Economic Impact

Degree attainment and economic prosperity are clearly linked.

A 2013 Economic Policy Institute report illustrated the good fiscal outcomes for states dedicating themselves to a well-educated workforce, including the clear correlation between educational attainment and wages, the positive relationship between a well-educated workforce and the ability to attract high-wage employers and the likelihood that an investment in education will outperform any other state governmental investment

The Milken Institute’s 2013 report titled “A Matter of Degrees” found that adding one extra year to the average years of schooling in a region can increase wages per worker by more than 8% and adding one year of college to a region’s workforce can increase GDP per capita by 17.4%

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Like the metropolitan areas described in these reports, Central Ohio’s economic prosperity is clearly tied to regional degree attainment.

146,000 More than 146,000 students are currently enrolled in area colleges and universities.

50 Central Ohio is home to more than 50 college and university campuses.

#8 Columbus was ranked No. 8 on Creative Cities International's 2011 "Vitality Index", a cultural impact study that models cities' human experience.

#2 Ohio State University ranks No. 2 in industry-sponsored research, according to the National Science Foundation.