Wisconsin’s Northland College to close at the end of the academic year

The Northland College Board of Trustees voted Wednesday to close at the end of the 2024-2025 academic year. The northern Wisconsin college cited declining enrollment and soaring costs in its decision to close.

In early 2024, it was unclear whether Northland would continue, but the college announced it would drastically reduce its majors and cut staff. The efforts weren’t enough to keep the school open.

“Despite the collaborative efforts of the entire Northland family, we no longer have the resources needed to navigate the economic and demographic storms endangering small, liberal arts institutions today,” board chair Ted Bristol said in a statement on Northland’s website.

“With declining enrollment and soaring costs, it takes more to operate the College than we raise in tuition. Even after enacting aggressive measures to cut costs and raise revenues, Northland College has no sustainable path forward.”

Northland College is a private college founded in 1892. According to its website, it was the first U.S. college to fully integrate an environmental focus with its liberal arts curriculum. Northland College is in Ashland, Wis., on the south shore of Lake Superior.

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