WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS BUOYED BY HIGHER EDUCATION

Map of Massachusetts showing the four Western Counties of Franklin, Hampshire, Hampden and Berkshire.  Source: Wikipedia

Massachusetts has a metropolitan area – Boston – that is economically dynamic while much of the rest of the state has not transitioned from an older New England economy.  This is the case in Western Massachusetts which consists of the four counties –Berkshire, Franklin, Hamden and Hampshire, occupying the Connecticut River Valley and the Berkshires Mountains.  While these four counties have suffered economically as manufacturing, especially in the metal industry, has declined, higher education has prospered.  The region boasts the following 19 public and private colleges and universities:

American International College Amherst College, Bay Path College Berkshire Community College Conway School of Landscape Design Elms College Greenfield Community College Hampshire College Holyoke Community College Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts

Mount Holyoke College Simon's Rock College of Bard Smith College Springfield College Springfield Technical Community College University of Massachusetts Amherst Western New England College Westfield State University Williams College

In a region of farms and small cities, these institutions collectively are a powerful economic force with over 12,000 full time and an additional 4,000 part time employees. Over 72,000 students are enrolled in colleges and universities in Western Massachusetts representing 9% of the total population of the region.  Finally, direct expenditures of these institutions was estimated to be $1.432 Billion, contributing to the vitality of the region. 

(All figures in this posting are from “Economic Impact of Higher Education Institutions in Western Massachusetts: Fact Sheet” published by New England Association of Schools and Colleges. The figures are for fiscal year 2007 and are undoubtedly somewhat higher today. I want to thank Nadia Alam of NEASC for producing this information.)  

American International College

Amherst College,

Bay Path College

Berkshire Community College

Conway School of Landscape Design

Elms College

Greenfield Community College

Hampshire College

Holyoke Community College

Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts

Mount Holyoke College

Simon's Rock College of Bard

Smith College

Springfield College

Springfield Technical Community College

University of Massachusetts Amherst

Western New England College

Westfield State University

Williams College

A view of the main artery in Springfield - State Street - with Springfield Technical Community College campus in upper left of picture.