Liam Elder-Connors

As many as 442 private colleges could close or merge in the next decade.

That's according to a new projection from Huron Consulting Group.

Peter Stokes is managing director at Huron.

He says rural schools, which can struggle to draw new students, are at a higher risk of closing.

According to federal data, since 2012, about 1,000 U.S.

colleges have gone out of business.

For NPR News, I'm Liam Elder-Connors.