The Colorado State University System added $1.23 billion to the Colorado economy during the 2024 fiscal year, according to a recently released economic impact report. That was 5.8 times more than the $211.6 million it received in state funding.

“This report clearly demonstrates the value of higher education as a positive, long-term investment for individual students and for the state of Colorado,” Tony Frank, CSU System chancellor, said. “Our universities show up as stable economic engines and drivers of regional and local economies.”

The report underscores the CSU System’s role as a major driver of economic activity, workforce and leadership development, and innovation across Colorado.

The System includes Colorado State University, an internationally recognized research university; CSU Pueblo, a regional comprehensive university, which is federally designated as a Hispanic-Serving Institution; and CSU Global, the nation’s first fully online public university with fully accredited degree programs.

The CSU System generated $2.4 billion in annual economic output, supported nearly 12,000 jobs, and generated an estimated $90 million in tax revenue during the 2024 fiscal year. That same year, the three CSU System campuses educated more than 50,000 students.

Sixty-eight percent of students at the System’s physical campuses came from Colorado, with the remainder representing all 50 states and numerous countries. CSU graduates tend to remain in Colorado, contributing to the state’s economy throughout their lives. Since 1980, more than 194,000 students have graduated from CSU Fort Collins and another 22,000 from CSU Pueblo, with 61% and 74%, respectively, remaining in Colorado.

Beyond its annual economic activity, CSU’s long-term impact is reflected in the success of its graduates. According to the study, CSU Fort Collins alumni earned an aggregate of $3 billion more than they would have without their degrees, while CSU Pueblo alumni earned $389 million more.

“These figures demonstrate the university’s critical role in enhancing Colorado’s human capital and long-term economic competitiveness,” the report stated, later adding: “The CSU System represents far more than an educational institution. It’s also a significant driver of economic activity statewide.”

The report shows that the CSU Office of Engagement and Extension manages 284 full-time employees serving all 64 Colorado counties. They provide actionable, research-based solutions in every corner of the state.

Innovation likewise occurs through technology transfer: CSU Strata, CSU’s tech transfer entity, has facilitated creation of 69 startup companies since 1997. The university averages 103 new inventions, 155 intellectual property applications, and 39 patents each year, generating $3.6 million in licensing revenue. These activities translate CSU research into real-world applications, supporting new industries and economic growth across the state.

The economic impact report, authored by CSU Ph.D. student Henry Williams and professors Rebecca Hill and Tim Komarek, used modeling software to quantify the value that its campuses in Fort Collins and Pueblo brought to the economies of Larimer and Pueblo counties, as well as the value that CSU Global and the CSU System generated statewide.