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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
|
Chamberlain University-Nevada |
Pima Medical Institute-Las Vegas |
|
San Joaquin Valley College-Ontario |
|
Arizona College of Nursing-Las Vegas |
|
Roseman University of Health Sciences |
|
Universal Technical Institute of California Inc |
|
Copper Mountain Community College |
|
Touro University Nevada |
|
American Career College-Ontario |
|
DeVry University-California |
|
Northwest Career College |
|
West Coast University-Ontario |
|
Barstow Community College |
|
University of Redlands |
|
Mohave Community College |
|
Loma Linda University |
|
Nevada State University |
|
California State University-San Bernardino |
|
College of Southern Nevada |
|
University of Nevada-Las Vegas |
|
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
39
22,947
8,147
31,094
25
9
15
33
1
0
13
1
3
25,794
4
78
18
0
5,300
18
8,685
8,737
8,947
9,142
26,504
26,504
43,460
28,540
28,540
45,496
15,830
15,830
32,786
0
4,719
1,227
250
283
0
1,679
162
0
77
140
273
554
301
415
330
315
1
412
124
35
4,818 |
NA
NA
9,509
19,572
29,081
25
10
9
41
1
0
8
5
1
29,081
12
52
35
0
0
21
3,878
3,848
3,968
4,110
NA
NA
NA
21,370
21,370
29,469
10,400
10,400
18,499
3,170
123
0
0
0
0
863
0
0
17
36
104
94
36
126
6
55
0
201
44
4
1,586 |
98
18
14,654
4,271
18,925
11
5
6
69
0
0
3
4
3
16,067
3
73
24
0
2,858
19
6,952
7,213
7,486
7,675
25,197
25,197
37,077
31,789
31,789
43,669
13,035
13,035
24,915
0
4,286
766
15
0
0
726
1
0
32
17
58
220
127
209
14
100
0
227
34
18
1,783 |
86
35
2,273
5,010
7,283
18
9
12
41
1
0
6
12
0
7,224
41
35
24
0
59
19
6,075
6,075
6,225
6,368
NA
NA
NA
25,418
25,418
39,499
14,439
14,439
28,520
0
849
40
0
0
0
249
0
0
3
22
72
28
19
51
1
3
0
41
0
0
489 |
NA
NA
3,378
824
4,202
26
7
26
27
0
0
6
0
8
979
0
46
53
0
3,223
3
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
94
286
399
143
388
51
377
46
6
8
0
182
29
62
19
203
90
0
240
59
1
1,322 |
NA
NA
757
2,936
3,693
60
1
2
28
0
1
5
2
0
3,693
26
34
40
0
0
11
2,112
2,136
2,136
2,136
NA
NA
NA
14,202
14,202
19,314
6,483
6,483
11,595
419
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
183
0
0
3
10
72
6
18
5
0
22
0
64
4
0
387 |
81
17
2,786
406
3,192
34
6
5
44
0
1
5
2
3
2,100
1
89
9
0
1,092
11
52,500
54,066
55,678
57,614
80,474
80,474
80,474
80,474
80,474
80,474
63,954
63,954
63,954
0
780
585
12
9
0
275
0
0
8
25
110
19
22
80
3
37
0
67
17
0
663 |
NA
NA
1,146
2,007
3,153
22
19
4
45
1
1
7
1
0
3,153
12
39
49
0
0
25
1,104
1,104
1,104
1,104
NA
NA
NA
27,879
27,879
36,711
7,476
7,476
16,308
460
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
94
2
0
4
20
32
10
7
10
1
10
0
6
2
0
198 |
NA
NA
2,183
464
2,647
13
5
23
50
1
0
7
0
0
2,647
0
34
66
0
0
19
35,110
35,178
36,140
37,194
NA
NA
NA
59,906
59,906
59,906
49,986
49,986
49,986
0
874
0
0
0
0
125
0
0
1
14
20
12
1
10
0
0
0
22
1
0
206 |
NA
NA
2,222
0
2,222
15
32
5
35
2
1
10
0
0
2,222
0
42
58
0
0
36
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
101
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
61
0
0
0
21
13
15
2
5
0
3
19
15
7
0
161 |
43
83
1,177
942
2,119
25
15
10
36
2
1
3
7
1
2,083
0
14
85
0
36
18
17,808
17,488
17,488
17,488
NA
NA
NA
42,312
42,312
42,312
25,596
25,596
25,596
166
299
56
0
0
0
56
0
0
0
55
9
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
120 |
NA
NA
2,014
0
2,014
11
10
10
60
1
1
6
0
0
2,014
0
38
62
0
0
27
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
198
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
47
0
0
0
5
27
2
1
3
0
0
0
23
0
0
108 |
NA
NA
1,308
317
1,625
39
5
32
11
0
0
6
6
0
19
0
11
89
0
1,606
9
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
0
14
168
3
264
0
120
1
0
3
7
50
3
17
3
10
29
0
60
3
0
306 |
NA
NA
395
1,129
1,524
36
8
6
41
1
0
7
1
0
1,524
20
36
43
1
0
15
1,112
1,114
1,114
1,114
NA
NA
NA
25,911
25,911
35,847
5,661
5,661
15,597
219
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
88
1
0
1
14
12
6
5
1
0
8
0
12
0
0
148 |
NA
NA
1,484
0
1,484
12
5
2
65
0
1
13
2
0
1,484
2
81
18
0
0
48
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
516
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
31
0
0
0
0
10
23
0
0
0
0
0
3
3
0
70 |
NA
NA
1,398
0
1,398
37
4
33
10
1
0
11
4
1
554
0
52
48
0
844
10
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
0
314
27
0
231
0
143
3
0
8
19
57
25
26
12
11
51
0
72
13
0
440 |
100
60
802
383
1,185
16
15
24
32
3
0
8
1
0
1,185
0
28
72
0
0
20
20,170
20,826
21,653
22,426
NA
NA
NA
44,773
44,773
44,773
29,463
29,463
29,463
0
196
0
0
0
0
51
0
0
0
11
11
0
1
5
0
0
0
3
0
0
82 |
NA
NA
1,064
0
1,064
11
5
5
66
1
0
1
9
1
1,064
0
50
50
0
0
17
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
258
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
64
0
0
1
8
28
0
0
0
0
4
0
6
0
0
111 |
NA
NA
748
0
748
25
10
13
35
2
0
14
1
0
748
0
51
49
0
0
25
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
164
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
39
0
0
0
12
3
0
0
0
0
0
0
9
2
0
65 |
75
67
245
328
573
25
10
31
27
2
1
2
1
0
573
0
33
66
0
0
12
19,766
19,982
20,142
20,462
NA
NA
NA
45,594
45,594
45,594
28,870
28,870
28,870
0
170
0
0
0
0
24
0
0
0
15
2
2
1
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
45 |
Page 1 of 2
DeVry University-Nevada |
Wongu University of Oriental Medicine |
|
Oak Valley College |
|
University of Phoenix-California |
|
Arizona College of Nursing-Ontario |
|
Carrington College-Las Vegas |
|
Community Christian College |
|
San Joaquin Valley College-Hesperia |
|
Platt College-Ontario |
|
Las Vegas College |
|
California University of Science and Medicine |
|
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
564
0
564
30
2
39
15
0
0
6
8
0
0
NA
NA
NA
NA
564
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
0
0
56
0
80
0
54
1
0
2
26
35
14
8
17
7
0
0
12
0
0
176 |
NA
NA
545
0
545
18
22
18
26
3
0
3
8
0
545
0
28
72
0
0
19
14,903
15,663
16,695
17,684
NA
NA
NA
38,206
38,206
38,206
23,698
23,698
23,698
121
2
0
0
0
0
28
0
0
1
15
5
1
0
0
0
6
0
3
0
0
59 |
NA
NA
467
0
467
9
7
5
74
0
0
4
0
0
467
0
57
42
0
0
21
16,935
17,271
19,489
14,804
NA
NA
NA
35,856
35,856
35,856
19,532
19,532
19,532
164
34
0
0
0
0
31
0
0
1
15
12
0
0
0
0
0
0
5
0
0
64 |
NA
NA
437
0
437
12
11
1
60
0
1
1
14
0
437
1
53
46
0
0
27
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
19
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
16
0
0
0
4
10
0
0
0
0
3
0
1
0
0
34 |
NA
NA
409
19
428
9
75
0
7
1
0
8
0
0
428
0
93
7
0
0
27
9,750
9,750
9,010
9,695
NA
NA
NA
27,218
27,218
27,218
14,728
14,728
14,728
33
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
1
0
0
1
3
1
6
0
9
0
0
0
0
0
0
21 |
NA
NA
359
0
359
13
21
13
34
3
0
5
10
1
359
0
33
67
0
0
14
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
73
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
25
0
0
0
2
12
0
0
0
0
0
0
3
0
0
42 |
100
100
170
109
279
7
13
9
58
1
0
10
3
0
279
0
24
76
0
0
20
NA
NA
29,146
30,133
NA
NA
NA
52,480
52,480
52,480
37,170
37,170
37,170
0
0
0
0
0
0
21
0
0
0
2
8
0
1
2
0
0
0
3
0
0
37 |
NA
NA
257
0
257
10
10
4
34
0
1
1
39
0
155
0
6
94
0
102
7
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
0
229
112
0
0
0
8
0
0
0
0
5
4
4
5
0
0
6
6
0
0
38 |
NA
NA
51
1
52
37
12
0
50
0
0
2
0
0
52
2
84
14
0
0
7
16,040
16,040
16,080
16,100
NA
NA
NA
31,064
31,064
31,064
20,010
20,010
20,010
0
12
0
0
0
0
7
0
0
0
0
3
0
0
0
0
0
4
0
0
0
14 |
NA
NA
18
7
25
40
24
24
4
0
0
4
4
0
0
NA
NA
NA
NA
25
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
0
0
10
0
0
0
4
0
0
0
2
4
1
1
0
0
1
0
3
0
0
16 |
NA
NA
1
3
4
25
25
0
50
0
0
0
0
0
4
0
25
75
0
0
1
17,872
17,488
17,488
17,488
NA
NA
NA
42,312
42,312
42,312
25,596
25,596
25,596
1
5
0
0
0
0
4
0
0
0
2
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
7 |
Page 2 of 2
Sources: STI: PopStats and STI: Colossus
|