CCAC Study: We're a Good Investment

The Community College of Allegheny County is releasing numbers that show for nearly every dollar spent on the school system, the county sees a ten dollar return. David Hoovler, Director of Public Relations says their Planning and Institutional Research Department found that the system's expenditures resulted in a $147 million dollar impact through jobs in the county over the past fiscal year. They equated that to $6.89 for every dollar the county spent on the system that year. Coupled with an average of $2.96 from the state and federal governments for each dollar, they came up with $9.85 return on the dollar. Hoovler says CCAC supported more than 6,000 jobs in the county and brought almost $62 million in state and federal funding to Allegheny County in 2008/2009.

Hoovler says they conducted the study to update Pittsburgh and Allegheny County officials on the financial status of the school, and while it is not an appeal for more funding, he says could always use financial help. He cites a jump in enrollment–up 11% this spring–which means an increase in tuition dollars, covering only a third of the cost of educating a student at CCAC.