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The Economic Value and Impact of North Carolina’s 58 Community Colleges
The greatest economic impact of North Carolina Community Colleges stems from the added human capital the knowledge, creativity, imagination, and entrepreneurship found in their alumni.
#NCCommColleges #BigROIforNC #Great58
a big return on investment for:
The State
North Carolina’s 58 Community Colleges have a $19 Billion annual impact on the state’s economy.
NC Community Colleges made up about 3.4% of the state’s total gross state product (GSP) in 2019-20.
Our Communities
NC Community Colleges support nearly 320,000 jobs in our communities.
Community college graduates have higher incomes, contributing to a larger tax base and a growing state.
Taxpayers
NC Community Colleges generate nearly double the revenue from what they take from taxpayers.
For every $1 the state invests, taxpayers get $1.90 back in added tax revenues and public sector savings.
Students
For every $1 students invest to attend a local community college, they gain $4.50 in lifetime earnings.
NC Community College students enjoyed an average rate of return on their college investment of 22.3%.
calculating the economic impact across the state
Click on the 58 North Carolina Community Colleges below to learn how each campus is impacting their state and local communities and the students they serve.
the
big
roi
every dollar invested in north carolina community colleges yields...
$1.00
TAXPAYER REVENUE & PUBLIC SECTOR SAVINGS
$1.90
ADDITIONAL INCOME & SOCIAL SAVINGS
$7.50
STUDENT LIFETIME EARNINGS
$4.50
North Carolina’s Community Colleges Support
1 out of every 19 jobs
In Our State's Workforce
NC COMMUNITY COLLEGES
BEAT THE STOCK MARKET 2:1
North Carolina Community College students enjoyed an average rate of return on their college investment of 22.3%.
The S&P 500 had an average annual rate of return of 10.6% over the last 30 years. By investing in themselves, North Carolina Community College students beat the stock market 2:1.
S&P 500 30 YR AVG ANNUAL RATE OF RETURN
10.6%
NC COMMUNITY COLLEGE STUDENT AVG RATE OF RETURN
22.3%
Each of North Carolina’s Community Colleges pump millions of dollars into the regions they serve – creating jobs, wealth, and opportunities for local residents.
See how your local community college is transforming lives and impacting the local and statewide economy.
Find full Economic Impact Study (EIS) reports for every North Carolina Community College below, along with Program-Specific Economic Studies (PSEIS)
partnering organizations
This report was developed from a working group of community partners formed to collaborate with Emsi Burning Glass to produce an Economic Impact Study (EIS) and five Program-Specific Economic Impact Studies (PSEIS) for each of the 58 community colleges and the combined system with support from the North Carolina General Assembly.
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