Clemson says it has major economic impact

February 20, 2014

Clemson University generated approximately $1.9 billion in economic output for South Carolina last year, and its activities accounted for nearly 25,000 jobs, according to a new study by the school’s Strom Thurmond Institute.

It said Clemson’s net impact on state government revenue was $81.8 million more than its state appropriation, and its net return to local governments was $128.2 million.

“In other words, Clemson is a net funder of state and local government, generating millions of dollars more in economic output than it receives in annual appropriations,” said Rob Carey, director of the Regional Economics Analysis Laboratory at Clemson’s Strom Thurmond Institute.

In the Greenville-Spartanburg-Anderson Combined Statistical Area, Clemson University’s economic impact was $1.647 billion in 2013, the study said.

It generated 21,454 jobs, $874 million in disposable income and $106.1 million for local governments, according to the study.

The Greenville statistical area includes Greenville, Spartanburg, Anderson, Pickens, Laurens and Union counties.

In the tri-county region of Anderson, Oconee and Pickens, Clemson’s economic output was $896.9 million, the study said. It generated 13,315 jobs and disposable income of $587.1 million. Local governments netted $65.6 million in revenue, according to the study.

“This was a conservative economic impact study,” Carey said. “It is limited to those economic factors that can be attributed directly to university activities.”

He said it doesn’t include the impact of nearly 60,000 Clemson alumni who live in the state and the jobs created by private companies located at innovation campuses in Greenville, Charleston and Anderson.

To read the complete article, visit the Greenville News.