AU's Economic Impact
- Ashland University is one of Ashland County's largest employers, employing approximately 740 full-time and 300 part-time employees and possessing an operating budget of $104 million.
- A total payroll of nearly $42 million means a large employee spending turnover in the Ashland/Mansfield area. This equates to a bi-weekly payroll of $1.6 million, with the majority of those earned dollars being spent in this area for purchases ranging from food and housing to automobiles and services.
- Nearly 75 percent of the University's employees live in the Ashland area with many owning their own homes and contributing heavily to the tax base for support of schools and community services. In 2005, University employees paid $508,000 in city taxes and $1,381,000 in state taxes.
- More than 90 percent of the University's revenues comes from outside the Ashland area in the form of tuition, fees, gifts and grants.
- Of the University's total 6,500 students, more than 2,100 are full-time, undergraduate students, making Ashland their home for nine months out of each year. Approximately 75 percent live on campus, while the remaining live off campus in apartments or houses.
- Another 4,300 students are taking graduate courses in business administration, education or theology on the Ashland campus and program centers throughout the state. Many of these students live and work in Ashland and the surrounding area, while others are part-time and evening students who drive to campus and buy gasoline, meals and miscellaneous items in the community.
- Many of the University's more than 34,000 alumni, as well as trustees and parents of students, come to campus for special events such as Family Weekend, Homecoming and Commencement. These alumni, parents, trustees and guests contribute heavily to the area's economy through the purchase of food, lodging, gasoline and incidentals.
- Ashland University hosts many conferences, clinics, camps and workshops. Many of these are held during the summer months and it is estimated that more than 40,000 people arrive on campus during the summer to attend these events.