I write frequently in this newsletter about all the ways public higher education benefits individuals and society – through creating opportunity, advancing knowledge, and educating citizens who are informed, intellectually curious, and committed to civic engagement.
Today, I want to talk about the dollars and cents.
We (meaning not “me” – but a team of highly qualified Colorado economists who spend their lives researching this stuff) recently completed the latest analysis of all the ways our Colorado State University campuses contribute directly to the state’s economy. Using 2024 data, they found that CSU generates $1.233 billion in value added to Colorado’s economy, which is about 5.8 times the state funding it receives.
The state contributes more than $211 million each year to support the CSU System and educate more than 52,000 students. In return, CSU generates $2.4 billion in total economic output. Our campuses take that public investment – along with funding from tuition, research grants, private gifts, and other sources – and translate it into thousands of jobs, new companies and innovations, Extension services in every Colorado county, and graduates who strengthen the state’s workforce, tax base, and quality of life.
During all the years I’ve served as the CSU chancellor – and earlier as president of our flagship campus – I’ve tried in speeches and articles always to make the point that higher education is a public good. Certainly, individual graduates benefit, despite the recent narrative questioning the value of a college degree. Leaving out survey data about life span, civic engagement, and things as squishy as happiness so that I stick to the dollars and cents, new third-party ROI analyses reflect what the data have shown for generations: people with at least a four-year degree earn dramatically more over their lifetimes than those without. And despite the spate of headlines about white collar layoffs and a tough job market for college grads, future employment projections – including those that weigh AI rather heavily – similarly reflect the past: that jobs of the future will put more emphasis on education, not less. And please don’t twist this into an elitist argument. I am not arguing that everyone should go to college, or that trades, skilled workers, or labor are not vital components of our economy and society. I’m simply citing those stubborn things called facts as they relate to the economic benefits of education in the modern workforce.
But the point I want to make here is that society, and our economy, directly benefit from education at least as much as does the individual who earned the degree. The state funding we allocate to higher education isn’t a gift to individual students. It’s an investment we, as taxpayers, make in the future of our state’s economy. It’s an investment in our future workforce. It’s an investment in the innovation marketplace that drives growth, global competitiveness, and long-term stability.
Consider that 61% of CSU Fort Collins alumni and 74% of CSU Pueblo alumni stay in Colorado after graduating, becoming part of the state’s skilled and educated workforce. Those graduates pay taxes on the higher earnings that come along with their degrees, and those taxes pave our roads, fund our K-12 schools, keep our communities safe and lawful, and all the other important things that tax revenue funds.
The CSU System directly employs more than 9,000 faculty and staff across Colorado. Beyond that payroll, the external dollars CSU brings into Colorado – through sources like federal grants, out-of-state tuition, and spending by students from outside the state – ripple through the broader economy, sustaining jobs at retailers, restaurants, construction firms, and other businesses that serve the campus community. In total, CSU-related spending supports nearly 12,000 jobs across Colorado.
In a matter of days, the Colorado General Assembly and Governor will finalize the state’s budget, after months of hard work and tough decisions. Throughout this 2026 legislative session, they’ve had to figure out how to stretch the available revenues across the long list of state funding needs. It is a thankless and critical job shouldered by state leaders who care about Colorado.
And even when the dollars are tight, the lawmakers I talk to never fail to acknowledge the value added to Colorado by its university systems, including CSU. Because the investment we make in higher education is an investment in our state’s future – an investment that matters and that reaps exceptional returns for all of us.
– tony
Tony Frank, Chancellor
CSU System
This message was included in Chancellor Frank’s April 2026 newsletter. Subscribe to the Chancellor’s monthly letter.