Farmingdale, NY – Today, the LIA Research Institute issued an economic impact analysis on Farmingdale State College (FSC), and evaluated expenditures on operations and construction as well as spending by students and visitors from 2020-2025. The study found that the multipler effect of the institution on the economy was nearly $1 billion and almost 10,000 jobs were created during this time period. The LIA Research Institute is the research arm of the Long Island Association (LIA), the leading non-profit and non-partisan regional business organization for the past 100 years.

“Farmingdale State College is an economic engine for our region, enabling Long Islanders to obtain a quality education and secure jobs and also serving as a major employer and community asset. The LIA was proud to partner with Farmingdale to conduct this illuminating analysis to demonstrate its ripple effect throughout Nassau and Suffolk Counties,” said Matt Cohen, LIA President & CEO.

“Colleges and universities are truly remarkable public assets, not only through our role as a major regional employer, but also as an engine of social mobility, workforce development, and innovation,” said Robert S. Prezant, PhD, President of Farmingdale State College. “FSC plays a vital role in the local and regional economy and the report produced by the LIA solidifies this role with real, meaningful data. Through our unique and innovative programs, FSC continues to attract energetic and talented students who will be the future of Long Island’s workforce. We are proud of the work we do on campus and the impact we have on our surrounding community.”

“What Farmingdale creates for our community goes well beyond its campus,” noted Dr. Steven Kent, Chief Economist of the LIA Research Institute. “The colleges’ spending, construction, students, and visitors activate the broader economic chain within Nassau and Suffolk Counties. But it is not just dollars. The college transforms its students who mostly stay on Long Island, get high-paying jobs, and create a virtuous circle for our region.”

The LIA Research Institute conducted the analysis on behalf of FSC, which was established 114 years ago as a farming and horticultural institution, and now educates more than 10,000 students annually in highly regarded academic programs including engineering, health sciences, business, and computer science.

In 2025 alone, the impact of FSC totaled $272 million and was driven primarily by university operations expenditures (administrators, faculty, support staff, etc). The college has increased investments in its physical infrastructure to accommodate new academic programs, and is experiencing a construction boom with new and revovated buildings, including the 50,000 state-of-the-art Computer Sciences Center in progress. The future economic impact of construction on campus through 2028 is projected to be approximately $250 million.

The LIA Research Institute utilized the IMPLAN calculation process to estimate the economic impact of FSC, which includes direct spending by the college from 2020-2025; indirect spending by employees, students, and visitors; and induced impacts including the effect on regional businesses.

For more information, read the entire report linked on this webpage: https://www.longislandassociation.org/special-research-reports/

About the Long Island Association (LIA): The LIA is celebrating its Centennial in 2026, and 100 years of advocating for the region’s business community and economic growth as a non-partisan, non-profit organization. The LIA’s regional leadership has played a direct role in shepherding progress by urging for government policies and securing funding that created jobs for people who sought the suburban way of life. The LIA is the voice for businesses in Nassau and Suffolk Counties and has introduced unparalleled opportunities for businesses to network and build relationships to accelerate their growth.

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