Why Did Strayer University Close Some Campuses?
Find out why Strayer University has closed some of its campuses and whether these closures are permanent. Get answers to related questions about attending Strayer University online or on-campus.
Are you considering going back to college? Perhaps you're wondering about which school to enroll in. You're considering Strayer University because of the flexible option to study online or at a campus location.
Strayer has dozens of campuses throughout the U.S., but you may be concerned by the school's recent trend to close some of its campuses. You're wondering about the reason behind this decision.
Why did Strayer close some of its campuses? Are these campuses permanently closed? How many campuses are left? Keep reading as we answer each of these questions and more.
How Many Campuses Does Strayer University Have?
Strayer University is a private, for-profit school headquartered in Washington, D.C. It is a primarily online education provider, but it has various campus locations for students hoping to study in person or in a hybrid format.
Currently, the school has 57 campus locations. These are primarily throughout the southern and eastern parts of the United States.
The states with the most campus locations are Georgia, Virginia, and Texas, with North Carolina, Tennessee, and Alabama not far behind.
Other states with at least one campus location include:
- Oklahoma
- West Virginia
- Maryland
- Pennsylvania
- Arkansas
- South Carolina
- Delaware
- Mississippi
- New Jersey
Washington, D.C. also has one campus location.
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Why Did Strayer University Close Some Campuses?
Though 57 is a pretty large number of physical locations to keep in operation, Strayer University used to have many more.
Back in 2013, Strayer closed around 20 of its campuses due to a significant drop in overall enrollment. With fewer students attending school at Strayer in the wake of difficult economic conditions, the school was forced to cut costs.
Most of the campuses closed at that time were located in midwestern states. More campus closures came in 2020 in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In fact, Strayer temporarily closed all of its physical campuses for safety reasons, transitioning students to an exclusively online learning environment.
The school had already been struggling with enrollment for the previous couple of years, and numbers tanked even further during the pandemic.
For this reason, some of the campuses remained closed even after the pandemic.
Is Strayer University Permanently Closed?
Many of the campuses that have closed over the past decade or so do appear to be permanently closed. The majority of the campuses closed in 2013 have ceased operations entirely.
Some of the campuses closed during the 2020 pandemic have reopened, and it is possible that more will reopen in the future.
In 2022, the CEO of Strayer's parent company, Strategic Education, Karl McDonnell, stated that 'getting all of the campuses reopened, or predominantly all of the campuses,' was a major priority for the company.
Strayer University also announced in 2022 that around 50 of its campuses had reopened following the pandemic, with more expected to reopen in the future.
With this in mind, it's possible that more campus locations will return to business as usual in the coming years.
Meanwhile, Strayer University has no plans to close permanently. Even if all campus locations were to close, as they did in 2020, the school would continue providing online education to its students.
Can You Still Attend Strayer University Online?
As noted above, Strayer University is a primarily online private school. It is known for offering flexible degree options tailor-made for busy adults and other nontraditional students.
Not only is it still possible for you to complete your degree online through Strayer; most of the school's students study exclusively online.
Most campus locations offer some classes in person, allowing students to complete their degree in a hybrid format. However, all classes are available online, whether they can be completed in person or not.
This means that you can complete your degree 100% online, but you cannot necessarily complete your degree entirely on campus. Even most campus-based students take at least some of their classes online.
This is good news for students hoping to attend Strayer who do not live near a physical campus, or who live near a campus that has closed.
You may not be able to enjoy the traditional campus experience, but you can still attend classes through Strayer by completing them online.
Many students even prefer completing their degree online, finding that the flexibility of online learning makes it easier to balance completing their education with other work and life commitments.
Does Strayer University Accept Walk-In Students?
As noted, many Strayer University campuses have reopened following the COVID-19 pandemic. If you are considering attending classes at a campus near you, you may be interested in visiting the campus before enrolling.
Strayer University accepts visits, stating on its website that the school is doing all it can to follow CDC guidelines and keep its community safe.
With this in mind, it might be best to schedule an appointment before visiting campus. You can find a list of the campuses on Strayer's website, along with contact information for each one.
The school's website also states that walk-ins are welcome, so if you are not able to schedule an appointment ahead of time, it is still okay to visit your closest campus.
Consider Attending Strayer University Online or On Campus
Whether you are planning to attend a Strayer University campus or complete your degree entirely online, Strayer provides high-quality education for students looking to complete their degree and advance in their careers.
