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Impact

Blinn provides $370.1 million annual benefit for local economies

The Blinn College District makes a $370.1 million economic impact on its local business community each year, according to a study released in Fall 2020.

“As an economic driver for the communities we serve, it is gratifying to see these figures and recognize their importance,” said Charles Moser, Chair of the Blinn College District Board of Trustees. “Blinn strives to be both an excellent institution of higher education and a supportive neighbor to local businesses throughout our service area.”

The study, conducted by Emsi, a leading provider of economic impact studies to educational institutions, shows that Blinn’s annual economic impact supports the equivalent of 6,010 jobs each year. The $370.1 million total includes $242.1 million in added income for Blinn students who enter the workforce with newly acquired knowledge and skills.

“While Blinn provides students the education and skills they need to compete in tomorrow’s economy, it also provides a real benefit to today’s business economy,” said Dr. Mary Hensley, Chancellor of the Blinn College District. “From operational spending and construction to the benefits of an affordable education, Blinn is proud of its positive economic benefits to Central Texas.”

Key Economic Impact Takeaways

📊 Total Regional Impact

$370.1 million added to the Blinn College Service Area economy in FY 2018–19
Supports 6,010 regional jobs
Represents approximately 0.7% of the region’s total gross regional product

This impact is larger than the entire Utilities industry in the service area.

💼 Breakdown of Economic Impact

$90.9 million – Operations spending (payroll + day-to-day expenses)
$4.9 million – Construction spending (FY 2018–19 only)
$32.2 million – Student spending
$242.1 million – Alumni impact (former students working in the region)

Alumni impact is by far the largest contributor, underscoring Blinn’s long-term workforce value.

👩‍🎓 Student Outcomes

Average Blinn associate degree graduate earns $9,700 more per year than someone with only a high school diploma in Texas.
Over a lifetime, that equates to $436,500 in additional earnings per graduate (undiscounted).
Students receive $3.70 in higher lifetime earnings for every $1 invested.
Average annual return for students: 14.0% (outperforming the stock market’s 30-year average of 9.9%).

💰 Taxpayer Return

Taxpayers invested $36 million in FY 2018–19.
They receive $209.6 million in benefits through:
- $192.2 million in added tax revenue
- $17.4 million in public-sector savings (healthcare, crime, income assistance)

That equals $5.80 returned for every public dollar invested, with a 13.6% annual rate of return.

🌎 Social Return (Statewide)

Texas sees:

$3.1 billion in total social benefits
$3 billion from increased earnings and business output
$55.7 million in social savings

That is a 13.1 benefit-cost ratio — $13.10 returned for every $1 invested statewide.