Each year, UT Arlington and its graduates have an estimated economic impact in Texas of $27 billion, leading to the creation of about 227,000 jobs statewide. And within North Texas specifically, UTA and its alumni are responsible for about 4.2% of total employment.
These are among the many reasons that the Association of Public and Land Grant Universities (APLU) named The University of Texas at Arlington an Innovation and Economic Prosperity (IEP) designee – one of just 88 higher education institutions in the United States and Canada to receive this identification.
"Our University's innovation, entrepreneurship and creativity produce research and scholarship that have a strong economic impact," said UTA President Jennifer Cowley. "This recognition from APLU highlights the impact UTA's faculty, staff, students and graduates have on both our communities and the Texas economy."
As part of the process for pursuing IEP designation, UTA leaders embarked on a rigorous self-study of the University's entire economic engagement enterprise, inventorying its economic, academic and societal impact. In addition to the overall impact of UTA and its graduates, research emanating from the University also has a significant influence in North Texas, generating an annual economic impact of about $159 million and creating 1,275 jobs in the region.
Tamara L. Brown, UTA provost and senior vice president for academic affairs, accepted the designation on behalf of UTA at the APLU's annual meeting in Orlando on Nov. 12.
"This designation comes at a time when we are expanding our faculty through our RISE 100 initiative, which will amplify our research success and student career readiness," Brown said. "It's validation of our commitment to leadership in education, cutting-edge science and community impact."
Within the past 15 years, UTA's student body has grown by nearly 65%, and research expenditures have increased 200%. In 2016, UTA first received the R-1 designation for "Very High Research Activity" from the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education, placing it among the nation's top 4% of national research universities.
"UTA has long set its sights on impact to Arlington and the region. Our excitement with this designation fuels endeavors to make added investments and create new collaborations," said Kate C. Miller, vice president for research and innovation at UTA. "It's gratifying to see our commitment to innovation recognized by the APLU."
In the last few months, UTA opened a new Clinical Research Imaging Center to improve brain and cardiovascular health, added a cutting-edge gene sequencer to analyze rare genetic variants, and broke ground on a drone research facility to enhance the research and development of unmanned vehicles.
"Public universities are major drivers of economic growth through their talent development, innovation, and community development efforts," said APLU President Mark Becker. "We're pleased to recognize institutions that have made a remarkable impact on their community, states, nation and beyond in these critical areas."
About The University of Texas at Arlington (UTA)
Located in the heart of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, The University of Texas at Arlington is a comprehensive teaching, research, and public service institution dedicated to the advancement of knowledge through scholarship and creative work. With an enrollment of approximately 41,000 students, UT Arlington is the second-largest institution in the UT System. UTA's combination of outstanding academics and innovative research contributes to its designation as a Carnegie R-1 "Very High Research Activity" institution, a significant milestone of excellence. The University is designated as a Hispanic Serving-Institution and an Asian American Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institution by the U.S. Department of Education and has earned the Seal of Excelencia for its commitment to accelerating Latino student success. The University ranks as the No. 1 national public university in the U.S. for veterans (Military Times, 2024), No. 4 in Texas for advancing social mobility (U.S. News & World Report, 2025), and No. 6 in the United States for its undergraduate ethnic diversity (U.S. News & World Report, 2025). UT Arlington's approximately 270,000 alumni occupy leadership positions at many of the 21 Fortune 500 companies headquartered in North Texas and contribute to the University's $28.8 billion annual economic impact on Texas.
