Southern Utah University (SUU) has been identified as a key driver of economic growth in Southwest Utah, according to a recent report by the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute. The report highlights SUU’s substantial contributions to both the regional and statewide economy through education, spending by students and visitors, and broader societal benefits. In the fiscal year 2023, SUU supported over 5,000 jobs, contributed $202 million in earnings, $298 million to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), and generated $513 million in total sales within the region.
SUU President Mindy Benson emphasized the university’s long-standing commitment to community impact, noting that the report provides data to validate SUU’s influence on regional and state prosperity. Andrea Brandley, the report’s lead author, added that SUU’s contributions extend beyond education, driving economic activity through operational spending, construction projects, and expenditures by out-of-region students and visitors.
Key findings include SUU’s enrollment of over 15,000 students across 150 undergraduate and 30 graduate programs during the 2022-23 academic year. The university awarded 4,679 degrees and certificates, with more than 60% of graduates working in Utah five years post-graduation. SUU is also the largest employer in Iron County and the third-largest in the Southwest Economic Region, directly employing 2,687 individuals. Visitor spending linked to SUU events, such as the Utah Shakespeare Festival and athletic competitions, added an estimated $7 million to the local economy.
The report also underscores SUU’s societal benefits, including workforce development, student support, and community engagement.
— News Original —
SUU’s Economic Impact is Powering Southwest Utah’s Growth
Report Details SUU’s significant regional and statewide economic contribution
Published: June 25, 2025 | Read Time: 3 minutes
Southern Utah University strengthens Utah and the Southwest Economic Region economies through high-quality education, institutional, student, and visitor spending, and broad societal benefits.
A new report from the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute, commissioned by the Utah System of Higher Education (USHE), details SUU’s significant regional and statewide economic contribution, which includes supporting more than 5,000 jobs, $202 million in earnings, $298 million in gross Domestic Product (GDP), and $513 million in output (total sales) regionwide in FY2023.
“Southern Utah University has long focused on community impact, designing programs and leveraging resources to drive job creation and regional prosperity,” said SUU President Mindy Benson. “We are excited to now have the data that demonstrates the positive influence our campus community has across Southern Utah and the state.”
“SUU’s impact extends beyond education, driving jobs, earnings, and overall economic activity through operations, capital and construction spending, and spending by out-of-region students and visitors,” said Andrea Brandley, senior education analyst at the Gardner Institute and lead author of the report. “SUU also strengthens workforce development and delivers broad societal benefits to students, employees, and the community.”
Key findings from the report include the following:
Education – SUU enrolled over 15,000 students across over 150 undergraduate programs and 30 graduate and certificate programs during the 2022-23 academic year. SUU awarded 4,679 degrees and certificates, equipping graduates for a wide range of careers in Utah’s economy. More than 60% of SUU graduates work in-state five years after graduation.
Employment – SUU directly employed 2,687 individuals in FY 2023, making it the largest employer in Iron County, the third largest employer in the Southwest Economic Region, and one of the top 50 employers statewide. Including indirect and induced jobs, SUU supports more than 5,000 jobs in the region, representing 3.1% of jobs regionwide.
Regional Economic Activity – SUU supported $202 million in earnings, $298 million in gross domestic product (GDP), and $513 million in output (total sales) regionwide in FY 2023. This constitutes 2.7% of regional earnings, 2.1% of regional GDP, and 1.8% of total output in the Southwest Economic Region.
Visitor Spending – SUU attracts many out-of-region visitors for events such as the Utah Shakespeare Festival, Utah Summer Games, athletic events, campus tours, and commencement. These visitors spent an estimated $7 million in the Southwest Economic Region, further boosting local economic activity.
Societal Benefits – SUU benefits its students, employees, and community through workforce quality and development, student experience, community support and services, and research and commercialization.
The full report is now available online.
ABOUT THE KEM C. GARDNER POLICY INSTITUTE
The Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute serves Utah by preparing economic, demographic, and public policy research that helps the state prosper. We are Utah’s demographic experts, leaders on the Utah economy, and specialists on public policy and survey research. We are an honest broker of INFORMED RESEARCH, which guides INFORMED DISCUSSIONS, and leads to INFORMED DECISIONS™. For more information, please visit gardner.utah.edu or call 801-587-3717.
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The Eccles School is synonymous with ‘doing.’ The Eccles experience provides a world-class business education with a unique, entrepreneurial focus on real-world scenarios where students put what they learn into practice long before graduation. Founded in 1917 and educating more than 6,000 students annually, the University of Utah David Eccles School of Business offers nine undergraduate majors, four MBAs, nine other graduate programs, a Ph.D. in seven areas and executive education curricula. The School is also home to more than 20 institutes, centers, and initiatives, which deliver academic research and support an ecosystem of entrepreneurship and innovation. For more information, visit Eccles.Utah.edu or call 801-581-7676.
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