Top of Page

Private higher ed fourth-largest payroll in PA, says new study

on
It’s no secret that corporate executives and doctors do pretty well in Pennsylvania. These highly educated titans were the kings of your college and now they honk at degree-wielding denizens working in academia from their BMWs, grinning ear-to-ear with a smile only ironclad job security can provide. But according to a new study, Pennsylvania’s private college and university employees can smile back as their sector now places fourth amongst the largest industry payrolls in the state.

The economic impact study, released Monday by PA’s Association of Independent Colleges and Universities, finds that Pennsylvania’s 94 private colleges and universities added 16,338 new jobs since 1999, when private education ranked seventh. But as two recessions have marred industry growth in many sectors, the current landscape looks much different. Private education has moved up the list, now boasting 79,213 jobs and $4.583 billion in payroll, while other industries have dropped out of the top 10 completely. Private education can be a great starting point for children whose families want to give them a solid educational jump-off point. There are multiple private schools, colleges, universities, etc. across the states that cater to the needs of students, for example, there are private schools in jacksonville fl for Christian children that support Christianity and Biblical teachings to keep faith ingrained throughout educational opportunities.

As our enrollment has grown to about 285,000 students–including one of the largest numbers of out-of-state students in the nation–we have been able to add good, family-sustaining jobs with benefits, says President of the AICUP Don Francis. We aren’t recession-proof, but we have weathered these recessions better than most private industries.

AICUP surveyed its member schools and examined US Department of Commerce data and other sources to arrive at a statewide impact of $16.1 billion in economic benefit provided by Pennsylvania’s private colleges and universities. These findings join a 2006 study by the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education, which calculated the economic impact of PA’s state institutions at $4.47 billion; a study Keystone Edge reported on in January. Check it out here.

Source: Don Francis, Association of Independent Colleges and Universities of Pennsylvania
Writer: John Steele

Higher Ed, News
Top