Which top colleges have a significant budget deficit? Which ones are red flags?

[Anonymous]

The UChicago bashers keep wishcasting that UChicago is heading towards bankruptcy. Crazy talk.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The UChicago bashers keep wishcasting that UChicago is heading towards bankruptcy. Crazy talk.

It's just 1 mom and her 2-3 wives. Their kids were all rejected, and their moms now reply to each other to make it seem like the DCUM crowd dislikes Chicago.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Duke had a 330 million projected deficit-- made lots of cuts and ended up 75 in the black. Faculty retired, buyouts, etc. Changed the whole advising system for 1st and 2nd years due to large number of staff leaving. It can be done.

OMG! The Duke boosting parade will be chasing after you with pitchforks ablaze in no time for speaking the facts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How did a tiny school like Middlebury run up such a large deficit?

A $4.49 million budget deficit against an overall budget of $344 million isn't that significant (1.3% of overall budget). Reasons mentioned are rising healthcare costs, staff and faculty pay increases, and debt servicing.

But the deficit has to be funded somehow and if it is recurring, it could lead to financial instability.

It was also larger than $4.49 million. That’s with the easier stuff (but by no means easy) out of the way. More to come.

The $4.49 million number comes straight from their February update. Middlebury could swing to a surplus simply by drawing from their endowment at the same rate that Colby does but they prefer drawing at a lower rate similar to that of Williams and Wesleyan. They could also grow their way out by increasing their annual fee at a higher rate, similar to other NESCACs but they are traditionally one of the most disciplined when it comes to fees raising them at the lowest average rate among the NESCACs. Baucomb has made fixing the budgeting eyesore a priority and that is what is happening.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How did a tiny school like Middlebury run up such a large deficit?

A $4.49 million budget deficit against an overall budget of $344 million isn't that significant (1.3% of overall budget). Reasons mentioned are rising healthcare costs, staff and faculty pay increases, and debt servicing.

But the deficit has to be funded somehow and if it is recurring, it could lead to financial instability.

It was also larger than $4.49 million. That’s with the easier stuff (but by no means easy) out of the way. More to come.

The $4.49 million number comes straight from their February update. Middlebury could swing to a surplus simply by drawing from their endowment at the same rate that Colby does but they prefer drawing at a lower rate similar to that of Williams and Wesleyan. They could also grow their way out by increasing their annual fee at a higher rate, similar to other NESCACs but they are traditionally one of the most disciplined when it comes to fees raising them at the lowest average rate among the NESCACs. Baucomb has made fixing the budgeting eyesore a priority and that is what is happening.

midd did grow the class and admit more students to try to make more cash. there was an article about students upset their classes and campus was getting more crowded.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How did a tiny school like Middlebury run up such a large deficit?

A $4.49 million budget deficit against an overall budget of $344 million isn't that significant (1.3% of overall budget). Reasons mentioned are rising healthcare costs, staff and faculty pay increases, and debt servicing.

But the deficit has to be funded somehow and if it is recurring, it could lead to financial instability.

It was also larger than $4.49 million. That’s with the easier stuff (but by no means easy) out of the way. More to come.

The $4.49 million number comes straight from their February update. Middlebury could swing to a surplus simply by drawing from their endowment at the same rate that Colby does but they prefer drawing at a lower rate similar to that of Williams and Wesleyan. They could also grow their way out by increasing their annual fee at a higher rate, similar to other NESCACs but they are traditionally one of the most disciplined when it comes to fees raising them at the lowest average rate among the NESCACs. Baucomb has made fixing the budgeting eyesore a priority and that is what is happening.

midd did grow the class and admit more students to try to make more cash. there was an article about students upset their classes and campus was getting more crowded.

No there wasn’t, just stop it.

Midd is added 50-75 kids in conjunction with their new dorm and the remodeling of Stewart Hall which will also add more space. Nobody has been upset about class size since Covid.

You keep recycling nonsense and people keep slapping you down but you just don’t quit. Not getting in wasn’t the end of your world though it obviously feels that way to you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:To invert the question, these are the 51 schools to which Forbes assigned a financial grade of A+ in 2025:

Carleton
JHU
Hillsdale
UPenn
Dartmouth
Amherst
Pomona
Brown
Swarthmore
Stanford
Colorado College
Berea
Claremont McKenna
Cornell
Haverford
Carnegie Mellon
Columbia
Vassar
Harvard
Caltech
Grinnell
Notre Dame
Mount Holyoke
Yale
Williams
Harvey Mudd
Wellesley
Lafayette
Smith
New England Conservatory of Music
Hampden–Sydney
McPherson
Hamilton
Reed
Whitman
Cooper Union
Washington and Lee
Wake Forest
St. John’s (MD)
Holy Cross
DePauw
Grove City
Wheaton (IL)
Duke
WashU
Northwestern
Kenyon
MIT
Davis & Elkins
Rice
Lehigh

So is Princeton in trouble, the missing Ivy from this list.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How did a tiny school like Middlebury run up such a large deficit?

A $4.49 million budget deficit against an overall budget of $344 million isn't that significant (1.3% of overall budget). Reasons mentioned are rising healthcare costs, staff and faculty pay increases, and debt servicing.

But the deficit has to be funded somehow and if it is recurring, it could lead to financial instability.

It was also larger than $4.49 million. That’s with the easier stuff (but by no means easy) out of the way. More to come.

The $4.49 million number comes straight from their February update. Middlebury could swing to a surplus simply by drawing from their endowment at the same rate that Colby does but they prefer drawing at a lower rate similar to that of Williams and Wesleyan. They could also grow their way out by increasing their annual fee at a higher rate, similar to other NESCACs but they are traditionally one of the most disciplined when it comes to fees raising them at the lowest average rate among the NESCACs. Baucomb has made fixing the budgeting eyesore a priority and that is what is happening.

midd did grow the class and admit more students to try to make more cash. there was an article about students upset their classes and campus was getting more crowded.

No there wasn’t, just stop it.

Midd is added 50-75 kids in conjunction with their new dorm and the remodeling of Stewart Hall which will also add more space. Nobody has been upset about class size since Covid.

You keep recycling nonsense and people keep slapping you down but you just don’t quit. Not getting in wasn’t the end of your world though it obviously feels that way to you.

Lol the Midd booster troll resurfaces!

I’m not PP, but here’s the article (again) that I assume PP is referencing: https://vtdigger.org/2025/05/08/middlebury-college-faculty-staff-and-students-take-action-against-administrations-budget-cuts/

“Daniza Tazabekova, vice president of the Middlebury College Student Government, said she is concerned that continuing with higher enrollment may cause a scarcity of housing and space in classes for students.

Miranda-Hardy said he has already experienced the higher enrollment numbers having a negative impact on the student experience by causing a housing crisis, long cafeteria lines and a loss of community spaces.”

Keep on gaslighting!

[Anonymous]

Only 2 Catholic schools Notre Dame and Holy Cross. No surpise both are very well off but where is Bowdoin, Colgate, and the vast majority of NESCAC. Princeton must be an omission.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:To invert the question, these are the 51 schools to which Forbes assigned a financial grade of A+ in 2025:

Carleton
JHU
Hillsdale
UPenn
Dartmouth
Amherst
Pomona
Brown
Swarthmore
Stanford
Colorado College
Berea
Claremont McKenna
Cornell
Haverford
Carnegie Mellon
Columbia
Vassar
Harvard
Caltech
Grinnell
Notre Dame
Mount Holyoke
Yale
Williams
Harvey Mudd
Wellesley
Lafayette
Smith
New England Conservatory of Music
Hampden–Sydney
McPherson
Hamilton
Reed
Whitman
Cooper Union
Washington and Lee
Wake Forest
St. John’s (MD)
Holy Cross
DePauw
Grove City
Wheaton (IL)
Duke
WashU
Northwestern
Kenyon
MIT
Davis & Elkins
Rice
Lehigh

So is Princeton in trouble, the missing Ivy from this list.

Lots of schools did not receive a grade of A+. In Princeton's case, it received a financial grade of B+ from Forbes in 2025,. The school has announced some recent budgetary constraints, which were effectively foreshadowed by Forbes:

https://www.dailyprincetonian.com/article/2026/02/princeton-news-adpol-eisgruber-state-of-the-university-letter-endowment-projections-drop

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Only 2 Catholic schools Notre Dame and Holy Cross. No surpise both are very well off but where is Bowdoin, Colgate, and the vast majority of NESCAC. Princeton must be an omission.

As many Claremonts made the A+ list (Pomona, Claremont McKenna and Harvey Mudd) as did NESCACs (Amherst, Williams and Hamilton).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How did a tiny school like Middlebury run up such a large deficit?

A $4.49 million budget deficit against an overall budget of $344 million isn't that significant (1.3% of overall budget). Reasons mentioned are rising healthcare costs, staff and faculty pay increases, and debt servicing.

But the deficit has to be funded somehow and if it is recurring, it could lead to financial instability.

It was also larger than $4.49 million. That’s with the easier stuff (but by no means easy) out of the way. More to come.

The $4.49 million number comes straight from their February update. Middlebury could swing to a surplus simply by drawing from their endowment at the same rate that Colby does but they prefer drawing at a lower rate similar to that of Williams and Wesleyan. They could also grow their way out by increasing their annual fee at a higher rate, similar to other NESCACs but they are traditionally one of the most disciplined when it comes to fees raising them at the lowest average rate among the NESCACs. Baucomb has made fixing the budgeting eyesore a priority and that is what is happening.

midd did grow the class and admit more students to try to make more cash. there was an article about students upset their classes and campus was getting more crowded.

No there wasn’t, just stop it.

Midd is added 50-75 kids in conjunction with their new dorm and the remodeling of Stewart Hall which will also add more space. Nobody has been upset about class size since Covid.

You keep recycling nonsense and people keep slapping you down but you just don’t quit. Not getting in wasn’t the end of your world though it obviously feels that way to you.

Lol the Midd booster troll resurfaces!

I’m not PP, but here’s the article (again) that I assume PP is referencing: https://vtdigger.org/2025/05/08/middlebury-college-faculty-staff-and-students-take-action-against-administrations-budget-cuts/

“Daniza Tazabekova, vice president of the Middlebury College Student Government, said she is concerned that continuing with higher enrollment may cause a scarcity of housing and space in classes for students.

Miranda-Hardy said he has already experienced the higher enrollment numbers having a negative impact on the student experience by causing a housing crisis, long cafeteria lines and a loss of community spaces.”

Keep on gaslighting!

As someone removed from this discussion, I think you both have some fair points. It's worth noting that in the article you quote, the "higher enrollment numbers" cited by Miranda-Hardy are the post-COVID numbers, when Middlebury's enrollment was closer to 2,900, not the planned 2,650. Middlebury hasn't been at the "historical" 2,500 since 2016. From what I can gather, there is no longer a "housing crisis" on campus. Also, since that article was written, the new president has started and announced that Midd will close MIIS. The faculty in Vermont were pleased with this decision.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How did a tiny school like Middlebury run up such a large deficit?

A $4.49 million budget deficit against an overall budget of $344 million isn't that significant (1.3% of overall budget). Reasons mentioned are rising healthcare costs, staff and faculty pay increases, and debt servicing.

But the deficit has to be funded somehow and if it is recurring, it could lead to financial instability.

It was also larger than $4.49 million. That’s with the easier stuff (but by no means easy) out of the way. More to come.

The $4.49 million number comes straight from their February update. Middlebury could swing to a surplus simply by drawing from their endowment at the same rate that Colby does but they prefer drawing at a lower rate similar to that of Williams and Wesleyan. They could also grow their way out by increasing their annual fee at a higher rate, similar to other NESCACs but they are traditionally one of the most disciplined when it comes to fees raising them at the lowest average rate among the NESCACs. Baucomb has made fixing the budgeting eyesore a priority and that is what is happening.

midd did grow the class and admit more students to try to make more cash. there was an article about students upset their classes and campus was getting more crowded.

No there wasn’t, just stop it.

Midd is added 50-75 kids in conjunction with their new dorm and the remodeling of Stewart Hall which will also add more space. Nobody has been upset about class size since Covid.

You keep recycling nonsense and people keep slapping you down but you just don’t quit. Not getting in wasn’t the end of your world though it obviously feels that way to you.

Lol the Midd booster troll resurfaces!

I’m not PP, but here’s the article (again) that I assume PP is referencing: https://vtdigger.org/2025/05/08/middlebury-college-faculty-staff-and-students-take-action-against-administrations-budget-cuts/

“Daniza Tazabekova, vice president of the Middlebury College Student Government, said she is concerned that continuing with higher enrollment may cause a scarcity of housing and space in classes for students.

Miranda-Hardy said he has already experienced the higher enrollment numbers having a negative impact on the student experience by causing a housing crisis, long cafeteria lines and a loss of community spaces.”

Keep on gaslighting!

Nobody buying that but keep on trying.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We're compiling a college list now with our junior. Some colleges we've come across and researched have significant budget deficits. We are trying to figure out which ones to worry about.

We know that a college budget deficit can be a significant red flag, particularly if the uni is a small, private, or regional college with a low endowment. And a structural, long-term deficit often leads to reduced academic quality, fewer student services, etc.

Here are the colleges with budget deficits that we are aware of (see below). Are we missing any others we should know about? Which ones to truly worry about (I'm assuming some big ones will figure it out with its endowment but not sure if that's smart thinking)?

Colleges with Budget Deficits (rough amounts reported from the past year):

USC: $200 million
UChicago: $160 million
Stanford $140 million
Penn State: $140 million
Harvard: $113 million
American U: $80 million
GW: $76 million
NYU: $71 million
Boston U: $30 million
Middlebury: $14 million
WashU (St. Louis): $7 million
Brandeis: $2 million
Pitzer: $1.3 million

Welp, add UMD to this list. $104 million cuts from their base budget due to state funding issues.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We're compiling a college list now with our junior. Some colleges we've come across and researched have significant budget deficits. We are trying to figure out which ones to worry about.

We know that a college budget deficit can be a significant red flag, particularly if the uni is a small, private, or regional college with a low endowment. And a structural, long-term deficit often leads to reduced academic quality, fewer student services, etc.

Here are the colleges with budget deficits that we are aware of (see below). Are we missing any others we should know about? Which ones to truly worry about (I'm assuming some big ones will figure it out with its endowment but not sure if that's smart thinking)?

Colleges with Budget Deficits (rough amounts reported from the past year):

USC: $200 million
UChicago: $160 million
Stanford $140 million
Penn State: $140 million
Harvard: $113 million
American U: $80 million
GW: $76 million
NYU: $71 million
Boston U: $30 million
Middlebury: $14 million
WashU (St. Louis): $7 million
Brandeis: $2 million
Pitzer: $1.3 million

Welp, add UMD to this list. $104 million cuts from their base budget due to state funding issues.

yup. this whole thread is very interesting and timely!