KeyNote Submission
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Bringing Together
Foresight.
And Insight.
“MEDS” AND “EDS”
October 14, 2025
Alan Nevin, LAI San Diego member, LAI Fellow and Director, Land Economics Foundation, is an economist and demographer who devotes his practice to providing clients with the information they need to make major decisions on real estate investments. He also provides the same depth of service to the legal industry as an expert witness.
Alan Nevin
Economic Research Group
GAFCON
Fall 2025
“MEDS” AND “EDS”
Renowned Urban Planner and UC San Diego Faculty member Bill Fulton recently developed an extensive analysis of the major U.S. metropolises whose economies heavily rely on employment in Health Care and Education i.e.: Meds and Eds.
The exhibit below notes the major educational institutions and major hospitals that define the economies of the Cities. Note that all ten are clustered in the northeast United States. There is obviously a correlation between climatic conditions and the top ten, but it is more likely that we can look to the age of these metropolises in terms of when they were initially developed. Most had their beginnings in the 1700’s.
As I look at San Diego, it is also subject to the “Med” and “Eds” syndrome. The reality is that if it were not for the military, our County would fit nicely in the Fulton “Med” and “Ed” scenario.
Obviously, the military dominates the San Diego economy with 150,000+ personnel in addition to its expenditures for military hardware:
Including the military hardware, the U.S. Department of Defense spending is equal to 20% of the County’s gross expenditures.
Let’s turn now to the “meds” and “eds” in San Diego County:
There are more than 100,000 students enrolled in the dozen universities in San Diego County. Of the dozen, there are three that dominate the university enrollment: University of California San Diego, San Diego State University and California State University at San Marcos. Combined, the three have 100,000 enrollment.
UC San Diego leads with way with 44,000 students. This year, UC San Diego had 156,000 applications. San Diego State University, with 39,000 enrollment had 116,000 applications. And Cal State San Marcos, newly created in 1980, had 15,000 students.
The other nine universities have a total of approximately 20,000 students. The three largest of these institutions are National University, University of San Diego and Pt. Loma Nazarene College. The newest of the universities is John Paul the Great Catholic University, founded in 2006, based in Escondido and with a current enrollment of 300 students.
Three of the universities are religiously affiliated:
The Construction Activity – Public Universities
All three public universities have substantial construction activity either planned or under way.
Leading the pact is UC San Diego with activity on two campuses: La Jolla and Hillcrest. At the main campus in La Jolla, they are now completing Ridgewalk North Living and Learning, a high-rise with 2,400 beds and accompanying classrooms. Under construction is the 290,000 square foot Triton Center (student center). And in planning is the Pepper Canyon East Living and Learning Center with 6,000 beds.
On the 60-acre UCSD Hillcrest property, construction is now complete on the 250,000 square foot McGrath outpatient pavilion. Yet to come, replacement of the aging Hospital as well as the addition of high-rise residential buildings.
SDSU is no laggard either. They are in the initial stages of developing SDSU West, a 120-acre property that will contain extensive market-rate residential and commercial activity as well as classroom and dormitories. To date, the 35,000 seat Snapdragon stadium has been completed and ground has been broken for an Avalon Bay 621 unit market-rate apartment complex and a 182 unit affordable project by Chelsea.
On the main SDSU campus at the north end of 55th Street, SDSU has recently announced a 7-tower complex with a total of 4,500 beds.
Not to be outdone, Cal State San Marcos has underway a seven story dormitory with 555 beds and a 70,000 square foot science and engineering building opening in summary 2027.
Overall, the “meds” and the “eds” and the military comprise a substantial component of the San Diego County economy and account for the County’s long-term economic stability.
KeyNotes are submitted by LAI members. Many submissions reflect the author’s professional opinions and views on relevant issues concerning the organizational mission and purpose of LAI. LAI, as an organization, does not take a position on Keynote submissions, and supports providing an open forum of ideas forwarded for thoughtful consideration. Submissions should not be construed as LAI endorsements.