¾«¶«Ó°Òµ

Economic Impact Study

Creating a Strong & Inclusive Illinois Economy 

¾«¶«Ó°Òµ contributes $1.6 billion to the Illinois economy annually, supporting 17,525 jobs. As our alumni and employer partners know, ¾«¶«Ó°Òµ is a driving force in Illinois’ economy, educating diverse talent who are leading in the fields of education, business, health sciences, science and technology, the arts, and more. 

Our students’ lives are changed with an education from ¾«¶«Ó°Òµ. Our bachelor degree graduates each earn additional $843,000 over the course of their professional careers. This means a return of $5.00 in increased future earnings for every $1 a student invests in their education at ¾«¶«Ó°Òµ. 

A new report, conducted by labor market analytics firm Emsi, indicated that our Cougar graduates are not only influencers in their respective industries; they are also a driving force in the Illinois economy.

A graph sourced from Emsi employment data that displays the average growth in earnings of a ¾«¶«Ó°Òµ bachelor's degree graduate compared to a person with a high school diploma or equivalent working in Illinois

 

Spending Impact

Infographic of ¾«¶«Ó°Òµ's operations impact, totaling 1.6 billion dollars in total or 17,525 jobs supported

Operations Spending

  • ¾«¶«Ó°Òµ employed 672 full-time and part-time faculty and staff (excluding research employees). Payroll amounted to $73.4 million (excluding payroll from research employees), much of which was spent in the state for groceries, mortgage and rent payments, dining out, and other household expenses. The university spent another $19.8 million on day-to-day expenses related to facilities, supplies, and professional services (excluding research expenditures).
  • The net impact of the university’s operations spending added $85.2 million in income to the state economy in Fiscal Year (FY) 2018-19.


Research Spending Impact

  • Research activities at ¾«¶«Ó°Òµ impacted the state economy by employing people and making purchases for equipment, supplies, and services. In FY 2018-19, ¾«¶«Ó°Òµ spent $3.1 million on payroll and $7.8 million on other expenses to support research activities.
  • ¾«¶«Ó°Òµâ€™s research spending generated $14.5 million in added income for the Illinois economy in FY 2018-19


Student Spending Impact

  • Around 8% of students who attended ¾«¶«Ó°Òµ originated from outside the state. Some of these students relocated to Illinois. In addition, some in-state students would have left Illinois for other educational opportunities if not for ¾«¶«Ó°Òµ. 
  • The spending from students outside of Illinois generated $6.7 million in added income for the state economy.

 

 

Investment Impact 

Inforgraphic sharing that for every dollar, students gain five dollars in lifetime earnings, taxpayers gain three dollars in added tax revenue and public sector savings, and society gains seven dollars in added income and social savings

Student Perspecitve

  • ¾«¶«Ó°Òµâ€™s FY 2018-19 students paid a present value of $23 million to cover the cost of tuition, fees, supplies, and interest on student loans. They also forwent $34.8 million in money that they would have earned had they been working instead of attending college.
  • In return for their investment, students received $288 million in increased earnings over their working lives. This translates to a return of $5.00 in higher future earnings for every dollar students invest in their education. Students’ average annual rate of return is 24.3%.


Taxpayer Perspective

  • ¾«¶«Ó°Òµ generates more tax revenue than it takes. Taxpayers provided ¾«¶«Ó°Òµ with $40.2 million of funding in FY 2018-19. In return, they benefited from added tax revenue, stemming from students’ higher lifetime earnings and increased business output, amounting to $103.5 million. A reduced demand for government-funded services in Illinois adds another $15.8 million in benefits to taxpayers.
  • For every dollar of public money invested in ¾«¶«Ó°Òµ, taxpayers receive $3.00 in return, over the course of students’ working lives. The average annual rate of return for taxpayers is 11.9%.


Social Perspective

  • For every dollar invested in ¾«¶«Ó°Òµ in FY 2018-19, people in Illinois will receive $7.10 in return, for as long as ¾«¶«Ó°Òµâ€™s FY 2018-19 students remain active in the state workforce. 

The results of this study demonstrate that ¾«¶«Ó°Òµ created value from multiple perspectives. 

  • Business: The university benefits state businesses by increasing consumer spending in the state and supplying a steady flow of qualified, trained workers to the workforce. 
  • Students: ¾«¶«Ó°Òµ enriches the lives of students by raising their lifetime earnings and helping them achieve their individual potential. 
  • Taxpayers: The university benefits state and local taxpayers through increased tax receipts and a reduced demand for government-supported social services. 
  • Statewide: ¾«¶«Ó°Òµ benefits society as a whole in Illinois by creating a more prosperous economy and generating a variety of savings through the improved lifestyles of students.

Thoughts From Our Business and Public Leaders

 
Quote from JB Pritzker, Governor of Illinois: "¾«¶«Ó°Òµ is critical to building a strong state economy. That's why my administration was proud to support ¾«¶«Ó°Òµ with bold investments throught the state's Rebuild Illinois capital plan, which has provided nearly thirty million dollars for campus infrastructure improvements and a state of the art nursing facility. I applaud ¾«¶«Ó°Òµ leadership for their work to provide a quality education to its students and I look forward to our continued partnership to educate our next generation of leaders and innovators."

Quote from Lori Lightfoot, Mayor of Chicago: "¾«¶«Ó°Òµ's inaugural economic impact study illustrates the full extent this incredible institution plays in our regions economy. Chicago benefits temendeously from the ¾«¶«Ó°Òµ alum who are leading in their professions, and I share President Scott and the University's passionate commitment to research and engagement that results in equitable developmennt and improved social determinants which strengthen our city and entire region."

Quote from Jack Lavin, President and CEO of Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce: "The Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce is pleased to support ¾«¶«Ó°Òµ on the publication of its inaugural Economic Impact Statement. Like ¾«¶«Ó°Òµ, we recognize that higher education institutions are important to the economic transformation of the City of Chicago and its neighborhoods."

Quote from Avis LaVelle, Executive Director of Business Leadership Council: "¾«¶«Ó°Òµ is the unacknowledged treasure among Illinois institutions of higher education. It is time for all to recognize what a jewel ¾«¶«Ó°Òµ is and the extent to which it has contributed to the educational success of so many."

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Document Description
PDF Icon Fact Sheet Regarding economic value of ¾«¶«Ó°Òµ
PDF Icon Executive Summary ¾«¶«Ó°Òµ's economic impact on the State of Illinois