MCC Daily Tribune

New Study Finds SUNY's Economic Impact in New York State is More Than $35 Billion

New Report from the Rockefeller Institute of Government Estimates Statewide Impact and Finds that SUNY's Colleges and Universities Support More Than 165,000 Jobs Across the State

Albany, NY — State University of New York Chancellor John B. King Jr. and Rockefeller Institute of Government President Robert Megna announced Monday that a new report from the Rockefeller Institute of Government finds that the SUNY system generates $35.5 billion in economic impact annually for New York State. The report also outlines how SUNY supports more than 165,000 direct and indirect jobs statewide, and that more than 70 percent of SUNY alumni are employed in New York State five years after graduation, which are key indicators that the system is a major driver for New York’s workforce growth.

“A thriving and successful SUNY system helps ensure a strong and prosperous New York, and this report further demonstrates that fact,” said SUNY Chancellor King. “Thanks to the investment by Governor Hochul and the State Legislature, SUNY has seen enrollment growth across every sector for the past three years in a row, and our campuses throughout New York State are able to provide an affordable, excellent public education, great jobs for New Yorkers, and serve as regional economic hubs. Investing in SUNY is investing in New York’s current and long-term economic prosperity. It is no wonder that every dollar of State investment generates more than $7 in returns to New York State.”

The SUNY Board of Trustees said, “SUNY campuses throughout the state are essential economic drivers and help educate New York’s future leaders, and we thank Governor Hochul and state leaders for ensuring we can continue thrive through their strong support. This report reinforces that SUNY helps move New York State forward, and we will work with state leaders so that every New York student has access to the high quality, affordable education they deserve and that will prepare them for life after graduation.”

The report by the Rockefeller Institute of Government, used data from the 2023-24 academic year and details how SUNY’s operations, research enterprise, hospital systems, and student spending ripple through hundreds of industries throughout New York State. In several regions of the state, SUNY's economic activity accounts for between 5 and 10 percent of gross domestic product (GDP).

Rockefeller Institute of Government President Bob Megna said, "While SUNY is known for its educational mission, its economic impact on the state is significant. And you can't really begin to understand how extensive it is until you pull apart the various ways SUNY schools and graduates participate in regional economies. This report, which builds on prior analyses of the SUNY system, aims to capture and distill this impact."

In addition to the economic impact that the SUNY system has for New York State, the report also highlights that one in four New Yorkers with a postsecondary degree earned it at a SUNY school, that 70 percent of SUNY alumni work in new York State five years after graduation, and that 77.5 percent of graduate degree holders are working in New York State ten years after graduation. These figures help demonstrate that the SUNY system is a major driver of the New York State workforce, and that the vast majority of SUNY alumni remain in New York State after graduation to help move the economy forward.

The report also found that SUNY research is a catalyst for New York's innovation economy. SUNY’s 2024 patent portfolio includes 249 invention disclosures, 284 patent applications, and 86 patents awarded. The report also shows how research and development (R&D) expenditures are growing. Total R&D expenditures at SUNY grew nearly 26 percent from 2012 to 2022, from $1.1 billion to $1.65 billion.

Other key findings from the report include:

SUNY’s $35.5 billion impact translates to 1.5 percent of total annual state economic output, or Gross State Product (GSP, which reflects inflationary impacts).
Spending from the State University Construction Fund (SUCF) and the State’s Dormitory Authority (DASNY), which helps facilitate capital expenditures, is estimated to produce an additional $1.7 billion of economic impact.
SUNY generates an estimated $7.38 in economic activity for every dollar of state funding.
Regional analysis shows the highest number of SUNY-supported jobs are on Long Island (39,482 jobs) and in Western New York (27,095 jobs). In Central New York, SUNY plays an especially prominent role, accounting for 6.6 percent of the regional workforce and 10.5 percent of total economic output.
In New York State in academic year 2023–24, SUNY colleges and universities conferred approximately 52.5 percent of all associate degrees, 29.5 percent of all bachelor’s degrees, 16.7 percent of all master’s degrees, and 17.9 percent of all doctoral degrees.

About the State University of New York

The State University of New York is the largest comprehensive system of higher education in the United States, and more than 95 percent of all New Yorkers live within 30 miles of any one of SUNY’s 64 colleges and universities. Across the system, SUNY has four academic health centers, five hospitals, four medical schools, two dental schools, a law school, the country’s oldest school of maritime, the state's only college of optometry, 12 Educational Opportunity Centers, over 30 ATTAIN digital literacy labs, and manages one US Department of Energy National Laboratory. In total, SUNY serves about 1.7 million students across its portfolio of credit- and non-credit-bearing courses and programs, continuing education, and community outreach programs. SUNY oversees nearly a quarter of academic research in New York. Research expenditures system-wide are nearly $1.5 billion in fiscal year 2025, including significant contributions from students and faculty. There are more than three million SUNY alumni worldwide, and one in four New Yorkers with a college degree is a SUNY alum. To learn more about how SUNY creates opportunities, visit the SUNY website (suny.edu).

About the Rockefeller Institute of Government

The Nelson A. Rockefeller Institute of Government is a public policy think tank founded in 1981 that conducts cutting-edge research and analysis to inform lasting solutions to the problems facing New York State and the nation. The Institute’s mission is to improve the capacities of communities, state and local governments, and the federal system to work toward genuine, evidence-based solutions. Through rigorous, objective, and accessible analysis and outreach, the Institute gives citizens and governments reliable facts and tools to understand public problems and inform public decisions.

Veronica Chiesi Brown
Community Relations
03/10/2026