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One in every 14 jobs in Rochester is tied to the University of Rochester, according to a report released Thursday. Statewide, that number is one in 126 jobs.
Titled “Economic Engine and Community Catalyst,” the report, commissioned by UR, underscores the university’s economic impact in the region. It analyzes fiscal year 2024 data to quantify the institution’s economic footprint across operations, academics, and health care.
UR is the area’s largest private employer, with 39,000 employees. It directly supports 32,200 jobs in the city, 49,000 in Monroe County, and 66,700 statewide.
“No strategy to improve community health is more important than helping people obtain good-paying jobs with paths to career advancement,” says David Linehan, CEO of the Medical Center, dean of the School of Medicine and Dentistry, and senior vice president for health sciences at UR. “The data in this report demonstrate our health system’s commitment to workforce development in all the communities we serve, which is our responsibility both as the region’s largest employer and health provider.”
Consultants at Philadelphia’s ESI Solutions, which crunched the numbers, estimate that UR activity generates more than $5.9 billion in economic impact in the city and $9.2 billion in Monroe County. Regionally, in the Finger Lakes and Southern Tier, the economic impact totals $11.8 billion; statewide, the figure is $13 billion.
UR’s net operating expenses totaled $6.8 billion during 2024. Fifty-nine percent of its expenses are attributable to employee wages and benefits.
“As Monroe County’s largest private employer and leading driver of economic growth, the University of Rochester and UR Medicine is an indispensable cornerstone institution of our region,” says Adam Bello, Monroe County executive. “Their expansive missions in health care, education, and research not only create a robust economic ecosystem but also enrich our community’s quality of life, making the university a truly transformative force.”
The university’s health system, UR Medicine, and its research prowess, have earned a national reputation. UR Medicine reported more than 5 million outpatient visits, 300,000 emergency room visits, and 74,000 hospital admissions annually across its eight hospitals, seven nursing homes, and clinical locations, according to the report.
The study also highlights UR Medicine’s community health initiatives, including free health care for uninsured patients. Data for 2024 include $308 million in uncompensated medical costs and charity care and nearly $170 million in subsidized health services, including low- or no-cost prescription drugs, and pediatric, mental and behavioral health.
“We are unwavering in our commitment to strengthening and enriching the Greater Rochester community,” says Sarah Mangelsdorf, UR president. “By delivering the very best health care, driving research-based innovation, and celebrating musical and cultural vibrance, we enhance the lives of Rochesterians and people throughout Upstate New York. As the largest employer in the region, we are proud to work with our area partners to actively shape a more vibrant, resilient, and thriving community in which all can live, work, and flourish.”
The university’s economic impact extends to capital investments ($312 million in the city); student, patient and visitor spending ($92 million in the region); and to an alumni wage premium, or the average difference between the wages of college graduates and those with less education ($79 million in the city).
“From supporting 1 in 14 jobs in Rochester to generating millions in tax revenues and providing essential health care services, the University demonstrates how anchor institutions can drive sustained economic growth while advancing their core missions of education, research, and service,” the report’s authors conclude.
Smriti Jacob is Rochester Beacon managing editor.
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Imagine how much more the university could do if it didn’t waste six-figure salaries on administrators and policing students! An institution that takes up such a large role in the county should be governed democratically by the people, not by a board of trustees.