WVU Potomac State College serves as a significant economic engine and vital educational anchor for both the Potomac Highlands and the broader Appalachian region, according to a new study.
The findings are part of a WVU and WVU Medicine comprehensive economic and community impact study. The study, conducted by national consulting firm Tripp Umbach, covers the national and statewide impact of both WVU and WVU Medicine, separately and combined, along with all three campuses and several key units across the system, including Athletics, Health Sciences, Research, and the alumni network.
According to the study, in FY24, the Keyser campus generated a total economic impact of $62.9 million, reinforcing its role as a catalyst for growth, workforce development, and community advancement in rural West Virginia. Of this total, $7.1 million stemmed from direct institutional spending on payroll, operations, and campus investments, which in turn multiplied throughout the regional economy to produce an additional $55.8 million in indirect and induced impacts. This re-spending supports local businesses, suppliers, and service providers in areas such as housing, retail, healthcare, and construction.
“We take seriously our leadership role in the community as a force for growth and career opportunities,” said Potomac State College President Jerry Wallace. “It’s our commitment to the community, through education and employment, that accelerates our region’s impact.”
WVU Potomac State College supports 566 jobs statewide, including 145 direct employees and 421 additional positions sustained through the ripple effects of university-related spending by faculty, staff, and students. The campus also contributes $4.1 million in state and local tax revenues, underscoring its importance as a fiscal and economic driver in one of West Virginia’s most rural regions.
As a hub for accessible higher education, Potomac State College provides affordable, high-quality programs that prepare students for transfer to four-year degrees or direct entry into high-demand fields such as agriculture, nursing, business, and information technology. Its strategic location—within the 10-million-person Washington–Baltimore–Arlington metropolitan region—positions Keyser as a unique bridge between rural and metropolitan economies.
“We are committed to meeting students where they are and helping them to achieve their goals, said President Wallace, who noted that the College’s two and four-year degree programs, as well as online courses, offer a plethora of learning possibilities for students at all ages and stages of life.
By combining the personal scale of a small college with the resources of a major research university, WVU Potomac State College not only expands educational opportunity but also strengthens the economic and social fabric of eastern West Virginia, helping the region retain talent, attract investment, and sustain thriving communities.
The full WVU and WVU Medicine system-wide study quantifies the combined annual statewide impact of all the entities at $14.3 billion, making up 17% of West Virginia’s total gross domestic product and contributing $890 million in state and local taxes. The total covers spending by WVU and the WVU Health System — under the WVU Medicine brand — along with employees, patients, and visitors, plus downstream contributions from vendors, suppliers, and household spending. In all, the activity supports more than 84,000 jobs, or one out of every nine jobs in West Virginia, and the impact extends beyond the Mountain State’s borders.
Nationally, WVU and the WVU Health System contribute $21.6 billion to the U.S. economy, which breaks down to $4.8 billion from WVU and $16.8 billion from WVU Health System. They also support and sustain more than 149,000 jobs and generate $1 billion in tax revenue nationwide.
The University alone is credited with creating 28,295 jobs, through either direct or indirect employment across the WVU System.
As one of the most powerful economic engines and largest private employer for West Virginia, the WVU Health System continues to grow statewide and across borders into eastern Ohio, southwestern Pennsylvania, and western Maryland. Home to 25 hospitals and five institutes, the System fuels $11.2 billion in the state’s economy and $686.5 million in local and state tax revenue.
The System’s investment across the state and region has greatly expanded access to patient care, launched new businesses, and, in partnership with other leading West Virginia providers, founded an insurance company, Peak Health.
While the WVU Health System delivers accessible, high-quality care, WVU Health Sciences educates future health care professionals while tackling today’s most pressing health care challenges through research and clinical trials. Together, the entities serve as the foundation for the state’s health care workforce and clinical training pipeline.
As only one of 11 U.S. universities to offer all five core professional health schools — Dentistry, Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy and Public Health — WVU Health Sciences is not only a health education leader, but also contributes $811.5 million to West Virginia’s economy, supports more than 7,000 jobs, and spurs $40.6 million in state and local taxes.
The University’s growing research portfolio ranks WVU among the nation’s top research universities. As the only R1 “very high research activity” institution in West Virginia, the WVU research enterprise not only moves technology and innovations off the shelves, but also generates $400.2 million in statewide impact.
The report also refers to the University’s growing commercialization ecosystem, including 350 invention disclosures dating to 2020, a portfolio of over 560 patent assets, and 32 active IP licenses.
Additionally, the analysis evaluates the contributions by all three campuses at WVU Morgantown, WVU Institute of Technology and WVU Potomac State College, as well as several key units across the WVU System, including WVU Athletics and the WVU alumni network.
WVU faculty, staff, students, and physicians also contribute $86.3 million in charitable giving and volunteerism, including $46 million in donations and $40.3 million in the value of volunteer service.
View the full WVU and WVU Health System economic and community impact report.