Study Places SD Community College District’s Economic Impact at Nearly $6 Billion

The San Diego Community College District generated $5.8 billion for the regional economy during the 2023-24 fiscal year, according to a study released Friday.

Lightcast, a provider of economic and labor market data, studied numbers from the district’s academic and financial reports, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and other data points to arrive at the figure for the 2023-24 fiscal year.

The district and its four colleges, San Diego City, San Diego Mesa, San Diego Miramar and San Diego Continuing Education, “are uplifting individuals and communities across our region,” SDCCD Chancellor Gregory Smith said in a statement.

“This latest report demonstrates our considerable positive financial impact as we expand access to higher education in collaboration with business, industry, labor and community partners to ensure our graduates meet the needs of our dynamic local economy,” he said.

According to Lightcast, which has completed more than 3,000 studies for educational institutions since 2000, the district’s economic impact is near the equivalent of San Diego hosting the Comic-Con convention 35 times.