Study Finds UVA Wise Contributes to Region’s Economy and Community in Several Impactful Ways
A new report from the University of Virginia released today shares the robust impact of the University of Virginia’s College at Wise (UVA Wise). According to the Economic Impact Study, which studied the University’s 2024 fiscal year, UVA Wise supports 1,014 jobs and generates $91.4 million in output within Southwest Virginia. The impact increases to $94.4 million when considering the statewide impact.
The College attracted an estimated 205,480 visitors for events ranging from athletics and community activities to educational programs and performances. While most visitors were local, an estimated 20,548 were from outside the region. These out-of-region visits produced an estimated $4.7 million in economic activity in Southwest Virginia.
In the time period studied, student spending totaled $19.2 million, much of it flowing into the local economy through off-campus housing, dining, transportation and retail.
Overall, UVA Wise’s combined operational, capital, student and visitor expenditures reached $72 million in FY2024.
The report also highlighted the College’s role in the economy as a major employer. In 2024, the College directly employed 670 individuals, providing $33.7 million in compensation.
Operational spending—including local procurement and contracted services—totaled $10.8 million and included supporting construction jobs and generating additional economic activity through the use of regional suppliers.
In addition to providing an excellent education to undergraduate and graduate students, the report also found that the College contributes to regional development through entrepreneurship programs, grant administration, regional outreach centers and partnerships with employers and economic development agencies.
“UVA Wise is proud to be a key community supporter in Southwest Virginia and beyond,” said Chancellor Donna P. Henry. “Our educational vision is to not only provide students with the knowledge and skills to be successful in a career but to give back through meaningful work and service to the community. We model that by doing so ourselves, as facilitators and partners in the economies and communities of which we are proud to be a part.”
The College’s noted outreach centers include the Center for Appalachian Studies, Healthy Appalachia Institute, Center for Teaching Excellence, The Oxbow Center and StreamWISE
The College also serves as the GO Virginia Region One facilitator, and partners with local, state and federal organizations such as the Appalachian Regional Commission, the Virginia Tobacco Region Revitalization Commission, the Virginia Coalfield Economic Development Authority and the Virginia Economic Development Partnership on initiatives that advance the region.
UVA Wise hosts the Southwest Virginia Economic Forum, supports Opportunity Appalachia, hosts CreatorCon, the GAUNTLET, CO.STARTERS, and The Nest, which support the entrepreneurial ecosystem.
As the only four-year public liberal arts college in far Southwest Virginia, UVA Wise plays an important role in building the region’s talent pipeline, providing cultural amenities and supporting regional economic development.
UVA Wise offers undergraduate degrees in a variety of fields, including programs aligned with regional employment needs, such as nursing, teacher education, information technology, business, and software engineering. The College has been growing the past few years, introducing new majors such as hospitality and tourism and a Master of Education, which now has three concentrations including Curriculum and Instruction, Library Media and Special Education.
“UVA Wise plays a key role in preparing the workforce for Southwestern Virginia in the areas of education, health care, public service, and emerging sectors,” the study reads. “The College contributes to the region’s ability to participate in a high-tech and diversified economy.”
The College’s spending resulted in construction jobs and additional economic activity through the use of regional suppliers, according to the report, which called out one notable example: the recent renovation and adaptive reuse of the former library Don R. Pippin & John C. Wyllie Hall, now a 28,500 square-foot state-of-the-art nursing education center, which was completed in April 2024 at a cost of $16.6 million.
“This facility includes modern classrooms, three skill labs, two simulation labs, exam rooms, group study areas, and faculty offices. It doubles the College’s capacity to train nurses—meeting regional healthcare workforce needs and expanding professional training opportunities,” the study reads.
In addition to supporting job growth and contributing tens of millions of dollars in direct, indirect, and induced state economic activity, the study says that UVA Wise also contributed an estimated $2.1 million in local government tax revenue. $3.4 million in state tax revenue in FY2024 and $3.1 million in research.