WKU’s economic impact on the region and state

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – Western Kentucky University recently released a report for the 2022-23 school year showing the university’s economic impact on the region and state, and the numbers are looking promising.

The university added near $530 million of income to the Bowling Green region supporting around 9,400 jobs. Across the state, WKU added $1.6 billion in income supporting nearly 24,000 jobs. The WKU regional campuses in Glasgow, Owensboro, Somerset and Elizabethtown added $130 million.

One WKU official says its all due to the universities ability to take care of their students and prepare them for the world.

During the 2022-2023 school year WKU invested a little more than $450 million dollars into its students, and in return, the students will generate $2.5 billion for Kentucky’s economy over the course of their working lives and will benefit from $210 million in public and private savings.

For every dollar invested into WKU, the state of Kentucky received $5.90 in return.