STUDY NACAS BENCHMARKING - JULY 2021
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NACAS
BENCHMARKING
STUDY
JULY 2021
Conducted by Vault Consulting, LLC
Copyright © 2020 NACAS. All rights reserved.
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
Executive Summary
Survey Methodology............................................................................................................ 3
Participant Profile................................................................................................................. 4
Key Findings........................................................................................................................... 6
•Balance Sheet................................................................................................................. 6
•Food Services................................................................................................................. 7
•Housing........................................................................................................................... 9
•Bookstores.................................................................................................................... 10
•Parking............................................................................................................................ 11
•COVID-19........................................................................................................................12
Classification Data................................................................................................13
Appendix I - Participating Institutions.................................................................14
© Copyright 2021 NACAS. All rights reserved. The information contained herein shall not be distributed or shared
by the recipient. No part of this document may be reproduced without the express written permission of NACAS.
nacas.org
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SURVEY
METHODOLOGY
The annual NACAS Benchmarking Study is a critical study conducted by
NACAS for its members. The survey collects key trending and financial
information on auxiliary services across college campuses. The report is
designed to allow college service leaders to easily compare their auxiliary
services offerings with their industry peers.
In February 2021, Vault Consulting, LLC (Vault) sent customized emails to approximately 572
NACAS members containing a URL to NACAS’ online survey instrument. A total of 88 responses
were used for the reported figures. The resulting survey response rate was 15.4%, representing
a 4% increase from the 2020 survey.
Vault research analysts reviewed each individual institution’s survey data to ensure data quality
and identify potential clerical errors or missing data. Vault identified material outliers and
the specific institutions reporting such data. Vault staff then contacted participants to clarify
any questionable data points. Agreed-upon edits to the data were incorporated into the final
database and report.
OUTLIERS AND DATA DISCLOSURE
Metrics that fell outside of 3 standard deviations from the mean were reviewed and excluded
from the data set where appropriate.
Throughout the interactive report dashboards, data is suppressed when there is insufficient
response data. The minimum threshold for displaying response data is three participating
institutions.
Data shared is in aggregate and no institutional information is displayed. All identifiable insti-
tutional data remains confidential.
nacas.org | 3
PARTICIPANT
PROFILE
The NACAS Benchmarking Study attracted participation from a wide range of members. Institutions
from 30 US states and 5 Canadian provinces are represented in the data, with student populations
ranging from around 1,500 to nearly 64,000. This diversity in the sample allows for a wide range of
comparisons in the dataset and will enable members to compare their key performance indicators
against their most relevant peer group(s) (public/private, location, size, etc.).
LOCATION
81% of participating institutions are in the United States. Participants from the South region
accounted for the largest share of respondents at just over 30%. Schools in urban settings
made up approximately half of the sample.
East
Central
26.1%
18.2%
25.0% 30.7%
West
South
INSTITUTION TYPE & OPERATING STYLE
The vast majority of respondents (84%) were public institutions, and over 78% of respondents
reported that their auxiliary services were a mix of self-operated and contracted.
nacas.org | 4
PARTICIPANT INSTITUTION SIZE
All four student population groupings were well represented. Institutions with a population of
PROFILE 5,001 – 15,000 students accounted for the largest portion of participants at 35%.
< 5,000
5,001 - 15,000
14.8%
35.2%
23.9%
> 30,001
26.1%
15,001 - 30,000
AUXILIARY SERVICES
Participants were asked to provide high-level financial information on 22 different auxiliary
services at their institutions. The data is the most robust for Bookstores and Food Services,
for which at least 85% of respondents were able to provide financial data.
Share of Participants Reporting
nacas.org | 5
KEY FINDINGS
BALANCE SHEET
The Study includes a detailed breakdown of balance sheet metrics among the four auxiliary
services detailed in this year’s survey: Bookstores, Food Services, Housing, and Parking.
Among labor costs as a percentage of total revenue, exempt employee wages (7.8%) and
non-exempt employee wages (11.5%) were, on average, the two largest categories. Total labor
costs averaged 24.9% of total revenue.
Labor Costs as a Percentage of Total Revenue
AVG. 25th % 50th % 75th %
a. Total Benefits (taxes, benefits, and 401[k] for all employees) 6.5% 2.7% 4.4% 8.4%
b. Exempt Employee Wages 7.8% 3.0% 4.9% 9.5%
c. Nonexempt Employee Wages 11.5% 3.5% 8.8% 14.9%
d. Student Wages 2.7% 0.8% 2.2% 3.5%
e. Temporary Employee Costs 1.4% 0.1% 0.6% 1.9%
The Balance Sheet Breakdown section of the interactive report allows users to analyze find-
ings on over 20 metrics ranging from top-level revenue and costs to specific labor and oper-
ating cost categories, as well as auxiliary revenue contributions to campus. In each category,
users can see their institution’s data presented alongside the aggregate results of the Study.
Auxiliary Revenue Contributions to Campus
$8,000,000
$6,197,585
$6,000,000 ● Direct Payments
● In-Kind Sponsorships
● Other/Undefined
$4,000,000
$2,000,000
$0
2020
Along with the analysis of financial indicators, the Study also includes detailed sections on
four specific auxiliary services: Food Services, Housing, Bookstores, and Parking. The content
below highlights some of the key findings from each of those sections. Future iterations of the
NACAS Benchmarking Study may include examinations of other specific services that are of
significant interest to members.
nacas.org | 6
FOOD SERVICES
On average, residence meal plans made up the largest share of total Food Services revenue
(51.6%), followed by retail locations (24.7%) and catering (9.6%). As indicated by the 25th, 50th,
and 75th percentiles for these revenue categories, there was a large range of participants in
terms of how each category contributed to their institution’s total Food Services revenue. Using
the tools available on the online interactive report platform will enable users to dig into the data
and explore how these revenue shares vary among different demographic lines.
Revenue Categories as a Percent of Total Food Services Revenue
AVG. 25th % 50th % 75th %
Concessions 0.7% 0.0% 0.0% 0.5%
Vending 5.7% 0.0% 0.7% 2.2%
Residence Meal Plans 51.6% 30.0% 59.4% 74.9%
Residence non meal plan sales 4.2% 0.0% 0.9% 4.1%
Retail locations 24.7% 4.1% 19.5% 36.9%
Catering 9.6% 2.9% 6.2% 11.2%
Other 3.6% 0.0% 0.0% 4.1%
A similar analysis of Food Services costs demonstrates the variances between Residence Dining
and Retail Locations, as well as between Food & Beverage and Labor costs.
Cost Breakdown - Residence vs Retail
AVG. 25th % 50th % 75th %
Residence Dining Costs 40.6% 25.7% 35.2% 52.0%
Total Food & Beverage Cost 21.7% 10.7% 16.8% 22.3%
Total Labor Cost 20.7% 11.9% 17.2% 30.7%
Retail Location Costs 47.6% 16.6% 27.8% 51.5%
Total Food & Beverage Cost 22.2% 8.1% 12.9% 24.8%
nacas.org | 7
FOOD Participants were asked whether a food insecurity program existed at their institution and, if
so, what kind. Overall, 75% reported having either a meal swipe donation program, a pantry
SERVICES donation program, or both.
Type of Food Insecurity Program Offered
49
50
38 40
● Meal Swipe Donation
● Pantry Donation
● Both
30 ● None
28
23
20
10
0
Meal Type Offered
The Study also includes an analysis of school meal plans, Food Services contributions paid to the
institution, and other key metrics such as average price per meal ($8.63).
nacas.org | 8
HOUSING
One of the highlights of this section is the distribution of average housing square footage by age
of building. On average, buildings of 50 or more years old were the largest group, followed by
buildings less than 10 years old. While these rankings were consistent among public schools in
the Study, housing square footage at private schools trended older, with buildings less than 10
years old being the second smallest group. From a regional perspective, the South region was
the only region for which buildings less than 10 years old were the largest group by average
square footage.
Average Square Footage by Age of Building
800,000
698,636
600,000
400,000 368,005
287,970
278,375
265,321
200,000
0
LESS THAN 10 YEARS 10-15 YEARS > 15-25 YEARS > 25-50 YEARS 50+ YEARS
The Housing section of the Study also includes financial operations metrics as well as KPIs relat-
ed to residency requirements, square footage, and other metrics.
nacas.org | 9
BOOKSTORES
Textbook sales (new, used, rental, digital) and sales margin analyses (new vs. used) are key
features of the Bookstores section of the Benchmarking Study. New textbook sales were consis-
tently the largest source of textbook revenue across most comparison groups, with used, rental,
and digital textbook sales averaging relatively similar sales but fluctuating among different
demographic categories. The average textbook spend per student among the entire sample was
$470, up from $443 in the 2020 Study.
Textbook Sales Breakdown
$3,000,000 ● My Institution
● Average
– 25th %
$2,000,000 $1,826,283 – 50th %
– 75th %
$1,000,000
$809,342
$404,105
$500,000 $396,365
0
NEW USED DIGITAL TEXTBOOKS RENTAL TEXTBOOKS
Participants were also asked to provide detailed data on non-textbook sales, costs of goods
sold, and labor costs, along with other information related to their Bookstore services.
Is your bookstore located within a student union Offer Financial Aid Textbook
or student center? Program
36.1% 34.5%
63.9% 65.5%
● No
● Yes
nacas.org | 10PARKING
In addition to total revenue and total costs for Parking, the Study also collected data on permits
(both quantity and price), parking spots, and citations. The average annual parking permit price
was $395, although this fluctuated widely depending on demographic categories. Unsurprisingly,
the average annual parking permit price was highest among schools in urban settings ($491) and
lowest in rural settings ($119).
Parking Indicators
MEASURE INDUSTRY AVG. 25th % 50th % 75th %
Total Parking Spots 8,105 2,936 5,576 10,713
Total Student Parking Permits 6,553 2,540 5,450 8,898
Total Faculty/Staff Parking Permits 4,002 1,234 2,014 4,961
Total Other Parking Permits 1,436 226 759 1,931
Avg Annual Parking Permit Price ($) 395 136 294 527
Total Citations Issued 12,825 5,334 9,395 19,280
Permits To Spots 1.5 1.0 1.4 1.8
nacas.org | 11COVID-19
This year’s Study included new questions around the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on
members, including operating cost implications, staffing level changes, and potential long-term
operating style changes, among other metrics.
To assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on auxiliary service operations and performance,
this Study established a set of comparison time periods with corresponding benchmark dates to
help ensure consistency in reporting among participants:
• Pre-COVID = January 1, 2020
• COVID Spring 2020 = May 1, 2020
• COVID Fall 2020 = October 1, 2020
To add context to any quantitative metrics in the Study, respondents were asked to report their
institution’s operating status (In-Person, Virtual, or Combination/Other) in Spring 2020 and Fall
2020. Among participating institutions, 66% were fully virtual in Spring 2020, which dropped to
just 16% in Fall 2020. As of Fall 2020, 11% of American participants were fully virtual, compared
to 38% of Canadians.
Spring 2020 Fall 2020
3.5%
16.3%
1.1%
● COMBINATION/OTHER 30.6%
● IN-PERSON
● VIRTUAL
65.9%
82.6%
62.7%
When asked whether they have considered changing the operating model of a particular service
due to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, (ex: self-operated to contracted), 92% of respon-
dents answered “No.” Bookstores was the service with the largest share of “Yes” answers at 15%.
Additional insights about the impact of COVID-19 on auxiliary services are available in the
Benchmarking Study interactive dashboards. Topics include staffing and occupancy rate
changes, additional operational costs by service, and student refunds among Housing and
Food Services.
nacas.org | 12CLASSIFICATION
DATA
Classifications among student population, full-time employees, institution type, and geographic
location were determined based on the demographic profile of the institution reported in the
survey. The reporting categories for each classification type are shown below.
REGION CATEGORIES
Central IA, IL, IN, KS, MI, MN, MO, ND, NE, OH, SD, WI
East CT, DC, DE, MA, MD, ME, NH, NJ, NY, PA, RI, VA, VT, WV, ON, NS, NL, AB, PE, QC, NS, UK, IRE, FR
South AL, AR, FL, GA, KY, LA, MS, NC, OK, SC, TN, TX, PR, US VI,
West AK, AZ, CA, CO, HI, ID, MT, NM, NV, OR, UT, WA, WY, BC, SK, MB, NZ, AUS, YT, NU, NT
COUNTRY CATEGORIES
United States
Canada
LOCATION TYPE CATEGORIES
Rural
Suburban
Urban
PUBLIC/PRIVATE CATEGORIES
Public
Private
INSTITUTION TYPE CATEGORIES
2 Year
4 Year
4 Year Plus Grad School
Other
OPERATING STYLE CATEGORIES
Combination/Other
Self-Operated
Contracted
NUMBER OF STUDENTS CATEGORIES
< 5,000 5,001 – 15,000
15,001 – 30,000 > 30,001
NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES CATEGORIES
< 300 701 – 1000
301 – 700 >1,001
nacas.org | 13APPENDIX I: Algonquin College Sheridan College - Canada
Ashland University Simon Fraser University
PARTICIPATING Auburn University SUNY College - Geneseo
INSTITUTIONS Binghamton University Swarthmore College
Brock University Tennessee Technological University
California State Polytechnic University - Pomona Towson University
California State University - Dominguez Hills Trent University
California State University - Long Beach United States Naval Academy
California State University, Monterey Bay University of Alabama
Case Western Reserve University University of Alberta
Central Michigan University University of Arizona
Central Washington University University of Calgary
Clayton State University University of California - Berkeley
Clemson University University of Colorado - Colorado Springs
Coastal Carolina University University of Florida
College Of Southern Nevada University of Georgia
Colorado School of Mines University of Hawai’i at Manoa
Columbus State Community College University of Houston - Clear Lake
Concordia University University of Houston - Downtown
Conestoga College University of Houston - Main Campus
Creighton University University of Houston - Victoria
Eastern Kentucky University University of Illinois at Chicago
Emory University University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Frostburg State University University of Kentucky
Georgia Gwinnett College University of Louisiana at Lafayette
Georgia Southern University University of Maine - Orono
Gonzaga University University of Miami
Indiana University - Bloomington University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Jamestown Community College University of Minnesota Duluth
Kennesaw State University University of North Texas
Lehigh University University of Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh
MacEwan University University of Regina
Madison Area Technical College University of Saint Thomas
Miami University - Oxford University of San Diego
Michigan Tech University of Saskatchewan
Middle Georgia State University University of South Alabama
Morgan State University University of Toronto - Mississauga
Mount Royal University University of Windsor
Norfolk State University Valdosta State University
North Carolina A&T State University Vancouver Island University
Northwestern University Vanderbilt University
Oklahoma State University - Stillwater Washburn University
Prince George’s Community College Western Wyoming Community College
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Wilfrid Laurier University
nacas.org | 14You can also read
