This week's stories share a common thread: the new federal student loan rules taking effect July 1 are going to be forcing real decisions for graduate students, parents, faculty, and borrowers right now. The private student loan market is preparing to roughly double in size, one university is going the opposite direction by cutting tuition, faculty buyouts have become a sector-wide trend, and PAYE is closing fast for borrowers exiting SAVE.
Here's a quick look at the most important stories shaping higher education and student finances this week for May 8, 2026.
🎓 Headlines at a Glance
- The private student loan market is set to expand sharply as new federal caps take effect.
- Campbell University drops adult and online undergraduate tuition to $400 per credit hour.
- Faculty buyouts spread across higher ed as colleges close budget gaps.
- Borrowers are urged to switch to PAYE before July 1 or lose access entirely.
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1. Private Student Loan Market Set To Roughly Double Under New Federal Caps
With the Education Department releasing the final rules for the One Big Beautiful Bill Act student loan changes, attention has turned to what fills the gap. Higher education expert Mark Kantrowitz estimates that private student loan volume could roughly double from its current ~$10 billion per year as Grad PLUS goes away July 1 and graduate borrowers hit new student loan borrowing limits.
The catch is that private student loans are credit-underwritten. An analysis (PDF File) from Protect Borrowers and The Century Foundation found that more than 40% of Americans would likely be denied most private student loans. Many lenders require a minimum credit score of 670 and an income of $35,000, and the average credit score for borrowers in their 20s is 662.
➡️ Impact: Graduate and professional students should plan now. If you're starting a program this fall, run the numbers on private loans early — co-signer requirements, variable rates, and limited death/disability discharge make these very different products from federal loans. Parents and grandparents thinking about co-signing should understand that these are 10- to 15-year obligations that can survive the borrower.
2. Campbell University Cuts Adult And Online Undergraduate Tuition To $400 Per Credit
Campbell University announced it's dropping its adult and online undergraduate tuition rate to $400 per credit hour starting with the May 18 summer term. The move is squarely aimed at working adults and military-affiliated students, and it runs against the broader tuition-hike trend across most of higher ed.
For context, the average tuition increase at four-year public schools this year was 2.9% for in-state and 3.4% for out-of-state students, according to the College Board. Campbell's move is one of the more meaningful affordability announcements of the spring, particularly for non-traditional students who often pay more per credit than full-time undergrads.
➡️ Impact: Tuition cuts are rare, but they're worth flagging when they happen. Adult learners and military families weighing online degree programs should factor Campbell into their comparisons. The bigger story is that schools are starting to compete more aggressively on price for the adult learner segment as traditional 18-to-22 enrollment softens — a trend worth watching.
3. Faculty Buyouts Spread Across Higher Ed As Colleges Close Budget Gaps
Forbes is calling 2026 "the year of the college faculty buyout," with retirement and separation incentives rolling out at Syracuse, Kenyon, North Texas, Rowan, ECU, The New School, and Washington University in St. Louis. Syracuse offered voluntary retirement to 175 professors after axing 84 programs, with payouts equal to one year's base salary plus up to $15,000. The New School plans to lay off about 15% of its staff and faculty as it works to close a $48 million deficit.
The drivers are familiar: stagnant or declining enrollment, federal funding cuts, plummeting international student numbers, uncertain state support, and inflated operating costs. Hampshire College sent layoff notices to 203 faculty and staff ahead of its fall 2026 closure, and Anna Maria College announced its own shutdown after Massachusetts flagged it as a closure risk.
➡️ Impact: For families choosing colleges, financial stability has moved from "nice to know" to a real factor in the decision. Parents and students should look at enrollment trends, endowment health, and whether the school has announced program cuts or buyouts before committing — especially at small private liberal arts colleges. For students already enrolled, watch whether your major or department appears on a cut list, since teach-out plans can shorten timelines significantly.
4. Borrowers Urged To Switch To PAYE Before July 1 Or Lose Access
The College Investor reported this week that borrowers exiting SAVE need to act fast if they want PAYE — often the lowest-payment option remaining after SAVE goes away. Under the final ED rules, PAYE effectively closes to new applicants come July 1.
This matters most for the roughly 7 million borrowers still sitting in SAVE forbearance. Once PAYE closes, the remaining options are IBR (with higher payment percentages for borrowers who took out loans before July 2014), the new Repayment Assistance Plan launching July 1, or the Tiered Standard Plan.
➡️ Impact: If you're on SAVE and haven't picked your next plan, this is the action item of the month. Log into StudentAid.gov, run the loan simulator, and submit an IDR application. Don't wait for your servicer to tell you what to do — by the time the notices arrive, your processing window may already be too tight.
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Editor: Colin Graves
Robert Farrington is the founder of The College Investor and is widely recognized as one of the nation’s leading voices on student loan debt and saving for college. He holds an MBA from UC San Diego Rady School of Management and has spent over 15 years researching, writing, and advising on student loans, 529 plans, financial aid programs, and saving and investing for young professionals.
Robert has been featured in the The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, NBC News, and Forbes, where he has been a regular personal finance contributor for over a decade. His work combines both professional expertise and personal experience – he successfully navigated his own student loan repayment journey and has helped thousands of readers do the same.
He is committed to making the intersection of personal finance and education transparent and accessible. You can learn more about Robert on the About Page or on his personal site RobertFarrington.com.