Nearly 80 US colleges may face closure within 5 years, even as Ivy League schools see enrollment surge: Philadelphia Fed research shows

A looming crisis threatens smaller U.S. colleges, with as many as 80 potentially closing within five years due to a demographic cliff, financial distress, and changing perceptions of higher education’s value. While elite institutions thrive with record applications, smaller colleges face declining enrollment and rising costs, exacerbated by the pandemic.