Manhattan College’s Economic Impact on New York State Totals $312 Million

Manhattan College contributes $312 million to the local New York City economy, according to a recent study released by the Commission on Independent Colleges and Universities (cIcu) in New York and conducted by the Center for Government Research.

The study shows that in 2015, the College’s spending translated to approximately $116 million in wages, was responsible for 2,160 jobs, and contributed $8.5 million in state income and sales tax revenue. Manhattan is one of 48 independent private, not-for-profit colleges and universities in the five boroughs that contribute as much as $50 billion to New York City’s economy.

“Private, not-for-profit colleges and universities are one of New York’s strongest economic engines and are a strong and committed partner of the state,” said Laura L. Anglin, past president of cIcu. “In addition to direct institutional spending and students’ discretionary spending, independent colleges and universities are destinations and attract thousands of visitors annually who further subsidize the towns and cities where these campuses are located. Sports, cultural events, museums, performing arts centers, business incubators and technical facilities draw people to these college communities and their surrounding neighborhoods.”  

As significant as Manhattan’s economic impact on New York City is, students and faculty also carry on the Lasallian tradition of service to the local community and concern for social justice. Manhattan College is celebrating its fifth anniversary as a Fair Trade campus in 2017, continuing the importance of purchasing goods that are produced by farmers and workers who are compensated and treated justly by those who derive benefit from their labor.

The College’s popular service programs have grown in numbers, including the Lasallian Outreach Volunteer Experience (L.O.V.E.), where students learn and serve in some of the most economically challenged parts of the world, and the Lasallian Outreach Collaborative (L.O.Co.), where students participate in weekly community service with local organizations, such as The Concourse House Shelter for Women and Children, the Riverdale-Yonkers Society for Ethical Culture, and other organizations in the area. The College also sponsors a Service on Saturday program, where students can register for one-time volunteer experiences with partners such as CityHarvest, and Friends of Rockaway.