The Problems forcing colleges to close
You can find the weekly updated closure list at the Federal Student Aid website, but it's a large download, so be warned.
Shut downs previously began with trade schools and private colleges.
Now it's more common for public education systems to shut down or consolidate. Even the UK (Video) has shutdowns and loss of funding.
Nevada's system is currently stable, due in part to the 12% + Tuition increases.
However, The NSHE is facing less government financial support in the future, while still facing many of the challenges shared by other systems.
How do we keep from putting these costs on the backs of students who are already stretched thin?
We pay attention to all of the factors and create new revenue streams instead of raising tuition rates, and offer new courses of study. (FLUX)
A list of (Just some of) the problems currently facing colleges
A.I.
Students are also rightly concerned that after spending four years earning a degree, by the time they graduate, their jobs will have been taken by AI.
Entry level jobs are disappearing, and finding a job for computer science graduates has become particularly difficult. Jobs that do become available usually provide lower pay and the competition is overwhelming.
The Demographic Cliff
The number of high school graduates (generally referred to as “traditional students”) peaked in 2025 and it's downhill from there.
After the financial crisis back in 2008, birth rates slowed because people just couldn't afford to have kids. It's what the industry is calling The Demographic Cliff.
(Not so fun fact, there’s a second, additional cliff coming in about 12 years, following the “Birth Dearth" in the wake of the Pandemic.)
The Loss of International Students
Colleges nation wide are cutting essential programs and shutting down research because of the financial impact from the downturn in international student applications and attendees.
International students not only pay out of state fees on top of normal tuition, but pay additional fees on top of those. This is a loss of billions of dollars in revenue, and 60% of colleges expect the numbers to drop even lower.
International students have, in recent years, dealt with a wave of revoked student visas, quickly shifting policies
In 2024, 264 international students attended Nevada's community colleges, creating $9.5 million dollars in revenue for the schools and creating 38 jobs within the system. Statewide, they directly created 2,326 jobs and supported 4,386 jobs indirectly.
Tuition Increases Impacts Attendance
According to a Federal Report:
37% of students who wanted to attend college but didn't said it was because the cost was too high.
32% of students who were previously enrolled didn't complete a degree - dropping out because of rising costs
In another survey of 1500 learners including prospective student "opt outs" and college "stop outs" who had to quit before graduation. It also shows that cost is a top consideration as well. 30% are moving solely to online coursework.
However, 60% said they would return with a clear path to completion, with cost, flexibility and support being the overlying factors concerning their decision.
Amenities & Push to Build
Even more obstacles
Some schools have staved off the declines by target non-traditional students (for example, they are 30% of UNLV's student body), but this isn't a resource that's going to last for long.
While overall High school drop out rates are slowing, (5.3% in 2022), several minority groups were up to almost twice as high. See the graph and read the breakdown at National Center for Education Statistics.
More often, high school graduates are choosing trade schools and apprenticeship programs to continue their education. A large part of that consideration is cost.
Part of the reason so many schools have had to close their doors is due to what researchers have been referring to as the "Amenities Arm Race". While most articles highlight things like schools including lazy rivers in their gyms, the real point of these articles are the cost to students for many "perks" they may not even be able to avail themselves of.
Government funding has decreased nationwide, so instead of cutting back, schools have invested in the "if you build it" philosophy including new campuses and satellite offices. Meanwhile, student fees increase to help fund the shortfalls, making overall tuition more expensive.
Even amenities like sports teams, which schools argue lead to future revenue, may also be a poor investment. According to the Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, students attending games saw a decline in their GPA. One of their conclusions was, "We find suggestive evidence that the parents of students experiencing the greatest academic declines due to game attendance reduce their giving to the university."
[*Note: I'm not arguing for or against sports programs. I am just highlighting revenue problems for schools.}
...and one last consideration...
is the online learning boom, in part due to WGU and compounded by traditional colleges who were early adaptors in the emerging space. For example, ASU offering over 100 online master's programs.
It has it's own dedicated page HERE.