs at stable institutions.
Parents and prospects should research financial health via metrics like debt-to-endowment ratios.
Pathways Forward: Mergers, Innovation, and Adaptation
Not all news is grim. Labouré's merger preserves programs, a model echoed in 2025 consolidations. Other strategies include:
- Teach-outs: Partnering for student completion without full absorption.
- Revenue diversification: Corporate training, online certificates, philanthropy.
- Regional consortia: Shared services to cut costs.
Resilient colleges invest in enrollment management, niche programs like healthcare (ironically strong at Labouré), and data-driven forecasting. Policymakers discuss aid for small privates. For career changers, higher ed career advice can guide transitions into booming fields like nursing elsewhere.
Explore university jobs or clinical research jobs amid sector shifts. Detailed insights available in this repurposing article.
Photo by Good Free Photos on Unsplash
Navigating the Future of Higher Education
As small college closures continue, the sector evolves toward efficiency and access. Students should prioritize accredited, financially stable schools; faculty, diversify skills via adjunct professor jobs or professor salaries benchmarks. AcademicJobs.com supports this transition with resources like Rate My Professor for insights and higher-ed jobs listings.
Whether you're a displaced student eyeing scholarships, faculty seeking post-a-job opportunities, or administrators planning ahead, proactive steps matter. Share your experiences in the comments below—your voice helps build a stronger higher ed community. For the latest, check higher education news.