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TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A study commissioned by the Kansas Independent College Association found that more than a dozen small, private colleges contribute more than $980 million annually to the state's economy.
The association's president Matt Lindsey said the study was commissioned in part to raise the profile of the 18 colleges, which generally aren't well known except by their graduates, the Topeka Capital-Journal reported (http://bit.ly/1yk5t38 ).
"A lot of folks don't realize our schools are here," he said. "A big piece of it is to raise our profile in Kansas."
Lindsey said that the private colleges account for about one-quarter of the state's new teachers and nurses.
About $720 million of the economic impact Kansas sees from the private colleges comes from graduates' increased productivity, based on the average amount college graduates earn compared with those who don't have degrees, according to the report. Between the 18 colleges, almost 5,000 degrees are handed out to graduates each year. It's not known how many of those graduates stay in Kansas.
The study also shows about $231 million in economic impact Kansas receives is for wages the private universities spend on their employees and the money their workers then spend from those salaries.
About $16 million comes from student spending on food, gasoline and entertainment, and about $14 million from more than a quarter-million people who visit the campuses for events.
Colleges included in the study are Baker University, Friends University, Benedictine College, Bethany College, Bethel College, Central Christian College, Donnelly College, Hesston College, Kansas Wesleyan, Manhattan Christian College, McPherson College, MidAmerica Nazarene University, Newman University, Ottawa University, Southwestern College, Sterling College, Tabor College and University of St. Mary.
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Information from: The Topeka (Kan.) Capital-Journal, http://www.cjonline.com
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