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Sterling College to Close After Spring 2026

Leaders cite persistent enrollment declines during a budget shortfall.

Overview

  • The college will offer classes through its final commencement in May 2026 and may run a summer internship program if needed.
  • Officials are finalizing teach-out agreements with College of the Atlantic, Community College of Vermont and Champlain College, subject to approval by the New England Commission of Higher Education.
  • Fewer than 40 students are enrolled this semester, with about 30 faculty and staff, after federal data showed 78 students in fall 2023.
  • Sterling reported a meager endowment of just over $1.1 million and declining net tuition revenue, underscoring its limited financial cushion.
  • Leaders have not decided the future of the 130-acre Craftsbury Common campus, as the shutdown tracks a broader pattern of small-college closures that recently included Trinity Christian College.