West Virginia Explorer

Study finds WVU and its health system account for 17% of West Virginia’s economy

Economic Development

January 26, 2026

David Sibray

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — West Virginia University and the WVU Health System together generate $14.3 billion in annual economic impact in West Virginia, accounting for approximately 17% of the state’s gross domestic product, according to a newly released independent study.

The analysis, conducted by national consulting firm Tripp Umbach, found the combined operations at the university and its statewide health network also support more than 84,000 jobs statewide, or roughly one out of every nine jobs, and contribute $890 million in state and local tax revenue.

The study represents the most comprehensive economic impact assessment ever conducted for the university and its affiliated health system, measuring direct spending and secondary and induced effects associated with employees, patients, visitors, vendors, suppliers, and household spending.

Economic Reach Extends Beyond State Borders

Beyond West Virginia, the report estimates that WVU and the WVU Health System contribute $21.6 billion to the national economy, including $4.8 billion from the university and $16.8 billion from the health system. Nationally, the institutions support more than 149,000 jobs and generate $1 billion in tax revenue.

The 10-story children's hospital in Morgantown offers more than 150 beds along with operating rooms, cardiac catheterization and endoscopy facilities.

The 10-story children’s hospital in Morgantown offers more than 150 beds along with operating rooms, cardiac catheterization, and endoscopy facilities.

University President Michael T. Benson said the findings underscore the institution’s role as anchors of education, health care, and economic stability.

“The combined strength of West Virginia’s flagship, land-grant university and the state’s largest integrated health system forms a unified academic, research, and clinical enterprise,” Benson said in a statement.

The University alone is credited with supporting 28,295 jobs, either directly or indirectly, across the WVU System, which includes WVU Morgantown, WVU Institute of Technology (at Beckley), and WVU Potomac State College (at Keyser).

WVU Health System Drives Statewide Growth

The study found the WVU Health System, operating under the WVU Medicine brand, contributes $11.2 billion to West Virginia’s economy and generates $686.5 million in state and local tax revenue.

The system operates 25 hospitals and five institutes and has expanded services throughout West Virginia and into eastern Ohio, southwestern Pennsylvania, and western Maryland. Since the fiscal year covered in the report, the health system has committed nearly $1 billion to capital projects, including new outpatient facilities, cancer centers, and inpatient care expansions across the state.

Health Sciences and Research Strengthen Workforce Pipeline

According to the analysis, WVU Health Sciences contributes $811.5 million to the state economy, supports more than 7,000 jobs, and generates $40.6 million in state and local tax revenue. The university is one of only 11 nationwide to offer professional schools in dentistry, medicine, nursing, pharmacy, and public health.

The report also highlights WVU’s research enterprise, which generates $400.2 million in economic impact across the state. The university is the only R1 “very high research activity” university in West Virginia, and its growing commercialization efforts include 350 invention disclosures since 2020, more than 560 patent assets, and 32 active intellectual property licenses.

Athletics, Tourism, and Community Contributions

The study found WVU Athletics plays a significant role in the state’s tourism economy, particularly on football game days, when visitor spending boosts hotels, restaurants, and local businesses. WVU Athletics is responsible for approximately $390 million in statewide economic activity, representing about $1 of every $23 in West Virginia’s tourism economy.

In addition, faculty, staff, students, and physicians contribute an estimated $86.3 million annually through charitable donations and volunteer service, including $46 million in direct giving and $40.3 million in volunteer labor value.

The Tripp Umbach study analyzed economic and community impacts for Fiscal Year 2024, offering a detailed snapshot of the role WVU and the WVU Health System play in employment, health care access, education, research, tourism, and community development across West Virginia.

History of West Virginia University

Founded in 1867, West Virginia University was established just four years after statehood as the Agricultural College of West Virginia under the federal Morrill Land-Grant Act, with a mission to provide practical education in agriculture, engineering, and the sciences.

The institution was renamed West Virginia University in 1868 and grew steadily alongside the state, expanding its academic scope, research capacity, and public service role through the late 19th and 20th centuries.

Designated the state’s flagship university, WVU developed professional schools in medicine, law, engineering, and education, while becoming a major center for research, health care training, and economic development.