LANSING – The state’s 15 public universities are responsible for more than 120,000 jobs and $23.9 billion in economic activity in the state, a report released Tuesday by the Presidents Council, State Universities of Michigan said.

Among the economic benefits of the universities are wages for staff and other spending by the institutions, but also spending by students and wages for alumni, the report by the Anderson Economic Group said.

“This report shows our universities are important contributors to jobs and prosperity in our state,” Glenn Mroz, president of Michigan Technological University and chair of PCSUM, said. “Whether it’s the salaries earned by professors, our investment in new buildings needed to keep up with student demand, or the earnings of our graduates, it’s clear that public universities are vital to every one of Michigan’s 83 counties.”

In fiscal year 2011-12, the 15 universities supported 70,720 direct jobs, with $7 billion in wages. Those supported another 51,029 jobs around the state with $5.2 billion in earnings.

“Many people don’t realize that universities use machine shops to build specialized equipment for research, hire local carpet companies to replace worn rugs, and employ nurses, clerks and physicians at hospitals,” Mike Boulus, PCSUM executive director, said. “Without universities, those companies and workers would face difficult times.”

In total, the universities spent $10 billion on payroll and $6.5 billion on other expenses.

As would be expected, the largest portion of non-payroll spending for universities was in Wayne County ($547.2 billion), which houses Wayne State University and University of Michigan-Dearborn. Ingham County, home of Michigan State University, was second at $513.4 million. Washtenaw County, location for University of Michigan and Eastern Michigan University, was third at $355.6 million.

For payroll spending, Washtenaw was first at $2.16 billion, followed by Wayne ($595.1 million) and Ingham ($694.1 million).

Students at the institutions spent another $4.4 billion on non-educational items, most of that ($2.3 billion) on food and rent. That generated $3.1 billion in indirect economic activity.

On top of the $23.9 billion the report directly or indirectly attributed to universities and their students, it said the 1.3 million alumni of those universities, 62 percent of the state’s college educated population, earned $47 billion last fiscal year. That represents 25 percent of total wages in the state, the report said.

Michigan residents are also increasingly seeing the value of a degree, the report said.

While the state’s population dropped over the past decade, university enrollment increased 5 percent. And the 302,470 students last fiscal year represented the sixth largest state enrollment, though the state is ninth in population.

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