A RETURN ON INVESTMENT

The San Diego Community College District’s economic impact reached $4.1 billion in the 2019-20 fiscal year, an amount that is enough to support nearly 42,000 jobs — or nearly 1 in every 52 — in the county, a new study shows.

$4.1 BILLION

Impact on the local economy generated by the San Diego Community College District

The report, released in December by Idaho-based labor market analytics firm Emsi, notes the $4.1 billion in additional income created by the SDCCD is equal to approximately 1.6% of San Diego County’s gross regional product, a figure that is nearly as large as the area’s entire arts, entertainment, and recreation industry. Among the report’s highlights:

•The accumulated impact of former students who are now employed in the San Diego County workforce amounted to $3.5 billion.

•The SDCCD spent $331.7 million on payroll and benefits to 5,400 full- and part-time faculty and professional staff in the 2019-20 academic year, 97% of whom live in San Diego County.

•Taxpayers provided $457.6 million in state and local funding to the SDCCD during the fiscal year, an investment that will yield $568.1 million in added tax revenue from students’ higher lifetime earnings and increased business output. When combined with the estimated $85.3 million savings from lower government-funded social services, taxpayers are receiving an average return of $1.40 for every $1 invested in the SDCCD.

The Emsi study relied on a wide variety of data, including academic and financial reports from the SDCCD, industry and employment figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the U.S. Census Bureau, and a variety of published works relating to social behavior.