Economic Impact Study

The total economic impact of Drake University in 2025 was over $424 million dollars! The full detail of this report can be found in the 2025 Economic and Community Impact Report.

Drake supports 2,655 jobs through its day-to-day operations, construction projects, and spending by students and visitors with over $120 million in worker earnings generated.

The University’s broad range of academic, recruitment, and athletic programming attracts thousands of out-of-town visitors who spend $31.9 million.

Drake Bulldogs athletics events generate over $12 million annually on food, retail, lodging, and tickets. The Drake Relays, one of the nation’s preeminent intercollegiate track and field meets, brings an additional $7.3 million in revenue. Visits by prospective students and their families, University board members, and faculty and staff candidates also generate out-of-state revenue for central Iowa.

Drake University contributes to state and local tax districts as well, including $9.8 million to Des Moines Public Schools, $10.8 million to the State of Iowa, $12.6 million to the City of Des Moines, $4.5 million to Polk County, and $10.1 million to other local tax districts.

Drake’s status as a “brain gain” institution—a net importer of students and skilled employees—boosts the regional economy by more than $6 billion. 

Fifty-seven percent of Drake students come from outside the state, but 57% stay after graduating.

More than 27,000 Drake Alumni work in Iowa, and in total, the economic activity associated with Drake alumni contributes approximately $6 billion to Iowa's GDP.

“Drake alumni make a meaningful contribution all over the globe—but nowhere are their achievements more visible than in central Iowa, where they put their skills to work as corporate executives and nonprofit leaders, elected officials and court justices, public school superintendents, entrepreneurs; in short, in every aspect of business and society,” said John Smith, vice president for university advancement. “Des Moines is stronger for the thousands of Bulldogs who choose to call it home.”

Drake students, faculty, and staff members give back to the local economy through community service and volunteerism. 

In 2025, Drake contributed 246,382 volunteer hours collectively valued at $11.2 million per year to local community service and service-learning programs. This included over 110,000 hours in clinical health services and over 81,000 hours of student teaching, counseling, & internships.