The Budget Crisis Is Here

How smart institutions are responding

Colleges find themselves in budgetary turmoil. Rapid shifts in federal funding and regulation are combining with longstanding issues like enrollment concerns, deferred maintenance, and increasing pessimism among the public around higher education, and the result is a great deal of uncertainty around institutional finances. In a new Chronicle survey of 275 people who work with college budgets or finance, 40 percent told us their institution either faces an imminent budget crisis or will need to make significant changes to costs or revenues to achieve their mission. 

How can colleges respond to these challenges? This report investigates the state of college finances, unpacks how the budgeting process is evolving to meet the moment, and takes deep dives on the success and failures of strategies colleges are employing to shrink costs and raise revenues.

Featuring exclusive survey data and in-depth reporting, this report shows how innovative institutions are adapting to a new financial reality, managing risk, and finding ways to thrive despite headwinds. 

With your purchase of a print or digital copy of the report, you’ll receive a separate digital download of our survey results for independent analysis.

Readers of this report will:

• Learn from our survey of 275 higher ed employees who work with budgets or finances what changes are coming to campuses — both in terms of the budgeting process and broader financial strategies.
• Gain an understanding of the common tactics and strategies for navigating uncertain financial conditions.
• See how certain institutions are trimming costs and raising revenues despite the challenging climate.

Date: February 2026
Pages: 50
Digital file size: 11.7 MB

Data file size: 73.5 MB

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