AIKCU is pleased to present the economic impact study of its member colleges and universities for Fiscal Year 2021-22, the most recent period for which data was available at the time of completion.

The results are remarkable: Kentucky’s 18 independent, nonprofit colleges and universities contribute $2.06 billion to the state and local economies.
 

In addition to measuring the overall impact of the independent college and university sector in Kentucky, the report also drills down to estimate the local impact of each institution, which ranges from $19 million to more than $300 million.

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"These numbers reinforce our long-held belief that the investment in state aid for students attending independent colleges and universities represent one of the best rates of return on investment for the commonwealth," said Mason Dyer, AIKCU president.

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Over 59,000 students attend AIKCU institutions, and one in five bachelor’s degrees in Kentucky is awarded by AIKCU colleges and universities.

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AIKCU commissioned this report from Mark Paul Gius, Ph.D., professor of economics at Quinnipiac University in Hamden, Connecticut. The report was released in January 2025.