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Pennsylvanians have many choices to seek an advanced degree, including a range of high-quality private colleges and universities that not every state can boast.
These private institutions of higher education award more than 75,000 degrees, certificates and diplomas annually. With an average of 134 years in our home communities, we are here today and will be tomorrow to assist you in building a better future for everyone.
Unlike many businesses, though, higher education is not only for the benefit of our students, but also for the advancement of our local, regional and state communities in an ongoing and perpetual fashion.
What many people do not realize, though, is that these private colleges and universities also have a very strong impact on the financial and economic vitality of Pennsylvania. A 2019 economic impact study by Parker Phillips, Inc., reveals the collective influence of our 90 private institutions: More than 195,000 jobs supported and sustained, and $1.1 billion in state and local taxes. Furthermore, the collegians seeking advanced degrees – many of whom arrive from other states – spend more than $3.4 billion each year in the commonwealth. That overall spending is the equivalent to about $1 for every $31 in the state’s economy, according to the analysis.
Here in Northeastern Pennsylvania, we are fortunate to have 10 private colleges and universities. Our regional impact is nearly $1.3 billion, supporting more than 11,500 jobs and generating $60 million in state and local tax revenue, according to the report. Overall, private colleges are among the top 25 employers in 30 of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties.
The end-results for professional careers on the local level are even more pronounced. Misericordia University, located in Dallas, is responsible for 22% of the jobs in our home in the Back Mountain. That enviable record is mirrored across many of the communities that host a private college.
Private college and universities across the commonwealth also give back in our service to others, with an estimated value of $58.9 million annually in staff, faculty and student charitable donations. That is on top of the 5.3 million hours of volunteer work – valued at $68.4 million – our students and campus colleagues enthusiastically provide to our communities. If you have a child who needs help with reading or are a senior citizen who needs support, it is common to find a student volunteer working with you.
At Misericordia, we proudly live the ethic of service that the Religious Sisters of Mercy initiated with the founding of their order and five Mercy colleges in Pennsylvania – Carlow, Mercyhurst, Gwynned Mercy and Misericordia universities, and Mount Aloysius College.
In addition to students benefitting from good on-time graduation and retention rates across multiple academic majors, each private college and university specializes in the degrees it grants to prepare students to contribute to the economy as working professionals. At Misericordia, we take great pride in educating the largest number of health care providers in Northeastern Pennsylvania, with seven distinct health care majors and a number of additional academic options.
The Ruth Matthews Bourger Women with Children Program is one of only seven programs of its kind in the nation and serves as an education and workforce development model for Pennsylvania. Since its inception, the program has empowered 30 economically disadvantaged single mothers to complete a college degree (and we anxiously await their children applying to a private college someday). In addition, our Autism Center is providing training for 10 adults who will enter the workforce.
Misericordia is pleased to grant traditional degrees while being agile enough to innovate and serve those who need an opportunity to learn a skill, get a job and be a part of our growing and prosperous regional economy.