SUNY Drives New York’s Economy



SUNY Graduates – New York’s Best Investment 

The return on state investment in SUNY is enormous.  The state invests about $2.2 billion per SUNY 
class in operating support for the university.

*	Over a working lifetime, a single class will generate an additional $47 billion, most of which will be 
taxed and spent in New York State.
*	College graduates earn on average about $1 million more than non-degree holders over their working 
lifetimes. 
*	College-educated citizens reduce the strain on the state’s social services and contribute more to the 
state’s social and economic climates than they draw.   


Empire Innovation – Enchancing Quality, Fueling Growth

A $79 million infusion (over 3 years) will enable SUNY to recruit over 200 new research faculty who, by 
2009, will bring in more than $130 million in new grant money each year from outside NYS, generating an 
annual increase in New York’s economy – much of it upstate – of $264 million. 

The actual economic impact will be much greater, as university research results in a wide variety of 
advanced scientific, medical and other industrial spin-off enterprises.  

Strategic Degree Production Meets NY’s Needs

New York State is underproducing bachelor’s degree by 11,000 per year.  SUNY is prepared to increase 
enrollment and produce the bachelor’s degrees needed to meet the state’s workforce needs.

*	SUNY produces graduates in high-need fields such as healthcare, engineering, and technology that the 
New York State economy needs to compete nationally.  
*	New York’s businesses need qualified, high-skilled workers to be competitive.  If these needs aren’t 
met, business will find the workers they need elsewhere.

Inventive Growth

SUNY-supported inventions are fueling the new economy in New York state. The $896 million in external 
funding attracted each year for SUNY research is itself a major factor in the state’s economic growth. 

*	The more than 10,500 sponsored projects on State University campuses in 2004-05 supported more 
than 18,500 jobs statewide — jobs that contribute to the state’s economic well-being. 
*	SUNY inventions generated $13.5 million in royalties in 2004-2005. 
*	As of 2005, 47 start-up companies using SUNY inventions and technologies were in operation. 

The State University of New York is the largest comprehensive university system in the United States, 
educating more than 424,000 students in 7,669 degree and certificate programs on 64 campuses.