Top 10 Universities by Number of Student Housing Units Underway

As of October, some 10,311 student housing units were under construction across 30 universities out of the 200 monitored by Yardi Matrix. Despite uncertainties on a university by university basis on how to handle social distancing guidelines, students’ desire to move back to school rather than staying at home, has kept demand for housing robust across universities.

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All the universities analyzed below except Texas State University, are classified as R1: Doctoral Universities with very high research activity. Besides this classification, each university is under a different conference as part of the National Collegiate Athletic Association. In terms of percentage of stock, Florida International University and the University of Texas at Dallas top the list by exceeding 100 percent of the existing stock.

10. Texas State University

Texas State University is the only university on the list to be classified under R2: Doctoral Universities with high research activity. The university operates the science, technology and advanced research park, a technology commercialization and applied research facility. The Forensic Anthropology Center at Texas State is the largest forensics research facility in the world. Overall, the university had 500 units and 241 beds underway as of October, accounting for 7 percent and 1.3 percent of the existing stock, respectively. In 2019, Texas State University had 38,187 enrollments, which has remained relatively steady since 2015.

9. Georgia Institute of Technology – Main Campus

Since 2013, Georgia Institute of Technology has seen a constant uptick in enrollments—from 21,471 to 36,302 in 2019. Georgia Tech is classified among R1: Doctoral Universities and a large part of its research is funded by large corporations or governmental organizations. Its sports team competes in the NCAA Division I and is a member of the Coastal Division in the Atlantic Coastal Conference. Some 507 units were underway as of October, accounting for 19.1 percent of the university’s existing stock.

8. University of Miami

Although the University of Miami has seen the fewest enrollments—17,811—last year compared to the other universities analyzed in this list, demand for housing remained robust. As of October, there were 508 units under construction. The University of Miami Hurricanes have competed as a member of the NCAA Division I level, primarily in the ACC for all sports since the 2004-05 season. UM’s research expenditure in fiscal year 2019 was $358.9 million. The University of Miami offers undergraduate on-campus housing in four residential colleges, University Village and Lakeside Village.

7. Florida State University

Many Florida-based universities are among the nation’s fastest growing. At Florida State University there were 513 units under construction as of October. In 2019, there were 42,450 enrollments, up by nearly 1,500 compared to the previous year. The university’s sports teams compete in NCAA Division I and the ACC Conference and in their 13-year history, the teams have won 20 national athletic championships and 78 individual NCAA national championships. Researchers at the university have received a record level of funding in the 2020 fiscal year, bringing in $250.1 million in grants from federal, state and private sources, which will support research in health sciences and engineering disciplines, as well as the ongoing coronavirus outbreak.

6. University of Arizona

In the past five years, enrollment at the University of Arizona has seen steady growth, reaching 44,577 enrollments per year in 2019. Some 537 units and 419 beds were underway through October, representing 20.8 percent and 6.1 percent of the total stock, respectively. The university is classified among R1: Doctoral Universities, as well as members of the Pac-12 conference just as Arizona State University Tempe. Arizona is the fourth most awarded public university by NASA for research. In March, the University of Arizona began its COVID-19 antibody study and new research show that people may have immunity from the virus for at least half-a-year after being infected.

5. University of Florida

Classified among NCAA’s Division I SEC conference and the R1: Doctoral Universities, researchers at the University of Florida are exploring breakthroughs in engineering, agriculture, arts and sciences, and medicine, including work to combat the new coronavirus. The university has surpassed its record for research awards, reaching $900.7 million during the 2020 fiscal year. Ranking 15th among public universities for research spending, has increased the amount it received for research by 45 percent since 2011. As of October, there were 633 units under construction, accounting for 9.8 percent of total existing stock. Yardi Matrix data shows that last year, the university had a total of 52,407 enrollments.

4. The University of Texas at Dallas

Public universities have increased in demand due to cost-conscious students. As a result, housing facilities at these institutions have benefited. The University of Texas at Dallas had 633 units underway as of October which accounts for 107.7 percent of existing stock, a sign that demand for housing at the university is strong. The University of Texas at Dallas is among 131 U.S. colleges and universities that are recognized by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education as R1: doctoral institutions. Researchers at the university are continuously researching the coronavirus, and at the time of the shutdown, only essential research—including COVID-19-related work—was allowed to take place on campus.

3. Arizona State University-Tempe

Some 636 units were under construction through October at Arizona State University-Tempe, 15.3 percent of the university’s total existing stock. The university collaborates with NASA, with students and faculty working with the space agency through the Space Grant Scholar program. Arizona State University Tempe is also known for its journalism, business, engineering programs, as well as its Arizona State Sun Devils team that competes in the Pac-12 conference. In addition to its athletic program, the university is home to more than 1,100 registered student organizations. Its development pipeline includes Apollo, a 327-unit project part of the Array on Apache development that will offer 64 units of workforce housing, 12,000 square feet of retail space and a 650-space parking garage. Arizona State University Tempe was among the Top 10 universities with the highest year-over-year rent growth —8.8 percent as of September.

2. The University of Texas at Austin

There were 816 units under construction at the end of October, accounting for 15.4 percent of the universities’ existing stock. Overall, roughly 1,180 beds were underway, which represents 9.8 percent of total stock. From 2010 through 2019, the university saw a total of enrollment above 50,000 students per year. The University of Texas at Austin is part of the Big 12 conference and has claimed more titles in men’s and women’s sports than any other school in the Big 12 since the league was founded in 1996. Lead researchers at the University of Texas at Austin played a major role in finding a vaccine for the coronavirus by engineering the spike proteins found on the virus.

1. Florida International University

Florida International University tops our list with 886 units under construction through October. The university also has the highest percentage of existing stock. As of October, it accounted for 162.9 percent of existing stock. Ranked as the largest university in South Florida, the school had a total enrollment of 58,711 students in 2019, according to Yardi Matrix data. The largest project under construction was The One at University City, a 1,244-bed community located across the street from the Florida International University campus in Miami. Built by a partnership between Global City Development, RER Ventures and Podium Developments, the project will add 866 units to the existing stock. The need for student accommodation continues remains high, as a result of the inability to share rooms due to social distancing guidelines.