What role does Columbus State Community College (CSCC) play in the local economy? The results of this study demonstrate that CSCC is a sound investment from multiple perspectives. Students benefit from improved lifestyles and increased earnings. Taxpayers benefit from an enlarged economy and lower social costs. And the community as a whole benefits from increased job and investment opportunities, higher business revenues, greater availability of public funds, and an eased tax burden.

CSCC stimulates state and local economy.

• CSCC serves Union, Madison, Delaware, and Franklin Counties. For the purposes of this study, Pickaway County is also included in the CSCC Service Area because the college is authorized in conjunction with the Ohio University to provide service to Pickaway residents.
• The CSCC Service Area economy receives roughly $68.0 million in regional income annually due to CSCC operations and capital spending.
• About 17% of CSCC's students come from outside the CSCC Service Area, bringing with them monies that would not have otherwise entered the local economy. CSCC's out-of-region students spend a total of $18.2 million while attending CSCC, generating roughly $12.8 million in regional income in the CSCC Service Area.
• CSCC activities encourage new business, assist existing business, and create long-term economic growth. The college enhances worker skills and provides customized training to local business and industry. It is estimated that the present-day CSCC Service Area workforce embodies around 8.6 million credit and non-credit hours of past and present CSCC training.
• CSCC skills embodied in the workforce of the CSCC Service Area where former students are employed increase regional income by $549.3 million. Associated indirect effects increase income by another $107.0 million.
• Altogether, the CSCC Service Area economy annually receives roughly $737.2 million in income due to the past and present efforts of CSCC. Clearly it is accurate to describe CSCC as an engine of economic growth.

CSCC leverages taxpayer dollars.

• The state and local community will see avoided social costs amounting to $11 per year for every credit earned by CSCC students, including savings associated with improved health, reduced crime, and fewer welfare and unemployment claims.
• This translates to $8.4 million worth of social savings to the State of Ohio each year as long as students are in the workforce.
• Students benefit from higher earnings, thereby expanding the tax base and reducing the tax burden on state taxpayers. When aggregated together, CSCC students generate about $83.8 million annually in higher earnings due to their CSCC education.

CSCC generates return on investment.

• State government allocated around $59.6 million in support of CSCC in fiscal year 2006.
• For every dollar appropriated by state government, taxpayers will see a cumulative return of $2.90 over the course of the students' working career (in the form of higher tax receipts and avoided social costs).
• State government will see a rate of return of 12% on their support for CSCC, which compares very favorably with private sector rates of return on similar long-term investments.

CSCC increases students' earning potential.

• A total of 51,226 credit and non-credit students attended the college in academic year 2005-2006. As many as 90% of these students stay in the region initially after they leave college and contribute to the local economy.

• Students see their annual income increase by $110 per year for every credit completed at CSCC.

  Studies demonstrate that education increases lifetime earnings. The average annual earnings of a student with a one-year certificate are $39,200, or 84% more than someone without a high school diploma or GED, and 16% more than a student with a high school diploma. The average earnings of a student with an Associate Degree are $46,100, or 116% more than someone without a high school diploma or GED, and 37% more than a student with a high school diploma or GED.
• CSCC students will see their annual income increase, on average, by about $110 per year for every credit completed at CSCC during the analysis year.
• Throughout his or her working career, the average CSCC student's discounted lifetime earnings (i.e., future values expressed in present value terms) will increase $6.40 for every education dollar invested (in the form of tuition, fees, books, and foregone earnings from employment).
• Students enjoy an attractive 21% annual rate of return on their CSCC educational investment, and recover all costs (including wages foregone while attending) in 7 years.