Michigan’s four R1 research universities — Michigan State University, Michigan Technological University, the University of Michigan, and Wayne State University — are powerful drivers of economic growth, innovation and opportunity across the state. A new independent economic impact study conducted by Anderson Economic Group shows that, in fiscal year 2024, activities associated with RU4M universities generated $35.8 billion in net new economic activity statewide, reaching every region of Michigan.

This economic activity is generated through research, health care, university operations, and alumni earnings, which bring federal, industry, and other out-of-state dollars into Michigan and circulate them through local economies. The scale of this impact is significant: the $35.8 billion total is 35 times the state’s 2024 appropriation for RU4M universities, underscoring the high return on public investment in Michigan’s research institutions.

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Jobs, Research and Innovation

Together, RU4M universities support more than 100,000 jobs statewide, including faculty, staff, health care workers, supplier jobs, and positions sustained by student spending. These jobs span a wide range of industries and communities, reinforcing the role of research universities as stable anchors for local and regional economies.

Research is a central driver of this impact. In FY 2024, RU4M institutions conducted $3.46 billion in academic research, much of it funded by federal agencies and industry partners outside Michigan.

Alumni Impact and State Revenue

The economic contribution of Michigan’s research universities extends well beyond campus. More than 820,000 RU4M alumni live and work in Michigan, and their collective activity generated over $13 billion in net new economic impact in FY 2024. These alumni strengthen the state’s workforce, support businesses large and small, and help attract new investment to Michigan communities.

RU4M universities also make a substantial fiscal contribution to the state. University-related economic activity produced more than $4.2 billion in state tax revenue in FY 2024 — roughly four times the state’s annual appropriations to these institutions — through personal income tax, sales and use tax, and other revenue sources .

Connecting Michigan to the World

As Michigan’s only R1 research universities, RU4M institutions connect the state to global research networks, attract competitive federal and industry funding, and translate discoveries into real-world solutions. Their combined economic impact demonstrates that strong research universities are not only engines of discovery but also essential partners in building Michigan’s long-term economic competitiveness and prosperity.