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Marin County – Colleges/Universities 2023-2024

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Universities play a crucial role in shaping local economies by driving employment, fostering business growth, attracting investment, and enhancing the overall quality of life in their host communities. Their economic impact extends beyond direct spending to include long-term benefits such as workforce development, innovation, and cultural enrichment. Below, we explore the key ways in which a university influences a local economy.

  1. Direct Employment and Spending A university is often one of the largest employers in a local area, providing jobs for faculty, administrative staff, maintenance workers, and other professionals. These employees spend their salaries on housing, groceries, transportation, and entertainment, injecting money into the local economy. Additionally, universities spend significant amounts on construction, utilities, and local services, further stimulating business activity.

    Students also contribute to local spending. Many bring outside money into the community through tuition payments, federal aid, and personal expenditures on rent, food, and retail. A large student population can sustain businesses such as bookstores, coffee shops, restaurants, and housing providers.

  2. Business Development and Entrepreneurship Universities often serve as hubs for innovation and entrepreneurship. Research institutions, business incubators, and technology transfer offices help commercialize academic research, leading to startup formation and industry partnerships. For example, Stanford University's role in Silicon Valley's growth demonstrates how academic institutions can spur regional economic development.

    Local businesses benefit from university partnerships, including procurement contracts for supplies, catering, and maintenance services. Furthermore, universities attract conferences, sporting events, and cultural activities that generate tourism revenue for hotels, restaurants, and transportation services.

  3. Human Capital and Workforce Development A well-educated workforce is essential for economic competitiveness. Universities produce graduates with specialized skills that attract high-paying industries, such as technology, healthcare, and finance. Many graduates remain in the area, filling critical roles in local businesses and government.

    Universities also offer continuing education programs, professional certifications, and workforce training initiatives that help upskill local employees, making the regional labor market more adaptable to industry changes.

  4. Real Estate and Infrastructure Growth The presence of a university can drive demand for housing, both from students and faculty. This often leads to the development of new apartments, condominiums, and mixed-use commercial spaces. Over time, universities contribute to urban revitalization by investing in campus expansions, public transit improvements, and community amenities like libraries and parks.

    However, rapid growth can also lead to challenges, such as rising housing costs and gentrification, which may displace long-term residents. Local governments must balance economic expansion with policies that ensure affordable housing and equitable development.

  5. Cultural and Social Contributions Beyond economics, universities enrich local culture through arts programs, public lectures, and athletic events. These activities improve residents' quality of life, making the area more attractive to businesses and skilled workers. A vibrant university town often sees increased property values and a more diverse, engaged community.


Conclusion

The economic impact of a university on a local economy is multifaceted, encompassing job creation, business growth, talent development, and infrastructure investment. While challenges such as affordability and displacement must be managed, the long-term benefits-including innovation, increased tax revenues, and a more dynamic workforce-make universities vital engines of regional prosperity. By fostering collaboration between academia, government, and industry, communities can maximize these advantages while ensuring inclusive growth.
 
Empire College
Presidio Graduate School  
San Francisco Film School  
Meridian University  
Carrington College-Pleasant Hill Campus  
Minerva University  
California State University Maritime Academy  
Touro University California  
University of California College of the Law-San Francisco  
California College of the Arts  
Dominican University of California  
California Institute of Integral Studies  
Golden Gate University  
Saint Mary's College of California  
University of California-San Francisco  
Academy of Art University  
Los Medanos College  
Solano Community College  
University of San Francisco  
San Francisco State University  
Percent admitted - total
Admissions yield - total

Full-time enrollment
Part-time enrollment

Total  enrollment
% White
% Black
% Asian
% Hispanic
% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
% American Indian or Alaska Native
% two or more races
% Race/ethnicity unknown
% U.S. Nonresident

Undergraduate enrollment
% under 18
% 18-24
% 25-64
% over 65

Graduate enrollment

Student-to-faculty ratio

Tuition and fees, 2020-21
2021-22
2022-23
2023-24

Total price for
In-district students living on campus  2023-24
In-state students living on campus 2023-24
Out-of-state students living on campus 2023-24

In-district students living off campus (no family)  2023-24
In-state students living off campus (no family)  2023-24
Out-of-state students living off campus (no family)  2023-24

In-district students living off campus (w/ family)  2023-24
In-state students living off campus (w/ family)  2023-24
Out-of-state students living off campus (w/ family)  2023-24

Associate's degree
Bachelor's degree
Master's degree
Doctor's degree - research/scholarship
Doctor's degree - professional practice
Doctor's degree - other

Instructional FTE
Research FTE
Public Service FTE
Librarians, Curators, and Archivists FTE
Student/Academic Affairs and Other Education Services FTE
Management FTE
Business and Financial Operations FTE
Computer, Engineering, and Science FTE
Community Service, Legal, Arts, and Media FTE
Healthcare FTE
Service FTE
Sales and Related FTE
Office and Administrative Support FTE
Natural Resources, Construction, and Maintenance FTE
Production, Transportation, and Material Moving FTE
Total FTE staff
96
10

18,716
5,192

23,908
16
6
23
37
1
0
6
6
5

20,756
4
78
18
0

3,152

16

7,006
7,304
7,524
7,424


30,456
30,456
42,336

34,146
34,146
46,026

13,842
13,842
25,722

0
5,360
1,089
25
4
0

1,066
8
0
43
27
80
565
172
252
18
160
0
53
76
38
2,558
51
9

7,297
1,915

9,212
24
7
22
22
0
0
8
5
12

5,729
3
91
6
0

3,483

12

52,482
53,472
55,532
58,222


81,426
81,426
81,426

82,362
82,362
82,362

63,724
63,724
63,724

0
1,295
1,534
29
134
0

677
5
0
37
1
334
116
89
75
1
59
0
224
34
0
1,652
NA
NA

2,782
6,086

8,868
21
14
15
37
1
0
9
2
0

8,868
11
54
34
1

0

27

1,168
1,170
1,172
1,172


NA
NA
NA

27,733
27,733
35,461

7,330
7,330
15,058

1,438
22
0
0
0
0

195
0
0
3
23
32
22
15
4
0
34
0
63
0
0
391
NA
NA

2,903
5,327

8,230
19
13
12
46
1
0
7
1
0

8,230
10
66
24
0

0

23

1,312
1,312
1,312
1,312


NA
NA
NA

32,832
32,832
40,532

10,188
10,188
17,888

1,390
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA

214
0
0
0
3
32
9
7
24
0
9
0
63
0
0
361
NA
NA

3,219
3,101

6,320
26
11
7
17
0
0
5
12
20

4,191
1
55
45
0

2,129

15

24,664
25,424
26,728
28,024


55,579
55,579
55,579

52,821
52,821
52,821

32,571
32,571
32,571

93
559
611
0
0
0

283
0
0
1
151
128
72
32
107
0
40
3
56
3
26
902
NA
NA

3,126
0

3,126
26
7
32
16
0
0
6
3
10

0
NA
NA
NA
NA

3,126

NA

NA
NA
NA
NA


NA
NA
NA

NA
NA
NA

NA
NA
NA

0
0
329
154
461
0

3,468
2,105
0
29
35
723
1,861
2,113
849
692
625
9
1,811
109
155
14,584
89
13

2,324
451

2,775
36
6
9
28
1
0
8
9
3

2,044
4
90
6
0

731

10

50,660
51,768
53,572
56,134


77,950
77,950
77,950

82,695
82,695
82,695

62,292
62,292
62,292

0
518
333
12
0
0

247
0
0
13
2
109
60
17
66
7
27
0
48
14
0
610
NA
NA

1,486
776

2,262
20
10
29
10
1
1
0
19
10

575
0
21
79
0

1,687

10

NA
NA
NA
31,243


NA
NA
NA

50,763
50,763
50,763

37,563
37,563
37,563

4
166
483
10
108
0

111
0
0
9
50
69
12
11
2
0
9
0
35
0
0
308
NA
NA

1,636
411

2,047
42
5
5
10
0
0
5
31
2

57
0
19
81
0

1,990

17

NA
NA
NA
NA


NA
NA
NA

NA
NA
NA

NA
NA
NA

0
44
327
45
3
22

100
0
0
6
61
38
6
15
10
0
0
0
24
1
0
261
96
13

1,786
240

2,026
24
5
22
24
1
0
6
2
15

1,182
1
87
12
0

844

8

47,940
47,910
49,426
50,666


70,926
70,926
70,926

74,533
74,533
74,533

56,263
56,263
56,263

0
319
510
2
0
0

186
0
0
8
28
49
8
12
34
5
5
0
19
6
0
360
73
7

1,238
95

1,333
19
4
14
14
0
0
5
5
39

1,012
0
89
10
0

321

7

51,137
52,312
54,706
57,946


84,409
84,409
84,409

85,363
85,363
85,363

64,675
64,675
64,675

0
279
185
0
0
0

187
0
3
5
4
63
23
14
36
0
19
0
45
6
24
429
NA
NA

1,163
53

1,216
42
3
21
19
0
0
5
3
5

0
NA
NA
NA
NA

1,216

NA

NA
NA
NA
NA


NA
NA
NA

NA
NA
NA

NA
NA
NA

0
0
32
0
339
0

103
21
0
11
36
22
28
15
35
1
2
0
26
1
4
305
NA
NA

988
102

1,090
24
6
48
12
0
0
4
6
0

0
NA
NA
NA
NA

1,090

NA

NA
NA
NA
NA


NA
NA
NA

NA
NA
NA

NA
NA
NA

0
0
177
0
204
0

131
0
0
3
5
39
14
23
8
9
25
0
58
0
0
315
99
15

726
79

805
46
3
10
22
1
0
9
8
0

761
2
88
10
0

44

10

7,160
7,116
7,116
7,672


30,062
30,062
41,942

31,317
31,317
43,197

17,108
17,108
28,988

0
151
17
0
0
0

67
0
0
4
4
27
52
18
27
3
24
1
10
9
3
249
4
56

603
53

656
5
0
2
0
0
0
0
0
91

603
4
96
1
0

53

12

15,950
16,450
17,650
18,700


37,050
37,050
37,050

NA
NA
NA

NA
NA
NA

0
169
5
0
0
0

51
0
0
0
0
40
9
0
22
4
1
0
4
0
0
131
NA
NA

432
0

432
12
11
13
49
1
0
3
9
1

432
0
56
44
0

0

15

NA
NA
NA
NA


NA
NA
NA

NA
NA
NA

NA
NA
NA

111
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA

28
0
0
0
2
15
0
0
0
0
1
0
2
0
0
48
NA
NA

136
90

226
55
12
9
10
2
1
3
8
0

0
NA
NA
NA
NA

226

NA

NA
NA
NA
NA


NA
NA
NA

NA
NA
NA

NA
NA
NA

0
0
17
8
5
0

15
0
0
2
0
6
0
4
3
0
0
0
11
0
0
41
NA
NA

119
22

141
14
10
2
5
0
1
1
67
0

141
1
4
94
2

0

8

NA
NA
NA
NA


NA
NA
NA

NA
NA
NA

NA
NA
NA

13
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA

13
0
0
0
0
4
1
0
0
0
0
2
4
0
0
24
NA
NA

77
26

103
65
4
8
5
0
0
6
11
2

0
NA
NA
NA
NA

103

NA

NA
NA
NA
NA


NA
NA
NA

NA
NA
NA

NA
NA
NA

0
0
47
0
0
0

6
0
0
0
2
4
1
1
0
0
0
0
2
0
0
16
NA
NA

47
1

48
40
0
6
13
0
0
0
42
0

0
NA
NA
NA
NA

48

NA

NA
NA
NA
NA


NA
NA
NA

NA
NA
NA

NA
NA
NA

0
0
20
0
15
0

4
0
0
0
2
5
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
12

Page 1 of 2
Bergin University of Canine Studies
Percent admitted - total
Admissions yield - total

Full-time enrollment
Part-time enrollment

Total  enrollment
% White
% Black
% Asian
% Hispanic
% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
% American Indian or Alaska Native
% two or more races
% Race/ethnicity unknown
% U.S. Nonresident

Undergraduate enrollment
% under 18
% 18-24
% 25-64
% over 65

Graduate enrollment

Student-to-faculty ratio

Tuition and fees, 2020-21
2021-22
2022-23
2023-24

Total price for
In-district students living on campus  2023-24
In-state students living on campus 2023-24
Out-of-state students living on campus 2023-24

In-district students living off campus (no family)  2023-24
In-state students living off campus (no family)  2023-24
Out-of-state students living off campus (no family)  2023-24

In-district students living off campus (w/ family)  2023-24
In-state students living off campus (w/ family)  2023-24
Out-of-state students living off campus (w/ family)  2023-24

Associate's degree
Bachelor's degree
Master's degree
Doctor's degree - research/scholarship
Doctor's degree - professional practice
Doctor's degree - other

Instructional FTE
Research FTE
Public Service FTE
Librarians, Curators, and Archivists FTE
Student/Academic Affairs and Other Education Services FTE
Management FTE
Business and Financial Operations FTE
Computer, Engineering, and Science FTE
Community Service, Legal, Arts, and Media FTE
Healthcare FTE
Service FTE
Sales and Related FTE
Office and Administrative Support FTE
Natural Resources, Construction, and Maintenance FTE
Production, Transportation, and Material Moving FTE
Total FTE staff
NA
NA

18
0

18
28
6
0
6
0
0
22
0
39

18
0
44
56
0

0

3

NA
NA
NA
NA


NA
NA
NA

NA
NA
NA

NA
NA
NA

7
4
0
0
0
0

5
0
0
0
1
2
1
0
0
3
0
1
2
1
0
16

Page 2 of 2


Sources: STI: PopStats and STI: Colossus