BOONE—Spend a dollar on education at Appalachian State University and that dollar will yield another $6.40 in benefits to taxpayers, or a 15.9 percent return on investment, according to an economic impact value of higher education conducted by the Idaho-based company Economic Modeling Specialists International (EMSI) for the University of North Carolina system.

The EMSI report, released in February by UNC General Administration, estimated new or added economic activity in 2012-13. The report showed the $355.3 million in payroll and operations spending of Appalachian, together with construction spending and the spending of its students, visitors and alumni, created a total impact of $1.7 billion in economic value to the state.

“In fiscal year 2012-13, the state and local taxpayers invested $149.7 million in Appalachian,” Chancellor Sheri N. Everts told members of the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce March 19.

“The return on this investment is added tax revenue stemming from students’ higher lifetime incomes and the increased output of businesses, for a net benefit to North Carolina taxpayers in the amount of $757.8 million,” she said.

“In other words, for every one dollar invested, the taxpayer return is a benefit of $6.40. The average annual return on investment is 15.9 percent. These numbers clearly illustrate that higher education in North Carolina, and Appalachian in particular, is a wise investment,” Everts said.

Payroll and benefits paid to Appalachian’s 3,718 full-time and part-time employees in 2012-13 totaled $215.2 million. The net impact in new income for the state as employees purchased goods and services throughout the state totaled of $251.1 million. Spending on day-to-day operations and research totaled $140.1 million.

Out-of-state students enrolled at the university during the study, approximately 9 percent of the total enrollment, added approximately $18 million in income to the state’s economy in terms of rent, groceries, transportation and other non-academic expenditures.

When they begin their careers, students attending Appalachian can expect to earn an additional $3.70 in future income for each dollar they invested in their education, for an average annual 14.5 percent return on their investment.

For every dollar spent on education at Appalachian, N.C. communities could expect to receive a cumulative value of $13.30 in benefits for as long as the 2012-13 students remain active in the state workforce.

“This same study found that the accumulated contribution of Appalachian’s alumni currently employed in North Carolina totaled $1.4 billion in added income to our state,” Everts said. That is equivalent to creating 23,372 jobs, according to the EMSI report.

Spending by out-of-state visitors coming to Appalachian added another $4.1 million to the local and state economy. Construction projects on campus during 2012-13 contributed $3.5 million. Research funds spent on payroll, equipment purchases and supplies during this period generated $3 million in additional state income.

A fact sheet about Appalachian’s economic value to the state is online at http://appstate.edu/_documents/economic-value-fact-sheet.pdf (PDF 18.8M).

As a whole, the University of North Carolina system created $27.9 billion in added state income in 2012-13, which was equivalent to more than 426,000 jobs.

The full UNC system report is available at http://www.northcarolina.edu/economic-impact-2015.

About Appalachian State University

As a premier public institution, Appalachian State University prepares students to lead purposeful lives. App State is one of 17 campuses in the University of North Carolina System, with a national reputation for innovative teaching and opening access to a high-quality, affordable education for all. The university enrolls more than 21,000 students, has a low student-to-faculty ratio and offers more than 150 undergraduate and 80 graduate majors at its Boone and Hickory campuses and through App State Online. Learn more at https://www.appstate.edu.

What do you think?

Share your feedback on this story.