Urban University, Economic Anchor

Metropolitan State University of Denver has served as a stepping stone towards the American dream for over 95,000 alumni. It injects hundreds of millions of dollars into the Colorado economy.

Measured by employment, tax revenue and total economic significance, Parker Philips Inc. assessed the effect which MSU Denver made on the state in the past year.

Through expenditures on operations, capital projects, wages, students’ off-campus spending and campus visitor spending, MSU Denver’s impact was significant to the local and statewide economies during the 2019 fiscal year. The University’s budget was $238.3 million, which includes $64 million in state funding.

MSU Denver directly employs 4,315 people with an additional 2,429 jobs supported by student spending and 506 from visitor spending.

The University’s faculty, staff and students make an estimated $2.4 million in charitable donations and volunteer for nearly 372,000 hours, valued at $4.1 million.

The Roadrunner Difference

Our graduates hit the ground running in sectors large and small, fueling Colorado towards further growth.

There’s no place in Colorado quite like MSU Denver that offers the educational opportunities and socioeconomic benefits to enhance one’s life. More than half of our students are the first in their families to go to college, further improving the lives of working-class Americans and making positive changes in underserved communities. Our alumni network is also one of the most diverse in the state, thriving in Colorado’s top industries like aviation and aerospace, healthcare, hospitality and more.

The American economy is changing. As large manufacturers’ roles have diminished over the decades, a knowledge- and talent-based economy has emerged; reliant on an educated work force to provide jobs, create tax revenue and make a positive impact in local communities and beyond.

We are the Roadrunner difference.

 

Download the full Colorado for Colorado Economic Impact Report

Changemakers wanted at MSU Denver