Introduction
Together, West Virginia University and WVU Medicine power the state’s economy, strengthen its communities, and shape its future success. As West Virginia’s flagship land-grant institution and largest integrated health system, they form a unified academic, research, and clinical enterprise dedicated to improving the well-being and competitiveness of every region of the state.
From Morgantown to Martinsburg, Wheeling to Beckley, and the many rural counties between, WVU and WVU Medicine extend their reach to where it matters most—bringing education, research, and healthcare directly to the people of West Virginia.
At the heart of their shared mission is a deep commitment to service: educating physicians, nurses, teachers, engineers, and entrepreneurs who will lead the state forward. Through groundbreaking research in fields such as energy, cybersecurity, neuroscience, cancer, and rural health, WVU drives discovery that tackles local challenges while contributing to global solutions. WVU Medicine complements this mission by delivering world-class, compassionate care close to home through its extensive network of hospitals and clinics—ensuring that West Virginians have access to advanced medical treatment without leaving the state.
Rooted in the values of innovation, resilience, and community, WVU and WVU Medicine embody the true spirit of West Virginia. Their partnership reflects a shared purpose: to elevate health, expand opportunity, and create pathways to prosperity for all who call the Mountain State home. Together, they are not only transforming lives—they are shaping West Virginia’s future for generations to come.
Impact Across West Virginia
The following examples illustrate how WVU and WVU Medicine advance the state’s health, education, economy, and communities through research, clinical care, outreach, agriculture, and athletics. Together, they strengthen West Virginia’s competitiveness, expand opportunity, and embody the innovation, resilience, and pride that define the Mountain State. From advancing rural healthcare to fueling economic growth, academic excellence, and statewide spirit through Mountaineer Athletics, WVU and WVU Medicine are driving progress and shaping a stronger future for all West Virginians.
Educating and Sustaining West Virginia’s Healthcare Workforce
WVU and WVU Medicine serve as the foundation of the state’s healthcare workforce and clinical training pipeline. As West Virginia’s largest educator of health professionals, WVU prepares physicians, nurses, pharmacists, dentists, public health workers, and allied health practitioners who serve communities in every corner of the state.
WVU Medicine, the state’s largest health system, extends this mission through an integrated network of hospitals and clinics that deliver advanced care and serve as primary training sites for students and residents. Most practicing physicians in the state of West Virginia received all or part of their education or training at WVU—a testament to the university’s unmatched impact on healthcare access and physician retention. Together, WVU and WVU Medicine ensure that West Virginians receive high-quality, compassionate care close to home.
Driving Research, Innovation, and Economic Growth
As West Virginia’s leading research institution, WVU fuels innovation that powers new industries and strengthens communities statewide. Through major investments in health sciences, energy, engineering, and rural innovation, WVU generates discoveries that translate directly into economic opportunities.
The university’s research enterprise—including centers focused on neuroscience, cancer, energy transitions, and data analytics—supports applied research and technology transfer that turn ideas into real-world solutions. WVU’s Office of Research and the WVU Research Corporation help faculty and students commercialize innovations, secure patents, and launch new ventures. Together, WVU and WVU Medicine drive startup creation, attract external funding, and position West Virginia as a hub for scientific discovery and economic diversification.
Athletics: Uniting Communities and Elevating State Pride
WVU Athletics stands as one of the most visible and unifying forces in West Virginia, generating statewide economic activity while embodying the spirit and pride of the Mountain State.
Home to one of the nation’s most loyal fan bases, WVU Athletics attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors annually—filling hotels, restaurants, and small businesses across Morgantown and beyond. The Mountaineers’ presence in the Big 12 Conference amplifies West Virginia’s national visibility, supports student success through scholarships, and fosters a shared sense of identity across generations.
Athletics also serves as a bridge between campus and community—creating jobs, inspiring youth participation, and energizing the state’s economy and morale. From championship competition to community service, WVU Athletics reflects the values of hard work, teamwork, and perseverance that define West Virginia.
Community-Centered and Mission-Focused
WVU and WVU Medicine are cornerstones of West Virginia’s civic and community life, serving residents in every region of the state. Through outreach, education, healthcare, and public service, they work hand in hand with local leaders to improve lives and expand opportunities.
Their initiatives address health equity, rural development, workforce readiness, and public safety—meeting communities where they are and responding to their most pressing needs. In partnership with schools, nonprofits, and local governments, WVU and WVU Medicine strengthen the social fabric of West Virginia, creating resilience, well-being, and pride across all 55 counties.
Shaping the Future of West Virginia
As WVU and WVU Medicine continue to expand their statewide reach, their collective impact grows—fueling innovation, job creation, and opportunity for all West Virginians. This analysis underscores their essential role in driving economic activity, supporting employment, and improving health and education outcomes across the state. For more than 150 years, WVU has embodied the land-grant mission of service, discovery, and access. Together with WVU Medicine, it remains a powerful force for good—advancing West Virginia’s prosperity, health, and global reputation for generations to come.
Study Overview
WVU and WVU Medicine engaged Tripp Umbach to conduct a comprehensive analysis of their combined economic and community impact for Fiscal Year 2024 (FY24). The study evaluates how both institutions serve as powerful drivers of growth and community anchors across the state of West Virginia and beyond.
In addition, the analysis separately evaluates the contributions of the WVU Health Sciences Center (including training sites in Morgantown, Charleston and Eastern), University Research, Athletics, and the WVU Alumni Network. The assessment encompasses WVU’s three campuses—Morgantown, Beckley, and Keyser—along with WVU Medicine’s six regional geographies, capturing the diverse and localized impacts of both institutions across the state.
The scope of work covers a comprehensive range of economic and societal dimensions, including regional and statewide output, direct and indirect employment effects, and state and local tax revenues generated by WVU and WVU Medicine. The analysis also considers the spending impacts of students, employees, and visitors, as well as the economic value of ongoing capital investments and construction projects.
Beyond these measurable outcomes, the study underscores WVU’s broader social impact—its leadership in building stronger, healthier communities through volunteerism, charitable giving, outreach, and workforce development. Particular emphasis is placed on the long-term value created by WVU-trained healthcare professionals and the continued contributions of WVU alumni, whose success and spending strengthen West Virginia’s economy and communities across the state.
*Fiscal Year represents July 1, 2024 – June 30, 2024.
Methodology
To capture the full scope of WVU and WVU Medicine’s economic and community contributions, Tripp Umbach employed a comprehensive and conservative analytical framework grounded in the IMPLAN input-output modeling system and enhanced by the firm’s proprietary techniques developed over nearly four decades of experience conducting economic impact studies for universities, health systems, and innovation districts across the nation.
The study integrates both primary and secondary data sources to provide a data-driven understanding of WVU’s influence on West Virginia’s economy, workforce, and fiscal health. Primary data provided directly by WVU included detailed information on capital expenditures, operating budgets, payroll and benefits, employment headcounts, tax payments, student enrollment (by on- and off-campus residency), and visitor volumes. Secondary data sources and Tripp Umbach’s extensive benchmarking databases—built from hundreds of comparable higher education and healthcare impact analyses—were used to estimate visitor spending, the economic effects of conferences and athletics events, and the monetary value of volunteerism and charitable giving by WVU students, faculty, and staff.
The IMPLAN model, recognized as the industry standard for input-output analysis, was then used to quantify WVU’s direct, indirect, and induced economic impacts across key dimensions:
- Business Volume Impact: Capturing the economic activity associated with capital investments, operational expenditures, payroll, and vendor purchasing.
- Employment Impact: Estimating the total number of jobs supported both directly by WVU and indirectly through its supply chain and household spending.
- State and Local Tax Impact: Measuring fiscal revenues generated through business activity, employee income, and institutional spending.
- Student, Faculty, and Staff Spending: Assessing the household and consumer spending that flows through local and regional economies.
- Tourism and Visitor Spending: Quantifying the economic effects of campus visitors, including athletics, conferences, and special events.
Tripp Umbach’s analysis applies conservative assumptions rooted in federal per diem rates, regional spending profiles, and cost-of-living adjustments to ensure credible and transparent results. The total impact reflects only dollars retained within West Virginia; any expenditures flowing to out-of-state vendors or suppliers are excluded to avoid overstating the local effects. This approach ensures a realistic estimate of how WVU and WVU Medicine stimulate consumer spending, business activity, and innovation across the state.
Community Benefit Analysis
Besides its measurable economic footprint, WVU produces significant social and community benefits through alumni, volunteerism, philanthropy, and public service. Faculty, staff, and students contribute thousands of hours annually to nonprofit organizations, schools, and health initiatives across the state. Tripp Umbach developed customized models to measure volunteerism and charitable giving, assigning economic value to community engagement. The firm also developed models to quantify alumni impact, reflecting long-term wage and job creation generated by WVU graduates working in West Virginia. While this report focuses primarily on quantifiable economic impacts, Tripp Umbach acknowledges that WVU’s broader social contributions in healthcare access and education, cultural enrichment, and civic leadership extend far beyond the scope of this analysis.
For further information on impact terms related to economic impact analyses, please see the appendices.