MUSCLE SHOALS — Northwest-Shoals Community College added $148.5 million in income to the Northwest Alabama economy in fiscal year 2020-21, supporting 2,687 jobs.
Students and alumni of colleges within the Alabama Community College System added $6.6 billion to Alabama’s economy, supporting one out of every 27 jobs in the state, according to an economic impact report released Feb. 13.
In addition to the economic impact report, NW-SCC also reported good news in enrollment as it saw a 32 percent increase in the spring enrollment period. This marks the largest growth of any school in the Alabama Community College System.
This is an enrollment increase of more than 900 students over the 2022 spring semester, with the largest increase coming from students taking dual enrollment courses at area high schools or on campus. From spring 2022 to spring 2023, NW-SCC saw an 85 percent increase in dual students.
“The consistent increase in high school students taking advantage of our academic and career technical courses is amazing to see.” NW-SCC President Jeff Goodwin said. “It is great to see our area students and their parents take the initiative to get a jump start on their college education and careers.
“Our dual enrollment staff and the high school counselors do a great job supporting these students.”
Taxpayer benefit
The independent 102-page economic impact report by Lightcast estimates the state community college system directly impacts 98,923 jobs in the state, representing about 2.7 percent of Alabama’s gross state product. Additionally, taxpayers see a net benefit of $1.1 billion in added tax revenue from students’ higher lifetime earnings and increased output to businesses.
According to Goodwin, the report allows the NW-SCC to quantify the impact it has on the community each year.
“Our community college system knows how important it is to capture the impact of how we serve Alabama every day,” he said. “This report puts numbers to the impact we knew we were making in our Northwest Alabama communities through the countless alumni stories we hear each year.”
One of the largest takeaways from the report is in regards to NW-SCC alumni impact. The report states, “Today, thousands of former NW-SCC students are employed in the NW-SCC Service Area. As a result of their education from NW-SCC, the students receive higher earnings and increase the productivity of the businesses that employ them.
“In FY 2020-21, NW-SCC alumni generated $122.2 million in added income for the regional economy, which is equivalent to supporting 2,121 jobs.”
Highlights from the NW-SCC report:
- Taxpayers, who provided NW-SCC with $16.5 million of funding in FY 2020-21, will receive an added tax revenue benefit of $37.7 million. Additionally, reduced demand for government-funded services in Alabama will add another $3 million in benefits to taxpayers.
- NW-SCC students generate $8.30 higher future earnings for every dollar invested in their education.
- The average NW-SCC associate degree graduate earns $8,100 more each year than a resident who does not obtain more than a high school diploma.
Lightcast, a provider of labor market analytics for colleges and universities, analyzed data using FY 2020-21 academic and financial reports from Alabama’s community and technical colleges, as well industry and employment data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and Census Bureau.
The full report can be found at accs.edu/impact/. The NW-SCC specific report can be viewed at nwscc.edu/impact.
Northwest-Shoals Community College offers over 100 certificate and degree programs, providing career technical, academic, and lifelong educational opportunities that promote economic growth and enrich the quality of life for the people it serves. For more information about the NW-SCC, visit www.nwscc.edu.
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