STATESBORO — The annual survey on the economic impact of the University System of Georgia reveals Georgia Southern University had a $524 million economic impact on Statesboro and the Bulloch County area and accounted for more than 6,500 jobs in fiscal year 2012.
“Despite the tough economic times we faced in the last several years, Georgia Southern continues to grow, provide a high-quality education and generate jobs for so many people,” GSU President Dr. Brooks Keel said. “Even with the financial challenges, people still value higher education and see it as a life-changing investment. We are so proud of what this university contributes to our community and so thankful for the tremendous support we receive in return.”
According to the survey from the Selig Center for Economic Growth at the University of Georgia, Georgia Southern student spending accounted for $272 million of the university’s economic impact and resulted in nearly 3,500 jobs in the Statesboro and Bulloch County areas. The research found that for every dollar of initial spending by a USG institution or its students, an additional 45 cents was generated for the local economy.
The study showed the USG’s 31 colleges and universities combined to have a $14.1 billion economic impact on the state. This is a $980 million increase from FY2011 and a $7 billion boost since FY1999. USG institutions account for more than 139,000 full and part-time jobs in Georgia. One job out of every 28 in the state is due to the university system.
The complete study with data for all 31 USG institutions is available at www.usg.edu/economic_development/documents/usg_Impact_fy2012.pdf.