Cal State San Bernardino (CSUSB) has generated nearly $1 billion in industry activity for the Inland Empire, according to a recent five-year analysis by the California State University system. The report, titled “Moving California Forward: The Economic Power of the CSU,” was released on November 18 and highlights CSUSB’s significant role in supporting the local economy.
The university supports 9,100 jobs and contributes $406.5 million in regional wages as well as $76.7 million in state and local tax revenue. These figures reflect CSUSB’s impact on communities in San Bernardino and Riverside counties.
“CSUSB views itself as an anchor institution here in the Inland Empire,” said university President Tomás D. Morales. “I say this repeatedly, but this report is further evidence that it is true. We are delivering for the communities which we serve. Our stellar faculty, supported by the staff, are behind these results. I could not be prouder.”
The report notes that for every dollar invested by the state in CSUSB, $10.06 is generated in statewide industry activity—a measure of total economy-wide spending resulting from university operations and related activities.
Including alumni earnings—many of whom remain in the region—the economic impact increases to $50.81 per state dollar invested. CSUSB alumni contribute $3.7 billion annually through enhanced earnings, support 22,000 jobs, and generate $4.7 billion in industry activity across California.
CSUSB’s programs focus on emerging fields such as cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and entrepreneurship to prepare students for careers in high-demand industries.
Across all 22 campuses of the California State University system, each dollar invested by the state generates $7.69 in statewide industrial activity or $35.53 when including alumni earnings throughout California.
During the 2023-24 academic year alone, CSU’s overall statewide impact reached $31.6 billion with an additional $2.3 billion generated in state and local tax revenue. The CSU system supported 210,800 jobs and contributed $13.5 billion in labor income across California.
“This comprehensive report clearly demonstrates that resources entrusted to the CSU should not be considered an expenditure, but rather an investment — and an investment with a powerful and tangible return,” said CSU Chancellor Mildred García. “Importantly, the report measures not only dollars, jobs and industry activity, but also the CSU’s impact on our students’ lives and families, our contributions as a research powerhouse, and the countless benefits our universities deliver to our workforce, to communities across California, and to our nation.”
The CSUSB Palm Desert Campus remains committed to providing educational opportunities tailored to meet both student needs and those of the Coachella Valley region through undergraduate and graduate degree programs focused on academic excellence and community engagement.
