New Report Reveals How NAVWAR Impacts the San Diego Region’s Economy

The San Diego Military Advisory Council (SDMAC) and the University of San Diego’s Knauss School of Business have released their 2024 Naval Information Warfare Systems Command (NAVWAR) Economic Impact Report. The report, which was compiled by USD researchers, explains the significant impact NAVWAR has upon our region’s economy.

Key findings include:

• In Fiscal Year 2022, NAVWAR was responsible for between $3.14 billion and $3.38 billion in Gross Regional Product (GRP) for the San Diego Regional economy.
• In the San Diego Region, NAVWAR directly employs more than 5,300 people. When wages and benefits are considered, the NAVWAR workforce brings $910 million to our local economy.
• Across the region, NAVWAR business is responsible for over 18,800 jobs. Contracts awarded by NAVWAR reach businesses across the country. Still, more importantly, many of these contracts are awarded to large and small local businesses and disproportionately benefit the San Diego Region.

“As an advocate for our local military, SDMAC wanted to produce a report to help our community better understand the significant economic importance of the Navy’s NAVWAR operations on the San Diego Region,” said Mark Balmert, SDMAC’s President and CEO. “The independent and rigorous analysis by the team at USD’s Knauss School of Business has done just that, showing that our community benefits with many well-paying jobs for people across San Diego County.”

This report is significant because it comes at a time when the Navy is looking to redevelop the approximately 70.3-acre Naval Base Point Loma Old Town Campus, home to NAVWAR. Earlier this month, the Navy announced the selection of Manchester Financial Group/Edgemoor Infrastructure & Real Estate as the potential master developer of the site. The potential redevelopment will benefit the region by constructing and operating new commercial, much-needed residential, and critical transportation facilities.

“The University of San Diego is proud to partner with SDMAC to shed light on the major contribution that NAVWAR makes to our region,” said Stath Karras, executive director of the Burnham-Moores Center for Real Estate at USD’s Knauss School of Business. “Our support for this report was driven by USD’s commitment to serve as an anchor institution in San Diego and to be a premier university for the military-connected community.”

The researchers from the Knauss School of Business at the University of San Diego teamed with consultants from DPFG and used IMPLAN software to determine NAVWAR’s direct, indirect and induced impact on the local Gross Regional Product and employment.

About the University of San Diego

Strengthened by the Catholic intellectual tradition, we confront humanity’s challenges by fostering peace, working for justice and leading with love. With more than 8,000 students from 75 countries and 44 states, USD is the youngest independent institution on the U.S. News & World Report list of top 100 universities in the United States. USD’s eight academic divisions include the College of Arts and Sciences, the Knauss School of Business, the Shiley-Marcos School of Engineering, the School of Law, the School of Leadership and Education Sciences, the Hahn School of Nursing and Health Science, the Joan B. Kroc School of Peace Studies, and the Division of Professional and Continuing Education. In 2021, USD was named a “Laudato Si’ University” by the Vatican with a seven-year commitment to address humanity’s urgent challenges by working together to take care of our common home.