THE AIER 2014 2015

CollegeDestinationsINDEX

N O R T H E A S T | M I D W E S T | S O U T H | W E S T

AN OBJECTIVE

LOOK AT 12 KEY

CRITERIA THAT

IMPACT LEARNING

EXPERIENCES

ACROSS AMERICA

ECONOMICS FOR Everyone

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CHOOSE YOUR Destination

AIER’s 2014-2015 College Destinations Index

measures the informal learning environment. Data

for Metropolitan Statistical Areas in the U.S. are

collected and ranked into four categories based

on population. The top 75 College Destinations

are identified from among 271 census regions

with 10,000 students or more across the U.S.

The CDI offers an objective look at measures

covering 12 key criteria in 4 categories that

powerfully impact the student experience:

Student Life Culture

Economic Health Opportunity

The American Institute for Economic ResearchVISIT: aier.org/cdi

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WEST

MIDWEST

SOUTH

HAWAII

ALASKA

NORTHEAST

MAJOR METRO AREAS

1 Boston,MA 2 Washington,DC 3 SanFrancisco,CA 4 NewYork,NY 5 Baltimore,MD 6 Seattle,WA 7 Minneapolis-St.Paul,MN 8 LosAngeles,CA 9 Denver,CO 10 Houston,TX 11 SanDiego,CA 12 Philadelphia,PA 13 Dallas,TX 14 Tampa,FL 15 Chicago,IL

SMALL METRO AREAS

1 Boulder,CO 2 Durham,NC 3 AnnArbor,MI 4 Madison,WI 5 Gainesville,FL 6 FortCollins,CO 7 Lincoln,NE 8 Bridgeport,CT 9 Trenton,NJ 10 Huntsville,AL 11 Albany,NY 12 Lansing,MI 13 Anchorage,AK 14 Omaha,NE 15 Provo,UT 16 Syracuse,NY 17 Lexington,KY 18 Honolulu,HI 19 Tallahassee,FL 20 Eugene,OR

MID-SIZE METRO AREAS

1 SanJose,CA 2 Austin,TX 3 Raleigh,NC 4 Pittsburgh,PA 5 Buffalo,NY 6 Rochester,NY 7 Nashville,TN 8 Columbus,OH 9 Hartford,CT 10 SaltLakeCity,UT 11 Portland,OR 12 Milwaukee,WI 13 NewOrleans,LA 14 OklahomaCity,OK 15 Indianapolis,IN 16 Richmond,VA 17 Providence,RI 18 Cleveland,OH 19 Sacramento,CA 20 Cincinnati,OH

COLLEGE TOWNS

1 Ithaca,NY 2 Ames,IA 3 Corvallis,OR 4 IowaCity,IA 5 StateCollege,PA 6 Fargo,ND 7 Champaign-Urbana,IL 8 Columbia,MO 9 Missoula,MT 10 CollegeStation,TX 11 Charlottesville,VA 12 Lafayette,IN 13 Lawrence,KS 14 Fairbanks,AK 15 Bloomington,IN 16 Morgantown,WV 17 GrandForks,ND 18 Binghamton,NY 19 Mankato,MN 20 Logan,UT

75 BEST

METRO AREAS +

COLLEGE TOWNS

FOR STUDENTS

THE AIER 2014 2015College Destinations INDEX

ECONOMIC HEALTH

Student Concentration

College students per 1,000 residents1

Population

U.S. Census 2012

Metro Areas & College Towns

U.S. Census 2012. Metropolitan Statistical Areas with greater than 10,000 college students

Overall Rank

International Students

Percentage of students that are foreign born4

Brain Drain or Gain

Annual change in share of population with college degrees1

Cost of Housing

Fair market rent of a 2-bedroom apartment2

Innovation Producers

Percentage of workers in innovative fields5

R&D per Student

Academic R&D per student8

City Accessibility

Percentage of workers that bike, walk, or take public transportation1

Unemployment Rate

Percentage of labor force unemployed6

College Educated

Percentage of the population with a college degree1

Arts & Leisure

Concentration of arts, entertainment, and recreation establishments3

Entrepreneurial Activity

Net change in businesses per 100,000 residents (3-year average)7

Earning Potential

Median earnings1

STUDENT LIFEDESTINATIONS CULTURE OPPORTUNITYRANK

ECONOMIC HEALTH

Student Concentration

College students per 1,000 residents1

Population

U.S. Census 2012

Metro Areas & College Towns

U.S. Census 2012. Metropolitan Statistical Areas with greater than 10,000 college students

Overall Rank

International Students

Percentage of students that are foreign born4

Brain Drain or Gain

Annual change in share of population with college degrees1

Cost of Housing

Fair market rent of a 2-bedroom apartment2

Innovation Producers

Percentage of workers in innovative fields5

R&D per Student

Academic R&D per student8

City Accessibility

Percentage of workers that bike, walk, or take public transportation1

Unemployment Rate

Percentage of labor force unemployed6

College Educated

Percentage of the population with a college degree1

Arts & Leisure

Concentration of arts, entertainment, and recreation establishments3

Entrepreneurial Activity

Net change in businesses per 100,000 residents (3-year average)7

Earning Potential

Median earnings1

STUDENT LIFEDESTINATIONS CULTURE OPPORTUNITYRANK

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Boston, MA 4,640,802 94.5 $1,454 18.6% 47.1 10.1% 10.8% 6.4% -24.2 1.00 $6,047 42.9% $37,954

Washington, DC 5,804,333 87.3 $1,469 18.1% 33.7 4.9% 13.9% 5.4% -14.3 1.00 $2,260 48.2% $44,452

San Francisco, CA 4,455,560 86.0 $1,956 21.7% 41.5 6.9% 11.5% 6.6% -18.1 1.03 $4,896 45.0% $41,265

New York, NY 19,160,024 74.9 $1,440 37.7% 56.2 6.4% 7.0% 7.8% -5.8 1.02 $2,653 37.0% $37,064

Baltimore, MD 2,753,149 87.9 $1,252 9.5% 36.2 4.6% 9.0% 6.8% -35.5 1.01 $10,956 36.4% $39,866

Seattle, WA 3,552,157 70.7 $1,123 13.3% 41.6 7.4% 13.0% 5.9% -38.6 1.02 $4,446 37.7% $36,864

Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN 3,353,724 74.0 $946 7.5% 46.7 3.1% 8.6% 4.8% -26.4 1.03 $3,354 39.5% $36,358

Los Angeles, CA 13,052,921 88.7 $1,398 9.5% 101.0 4.3% 8.7% 9.0% -19.4 1.02 $2,499 31.8% $29,815

Denver, CO 2,645,209 68.7 $960 7.9% 37.7 2.7% 9.7% 6.6% -20.4 1.04 $2,784 39.9% $35,104

Houston, TX 6,204,161 70.5 $926 4.3% 21.8 4.9% 8.0% 6.2% 7.8 1.03 $4,209 29.6% $31,265

San Diego, CA 3,177,063 93.4 $1,354 6.2% 34.6 3.1% 9.8% 7.5% -21.7 1.03 $3,985 34.8% $31,055

Philadelphia, PA 6,018,800 76.5 $1,135 13.9% 34.1 4.5% 7.2% 7.8% -24.6 1.03 $3,074 34.0% $35,563

Dallas, TX 6,647,496 65.6 $913 2.9% 24.4 4.3% 7.8% 6.2% -1.6 1.01 $1,691 31.6% $31,756

Tampa, FL 2,842,878 67.7 $951 3.7% 34.5 2.3% 5.8% 7.3% -24.2 1.09 $2,331 27.1% $29,646

Chicago, IL 9,522,446 74.2 $979 15.0% 33.6 3.4% 6.2% 9.1% -17.9 1.02 $2,365 34.8% $32,491

San Jose, CA 1,894,388 87.1 $1,649 6.9% 26.8 7.3% 18.7% 7.0% -10.3 1.03 $5,706 46.4% $42,802

Austin, TX 1,834,303 94.1 $1,074 5.2% 37.3 4.5% 11.5% 5.2% 25.0 1.00 $3,847 40.5% $31,073

Raleigh, NC 1,188,564 81.6 $856 2.5% 35.7 6.2% 10.2% 6.4% -12.2 1.02 $4,188 42.0% $35,012

Pittsburgh, PA 2,360,733 67.4 $789 9.2% 40.3 5.4% 6.8% 6.8% -22.3 1.04 $7,149 30.5% $31,202

Buffalo, NY 1,134,210 82.4 $710 6.4% 38.4 9.5% 5.4% 7.5% -7.6 1.02 $3,911 29.7% $30,477

Rochester, NY 1,056,940 86.9 $834 5.8% 45.0 5.6% 7.1% 7.1% -3.5 1.01 $4,700 31.9% $30,324

Nashville, TN 1,645,638 74.6 $851 2.4% 64.9 2.4% 6.0% 6.5% -29.5 1.06 $4,988 32.6% $30,375

Columbus, OH 1,878,714 81.1 $806 4.1% 32.1 5.3% 8.0% 6.2% -20.4 1.04 $5,032 34.1% $31,589

Hartford, CT 1,214,400 89.8 $1,170 6.3% 38.9 3.4% 8.2% 7.8% -33.0 1.04 $2,490 36.6% $37,769

Salt Lake City, UT 1,161,715 79.2 $876 6.8% 33.6 3.2% 7.8% 4.2% -41.2 1.05 $4,673 32.4% $29,331

Portland, OR 2,289,651 74.4 $922 12.1% 39.1 3.1% 9.0% 7.3% -29.4 1.03 $2,178 35.1% $31,460

Milwaukee, WI 1,566,981 77.8 $812 7.2% 37.9 2.5% 6.9% 7.3% -42.8 1.02 $2,413 32.5% $31,846

New Orleans, LA 1,205,374 74.2 $948 6.2% 37.9 3.2% 5.5% 6.1% -11.6 1.03 $2,957 26.7% $29,489

Oklahoma City, OK 1,296,565 77.6 $723 2.4% 29.0 4.3% 6.5% 5.1% 1.1 1.01 $2,474 28.4% $28,133

Indianapolis, IN 1,798,786 68.3 $777 3.1% 38.1 1.4% 7.1% 6.9% -27.0 1.03 $2,578 32.1% $31,287

Richmond, VA 1,280,678 77.0 $984 3.6% 36.4 2.8% 6.9% 5.9% -40.8 1.02 $2,191 32.6% $32,108

Providence, RI 1,601,374 85.2 $913 6.4% 47.3 4.6% 5.8% 9.7% -45.5 1.00 $3,778 29.4% $31,564

Cleveland, OH 2,063,535 69.9 $750 5.8% 35.1 3.8% 6.0% 7.5% -39.9 1.02 $3,425 28.5% $30,561

Sacramento, CA 2,196,482 95.6 $1,072 6.4% 27.1 1.8% 8.8% 8.6% -35.2 1.01 $3,463 30.3% $31,467

Cincinnati, OH 2,146,560 74.2 $735 3.9% 33.2 3.7% 6.7% 7.1% -35.9 1.00 $2,902 29.6% $30,775

Boulder, CO 305,318 150.1 $1,178 15.2% 72.8 5.2% 16.1% 5.2% -0.8 0.98 $8,554 57.9% $30,981

Durham, NC 522,826 120.7 $843 9.0% 40.4 6.9% 13.7% 6.2% -7.0 1.07 $30,211 44.7% $28,236

Ann Arbor, MI 350,946 194.4 $952 12.7% 47.7 8.5% 11.8% 5.9% -23.1 0.98 $19,569 49.7% $26,067

Madison, WI 583,869 115.6 $898 12.2% 54.5 6.4% 10.9% 4.8% -18.8 1.00 $17,325 42.6% $31,051

Gainesville, FL 268,698 228.1 $869 10.1% 32.4 7.1% 6.4% 5.5% -20.0 1.01 $11,370 38.6% $24,977

Fort Collins, CO 310,487 134.7 $896 9.7% 53.0 4.1% 10.4% 5.4% -26.8 1.04 $8,989 44.7% $25,562

Lincoln, NE 309,387 122.1 $700 5.1% 42.0 4.8% 7.6% 3.5% -5.9 0.99 $6,722 35.9% $27,100

Bridgeport, CT 933,835 66.9 $1,161 12.0% 59.0 3.8% 7.4% 7.2% -47.7 1.05 $158 46.3% $40,413

Trenton, NJ 368,303 94.4 $1,225 11.1% 40.6 4.4% 10.8% 6.7% -33.3 0.98 $7,986 38.2% $35,832

Huntsville, AL 430,734 82.3 $689 1.3% 28.9 2.1% 15.8% 5.5% -30.8 1.13 $3,399 36.9% $31,083

Albany, NY 874,646 94.1 $929 7.5% 44.4 3.0% 8.5% 6.4% -5.9 0.99 $6,750 34.1% $34,182

Lansing, MI 465,732 156.1 $762 6.8% 26.7 9.4% 7.6% 7.4% -31.9 1.04 $6,976 32.2% $22,459

Anchorage, AK 392,535 75.6 $1,146 5.6% 56.0 2.0% 7.8% 5.5% -10.3 1.10 $681 30.9% $36,437

Omaha, NE 886,348 79.2 $790 3.1% 41.8 2.4% 7.0% 4.3% -7.5 1.05 $2,602 33.7% $31,233

Provo, UT 550,461 132.7 $729 6.8% 29.0 2.6% 8.2% 4.3% -2.5 1.03 $463 35.8% $21,369

Syracuse, NY 660,934 97.8 $801 7.4% 42.1 6.3% 6.0% 7.6% -9.3 0.99 $1,816 29.0% $30,813

Lexington, KY 485,023 113.0 $717 4.4% 43.0 3.3% 6.5% 6.7% -22.3 1.01 $6,580 35.2% $27,365

Honolulu, HI 976,372 83.3 $1,820 15.3% 25.8 6.8% 6.3% 4.3% -31.9 1.05 $3,858 32.2% $33,053

Tallahassee, FL 376,331 188.6 $910 4.3% 30.8 2.5% 7.9% 6.2% -28.6 0.99 $3,912 37.1% $23,903

Eugene, OR 354,542 126.2 $834 13.7% 42.7 7.5% 6.0% 7.6% -56.9 1.01 $2,348 27.4% $22,278

Ithaca, NY 102,554 288.5 $1,130 22.6% 55.1 13.0% 5.6% 5.0% 12.7 1.02 $27,158 51.9% $28,121

Ames, IA 91,140 299.0 $717 14.6% 39.0 11.3% 10.6% 3.5% -14.3 1.10 $9,577 50.8% $18,654

Corvallis, OR 86,430 229.5 $824 18.4% 37.2 8.9% 14.2% 5.8% -36.3 1.10 $12,127 53.1% $19,949

Iowa City, IA 158,231 197.0 $851 16.8% 37.4 10.8% 7.7% 3.3% -14.5 1.04 $14,322 47.6% $26,740

State College, PA 155,171 270.8 $914 16.5% 36.2 10.6% 8.4% 5.6% -16.8 0.96 $18,986 39.4% $21,953

Fargo, ND-MN 216,312 126.8 $684 5.3% 56.2 6.6% 6.0% 3.2% -3.2 1.11 $4,938 37.1% $30,104

Champaign-Urbana, IL 234,072 216.9 $862 15.1% 33.2 16.6% 5.8% 8.2% -27.3 1.03 $11,499 40.1% $23,615

Columbia, MO 178,101 210.2 $691 6.0% 34.8 6.0% 6.7% 4.5% -1.9 1.03 $6,407 47.8% $25,386

Missoula, MT 110,977 122.1 $845 9.2% 103.5 3.1% 7.1% 5.3% -58.3 1.18 $4,376 42.8% $23,758

College Station, TX 233,135 235.9 $868 8.4% 25.0 8.7% 7.9% 5.1% -7.0 1.09 $14,112 35.7% $20,047

Charlottesville, VA 206,414 135.1 $1,008 7.8% 48.4 6.7% 8.5% 4.6% -46.3 0.96 $13,742 43.1% $31,421

Lafayette, IN 205,917 213.2 $780 9.4% 28.6 21.0% 3.9% 6.9% -25.4 0.97 $13,725 31.4% $21,403

Lawrence, KS 112,864 239.6 $779 7.4% 42.8 7.3% 6.2% 5.1% -35.7 0.99 $10,660 48.0% $21,137

Fairbanks, AK 100,272 119.1 $1,326 5.1% 73.6 3.1% 8.1% 5.8% -4.0 1.17 $13,430 31.2% $32,255

Bloomington, IN 195,339 231.4 $779 11.8% 27.2 13.9% 8.6% 6.9% -24.2 1.05 $4,082 32.6% $18,016

Morgantown, WV 134,164 196.1 $752 7.7% 44.6 5.5% 6.7% 4.5% 0.5 0.99 $6,216 30.9% $21,550

Grand Forks, ND 98,888 162.8 $725 4.5% 54.8 6.4% 4.2% 3.7% 1.0 1.02 $4,979 29.5% $25,865

Binghamton, NY 248,538 102.8 $692 6.6% 42.0 11.2% 6.2% 7.8% -2.3 1.06 $3,170 27.6% $26,188

Mankato, MN 98,020 197.6 $704 7.5% 48.4 3.7% 5.1% 4.1% n/a 1.05 $107 33.2% $24,737

Logan, UT 128,374 153.6 $637 9.1% 43.3 3.3% 6.1% 3.6% -18.7 0.97 $7,981 34.6% $19,389

1U.S. Census, 2012.2U.S. Dept. of HUD, 2014.3U.S. Economic Census, 2011.

4IPEDS, 2012.5BLS OES, 2013.6BLS, 2013 average.

7U.S. Small Business Administration, 2011.8National Science Foundation, 2012.

75 BEST METRO AREAS + COLLEGE TOWNS FOR STUDENTS

12 KEY CRITERIA THAT HAVE A POWERFUL IMPACT ON A STUDENT’S INFORMAL LEARNING EXPERIENCE

THE top 20 COLLEGETOWNSUnder250,000 residents

THE top 20 SMALLMETROS250,000 to1.0 million residents

THE top 20 MID-SIZEMETROS1.0 to 2.5million residents

THE top 15 MAJORMETROSgreater than 2.5million residents

THE AIER 2014 2015 College Destinations INDEX