The teaching, research and outreach activities of the University of Nebraska annually generate more than $3.9 billion for Nebraska’s economy, according to an independent new analysis of the university’s impact on the economic and cultural vitality of the state.
Full report available
Tripp Umbach’s full report, including the firm’s methodology and detailed findings, along with additional information about the University of Nebraska’s economic and social impact on the state, is available here.
The analysis, presented Friday to the NU Board of Regents, was conducted by Tripp Umbach, a leading national consultant. NU President Hank Bounds, Ph.D., said the firm’s findings confirm that the University of Nebraska plays a fundamental role in ensuring the state’s economic competitiveness and quality of life and that continued investment in higher education is vital to the state’s success.
“The University of Nebraska touches virtually every Nebraskan in some way,” Dr. Bounds said. “We know intuitively that the university is deeply connected to the economic and social well-being of the state. This report confirms that the state cannot be successful without its public university.”
Taking pride in our impact
“Our work benefits Nebraskans and their communities every day. Although our mission is to improve lives by creating a healthier tomorrow, our impact extends beyond our core of health care education, research, patient care and community outreach. We’re proud of our statewide economic impact. We take this responsibility very seriously.”
– UNMC Chancellor Jeffrey P. Gold, M.D.
Among Tripp Umbach’s key findings:
- The university’s $3.9 billion annual economic impact means that the activities of NU campuses, faculty, staff and students – and the resulting ripple effects in business and communities statewide – add nearly $11 million each day to Nebraska’s economy.
- The University of Nebraska sustains a highly skilled workforce for the state, supporting 1 out of every 36 jobs in Nebraska. The 35,000 Nebraska jobs supported by the university include not just NU employees, but 19,000 people who have jobs as a result of university activities.
- University research not only grows the economy, but fosters innovation and addresses key challenges facing Nebraska and the world. NU research has a $385 million annual economic impact, supporting 2,500 jobs and advancing knowledge in areas such as water and agriculture, treatment of diseases like cancer and Ebola, national security and defense, early childhood education, rural development and others. In addition, faculty are increasingly bringing their innovations from the lab to the marketplace, resulting in new licensing income, patent activity, and startup companies across the state.
- The University of Nebraska builds economically and socially vibrant communities — not just in the cities where NU campuses are located, but in communities across the state. The university has a presence in all 93 counties. Initiatives such as the Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center at UNMC and Nebraska Innovation Campus at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln are among numerous public-private partnerships that the university is engaged in with a goal to grow economic activity and community engagement.