120 Additional Sources of Revenue for Universities

Having taught a graduate course in the business and finance of higher education multiple times, I have learned there are many ways for colleges to make additional money that may or may not be on their radar. I was recently consulted by a university seeking ideas for how they could find new ways of increasing revenue.

While I shared several ideas with the group, what concerned me was the college did not seem interested in how their efforts to increase revenue would impact students. I tried to explain how simply maximizing revenue might not be the best thing for students long term. We can find all sorts of ways to “nickel and dime” students for more cash. But we quickly run into other priorities like retention and graduation that are quickly negatively impacted when revenue is the prevailing guiding value.

The ideas I list below are not original to me – they have been collected from various sources over the years. I would like to think that most of these ways of increasing revenue can be effectively implemented without damaging universities’ other priorities having to do with student success.

There are many other ideas that could be listed below. I decided to provide 120 as a starting point for thinking out of the box on how to increase revenue at colleges. I always welcome feedback.

1. Host esports tournaments or gaming events.
2. Open campus gyms to public memberships.
3. Rent out sports fields for amateur leagues or events.
4. Offer the library as a study or quiet space for freelancers.
5. Create pop-up shops or marketplaces for local artisans.
6. Launch micro-credential or certificate programs.
7. Develop online courses targeting professionals.
8. Partner with companies for customized corporate training.
9. Offer personal enrichment classes (e.g., cooking, photography).
10. Provide early college programs for high school students.
11. Host summer youth camps for STEM, arts, or athletics.
12. Offer evening adult education programs.
13. Create subscription-based learning modules for alumni.
14. Introduce executive education programs.
15. Create a makerspace or innovation lab for community use.
16. Offer gardening plots for local residents.
17. Host cultural festivals or fairs.
18. Organize music concerts or theater performances.
19. Hold community movie nights in lecture halls or on lawns.
20. Provide language classes for immigrants or travelers.
21. Develop a community fitness program.
22. Host charity runs or walkathons.
23. Open the campus art gallery for public tours.
24. Build off-campus housing for rent.
25. Offer parking spaces for commuters during off-hours.
26. Lease land for cell towers or billboards.
27. Partner with developers for campus-adjacent projects.
28. Invest in solar or wind farms and sell excess energy.
29. Create a campus recycling center for public use.
30. Partner with local governments on green energy projects.
31. Host regional or state-level sports tournaments.
32. Sell branded sports merchandise.
33. Rent gym facilities to private trainers.
34. Partner with local schools for athlete training programs.
35. Open dining halls to the public during off-hours.
36. Offer cooking classes with campus chefs.
37. Rent out dining facilities for private events.
38. Offer personalized graduation gifts (e.g., engraved memorabilia).
39. Start a campus-themed subscription box.
40. Offer exclusive travel opportunities for alumni groups.
41. Host high-profile networking events for alumni.
42. Create an alumni-only online learning platform.
43. Host regional job fairs.
44. Organize TEDx-style events on campus.
45. Offer space for farmers’ markets.
46. License research patents to industries.
47. Create VR/AR experiences of the campus for prospective students.
48. Offer live streaming of campus performances for a fee.
49. Develop and sell tickets for student film festivals.
50. Organize public art classes or workshops.
51. Create an annual photography contest with entry fees.
52. Host celebrity guest lectures with ticketed access.
53. Open a campus wellness center to the public.
54. Offer health screenings or fitness assessments for a fee.
55. Partner with local clinics to provide medical training programs.
56. Host meditation or yoga retreats.
57. Sell access to campus swimming pools.
58. Offer short-term study abroad programs for non-students.
59. Create English language learning camps for international students.
60. Offer remote global internships with campus support.
61. Develop a wine or beer brand
62. Partner with influencers to promote programs for a fee.
63. Sell naming rights to campus spaces.
64. Offer photography services for community members (e.g., family portraits).
65. Launch a campus e-sports team with streaming revenue.
66. Provide career coaching or résumé writing services for a fee.
67. Rent facilities for corporate meetings, weddings, concerts, and film shoots.
68. Turn underutilized classrooms or libraries into coworking spaces for remote workers or startups.
69. Open dining halls to the community with a prepaid membership or meal card.
70. Lease campus space to popular retail chains, cafes, or food trucks.
71. Partner with brands for co-branded merchandise or experiences
72. License patents, inventions, or research from faculty and students to industries.
73. Launch small, targeted micro-funding campaigns for specific needs
74. Offer alumni specific perks to special access to events, travel, or professional networks for a fee.
75. Allow donors to sponsor anything from benches to scholarships with their name.
76. Offer evening or weekend classes for local residents on topics like cooking, technology, or fitness.
77. Organize festivals, film screenings, or art exhibitions with ticket sales.
78. Offer housing to non-students or local professionals when capacity allows.
79. Invest in mixed-use properties that combine housing, retail, and office spaces.
80. Use on-campus housing as short-term rentals during breaks or the summer.
81. Sell premium branded products like sustainable clothing, sports gear, or tech accessories.
82. Partner with international institutions to offer joint degrees or programs abroad.
83. Host international students or travelers in cultural immersion programs.
84. Start an organic farm or garden and sell produce to the community.
85. Expand summer terms
86. Offer winter intersession courses
87. Grow online programs
88. Start dual enrollment programs
89. Offer professional science master’s degrees
90. Create seniors’ enrichment programs
91. Permit course auditing for seniors
92. Sponsor faculty-led destination travel
93. Build college-affiliated retirement communities
94. Offer HS graduates, pre-college summer courses
95. Increase cost of high-demand majors
96. Oversee ESL testing and certification
97. Placement tests (sat, act, gre, etc.)
98. Sell campus grown gourmet food
99. Start campus winery
100. Sell university license plates
101. Offer parent VIP packages
102. Create sponsorship of intramurals
103. Create sponsorship of career fair
104. Crate sponsorship of orientation
105. Sell premier stadium seating
106. Create tuition installment plan fee
107. Charge for early move-in
108. Implement peak hour course fee
109. Identify potential storage space to be used for a fee
110. Donated items garage sale
111. Rooftop solar panels and parking lot solar trees
112. Implement meal plan food delivery
113. Install library coffee shops
114. Expand outsourced laundry services
115. Selling campus vending rights
116. Adopt a textbook rental service
117. Identify underutilized real rstate
118. Join or create consortia of colleges
119. Start or expand Veteran’s programs
120. Start a sponsor-a-student program