Kennesaw State University pumped $2.55 billion into the Atlanta metro economy during fiscal year 2025, and a significant share of that spending lands in East Cobb's restaurants, retail corridors and employers' payrolls.
The figure, released Thursday, Aug. 13, in a University System of Georgia report, marks an 11.1% jump from $2.3 billion the prior year. Of the total, $1 billion came from the university, its employees and its students buying goods and services in the surrounding community, according to KSU's announcement.
KSU's Marietta Campus sits at 1100 South Marietta Parkway, directly adjacent to East Cobb. That proximity means thousands of faculty, staff and students cycle through nearby shopping centers and eateries during the academic year.
Nearly 17,000 jobs tied to KSU
The university's employment footprint reached 16,926 full- and part-time positions in FY 2025: 4,645 on campus and 12,281 off campus in private and public-sector roles. For every job KSU creates on its campuses, another 2.6 jobs are generated in the local community, according to the report.
That's a record.
KSU President Kathy S. Schwaig said the growth reflects momentum built through community partnerships and workforce programs. "Kennesaw State University's growing economic impact reflects the momentum we have built through our commitment to student success, community partnerships and workforce innovation, creating lasting value for Georgia," Schwaig said in a statement released Aug. 13.
Growth engine keeps accelerating
The economic surge tracks with enrollment gains. KSU reached 51,375 students in fall 2025, a 7.4% increase over the prior year and the seventh consecutive year of growth. The university has added roughly 8,100 students since 2022, according to institutional data, and leads the University System of Georgia in enrolling Georgia residents.
That growth is also reshaping the physical landscape near East Cobb. A new $50 million, 462-bed residence hall at the Kennesaw Campus was dedicated Aug. 4, with students moving in starting Aug. 19. The Cobb Board of Commissioners approved a 588-bed student housing project nearby in July on a 3-2 vote. Campus Realty Advisors, the developer behind that project, previously built The Beacon student housing complex at KSU's Marietta Campus.
Statewide context
KSU's $2.55 billion accounts for roughly 10% of the entire University System of Georgia's $25.1 billion statewide economic output in FY 2025. The study was conducted by Jeffrey M. Humphreys, director of the Selig Center for Economic Growth at UGA's Terry College of Business, analyzing spending data from July 1, 2024, through June 30, 2025.
A companion USG study found that bachelor's graduates in the class of 2025 from Georgia's public universities will earn $1.4 million more over their lifetimes than they would without a degree.
KSU's fall 2026 semester begins Monday, Aug. 24, when tens of thousands of students return to both campuses and resume spending at surrounding businesses.
