Although it’s not always immediately obvious, when it comes to dollars and cents, colleges definitely make a lot of sense, not only for the communities where they are situated, but also for the students whom they serve.
According to a labor market study, the South Orange County Community College District adds about $2 billion in immediate income impact to the Orange County economy and a long-term social benefit of about $4.6 billion when future earnings of graduated students and other benefits are factored in.
For context, the $2 billion impact accounts for about 0.7% of the total gross regional product of Orange County. That is nearly as large as the entire utilities industry in the county, according to the report.
“The economic impact figures underscore our district’s vital role in fueling regional growth,” Ann-Marie Gabel, vice chancellor of Business Services for the South Orange County Community College District, said of an analysis by labor-market analyst Lightcast commissioned by the Orange County Regional Consortium. Published in 2025, the updated report uses data from the 2023-24 fiscal year.
The district, which consists of Saddleback College in Mission Viejo, Irvine Valley College in Irvine and Advanced Technology & Education Park in Tustin, was created in 1967 to prepare students for four-year colleges and provide valuable career training and preparation for those interested in entering the skilled labor force without university degrees.
“By generating $2 billion in added income, supporting nearly 19,200 jobs and delivering strong returns to students and taxpayers, SOCCCD demonstrates how public investment in education yields real economic value,” Gabel said.
Hidden value
The beneficial return of investments by the public in taxes, land and resources into the campuses may not always be obvious.
It is sometimes tempting for communities that are home to colleges and universities to see the institutions as a kind of separate entity — physically in the community but not necessarily a part of the community and local economy.
Likewise, students may not always see the value in the face of the immediate costs, time and effort they put into an education. Not to mention parents who may be sharing or shouldering the burden.
The truth is more complex. Colleges and universities are vital economic engines in the communities where they are located as well as being the creators of positive futures for the students they serve.
Rather than some kind of zero-sum game, the results for the schools, communities and students is the definition of a win-win-win proposition.
The colleges repay and enrich economies and communities by employing local faculty and professional staff and attracting more than 80,000 credit and noncredit earning students. About 80% of the staff and student body are homegrown. Not to mention supporting local construction, which is ever-present on almost any college campus.
Collectively, operations spending accounts for more than $316 million, student spending $176 million and construction impact nearly $46 million.
SOCCCDStudents contribute to the region’s growth, according to a recent economic impact study highlighting how education fuels opportunity, innovation, and community prosperity.The alumni factor
The third, and most hidden prong, is called alumni impact. This is from students who have and continue to graduate and enter high-paid technical professions, which pay multitudes more than jobs without education.
According to the report, the impact of alumni income amounted to about $1.5 billion for the Orange County economy.
It is estimated that for every $1 spent by students, they gain $3.70 in added state revenue and social savings.
Elliott Stern, president of Saddleback College, said of students, “They come to us for (upward) economic mobility. That’s what we do really well.”
According to the report, “Today, hundreds of thousands of former SOCCCD students are employed in Orange County. As a result of their education from SOCCCD, the students receive higher earnings and increase the productivity of the businesses that employ them.”
The payout for society, according to the report, is even greater, with every dollar invested yielding $6.90.
This includes savings through less need for social and emergency services, which the impact report pegs at $53 million.
Civic leaders often like to say that their communities are good places to live, work, shop and play.
Since community college graduates and staff are overwhelmingly likely to remain local, their contributions are considerable, not only in the local income, property and sales taxes, but in raising families and civic involvement.
If the impacts of South County’s community colleges and their graduates are not immediately seen, they are undoubtedly felt.
The news and editorial staffs of the Orange County Register had no role in this post’s preparation.
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