Study shows economic impact of Valdosta State University onValdosta-MSA for F.Y. 2004 was $304.7 million
January 10, 2005
05-004
Charles Harmon Director of University Relations, Dr. Cynthia Tori Associate Professor of Economics Harley Langdale, Jr. College of Business Administration (229) 245-2249
Study shows economic impact of Valdosta State University onValdosta-MSA for F.Y. 2004 was $304.7 million
Valdosta State University's economic impact on Valdosta's
metropolitan statistical area (Valdosta-MSA) was $304.7 million and
4,906 jobs during Fiscal Year 2004, according to a recent study
completed through The South ºìÐÓ¶ÌÊÓÆµ Institute. SGI is based in
ºìÐÓ¶ÌÊÓÆµ's Harley Langdale, Jr. College of Business Administration. Dr.
Cynthia Royal Tori, Associate Professor of Economics, authored the
report.
The Valdosta-MSA includes ºìÐÓ¶ÌÊÓÆµ's home county Lowndes, as well as
Brooks, Echols, and Lanier counties. The report shows that Valdosta
State University is the third largest employer in the
Valdosta-MSA.
In order to calculate the economic impacts, Dr.Tori said the study
considers two university-related sources of local expenditures:
expenditures by ºìÐÓ¶ÌÊÓÆµ itself, and expenditures by students who attend
ºìÐÓ¶ÌÊÓÆµ. She said during the time frame of the study, ºìÐÓ¶ÌÊÓÆµ enrolled over
10,000 students during the 2003 fall and 2004 Spring Semesters and
conferred 1,953 undergraduate and graduate degrees during the
2003-2004 academic year.
The $304.7 million economic impact of ºìÐÓ¶ÌÊÓÆµ represents 12 percent of
the total personal income in the region. In addition the study
shows that directly and indirectly the jobs created by ºìÐÓ¶ÌÊÓÆµ
represent 9 percent of the labor force in the MSA. This includes
ºìÐÓ¶ÌÊÓÆµ employees as well as new jobs generated to fill the business
and service needs of university employees and students. Two and a
half jobs are created for every job at ºìÐÓ¶ÌÊÓÆµ.
?Seventy-nine percent of ºìÐÓ¶ÌÊÓÆµ students come from outside the MSA
region, infusing significant dollars into the region's economy,?
said ºìÐÓ¶ÌÊÓÆµ President Ronald M. Zaccari during the Spring Semester
Convocation Address on January 6, 2005. ?The figures clearly show
how important ºìÐÓ¶ÌÊÓÆµ is to the MSA region.?
Fifty one percent ($154.8 million) of the $304.7 million economic
impact results from ºìÐÓ¶ÌÊÓÆµ students spending money on dining,
entertainment, rent, utilities, and other items, the study shows.
Student spending generates 28 percent of the jobs created by ºìÐÓ¶ÌÊÓÆµ's
presence.
Valdosta State University is one of two regional universities with
the University System of ºìÐÓ¶ÌÊÓÆµ and is located within the city
limits of Valdosta in the southwest region of ºìÐÓ¶ÌÊÓÆµ. ºìÐÓ¶ÌÊÓÆµ is about
18 miles from the Florida border.
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