College Classrooms Sit Empty 77% of the Time
Some showpiece campus buildings cost up to about three times the average price per square foot.
Wendover Productions · Why College is so ExpensiveCollege classrooms are in use only about 23% of the time.
During a term, classes meet for daytime hours on weekdays, across about 40 weeks. That leaves rooms empty about 77% of the hours in a term, yet schools keep covering the cost of that space all year.
At one school charging $32,000 in tuition, about $8,000 remains after salaries and benefits. Part of that may come from this rarely used, costly space.
Colleges also build showy buildings to attract students. While typical construction runs $115 to $215 per square foot, showpiece buildings run far higher. The Commonwealth Honors College at the University of Massachusetts Amherst cost $354 per square foot, General Academic Building No. 1 at UMass Boston cost $594, and Lower Sproul at the University of California, Berkeley, cost $659.
Questions people ask
Why don't colleges just use classrooms more hours to lower the cost?
In general, colleges schedule most classes on weekday days because that is when most students and instructors prefer them. Adding nights, weekends, and summers could spread the cost, but would also add costs for staffing and keeping buildings open.
Why build a $659-per-square-foot building when a cheaper one would hold classes?
In part, to compete for applicants. A striking student center, honors college, or renovated plaza can tip a teenager's decision, and families often judge quality by what they can see on a tour. That gives colleges a reason to spend well above typical construction costs.