More than 384 Pennsylvania jobs can be attributed to Penn State Scranton, study finds.
DUNMORE, Pa. — Penn State Scranton contributed $40,335,617 million to the Pennsylvania economy in FY 2017, and supported, directly and indirectly, 384 Pennsylvania jobs. A new study, released Feb. 26 by Penn State, focused on measuring the University’s impact in communities across the Commonwealth.
Overall, the study found that Penn State is an economic powerhouse, contributing more than $11.6 billion to the state’s economy. More than 102,000 Pennsylvania jobs can be attributed to Penn State on the whole, the study found; and for every $1 in state appropriations received by Penn State, the University returns $1.24 in tax payments to the Commonwealth.
“Penn State Scranton has been providing quality, affordable education to northeast Pennsylvania residents for over 50 years. During that time, we have worked with local business and industry to offer degree programs and workforce development initiatives outlined as being critical to our region’s economy and aimed at building a top-notch area workforce,” said Penn State Scranton Chancellor Marwan Wafa.
“We work with the Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce, local hospitals, a variety of regional employers, and have forged partnerships with other non-profits and regional institutions of higher education in order to ensure our community’s educational needs are met," he added.
“By any measure, Penn State is a powerful economic engine for Pennsylvania, contributing billions of dollars each year to the economy in communities across the Commonwealth, educating more than 98,000 students annually, and creating many thousands of jobs,” said Penn State President Eric J. Barron. “This study highlights the widespread nature of Penn State’s economic contributions. Our University, with 24 locations across the Commonwealth, an academic medical center and a growing health system, is an engine that drives the economy and improves lives in all 67 Pennsylvania counties.”
Penn State Scranton contributes significantly to the PA economy.
Credit: Penn State
The study employed a best-practice model, endorsed by the Association of Public Land-Grant Universities (APLU) and the American Association of Universities (AAU), to measure Penn State’s annual contribution to Pennsylvania’s economy. The study focused on quantifying the direct and extended impact of the University’s spending on goods and services in Pennsylvania, employee pay and benefits, spending on renovations and new facilities, student spending, and operations expenditures for Penn State Health. It also found that Penn State’s 24-campus locations spread the University’s economic contributions into communities in all corners of Pennsylvania, in a way that is unmatched by any other university in the Commonwealth.
Other measures of Penn State’s contributions
The study provides an important view of Penn State’s contributions by certain measures. Wafa also highlighted that there are many other ways in which Penn State Scranton generates economic activity in northeast Pennsylvania and benefits Pennsylvania students, families and residents.
Examples of these secondary benefits to Pennsylvania are numerous.
Beyond the $40,335,617 in total economic contributions measured by the study, additional, secondary impacts of Penn State Scranton’s presence in the region not measured include business revenue and personal income generated by visitors to campus events; donations of money and time by Penn State Scranton students, faculty, staff and alumni to important regional causes, such as the United Way, Annual Day of Caring and free community health screenings; leading new business startups and driving student career success and job creation at the new Scranton LaunchBox in South Scranton; partnering with key area organizations, as part of Invent Penn State; and the many other ways Penn State through its teaching, research and service helps Pennsylvania and its citizens to compete and succeed on a global stage.
Impacting communities
In addition to overarching contributions, the study highlights the significant local influence of Penn State’s campuses on the state’s economy and citizenry. Outside of University Park and Penn State Health, the study found that Penn State operations and student spending at campus locations across the Commonwealth combined for more than $2 billion in total economic contributions, with most of those impacts coming in the county in which each campus is situated.
More than 95 percent of Pennsylvania residents live within 30 miles of a Penn State campus, and 75 percent live within 15 miles, putting a world-class Penn State degree within driving distance for most Pennsylvanians.
The University’s 19 undergraduate Commonwealth Campuses alone play a critical role for Pennsylvanians statewide, serving more than 30,000 students and employing more than 8,000 full- and part-time faculty and staff members.
“Along with fulfilling our land-grant mission to provide an accessible and affordable education to Pennsylvania citizens, the campuses have a powerful economic impact throughout the Commonwealth, tie Penn State philanthropy and volunteerism to local communities, and support our strategic efforts and moral imperative to foster diversity and inclusion,” Barron said in recent remarks to the Penn State Board of Trustees. “Our campuses help Penn State to serve the families of Pennsylvania, enabling students to access a world-class education and to live at home, work and go to school in their own local communities.”
