This EPIGraph provides a snapshot from the upcoming EPICenter—Historical Trends in Higher Education—to be released in November 2025 by EPI.
In 2020, the United States had 3,982 degree-granting postsecondary institutions, of which 2,679 (67 percent) were four-year institutions and 1,303 were two-year institutions (33 percent). This is a decrease of 511 institutions since 2010. Recent data (not illustrated below) shows that the decline of institutions continued in 2021 and 2022, the latter which had a total of 3,896 institutions (2,628 4-year; 1,268 2-year). The
Of course, the number of institutions is massive since the 1960 when there were 2,004 total institutions. This was part of the post-war boom and the GI Bill, resulting in large increases from the 60s until 2010. With higher operating costs, more competition for students, and possibly a lowering of demand for a traditional college education, it is likely that more institutions will shutter over the next few decades.
SOURCE: Snyder, T.D. (1993). 120 years of American education: a statistical portrait. National Center for Education Statistics, Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office; Digest of Education Statistics 2023, Table 317.10: https://tinyurl.com/e77c9v78.