In Review

The University has added 9,000 employees over the last decade, making it the fifth largest private-sector employer in New York State and the largest upstate-based employer, according to a new report by CGR, a public-policy analysis firm that traces its origins to Kodak founder George Eastman.

Released this summer, the report is one of an occasional series of studies the company has done for the University as a way to assess the economic footprint of the institution.

The report, which looked at the year ended December 31, 2017, details economic data such as overall employment, payroll, capital expenditures, purchasing, spending by students and visitors, and tax impact. It includes figures for the University; its clinical health network, UR Medicine; and the hospitals and other health care offices affiliated with the network.

Mike Silva, CGR data analyst and lead investigator on the study, says that in total, the University employs about 27,000 people when jobs are counted as full-time positions.

That’s an increase since 2016 of about 2,300 full-time equivalent positions, or a 9 percent increase. Over the last 10 years, the University has added more than 9,000 positions.

According to the report, when the University’s broader impact is calculated, the institution is responsible for about 59,700 jobs. That number factors in the economic activity created by Rochester’s employees, who spend money at businesses that in turn hire employees, and by the University’s construction and other projects, which also supports businesses that hire employees.

“The University of Rochester has long played a vital role in the Rochester economy,” says Silva. “Moreover, its impact extends beyond just economics. It improves the quality of life in our region. The growth in the number of UR Medicine affiliates demonstrates its commitment to providing world-class medical care. And the number of capital projects is a testament to the University’s research excellence.”

University President Richard Feldman says that while the report demonstrates the economic strength of the University, the institution’s most important impact comes from its community engagement efforts.

Some of the most visible recent such initiatives include the University’s partnership with East High School, support for a business incubator in the former Sibley building in downtown Rochester; programs for music education through the Eastman Community Music School; and efforts to expand University’s nationally recognized health care network.

“The numbers tell only part of the story,” Feldman says. “I believe a significant part of our impact comes from being a community partner, working to strengthen our region every day, helping to address some of city and region’s most entrenched socioeconomic problems, to strengthen our health care capacity, and our contributions to the arts, and to truly embrace the role and responsibilities that come with being a region’s major employer.”

The report notes that education and health care have become major components of the state’s economy, with 20 percent of all jobs and 15 percent of all income in the state attributable to the two sectors Six of the top 10 largest private-sector employers in New York are universities, academic health centers, or health systems.

With 31,000 employees, which equates to the 27,000 full-time positions, the University is tied for fifth largest private employer in the state and is the largest private upstate-based employer.

CGR, which began as the Rochester Bureau of Municipal Research, was established by Eastman with a mandate to “get things done for the community.” The firm conducts research for a range of agencies, organizations, and communities across the country.

The study included UR Medicine affiliates of Highland Hospital, which is located in Rochester; F. F. Thompson in Canandaigua; Noyes Health in Dansville; and Jones Memorial Hospital in Wellesville.

Many of the affiliates are the largest employers in their respective communities. Data from St. James Hospital in Hornell was not included in the report because its affiliation with UR Medicine began in the spring of 2018.