How integrated facilities management affect student retention

FAQ

• What percentage of a college budget goes to facilities?

  Facilities management accounts for up to 60% of institutional budgets, making it one of the largest cost centers on a college campus and typically the second-highest of all cost centers. Sodexo's Comprehensive Campus Care analysis attributes that spend to custodial, grounds and building operations across the physical campus. Because the investment is so large, how it's managed directly affects institutional finances. Sodexo coordinates these operations through its Keystone CMMS platform, which captures real-time data across custodial, grounds and building operations to allocate resources and support long-term capital planning.

• Does campus cleanliness affect learning?

  Campus cleanliness affects learning. Research from APPA and ISSA found that 88% of students say buildings with inattention to cleanliness are a distraction to learning. Facility neglect is therefore an academic and enrollment risk, because visible cleanliness and maintenance gaps signal to students that their environment is not cared for. Sodexo addresses this through 100% Green Seal-certified cleaning and environmental services that use science-based approaches to cleaning, waste and recycling to keep learning spaces healthy and distraction-free.

• How big is the capital renewal backlog at U.S. colleges?

  The capital-renewal backlog at U.S. colleges now exceeds $140 per gross square foot, according to Gordian's 2025 State of Facilities in Higher Education report, which also identifies a 32.5% funding shortfall between what campuses need and what they spend. Deferred problems compound into critical failures that cost exponentially more to resolve than the preventive maintenance that would have avoided them. Sodexo helps institutions manage total cost of ownership across an asset's full lifecycle, with clients realizing an average of $30 million in deferred-maintenance savings.

• How can I increase student retention at my college?

  Colleges can increase student retention by investing in the campus environment, because well-maintained facilities measurably influence whether students stay. Roughly 1 in 5 first-year students don't return for a second year, and research through APPA's Center for Facilities Research links the quality of campus buildings, landscapes and spaces directly to recruitment and retention. With national four-year retention averaging 82% (NCES), every percentage-point improvement recovers real tuition revenue. Sodexo's integrated facilities management coordinates custodial, grounds and building operations through a single Keystone CMMS platform to keep campuses welcoming, safe and well-maintained.