Unlock the value of your campus portfolio

Colleges and universities are facing mounting financial pressure from shifting enrollment, rising operating costs, and constrained budgets. At the same time, a major institutional asset—the physical campus—is often underperforming.

JLL’s 2025 Higher Education Portfolio Benchmarking Survey, covering 173 million square feet across 12 leading institutions, highlights a significant gap between planned and actual space usage. Many institutions are operating with limited visibility into how space is used, making it difficult to manage costs or plan effectively. Yet this challenge presents a clear opportunity. With the right data and governance, institutions can optimize existing space, reduce costs, and improve capital planning outcomes.

In this report, JLL highlights key findings, including:

• A 33-point gap between planned and actual classroom utilization

• 81% of institutions lack foundational space management KPIs

• Limited adoption of utilization tracking technologies compared to the corporate sector

• A $2–4 million annual savings opportunity per institution through improved space management

Across the sector, institutions that take a more proactive, data-driven approach are better positioned to reduce costs, defer new construction, and improve operational agility. The 2026 Higher Education Portfolio Benchmarking Survey is now open—participate to benchmark your institution and help shape next year’s insights.

Download the takeaways to understand how leading universities are turning space data into a strategic advantage—and what steps your institution can take next.