The future for one of New Jersey’s oldest private universities is uncertain.
Rider University is preparing for mass layoffs and pay cuts as the private New Jersey university struggles to recover from deepening financial crisis and a newly imposed probation status.
As many as 40 full-time faculty positions—roughly a quarter of the teaching staff—will be terminated by December 31.
According to The Rider News, the cuts are part of Rider’s March to Sustainability Plan, a broad restructuring effort approved by the Board of Trustees to address ongoing financial shortfalls and meet accreditation requirements.
The Mercer County university is home to about 4,000 students. It was recently placed on probation by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education after accreditors raised concerns about its financial status and viability. While on probation, Rider remains accredited but must prove it can meet Middle States’ financial standards by early 2026.
Alongside the faculty reductions, all Rider employees will see a 14% pay cut starting December 1. The university is also suspending retirement contributions indefinitely and requiring remaining faculty to teach more classes per semester.
Additional measures will roll out in the coming years. Starting in the 2026–27 academic year, tuition remission for employees and dependents will end and certain health and development benefits for full-time faculty will be terminated as well. Several senior administrative positions are being cut as part of the same plan.
Not including housing or meals, Rider currently lists tuition and fees at $43,515 per year. The financial plan aims to stabilize the university’s operations for future development, but it will sharply reduce academic staffing and support services in the short term.
The university must submit a financial monitoring report to Middle States by January 2026 and a teach-out plan by December 19 of this year—an assurance that students can complete their degrees in the event that the university cannot recover.
The Board of Trustees has described these moves as necessary to secure Rider’s future, though the probation decision outlines the severity of its financial crisis—which is seemingly more dire than known prior. If the university fails to regain compliance, students could lose access to federal financial aid—a blow that is expected to worsen enrollment, widening the financial strain on operations.
For now, Rider says classes will continue without interruption as it works to implement the March to Sustainability Plan. But with widespread layoffs, salary cuts and accreditation at risk, the future of one of New Jersey’s oldest private universities is potentially at risk.
The New Jersey Digest is a new jersey magazine that has chronicled daily life in the Garden State for over 10 years.