Mention the words “coworking space locations,” and what comes to mind are employment centers or locations close to at-home entrepreneurs. But data issued by CoworkingCafe reported an interesting market for the WeWorks and Regus Centers of the world. Specifically, near college campuses.

In a recent article published on CoworkingCafe, researchers noted that:

• Four out of five top U.S. universities have at least one coworking space within two miles of campus

• A total of 926 coworking spaces are located close to the 100 universities analyzed for the study

• New York University came out on top with 220 coworking spaces around its campus

“Coworking is no different than any other product or service in that it goes where there’s demand,” CoworkingCafe’s Laura Pop-Badiu told Connect CRE. She explained that some more central campuses were already benefitting from proximity to coworking sites due to the nearness to urban cores. “But campuses in more suburban or rural areas have begun in recent years to see coworking spaces locate closer to them,” Pop-Badiu commented. “This signals demand for these spaces from those who work or remain in the area during school and after graduation.

Benefits for Students

The article explained that near-campus coworking spaces can provide many advantages for students. It can offer real-life office experience in a professional environment. It also provides the opportunity to potentially connect with companies that rent the coworking space. “Students can start building their network by working alongside established professionals and entrepreneurs,” the article noted. In addition, students could “even find a job, partners or clients for their own business.”

A Recruiting Tool

But the campus location doesn’t provide just a one-sided advantage. Pop-Baidu said that many companies target young talent for recruitment before graduation. Such businesses are more likely to rely on coworking spaces to engage with interested students.

Additionally, remote and hybrid companies that operate out of near-campus coworking spaces “ensure that recruiters can spot and attract future professionals from early stages of their careers,” Pop-Badiu commented. “That makes it easy for companies to nurture and grow potential candidates and for students to gain real-life office experience and access to enticing professional opportunities.”

Advantages for Coworking Operators

The campus proximity also helps coworking operators, especially over the long term. Pop-Baidu explained that each year brings a new group of students. Those students might become entrepreneurs or company founders themselves. “Should coworking prove to be a useful resource for students, (coworking operators) will have access to a more stable client pool,” Pop-Badiu added. “And with more grads getting hired in remote positions, having a location close to where they’re already living can be a huge benefit.”