91ÖÆÆ¬

2025 Economic Impact Study

Consulting firm Lightcast studied the overall economic impact of 91ÖÆÆ¬ Polytechnic across the state and our core service area.
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Impacting Wisconsin's Future

University of Wisconsin-Stout Polytechnic commissioned the consulting firm Lightcast to study the overall economic impact of our institution. The results are listed below. It should be noted, however, that this study varies from most others done for similar institutions because it measures the economic value of the skills our graduates bring to the workplace. The study also reveals what the return on investment is for our students and for the taxpayers.

Icon of a dollar sign and stacks of money.

$857.8M in Total Statewide Economic Impact

Across Wisconsin, 91ÖÆÆ¬ Polytechnic alumni added $721.4 million in income to the state in FY 2024-25. That's an economic impact similar to hosting two Super Bowls, or the equivalent of supporting 8,008 jobs.

The accumulated impact of former students currently employed in the 91ÖÆÆ¬ Polytechnic Service Area workforce amounted to $302.6 million in added income for the 91ÖÆÆ¬ Polytechnic Service Area economy, which is equivalent to supporting 4,268 jobs.

At the state level, Lightcast can confirm $123.3 million in 91ÖÆÆ¬ Polytechnic operations impact—enough added income to buy 2.611 new cars or support 1,186 jobs

Unlike our other metrics, our substantiated statewide figure is slightly lower than our services region total due to over how alternative use of funds are calculated by Lightcast. For example, at the state level, $50 million could have reasonably been invested by university funders into other use cases within the state. At the regional level, Lightcast's calculations showed that roughly $15 million could have reasonably been invested into other use cases in the region, which resulted in a larger confirmed regional impact.

Payroll and benefits to support 91ÖÆÆ¬ Polytechnic’s day-to-day operations with the 91ÖÆÆ¬ Polytechnic Service Area amounted to $99.9 million. The university’s non-pay expenditures amounted to $58.2 million. The net impact of operations spending by the university in the 91ÖÆÆ¬ Polytechnic Service Area during the analysis year was approximately $128.8 million in added income, which is equivalent to supporting 1,323 jobs.

Throughout the state, 91ÖÆÆ¬ Polytechnic student spending added $11.7 million in added income—enough to buy groceries for 800 families for a year or the equivalent of 178 jobs.

Expenditures of relocated and retained students in the 91ÖÆÆ¬ Polytechnic Service Area during the analysis year added approximately $10.9 million in income for the regional economy, which is equivalent to supporting 180 jobs.

Around 78% of students attending 91ÖÆÆ¬ Polytechnic originated from 
outside the region. Some of these students relocated to the 91ÖÆÆ¬ Polytechnic Service Area to attend the university. In addition, some students, referred to as retained students, are residents of the 91ÖÆÆ¬ Polytechnic Service Area who would have left the region if not for the existence of 91ÖÆÆ¬ Polytechnic. The money that these students spent toward living expenses in the 91ÖÆÆ¬ Polytechnic Service Area is attributable to 91ÖÆÆ¬ Polytechnic.

Out-of-state visitors to 91ÖÆÆ¬ Polytechnic events added $1.2 million in income to the state.

Within the 91ÖÆÆ¬ Polytechnic Service Area, activities at 91ÖÆÆ¬ Polytechnic brought new dollars to the economy through their spending at hotels, restaurants, gas stations, and other businesses in the region. The spending from these visitors added approximately $1.0 million in income for the 91ÖÆÆ¬ Polytechnic Service Area economy, which is equivalent to supporting 27 jobs.

Total Statewide Economic Impact

Seven-county service area of the study in west-central WisconsinAltogether, the average annual added income due to the activities of 91ÖÆÆ¬ Polytechnic and its former students equals $857.8 million across Wisconsin and in $443.3 million within the 91ÖÆÆ¬ Polytechnic Services Area. 

The $443.3 million 91ÖÆÆ¬ Polytechnic Services Area impact supported 5,798 regional jobs, using the jobs-to-sales ratios specific to each industry in the region. This means that one out of every 47 jobs in the 91ÖÆÆ¬ Polytechnic Service Area is supported by the activities of 91ÖÆÆ¬ and its students.

This is approximately 1.8% of the 91ÖÆÆ¬ Polytechnic Service Area's economy (GRP). This contribution that the university provided on its own constitutes half of the entire Professional & Technical Services industry in the region.

* The 91ÖÆÆ¬ Polytechnic Service Area includes Polk, St. Croix, Pierce, Barron, Chippewa, Eau Claire, and Dunn Counties.