| Total State Appropriations to UT System | Wages 1 Year after Exit | |
| 2010 | $2,158,384,291 | $1,323,894,204 |
| 2011 | $1,963,998,845 | $1,469,494,401 |
| 2012 | $1,897,267,494 | $1,672,942,738 |
| 2013 | $1,894,929,197 | $1,851,147,242 |
| 2014 | $2,057,269,281 | $1,973,341,964 |
| 2015 | $2,073,677,048 | $2,170,155,052 |
The state investment in UT institutions pays off, and it pays off quickly. In their first year after leaving a UT institution, former students working in Texas earned more in 2015 than the total state appropriations received by UT System in that year. In 2015, UT System institutions received $2.07 billion in state appropriations. Students leaving a UT institution in 2014 earned $2.17 billion working in Texas in 2015.
Former UT students now employed in the Texas workforce add to the state economy as productive, working citizens. For the state, this results in increased tax revenue, lower unemployment rates, reduced dependency on government services, and a potential increase in spending on consumer items, among other things. (1)
UT System graduates work in and contribute to a wide variety of industries within the vast Texas economy—healthcare, oil and gas extraction, the tech sector, finance, and beyond. Further, two industries where graduates are most often found working are critical areas for Texas’ future—education and healthcare. In addition to the return on public investment in UT institutions, UT graduates are doing their part to help educate the next generation and ensure the health of Texas residents.
About the Data
This metric is based on the 2015 earnings of students who left a UT institution in 2014, with or without a degree. Earnings data post-graduation reflect actual earnings reported to the Texas Workforce Commission. Earnings are based on a calendar year and include those working in the state of Texas. Appropriations data include general revenue support from the State of Texas for instruction and operations, infrastructure support, special items, tuition revenue bond debt service (TRBs), and group health insurance and employee benefits.
Sources
Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) Unemployment Insurance wage record data, Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board student data, and State Appropriations as reported on the Annual Financial Reports (AFR).