Economic Impact Studies of Regional Public Colleges and Universities

This article reviews methodological issues confronting authors and users of economic impact studies of public colleges and universities. Questions addressed include the following: How should economic impact of regional public colleges and universities be defined? What considerations should govern the definition or the geographical study area? How should tax support of publicly supported institutions be addressed? The article includes perspectives from recent literature considering these questions from both short‐term and long‐term perspectives. Resolution of these issues depends upon careful delineation and communication of the alternative states of world between which the hypothetical impact is measured.