Economic Impact
As the state's land grant institution, Oregon State University is known for its research contributions, dynamic environment and educating the most students in the state. Made up of two campuses, 11 academic colleges, 14 agricultural and experiment stations statewide, and Extension programming in each of Oregon's 36 counties, OSU plays an indispensable role in the educational and economic landscape of the state.
"At OSU, we empower students to realize dreams for a better life, for themselves and their families, and to find fulfilling and creative careers marked by meaning and impact. We partner with communities and industries to inspire innovation, translate discoveries into economic growth and infuse the workforce with talent and skill." Image
-Jayathi Murthy, president of Oregon State University
Economic Impact
OSU makes an extraordinary impact on Oregon’s economy through operations, capital projects, wages, student spending, and visitor spending. This powerful ripple effect supports local and statewide economies.
$3.5B
in economic
impact annually
0
jobs created and sustained
$0M
generated in state and local tax revenues
0
students enrolled
$0B
in visitor and student spending impact
0
alumni living and working in Oregon, generating $258.5B over their careers
0
tickets sold
for 17 NCAA Division 1 athletic teams, generating $325.4M in economic impact
The overall economic impact and regional impact seen above do not add up to the same number as they are differing geographic analyses.
OSU-Cascades: A Powerhouse for Central Oregon
When OSU-Cascades opened its new campus in 2016, it completed a decades-long effort to bring higher education to Central Oregon. This project combined OSU’s sustainability expertise with the original land grant mission of expanding educational opportunities across the state. The campus transformation began with a commitment to reclaim 118 acres that had been a pumice mine and demolition landfill and turn a previously blighted area into a vibrant space for learning and engagement. Now, OSU-Cascades serves as a valuable resource for the community, a repurposed site to support education and connection.
$0M
in statewide economic impact
0
students at OSU-Cascades
0
jobs supported and sustained
$0M
generated for state and local tax revenues
OSU’s Impact in Action
OSU-Cascades’ SnoPlanks launches first snowboard products
In 2023, the founders of an outdoor products company, SnoPlanks, donated the company to OSU-Cascades to give students a true hands-on opportunity to run a business. Now, as SnoPlanks Academy, enterprising students can build skills in product design, supply chain management, sales and financial analysis. All these efforts are supported by OSU-Cascades faculty and the College of Business and ensure the energy of entrepreneurship is embedded in campus classrooms and programs.
New innovation complex taking shape on Corvallis campus
Work is well underway on the north side of the Corvallis campus for the Jen-Hsun Huang and Lori Mills Huang Collaborative Innovation Complex, a three-story, 143,000 square-foot complex which is scheduled to open in late fall 2026. The complex is designed to be a home for team-based transdisciplinary research and teaching. It will house a powerful supercomputer, and much of the work taking place in the center will focus on AI, climate science, clean water and microelectronics.
OSU builds home for organic agriculture research and outreach
It wasn’t long after Lauren Gwin arrived at Oregon State University in 2008 that she heard from a growing sector of Oregon farmers. For several years, the Oregon State University Extension Service had one part-time faculty member dedicated to organic agriculture. Now, there are six full-time faculty members in the Organic Agriculture Program.
Jade Carey finds her joy in final season with Oregon State gymnastics
Since returning from Paris with another gold around her neck, the 24-year-old gymnastics icon has been able to focus solely on her final season with Oregon State, rigorously training and strategizing to enhance her performance, while balancing academic commitments and checking one more box on an ever-growing list of accomplishments: collegiate gold medalist.
South African honors student uses life coaching to help teens flourish
One of the core values of the Honors College is that success is not accidental — it requires flexible thinking, accurate assessments of what works and what doesn’t and a desire to relentlessly and continuously improve. Oregon State University Ecampus postbaccalaureate honors student Levi Daniels models this belief in his work and research, which empower success for the next generation by fostering self-efficacy and resilience in teens.
How alumna Suzanne Simard changed the way we understand the forest
In some ways, Simard’s career resembles the growth rings of the trees to which she has devoted her research: a series of concentric circles, expanding their reach and growing more complex. She grew up in western Canada, the eldest daughter in a family of foresters who practiced horse logging: “I come from, you know, thousands of generations of woodcutters,” she says, laughing. “So it’s in my bones and blood and my DNA.”