Total Impact
UCA added $1.01 billion in income to the Arkansas economy during the analysis year, equal to the sum of the operations, research, and construction spending impacts; the visitor and student spending impacts; and the alumni impact. For context, the $1.01 billion impact was equal to approximately 0.8% of the total gross state product (GSP) of Arkansas.
One out of every 85 jobs in Arkansas is supported by the activities of UCA and its students.
UCA’s total impact can also be expressed in terms of jobs supported. The $1.01 billion impact supported 19,506 state jobs, using the jobs-to-sales ratios specific to each industry in the state. This means that one out of every 85 jobs in Arkansas is supported by the activities of UCA and its students. In addition, the $1.01 billion, or 19,506 supported jobs, stemmed from different industry sectors. UCA’s spending and alumni in the Educational Services industry sector supported 2,980 jobs in FY 2018-19. These are impacts that would not have been generated without the university’s presence in Arkansas.
UCA promotes economic growth in Arkansas through its direct expenditures and the resulting expenditures of visitors, students, and state businesses. The university serves as an employer and buyer of goods and services for its day- to-day, research, and construction operations. The university’s reputation and activities attract visitors and students from outside Arkansas, whose expenditures benefit state vendors. In addition, UCA is a primary source of higher education to Arkansas residents and a supplier of trained workers to state industries, enhancing overall productivity in the state workforce. UCA added a net total impact of $1.01 billion in added income to the Arkansas economy, equivalent to supporting 19,506 jobs in FY 2018-19.