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.
|
Lamson Institute |
Baptist Health System School of Health Professions |
|
Southern Careers Institute-San Antonio |
|
The College of Health Care Professions-San Antonio |
|
Hallmark University |
|
Southern Careers Institute-San Antonio |
|
Texas Lutheran University |
|
Our Lady of the Lake University |
|
Trinity University |
|
Galen College of Nursing-San Antonio |
|
St. Mary's University |
|
The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio |
|
University of the Incarnate Word |
|
Texas A&M University-San Antonio |
|
Northeast Lakeview College |
|
Palo Alto College |
|
St Philip's College |
|
Northwest Vista College |
|
San Antonio College |
|
The University of Texas at San Antonio |
|
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
|
88
30
24,829
10,035
34,864
20
8
6
59
0
0
3
1
3
30,310
2
83
15
0
4,554
25
8,793
9,231
8,945
8,991
24,766
24,766
37,740
26,120
26,120
39,094
14,355
14,355
27,329
0
5,880
1,486
147
0
0
1,175
99
20
69
45
501
581
243
387
24
111
7
217
105
42
3,626 |
NA
NA
4,171
14,804
18,975
17
7
3
69
0
0
3
0
0
18,975
11
57
32
0
0
26
3,112
3,112
3,262
3,412
NA
NA
NA
20,584
24,064
31,594
9,072
12,552
20,082
2,231
20
0
0
0
0
381
0
0
6
189
18
27
30
19
0
24
1
52
18
0
765 |
NA
NA
3,969
14,839
18,808
18
6
4
66
0
0
4
2
0
18,808
24
57
19
0
0
22
3,112
3,112
3,262
3,412
NA
NA
NA
20,584
24,064
31,594
9,072
12,552
20,082
2,335
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
278
0
0
7
141
10
17
26
15
0
10
0
21
8
0
533 |
NA
NA
1,857
12,424
14,281
16
9
2
68
0
0
3
2
0
14,281
20
51
29
0
0
20
3,112
3,112
3,262
3,412
NA
NA
NA
20,584
24,064
31,594
9,072
12,552
20,082
1,180
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
298
0
0
11
125
15
20
18
11
0
37
0
43
13
0
591 |
NA
NA
2,263
8,645
10,908
12
5
1
77
0
0
2
2
0
10,908
26
52
22
0
0
30
3,112
3,112
3,262
3,412
NA
NA
NA
20,584
24,064
31,594
9,072
12,552
20,082
1,338
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
169
0
0
7
109
13
22
15
13
0
11
0
27
9
0
395 |
NA
NA
1,725
6,540
8,265
26
9
3
55
0
0
5
2
0
8,265
29
54
17
0
0
20
3,112
3,112
3,262
3,412
NA
NA
NA
20,584
24,064
31,594
9,072
12,552
20,082
887
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
113
0
0
7
76
10
10
12
7
0
16
0
15
4
0
270 |
92
14
4,242
3,342
7,584
17
6
1
70
0
0
2
1
1
6,706
8
60
33
0
878
19
8,901
9,093
9,548
9,548
25,812
25,812
39,388
27,800
27,800
41,376
16,328
16,328
29,904
0
1,266
127
0
0
0
271
0
0
14
7
120
42
38
74
1
15
0
71
0
0
653 |
93
10
6,204
1,047
7,251
19
8
6
55
0
0
3
4
5
4,726
2
77
21
0
2,525
12
32,286
33,100
34,400
35,660
53,970
53,970
53,970
53,860
53,860
53,860
40,224
40,224
40,224
10
1,069
591
32
377
0
465
1
0
22
17
211
61
56
186
190
44
10
108
23
14
1,408 |
NA
NA
3,143
497
3,640
30
5
17
39
0
0
3
2
3
864
0
56
44
0
2,776
6
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
0
370
208
136
359
0
924
208
604
11
14
644
521
862
196
574
579
3
1,199
99
130
6,568 |
89
11
2,761
650
3,411
25
3
2
46
0
1
1
16
6
2,147
12
84
4
0
1,264
10
33,720
34,564
35,226
36,242
52,362
52,362
52,362
44,542
44,542
44,542
40,542
40,542
40,542
0
421
186
6
207
0
267
0
0
12
6
149
9
16
35
2
63
0
99
1
3
662 |
NA
NA
2,140
1,066
3,206
21
12
3
49
1
0
2
12
0
3,206
0
21
79
0
0
12
14,960
14,960
16,400
16,400
NA
NA
NA
37,109
37,109
37,109
21,449
21,449
21,449
564
115
0
0
0
0
164
0
0
1
26
18
0
3
0
0
5
0
35
0
0
252 |
28
20
2,603
91
2,694
53
4
8
25
0
0
5
1
5
2,531
1
99
1
0
163
9
46,456
47,392
49,264
51,352
68,224
68,224
68,224
68,224
68,224
68,224
61,417
61,417
61,417
0
586
99
0
0
0
300
6
0
12
43
65
79
54
91
12
44
0
108
22
3
839 |
NA
NA
1,836
260
2,096
13
11
1
67
0
0
0
6
2
1,147
2
80
18
0
949
11
29,926
29,926
31,124
31,728
45,734
45,734
45,734
45,734
45,734
45,734
35,028
35,028
35,028
0
279
357
42
5
0
140
0
0
8
1
26
38
7
48
5
22
11
57
12
0
375 |
95
20
1,297
64
1,361
39
12
2
40
0
0
4
2
0
1,290
1
87
11
0
71
10
31,850
32,970
33,920
34,920
51,450
51,450
51,450
56,480
56,480
56,480
39,920
39,920
39,920
0
372
41
0
0
0
123
0
0
5
4
68
12
6
33
0
33
0
29
0
0
313 |
NA
NA
939
0
939
24
14
1
51
0
1
3
5
0
939
0
42
57
0
0
25
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
3
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
18
0
0
0
3
8
4
0
0
0
0
17
5
0
0
55 |
98
99
879
0
879
25
15
4
46
1
1
6
2
0
782
0
31
69
0
97
13
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
128
153
64
0
0
0
66
0
0
1
8
28
25
3
5
0
6
15
4
0
0
161 |
NA
NA
718
0
718
16
11
1
66
1
0
2
3
0
718
0
46
54
0
0
23
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
99
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
31
0
0
0
8
7
0
0
0
0
0
0
2
0
0
48 |
NA
NA
596
0
596
26
9
1
62
0
0
2
1
0
596
0
53
47
1
0
25
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
3
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
15
0
0
0
2
7
3
0
0
0
0
14
4
0
0
45 |
0
NA
167
357
524
13
7
3
32
0
0
38
7
0
524
0
28
72
0
0
8
11,425
12,300
12,300
14,675
NA
NA
NA
31,015
31,015
31,015
18,935
18,935
18,935
245
9
0
0
0
0
34
0
0
2
4
8
3
1
0
1
0
0
3
0
0
56 |
NA
NA
443
0
443
12
14
1
70
0
0
0
2
0
443
0
43
56
0
0
28
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
0
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
16
0
0
0
14
6
0
1
0
0
0
0
2
0
0
39 |
Page 1 of 2
Christ Mission College |
Baptist University of the Americas |
|
Concorde Career College-San Antonio |
|
Oblate School of Theology |
|
College of Biomedical Equipment Technology |
|
Pima Medical Institute-San Antonio |
|
The College of Health Care Professions-South San Antonio |
|
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
390
0
390
8
5
0
86
0
0
1
1
0
390
0
69
31
0
0
30
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
33
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
13
0
0
0
10
5
0
0
0
0
0
0
2
0
0
30 |
NA
NA
341
0
341
21
10
2
59
0
1
7
0
0
341
0
55
45
0
0
35
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
29
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
17
0
0
0
7
2
0
0
0
0
0
0
5
1
0
32 |
NA
NA
229
67
296
9
3
4
5
0
0
0
77
1
296
0
22
77
0
0
30
23,095
23,095
23,095
24,000
NA
NA
NA
26,501
26,501
26,501
24,500
24,500
24,500
70
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
18
3
0
0
6
7
3
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
38 |
NA
NA
110
69
179
21
8
8
42
0
0
0
1
20
0
NA
NA
NA
NA
179
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
0
0
34
3
3
0
30
0
0
4
3
5
3
3
2
0
9
0
13
0
0
72 |
99
64
122
0
122
8
6
1
46
0
0
0
39
0
122
0
68
32
0
0
25
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
114
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
23
0
0
1
6
15
6
0
0
0
0
10
3
0
0
64 |
NA
NA
66
35
101
4
5
2
47
0
0
0
1
42
98
1
29
68
2
3
12
6,480
6,768
6,768
7,680
17,050
17,050
17,050
18,410
18,410
18,410
9,780
9,780
9,780
2
14
0
0
0
0
13
0
0
0
8
2
2
0
0
0
1
0
3
0
0
29 |
NA
NA
40
3
43
5
0
0
81
0
2
0
0
12
43
2
74
23
0
0
10
7,465
7,812
8,229
8,229
15,071
15,071
15,071
25,049
25,049
25,049
15,213
15,213
15,213
2
9
0
0
0
0
3
0
0
0
3
4
1
0
0
0
1
0
2
1
0
15 |
Page 2 of 2
Sources: STI: PopStats and STI: Colossus
|