Lackawanna College completed a final step to merge with a Philadelphia-based online institution.
The Scranton-based college received final approval from the U.S. Department of Education to merge with Peirce College, the school announced this week, with Peirce taking the name Lackawanna College – Philadelphia Center.
A Lackawanna College sign at Vine Street and Adams Avenue in Scranton on April 1, 2026. (JIM LOCKWOOD / STAFF PHOTO)
The approval marks the end of a two-year process for the two institutions. They announced the merger jointly in 2024, creating the largest private, nonprofit open-enrollment college in the state. Open enrollment functions very much like a community college, in not requiring SATs and minimum GPAs for acceptance.
The merger also gives Lackawanna College the ability to offer master’s degree programs that Peirce already provides, while Peirce’s name will live on within Lackawanna College through online or e-learning programs.
“This is a tremendous milestone in the history of Lackawanna College, and I’m excited for the new opportunities and pathways this creates for our students,” Jill Murray, Lackawanna College’s president and chief innovation officer, said in a statement. “For more than a century, Peirce College has stood as a model of access, innovation and unwavering commitment to student success. Lackawanna College is honored to carry forward the mission, spirit and values that defined Peirce College as we move forward together.”
Founded in 1894 as Scranton Business College, Lackawanna College first offered bachelor’s degrees in 2017. The merger with Peirce expands Lackawanna’s geographic and programmatic presence to serve students in nine locations and online.
In addition to the locations in Scranton and Philadelphia, the college also has centers in Hazleton, Hawley, Sunbury, Towanda and Tunkhannock, which houses the college’s School of Petroleum and Natural Gas, with three new ones opening in Bethlehem, Chambersburg and Greensburg.