The economic influence of the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) has surged to unprecedented levels, as disclosed by a study conducted by Tripp Umbach, a leading national consulting firm specializing in not-for-profit, arts, and tourism sectors. According to the report, in fiscal year 2023, SCAD contributed $1.3 billion to Georgia’s annual economic output, marking a substantial 70% surge compared to the previous fiscal year’s report in 2019.
Utilizing the IMPLAN input-output model, Tripp Umbach scrutinized SCAD’s economic footprint. The study amalgamated primary data sourced from SCAD and the consulting firm’s benchmarking databases, cultivated over three decades of conducting similar analyses. It delineated SCAD’s profound and overwhelmingly positive impact on Georgia’s economic dynamism through various channels such as job creation, student and visitor expenditure, substantial investment in capital projects, operational outlay, public events, alumni earning capacity, public safety initiatives, and philanthropic contributions.
“In 1979, SCAD commenced its inaugural academic year with a modest enrollment of 71 students. Over 45 years later, SCAD has defied expectations to emerge as the world’s largest and most prestigious institution for creative disciplines, yielding a monumental $1.3 billion annually for Georgia,” remarked SCAD President and Founder Paula Wallace. “Equally remarkable is the statistic of 74,000, reflecting the collective number of SCAD students and alumni drawn to Georgia from every corner of the United States and over 120 nations, converging to learn at the world’s premier university for applied research and innovation. SCAD affiliates also integrate into Georgia’s workforce, spanning sectors such as technology, entertainment, design, manufacturing, finance, healthcare, and more, steering their own startups and contributing to local employment.”
SCAD, a private, nonprofit, accredited university, furnishes a diverse array of 100 academic degree programs to over 17,500 students across its campuses in Atlanta and Savannah, Georgia; Lacoste, France; and online via SCADnow. Anchored in its mission to prepare gifted students for creative vocations through immersive teaching and learning within a supportive university milieu, SCAD positions itself as the foremost repository of expertise in the disciplines it nurtures. The university’s commitment to career readiness permeates its ethos, culminating in an exemplary alumni employment rate. According to a recent survey of SCAD graduates from Spring 2022, 99% secured employment, pursued further education, or embarked on both paths within 10 months of graduation.
“Through innovative business stewardship, groundbreaking initiatives, purposeful collaborations, community service, and dynamic cultural engagements, SCAD remains steadfast in advancing the prosperity of its home state,” affirmed SCAD Chief Financial Officer JJ Waller. “Our commissioning of this report was driven by a desire to scrutinize tangible data, and we take pride in recognizing our university’s pivotal role in invigorating the economies of Savannah and Atlanta.”
SCAD sustains a workforce exceeding 2,300 individuals and catalyzes over 12,000 jobs statewide. The annual state and local government revenue stemming from SCAD’s presence surpasses $51 million. This figure encapsulates revenues accrued by the government, distinct from those directly remitted by the university, encompassing taxes remitted by employees, SCAD visitors, and vendors engaged in transactions with SCAD. Moreover, SCAD’s public-facing festivals, screenings, museums, and galleries, positioned as hubs of community engagement, inject $127 million annually into Georgia’s tourism sector.
With a 45-year tradition of enriching the Savannah and Atlanta communities, SCAD has emerged as a formidable force for social good. Tripp Umbach estimates that SCAD affiliates, comprising students and employees, contribute upwards of $38.5 million annually in charitable contributions and volunteer endeavors across Georgia. SCAD’s SCAD SERVE initiative empowers its community to address local needs collaboratively, generating impactful design solutions aimed at enhancing quality of life. In fiscal year 2023, SCAD collaborated with over a dozen nonprofits through Design for Good courses and initiatives like Paint Our Parks (POP), an endeavor embellishing basketball courts statewide with public art; the university’s tree-planting campaign, which has introduced hundreds of mature trees into neighborhoods grappling with arboreal disparities; and substantial donations of food and clothing to entities such as America’s Second Harvest.
Beyond its architectural and creative legacies, SCAD has been instrumental in crime mitigation and fostering safer communities. In fiscal year 2023, SCAD allocated upwards of $14 million toward security services in Savannah and Atlanta, benefiting local residents. Initiatives such as ShotSpotter technology deployment, strategic placement of public-facing security cameras, and round-the-clock security patrols underscore SCAD’s commitment to community safety. Notably, SCAD was the inaugural U.S. university to adopt ShotSpotter technology and has pioneered outdoor sensor technology deployment in Savannah’s downtown and midtown areas.
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