Milwaukee School of Engineering (MSOE), a private non-profit university in downtown Milwaukee, has a strong reputation for preparing graduates who are ready to hit the ground running upon graduation. That is contributed to the university’s focus on providing an application-oriented education where students get real-world, experiential learning opportunities.  

MSOE creates value in many ways. In addition to providing students with the education, training and skills they need to have fulfilling and prosperous careers, MSOE facilitates new applied research developments to help solve industry’s toughest challenges. The university draws visitors and students to the region, generating new dollars and opportunities for the City of Milwaukee. Operations spending, construction spending and student spending have incredible, positive impact on the region as well. To assess the economic impact MSOE has on the region, and the return on investment of an MSOE education, the university enlisted Lightcast to conduct a study.  

As a private educational institution, MSOE takes a little from the state but contributes a lot. Wisconsin taxpayers’ benefits constitute $113.1 million in the form of MSOE students’ higher lifetime earnings, increased business output, and reduced demand for government-funded services. MSOE enhances the productivity of the regional workforce, thereby increasing business profits and tax revenues along with public sector savings. Receiving very little funding from the state, MSOE nevertheless significantly increases its economic base.  

MSOE retains and creates wealth. Income, or value added, is just another way of talking about the extra money generated in the region even after subtracting costs of production and leakages (most money spent on computers in Wisconsin, for example, leaves Wisconsin for Seattle to pay Microsoft). The remaining funds for the region are wages, profits and other forms of income: money that otherwise wouldn’t exist in the region if MSOE didn’t exist. The university also creates wealth by educating students who add to their businesses’ output. This alumni impact would never have come to exist if MSOE hadn’t existed.  

An investment in an MSOE education provides a stronger return than the stock market. The S&P 500 has delivered an average return of 10.5% over the last 30 years. MSOE’s students enjoy a rate of return of 12.6%, which means that their investment in an MSOE education is a safer and stronger alternative to the stock market. 

What follows are highlights from the report generated by Lightcast for MSOE’s 2020-21 fiscal year.  The executive summary is available online.

Lightcast Economic Impact Report for FY 2020-21

• In fiscal year 2020-21, MSOE added $321.2 million in income to the Southeast Wisconsin economy, a value equal to approximately 0.2% of the total gross regional product (GRP). Expressed in terms of jobs, MSOE’s impact supported 3,167 jobs.
• Operations Spending Impact: MSOE employed 504 full- and part-time faculty and staff (excluding research employees). Payroll amounted to $43.2 million, much of which was spent in the region for groceries, mortgage and rent payments, dining out and other household expenses. The university spent another $23.2 million on day-to-day expenses related to facilities, supplies and professional services. The net impact of the university’s operations spending added $51.5 million in income to the local economy in FY 2020-21.
• Construction Spending Impact: MSOE invests in construction each year to maintain its facilities, create additional capacities and meet its growing education demands, generating a short-term infusion of spending and jobs in the local economy. The net impact of MSOE’s construction spending in FY 2020-21 was $15.3 million in added income for the regional economy.
• Student Spending Impact: Around 49% of students attending MSOE originated from outside the region. More than half of these students relocated to Southeast Wisconsin making MSOE a net importer of talent (“brain gain” vs. “brain drain”).
• MSOE students’ benefit-cost ratio is 4.0. In other words, for every dollar students invest in MSOE in the form of out-of-pocket expenses and forgone time and money, they will receive a cumulative value of $4.00 in higher future earnings. Annually, the students’ investment in MSOE has an average annual internal rate of return of 12.6%, which is impressive compared to the U.S. stock market’s 30-year average rate of return of 10.5%.
• In addition, some local students, referred to as retained students, would have left the City of Milwaukee for other educational opportunities if not for MSOE. These relocated and retained students spent money on groceries, mortgage and rent payments, and other living expenses at local businesses. The expenditures of relocated and retained students in FY 2020-21 added $8 million in income to the regional economy.
• Volunteerism Impact: The work of MSOE’s student and employee volunteers allow businesses and organizations to grow. In terms of actual impact to the local economy, MSOE student and employee volunteers generated an impact of $9.4 million in added income in FY 2020-21.
• Alumni Impact: In fiscal year 2020-21, MSOE alumni generated $232.1 million in added income for the regional economy, which is equivalent to supporting 1,879 jobs.  

About the Study
Data and assumptions used in the study are based on several sources, including the FY 2020-21 academic and financial reports from MSOE, industry and employment data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and U.S. Census Bureau, outputs of Lightcast’s Multi-Regional Social Accounting Matrix model, and a variety of studies and surveys relating education to social behavior. The study applies a conservative methodology and follows standard practice using only the most recognized indicators of economic impact and investment effectiveness. For a full description of the data and approach used in the study, please contact the university for a copy of the main report.  

About Milwaukee School of Engineering
MSOE is the university of choice for those seeking an inclusive community of experiential learners driven to solve the complex challenges of today and tomorrow. The independent, non-profit university has about 2,700 students and was founded in 1903. MSOE offers bachelor’s and master’s degrees in engineering, business and nursing. Faculty are student-focused experts who bring real-world experience into the classroom. This approach to learning makes students ready now as well as prepared for the future. Longstanding partnerships with business and industry leaders enable students to learn alongside professional mentors, and challenge them to go beyond what’s possible. MSOE graduates are leaders of character, responsible professionals, passionate learners and value creators.