Cal Poly and Its Students Infuse $1 Billion into Central Coast, Economic Impact Study Reports
Cal Poly’s economic contributions ripple throughout the county, region and state, supporting thousands of jobs and generating more than $1.6 billion in industry activity and over $105 million of state and local tax revenue, according to an economic impact study commissioned by the CSU. During 2018-19, the campus spent more than $1 billion, including up of $535.1 million in operational expenditures, $132.5 million in auxiliary costs and $70.1 million on construction projects. In addition, Cal Poly’s more than 20,000 students spent nearly $280 million. Researchers from ICF International Inc., a global advisory and digital services provider, utilized data from the 2018-19 academic year. Additionally, Cal Poly alumni who live on the Central Coast — a region of five counties that include Ventura, Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, Monterey and San Benito — earned an additional $996.4 million, thanks to their degrees, and alumni who remained in the Golden State earned an additional $3.8 billion in 2019.
