MOBILE, Ala., February 14, 2023 — Students and alumni of colleges within the Alabama Community College System (ACCS) add $6.6 billion to Alabama’s economy, supporting one out of every 27 jobs in the state, according to an economic impact report released Monday.
The independent, 102-page report by Lightcast estimates the Alabama Community College System directly impacts 98,923 jobs in the state, representing about 2.7% of Alabama’s gross state product. Additionally, taxpayers see a net benefit of $1.1 billion in added tax revenue from students’ higher lifetime earnings and increased output to businesses.
Each college in the system also received the results of the impact on its local economy. In the fiscal year 2020-2021, Bishop State Community College’s annual impact totaled $190.4 million in added income in its service areas in Mobile and Washington Counties. Expressed in terms of jobs, Bishop State’s impact supported 2,974 jobs. For perspective, the activities of Bishop State and its students support one out of every 83 jobs in the Bishop Service Area.
"Bishop State creates a significant positive impact on the business community and generates a return on investment to its major stakeholder groups—students, taxpayers, and society,” according to the report.
For every $1 a student invests in Bishop State, they will gain $7.30 in lifetime earnings. The average associate degree graduate from Bishop State will see an increase in earnings of $8,900 each year compared to a person with a high school diploma or equivalent working in Alabama. Taxpayers also benefit from investing in Bishop State. For every dollar of public money invested in Bishop State, taxpayers will receive a cumulative value of $2.30 over the course of the students’ working lives. Society gains $6.60 in added income and social savings for every dollar invested.
“Bishop State influences both the lives of its students and the regional economy,” the study finds. “The college supports a variety of industries in the Bishop Service Area, serves regional businesses, and benefits society as a whole in Alabama from an expanded economy and improved quality of life. Additionally, the benefits created by Bishop State extend to the state government through increased tax revenues and public sector savings.”
“We are proud of the impact Bishop State makes in our service area,” says Bishop State President Olivier Charles. “We know the decisions we make and the actions we take daily have a ripple effect in the lives of our students, faculty, staff, all their families, and those connected to them. Now this study provides the evidence to prove it. Investing in Bishop State benefits everyone. We are thankful for all who choose to support us in that way and hope to continue to grow those relationships and connections for the sake of our students.”
Today, thousands of former Bishop State students are employed in the Bishop Service Area. As a result of their education from Bishop State, the students receive higher earnings and increase the productivity of the businesses that employ them. In FY 2020-21, of the total annual impact generated, Bishop State alumni generated $153.3 million in added income for the regional economy, which is equivalent to supporting 2,389 jobs. This economic boost is like hosting the World Series 24 times!
Lightcast, a global leader in labor market analytics for colleges and universities, analyzed data using FY2020-21 academic and financial reports from Alabama’s community and technical colleges, as well industry and employment data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and Census Bureau.
The full ACCS report can be found at www.accs.edu/impact.
Bishop State Economic Impact Fact Sheet
Bishop State Economic Impact Infographic
About ACCS
The Alabama Community College System (ACCS) is Alabama's gateway to first-class, affordable education and technical training to compete in a constantly evolving workforce. With 24 community and technical colleges in more than 130 locations, the ACCS benefits more than 144,000 Alabamians through various certification, credential, dual enrollment, and degree programs ACCS offers alongside leading industry partners. A total of 95% of residents who study at Alabama’s community colleges remain in the state. The System includes the Alabama Technology Network, which provides extensive training and service offerings directly to business and industry. ACCS is governed by the Alabama Community College System Board of Trustees.