LAWRENCE — The University of Kansas is a powerful engine of economic growth and job creation for the state of Kansas, according to a new study detailing the university's impact.
Conducted by global analytics firm Lightcast, the study quantifies KU's annual statewide impact at $7.8 billion, which includes KU activity in operations, construction and research, as well as the expenditures of KU startup companies, visitors, students and alumni. This activity supports nearly 88,000 jobs — or 1 in every 23 jobs in Kansas. For context, if KU by itself were its own industry sector, it would be the 10th-largest sector in Kansas.
Additionally, the study finds that for every $1 invested in KU, taxpayers gain $2.90 in added tax revenue and public sector savings — illustrating the magnitude of the return on investment for Kansas residents and lawmakers.
The study encompasses the activities of all KU campuses — including the Lawrence and Edwards campuses, as well as KU Medical Center campuses in Kansas City, Wichita and Salina — and The University of Kansas Health System.
The full economic impact study is available at impact.ku.edu .
"As one of the nation's leading research universities, KU strives to fulfill its mission of education, service and research while also driving economic growth and job creation in Kansas," said Douglas A. Girod, KU chancellor. "The numbers in this study confirm we are doing exactly that in a way that benefits students, families, communities and companies across Kansas."
Key categories comprising the $7.8 billion impact include the following:
- $4.7 billion in operations spending
- $52.4 million in construction spending
- $315 million in research spending
- $89.4 million in startup company impact
- $86.6 million in visitor spending
- $39 million in student spending
- $2.5 billion in alumni impact.
Additional highlights from the report include the following:
Workforce
KU helps fill Kansas' most crucial jobs. KU alumni hold more jobs in Kansas than the alumni of any other university. Of the 49 most common positions filled by Jayhawks in Kansas, 41 are designated "high-demand, high-wage" by the Kansas Department of Labor.
Return on investment
A KU degree is a strong investment for students. Student benefit-to-cost ratio is 5.7, which means graduates receive $5.70 for every $1 they invested toward earning a degree. The average annual rate of return on the student investment is 22.3%.
KU graduates are a great source of revenue for the state. In FY 2023, Kansas avoided $465.9 million in expenses because of KU graduates. When individuals attain a college degree, they create positive savings on health care, the justice system and income assistance programs sponsored by the state.
Visitors
KU attracts more than 422,000 out-of-state visitors annually — the equivalent of more than eight full-capacity NASCAR races at the Kansas Speedway — boosting revenue for the state.
Startup companies
There are 54 active startup companies created from KU research or technology. More than half of these companies are based in Kansas. KU is home to KU Innovation Park, which currently houses 70 companies totaling 750 direct private-sector jobs and $49.8 million in annual payroll.
The economic impact study was performed by Lightcast using primary data from KU and partners and Lightcast's modeling, analysis and data augmentation. Most of the work was performed in 2024 using FY 2023 data. Generally, the approach to calculating KU's economic impact was conservative. In addition to the statewide impact report, Lightcast has produced a report specific to the Kansas City metropolitan area.
