Middle Georgia State responsible for more than $296M in contribution to regional economy

Between salaries, benefits, supplies, construction and student spending, Middle Georgia State University contributed more than $296 million to the local and state economies, according to a report by the University System of Georgia. 

The report, which is released annually, highlights the money that flows in and around public universities in Georgia thanks to employees, students and the universities themselves. 

This year’s figure for MGA represents an approximately 3% increase over last year’s $288 million.

“Middle Georgia State University continues to be a driving force in our region’s economic vitality,” said Christopher Blake, MGA’s president. “The economic impact of our institution extends beyond our five campuses, fostering job creation and supporting employment through the spending of our students, faculty, and staff.”

Factors that contribute to the total “output impact” of the university include salaries and benefits, operating supplies, spending by students who attend the institution and spending by the institutions for capital projects such as construction.

As a whole, Georgia’s 26 state universities contributed a total of $21.9 billion to the state’s economy between July 1, 2022, and June 30, 2023 – a 9% increase over the previous year, the study showed. The system’s impact includes 163,332 full- and part-time jobs – 3.2% of all non-farm jobs in Georgia. 

MGA had an employment impact of 2,769 jobs last year. That is about a 5.5% decrease from 2022, during which MGA had an impact of 2,930 jobs.

The report estimates that there are 1,960 off-campus jobs that “exist due to institution-related spending.”

This matters for locals because, the more employees are attracted to an area because of the college campus — whether or not they are actually employed by the university —  the more local businesses will benefit from their spending. 

Being near universities also helps local businesses and households through outreach and public services performed by the university. General quality of life is improved, the report says, through cultural and educational programs and facilities that are often available to the public.

“MGA’s impact on the economy is not the only benefit of our commitment to our core values of stewardship, engagement, adaptability, and learning, but it is a significant and important one that demonstrates the vital role the university plays in uplifting the communities we serve,” Blake said.

The report found that MGA’s economic impact is primarily felt in counties where there are campuses, which include Bibb, Bleckley, Laurens, Dodge and Houston. The university’s economic impact is also noted in Jones, Monroe, Peach, Crawford, Twiggs, Baldwin, Wilkinson, Lamar and Pulaski counties.