Colorado’s economic engine

MSU Denver’s nearly $1 billion impact fuels the state’s economy.

By John Arnold

Against the backdrop of a global pandemic, nationwide enrollment challenges and surging inflation, Metropolitan State University of Denver has emerged stronger than ever as a major economic driver in Colorado, contributing nearly $1 billion annually to the state’s economy.

MSU Denver’s economic footprint has grown from $700 million in 2019 to more than $950 million in 2023, according to a new Universitycommissioned economic impact report that also shows that the University supports and sustains more than 7,200 jobs across the state.

The report’s author credits MSU Denver’s “outsized impact” to its lean operating model that focused on student success amid global challenges.

“MSU Denver was positioned to navigate the storm,” said Nichole Parker, managing principal of Parker Strategy Group. “It’s not a bloated organization. While there were influxes of (pandemic relief) dollars, it has always been a good steward of its dollars.”

In conducting the research for the 2019 and 2023 reports, Parker considered among other factors MSU Denver’s operating expenditures: what it costs to pay for day-to-day operations, including student and campusvisitor spending.

The findings indicate an impressive return on investment for the State of Colorado. For every dollar it receives in state funding, MSU Denver generates an $11.52 impact. The report reinforces the value of a college degree and higher education’s critical role in fueling the state’s economy, said Kishore Kulkarni, Ph.D., a distinguished professor in MSU Denver’s Department of Economics.

He noted that not only does MSU Denver support thousands of jobs across the state, the University provides highly skilled workers for the critical, in-demand industries that need them most, such as health care, aerospace, business and education.

“There is a misconception that a college degree is not that important,” Kulkarni said. “Obviously, that is the wrong argument when you look at the benefits you see in the long term. Our students get not only skills to get a job but skills to be critical thinkers, which is something that sets them apart from high-schoolers seeking jobs.”

The vast majority of MSU Denver graduates remain in Colorado after earning degrees, the report states. Nearly 83,000 alumni support more than 4% of the state’s workforce, and the University’s economic impact extends to all 35 state Senate districts, the report found.

Thanks to the University’s commitment to providing accessible education, MSU Denver contributes significantly to a more diverse workforce, graduating students who might not otherwise have attended or succeeded in college without the University’s robust student-support services, Parker added. Nearly 60% of MSU Denver undergraduates are among the first generation in their families to attend college.

“If not MSU Denver, then who is embracing these students and making sure they have the skills and tools they need to be a part of the workforce?” she said. “MSU Denver fills a unique role in the community. If these first-generation students are not welcome or do not receive proper services, they’re not going to stay.”

The 2023 report also highlights extraordinary growth in the University’s fundraising efforts, a crucial component in keeping MSU Denver affordable. The University drew $3.8 million in private contributions in 2012; in fiscal 2023, MSU Denver raised more than $15.8 million, a 315% increase.

“That’s a huge deal and huge testament that donors and alumni believe in MSU Denver’s overall value,” Parker said.

76.5% of graduates live in Colorado after graduation as of 2023.

4.2% of Colorado’s workforce is supported by Roadrunner alumni and their spending.

2,975 Jobs supported by student spending

391 Jobs supported by visitor spending

7,233 Total jobs supported

3,867 Jobs supported by operations

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