Lourdes University announces closure

According to Higher Ed Dive, the university is experiencing financial strain due to declining enrollment, rising costs, and a funding model that is becoming increasingly unsustainable.

Over the past 15 years, the university’s student population has declined sharply. According to federal data, between 2021 and 2024, total fall enrollment dropped by more than 13% to 964 students. This represents a decrease of about one-third compared to 2018 and nearly two-thirds compared to 2011.

In the 2024 fiscal year, Lourdes reported a $2.8 million operating deficit as its net tuition and fee revenue fell by more than 7% year over year.

The university said it will announce teach-out agreements for students and other details regarding the closure process in the coming weeks.

This Catholic higher education institution in Ohio is one of several religious institutions that have closed in recent years. Most recently, Providence Christian College also announced that it will close at the end of the 2025–26 academic year.

It should be noted that the university was founded in 1958 as a two-year college. It currently offers dozens of undergraduate majors and minors, as well as several graduate programs.