A recent report from a consulting firm has noted that the Monadnock region’s Franklin Pierce University is a strong moneymaker and jobs creator for New Hampshire.

The Rindge-based school contributed more than $101 million to the Granite State’s economy in 2022, supporting or sustaining 951 jobs in the state while employing 553 people within the institution. That’s according to a study by Parker Philips, a Pennsylvania consultant specializing in economic impact analyses for higher education institutions.

The report stated that, of the financial impact figure, $79.8 million went to Franklin Pierce’s operational and capital expenses, and $21.2 million was sourced from spending by visitors to the campus and from student spending. The university’s total activities, meanwhile, contribute roughly $5 million to state and local taxes. Of those taxes, $2.8 million was generated locally.

Another data point may indicate that a majority of the university’s alumni remain in New Hampshire after graduation. The report notes that more than 1,653 Franklin Pierce graduates live and work in the state, generating a $165.7 million impact. Official records show that 1,717 students were registered in fall 2022 across traditional and online undergraduate classes and the institution’s graduate school, with the entire student body receiving financial aid.

In a full report booklet, Franklin Pierce President Kim Mooney, a 1983 alumnus of the school, highlighted the institution’s latest strategic plan as supportive of the report’s findings. She credited its PATHS@PIERCE initiative to link undergraduates with degrees and increasing partnership with nearby Jaffrey-Rindge Cooperative School District to create student internships as key elements of the plan.

The school also partners with businesses, municipalities and other organizations — via its Franklin Pierce Center for Professional Programs and Partnerships — to allow employees of partner entities to complete bachelor’s degrees, start graduate degrees or seek industry certifications online, Mooney said in the report booklet.

“This impact report illustrates the vital role Franklin Pierce University plays in both the regional and state economies,” Mooney said in a news release about the report. “As Franklin Pierce looks toward the future, it is evident that the University has built a strong foundation for economic sustainability and longevity.”

Franklin Pierce University was founded in 1962 by the late Frank S. DiPietro, who also served as its first president until 1975, as chancellor from 1975-1980 and as a trustee emeritus until he died in 2013, according to the institution’s website. It gained university status in 2007. In addition to its main campus in Rindge, it has academic centers in Manchester; Lebanon; Goodyear, Arizona; and Round Rock, Texas.

The complete economic impact study by Parker Philips may be viewed online at issuu.com/parkerphilips/docs/nhcuc_franklin_pierce_report_feb24-compressed.

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