When we think about economic impact in the Golden Triangle, our thoughts naturally turn to the booming industrial and manufacturing landscape. Companies such as PACCAR, Steel Dynamics, Yokohama, Airbus, Stark Aerospace, International Paper, et al, provide thousands of jobs, generating millions in tax revenue that support our communities and schools.

But there is another asset in which the Golden Triangle is rich. It isn’t typically a part of economic impact discussions even though it may dwarf all of the other companies who have so enriched the Golden Triangle.

In the Golden Triangle, higher education is not just big business, it’s the biggest business.

Every few years we are reminded of just how great of an economic powerhouse higher education is when Mississippi State conducts a study of the university’s economic impact. The university released that data during a news conference Tuesday. According to the study, MSU supports $3.9 billion in wages and more than 80,000 jobs statewide. With approximately 1.2 million jobs in Mississippi, this means MSU supports approximately one out of every 15 jobs in the state.

In its most recent previous economic impact study, presented in 2021 with data from 2018 and 2019, the economic impact was $1.9 billion. That means in the span of five years, MSU’s economic impact has doubled, according to the studies.

That impact is multiplied through the university’s massive research programs that support key industries. MSU works closely with local industry, and its impact on the state’s largest industries – agriculture and forestry – cannot be overstated.

In terms of direct economic impact in the Golden Triangle, Mississippi State is a giant. With more than 5,200 employees, most of them located on the Starkville campus, the university is easily the largest single employer in our area. Those employees spend their money in the community and pay taxes to sustain our schools and community services. Then, there is the economic impact of more than 20,000 students on the MSU campus and the dollars they spend in the community.

Although Mississippi University for Women in Columbus and East Mississippi Community College in Mayhew operate on a much smaller scale and represent only a fraction of MSU’s economic impact, the loss of either would be a serious blow to the local economy.

The benefits of our higher education establishments are important in other ways, too, providing a wealth of entertainment and cultural experiences that communities without these institutions simply can’t match.

The money grudgingly provided to support higher education is probably the best investment our legislature makes. The study indicates that MSU delivers a 25 to 1 return on investment for every tax dollar received from state appropriations, generating over $450 million in state and local tax revenue,

At a time where there is a climate of anti-higher education sentiment, it is important to take a moment and consider the oversized role higher education plays in the Golden Triangle and throughout the state.

All of us benefit from the presence of these institutions, even those who may never set foot on campus. They enhance the quality of life while pouring millions of dollars into our economy. Given that, every citizen should be an uncompromising supporter of higher education.

The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.

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