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Douglas 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.
 
Gwinnett College-Sandy Springs
Gwinnett College-Marietta Campus  
Morris Brown College  
Atlanta's John Marshall Law School  
Beulah Heights University  
Lincoln College of Technology-Marietta  
Fortis College-Smyrna  
American InterContinental University-Atlanta  
Morehouse School of Medicine  
Atlanta Metropolitan State College  
Chamberlain University-Georgia  
Life University  
Morehouse College  
Spelman College  
Clark Atlanta University  
University of West Georgia  
Georgia State University-Perimeter College  
Georgia State University  
Kennesaw State University  
Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus  
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
16
44

25,178
22,768

47,946
31
5
25
7
0
0
3
1
26

19,505
6
93
2
0

28,441

18

12,852
12,852
11,764
11,764


28,524
28,524
49,636

28,524
28,524
49,636

21,764
21,764
42,876

0
4,227
6,610
556
0
0

1,373
2,964
63
39
551
1,192
686
795
280
32
772
0
730
297
0
9,774
69
51

32,086
12,983

45,069
43
26
6
15
0
0
5
2
3

40,509
2
85
12
0

4,560

23

6,436
6,436
5,786
5,786


25,927
25,927
37,181

28,747
28,747
40,001

13,832
13,832
25,086

0
5,826
1,564
52
0
0

1,557
0
0
43
453
585
265
245
175
11
339
7
235
73
0
3,988
62
24

26,333
8,641

34,974
20
39
14
13
0
0
5
1
8

27,588
2
83
15
0

7,386

25

9,286
9,286
8,478
8,478


31,468
31,468
46,699

31,942
31,942
47,173

17,071
17,071
32,302

0
5,309
2,329
272
250
0

1,504
64
61
45
668
673
209
308
123
14
584
5
657
221
0
5,136
100
27

5,914
9,608

15,522
18
43
14
15
0
0
5
1
5

15,522
15
62
22
1

0

19

3,360
3,360
2,960
2,960


NA
NA
NA

26,424
26,424
32,776

11,553
11,553
17,905

2,040
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA

415
0
0
0
3
49
16
15
1
5
1
0
37
2
0
544
49
33

6,556
6,172

12,728
54
29
1
8
0
0
4
2
1

8,413
9
76
14
0

4,315

16

6,521
6,521
5,941
5,971


23,640
23,640
34,693

25,086
25,086
36,139

15,982
15,982
27,035

0
1,619
727
24
0
0

507
0
0
8
139
208
47
50
73
13
154
1
134
45
0
1,379
65
6

3,841
294

4,135
1
60
0
1
0
0
6
31
1

3,495
3
95
2
0

640

16

21,695
24,012
24,730
26,446


43,676
43,676
43,676

43,676
43,676
43,676

31,658
31,658
31,658

0
452
145
36
0
0

247
18
0
0
5
37
62
31
57
1
70
0
157
1
0
686
34
20

2,532
1,101

3,633
3
74
1
0
0
1
1
20
1

3,633
2
73
25
0

0

11

25,766
28,181
28,885
30,058


51,366
51,366
51,366

51,366
51,366
51,366

35,073
35,073
35,073

0
420
0
0
0
0

231
0
0
2
26
87
43
32
18
6
59
0
126
13
4
647
51
24

2,374
364

2,738
0
98
0
0
0
0
1
0
0

2,738
1
86
13
0

0

13

29,468
29,468
29,468
31,725


51,623
51,623
51,623

62,824
62,824
62,824

38,099
38,099
38,099

0
398
0
0
0
0

186
0
0
0
61
59
81
24
40
0
39
0
87
0
3
580
94
54

2,400
311

2,711
41
21
4
20
0
2
0
4
8

873
1
83
16
0

1,838

16

13,596
13,911
14,406
15,036


41,295
41,295
41,295

43,749
43,749
43,749

22,536
22,536
22,536

17
210
62
0
423
0

149
5
0
9
34
116
9
13
48
2
18
1
73
11
2
490
96
68

484
1,104

1,588
15
64
6
10
0
1
2
2
0

1,588
0
24
76
0

0

13

19,469
19,469
19,629
19,686


NA
NA
NA

42,634
42,634
42,634

28,094
28,094
28,094

0
372
0
0
0
0

49
0
0
0
30
3
3
1
0
0
0
0
2
0
0
88
NA
NA

615
936

1,551
2
87
1
5
0
0
3
0
1

1,551
10
44
45
1

0

22

3,505
3,505
3,105
3,105


20,303
20,303
26,929

13,983
13,983
20,609

8,309
8,309
14,935

133
66
0
0
0
0

43
0
0
1
17
24
2
4
1
0
1
0
12
2
0
107
NA
NA

837
98

935
3
81
5
3
0
0
4
3
0

0
NA
NA
NA
NA

935

NA

NA
NA
NA
NA


NA
NA
NA

NA
NA
NA

NA
NA
NA

0
0
147
5
94
0

378
5
4
3
91
164
47
68
20
31
48
0
103
0
0
962
NA
NA

607
122

729
8
50
0
0
0
0
3
38
0

670
0
13
86
0

59

8

12,692
13,341
13,267
13,416


NA
NA
NA

24,661
24,661
24,661

16,401
16,401
16,401

159
144
52
0
0
0

15
0
0
0
1
2
2
1
0
0
0
6
0
0
0
27
NA
NA

488
0

488
14
60
3
19
0
0
3
2
0

488
0
49
51
0

0

23

14,630
14,787
15,516
14,929


NA
NA
NA

38,928
38,928
38,928

22,233
22,233
22,233

45
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA

21
0
0
1
0
7
4
0
7
2
0
0
1
0
0
43
NA
NA

438
0

438
12
62
1
19
0
0
2
3
0

438
0
47
52
0

0

27

NA
NA
NA
NA


NA
NA
NA

NA
NA
NA

NA
NA
NA

66
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA

20
0
0
0
3
13
0
0
0
0
0
0
4
0
0
40
NA
NA

249
126

375
10
47
21
9
1
2
0
10
1

158
0
11
84
4

217

6

8,731
8,492
8,492
8,492


NA
NA
NA

21,692
21,692
21,692

9,992
9,992
9,992

6
9
14
5
0
0

23
0
0
1
2
15
3
0
0
0
3
0
11
0
0
58
NA
NA

240
110

350
35
40
7
12
0
2
0
3
1

0
NA
NA
NA
NA

350

NA

NA
NA
NA
NA


NA
NA
NA

NA
NA
NA

NA
NA
NA

0
0
0
0
86
0

22
0
0
2
7
10
1
1
0
0
0
0
9
0
0
52
NA
NA

261
82

343
0
94
0
3
0
1
2
0
0

343
0
49
50
0

0

14

9,558
9,558
9,558
9,558


NA
NA
NA

29,613
29,613
29,613

19,079
19,079
19,079

0
17
0
0
0
0

21
0
0
0
3
10
4
0
1
0
4
0
6
4
0
53
NA
NA

168
0

168
14
71
1
10
0
0
1
4
0

168
0
18
81
1

0

10

NA
NA
NA
NA


NA
NA
NA

NA
NA
NA

NA
NA
NA

31
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA

6
0
0
0
0
2
1
0
0
0
0
2
1
0
0
12
NA
NA

53
61

114
21
57
4
18
0
0
0
0
0

114
0
28
72
0

0

9

NA
NA
NA
NA


NA
NA
NA

NA
NA
NA

NA
NA
NA

1
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA

7
0
0
0
0
1
2
0
0
0
0
2
0
0
0
12

Page 1 of 2
Interdenominational Theological Center
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

46
15

61
3
93
0
0
0
0
3
0
0

0
NA
NA
NA
NA

61

NA

NA
NA
NA
NA


NA
NA
NA

NA
NA
NA

NA
NA
NA

0
0
32
0
0
14

10
2
0
0
4
2
4
1
0
0
0
0
12
1
0
36

Page 2 of 2


Sources: STI: PopStats and STI: Colossus