Impact Statements

Economic Impact

  • Estimated local economic impact: $96 million in 2009
  • Estimated $32 million spent locally during 2009
  • 2009 payroll & benefits: $19.8 million
  • 2009 operating budget: $53.4 million
  • 400 employees
  • Over 1,500 students
  • More than 10,000 Westminster alumni reside in Pennsylvania and Ohio
  • Westminster awards over $25 million in financial aid annually
  • Nearly all Westminster students participate in at least one internship before graduating

Cultural Impact

  • Celebrity Series brings a variety of nationally known entertainers to the community
  • The Westminster Fourth of July celebration attracts more than 10,000 spectators annually
  • Westminster offers 20 college sports, including the home football games of the six-time National Champion Westminster Titans, and numerous camps for area youth
  • Numerous educational programs for area pastors and educators
  • Lectures and concerts are offered free to the public
  • Westminster facilities are used by the community throughout the year
  • Westminster College Art Gallery presents national as well as local artists
  • Both J.S. Mack Science Library and the McGill Memorial Library, which features a community bookshelf and a children's collection, are open to the community

Educational Impact

  • Westminster is ranked in the top ten in the country in graduation rate performance – U.S. News
  • Westminster is a top tier liberal arts college – U.S. News Guide to America’s Best Colleges
  • Drinko Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning provides training for area educators and funds innovative undergraduate research opportunities for students and faculty
  • The John Templeton Foundation honored Westminster as a “Character Building College”
  • The Princeton Review honored Westminster as one of “The Best 361 Colleges” in the country
  • Our 11:1 student-to-faculty ratio means you’re a name, not a number
  • Approximately 98 percent of all graduates are employed or attending graduate school during the year following graduation
  • Average entering freshmen have 3.5 high school grade point average and nearly 1,100 SAT score
  • 41 majors and six pre-professional programs
  • 92% of full-time faculty have doctorate or equivalent
  • More than 700 area residents take Continuing Education, Lifelong Learning, or Graduate Program courses each year
  • Westminster Preschool Lab offers an enriched educational experience for community children
  • Westminster Science in Motion and Field Station (Outdoor Biology Lab, Nature Center, Arboretum, Weather Station, Recycling Center) provides hands-on learning experience for hundreds annually