WKU News

Western Kentucky University creates a significant economic impact for the community, region and state and generates a positive return on investment for students, taxpayers and society, according to an analysis by Lightcast.

In fiscal year 2022-23, the impact of WKU’s operations, research, visitor and student spending, together with volunteerism and the enhanced productivity of its alumni, included the following:

• WKU added $528.4 million in income for the Bowling Green region, a value approximately equal to 4.3% of the region’s total gross regional product (GRP). WKU’s impact is equivalent to supporting 9,404 jobs. For perspective, the activities of WKU and its students support one out of every 17 jobs in the region of Allen, Barren, Butler, Edmonson, Logan, Simpson and Warren counties.
• WKU added $1.6 billion in income to the Kentucky economy, equivalent to supporting 23,996 jobs.
• WKU added $134.0 million in income to the Regional Campus service areas, equivalent to supporting 2,167 jobs in the areas served by campuses in Glasgow, Owensboro, Elizabethtown/Fort Knox and Somerset.

To assess WKU’s value to the regional economy, the report evaluated the university from the perspectives of economic impact analysis and investment analysis.

In FY 2022-23, WKU spent $139.7 million on payroll and benefits for 2,580 full-time and part-time employees, and spent another $142.8 million on goods and services to carry out its day-to-day and construction operations and research activities.

In addition to expanding the state economy, the presence of WKU creates a range of positive social benefits that accrue to taxpayers and society in general within Kentucky. For each dollar invested by students, taxpayers and society, WKU offers a benefit of $3.90, $2.20, and $5.90, respectively.

Results indicate that WKU is an attractive investment to students with rates of return that exceed alternative investment opportunities. In 2022-23, students paid a present value of $103.8 million to cover the cost of tuition, fees, supplies and interest on student loans. In return, students will receive a cumulative present value of $951.3 million in increased earnings over their working lives or a return of $3.90 for each dollar invested. Students’ average annual rate of return is 14.7%.

Taxpayers provided WKU with $119.3 million of funding in FY 2022-23. In return, total taxpayer benefits amount to $258.0 million from added tax revenue and public sector savings. For every dollar of public money invested in WKU, taxpayers will receive $2.20 in return over the course of students’ working lives or an average annual rate of return of 5.1%.

In FY 2022-23, Kentucky invested $452.5 million to support WKU. In turn, Kentucky’s economy will grow by $2.5 billion over the course of students’ working lives and will benefit from $210.3 million of public and private sector savings. For every dollar invested in WKU in FY2022-23, people in Kentucky will receive $5.90 in return, for as long as 2022-23 students remain active in the workforce.

The report on the Economic Value of Western Kentucky University included three sections – the Bowling Green Service Area (Allen, Barren, Butler, Edmonson, Logan, Simpson and Warren counties), the Regional Campus Service Areas (Glasgow, Owensboro, Elizabethtown/Fort Knox and Somerset) and Kentucky.

• More: Bowling Green Area Fact Sheet; Regional Campus Fact Sheet; Statewide Fact Sheet

Contact: Jace Lux, (270) 745-4295

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Western Kentucky University prides itself on positioning its students, faculty and staff for long term success. As a student-centered, applied research university, WKU helps students expand on classroom learning by integrating education with real-world applications in the communities we serve. Our hilltop campus is located in Bowling Green, Kentucky, which was recently named by Reader’s Digest as one of the nicest towns in America, just an hour’s drive from Nashville, Tennessee.