Haslam College of Business
Boyd Center for Business and Economic Research
Academic Research
Our faculty help inform public policy through research in economics, education, health and taxes.
Publications & Reports
The Boyd Center conducts research to reveal key insights about the economy and public programs in Tennessee and across the nation.
Tennessee State Data Center
Housed within the Boyd Center, TNSDC disseminates data from the U.S. Census Bureau and is a designated State Data Center.
Featured Research
For the last 10 years, Tennessee Promise has guaranteed tuition and fees for every high school graduate enrolling directly into a two-year community or technical college in the state. Starting in 2019, Knox Promise supplemented Promise’s tuition support with additional coaching for Promise students from Knox County, as well as access to need-based grants to cover expenses like food, transportation, books and supplies, and housing. The Knox Promise: Final Report is the last of a series of Boyd Center reports that describe the progress of Knox Promise students through college and into the workforce.
2026 Economic Report to the Governor
Economic forecasts, current as of December 2025, are based on an array of assumptions, particularly at the national level in Chapter 1. Chapter Two details major sectors of the Tennessee economy and presents the short-run and long-run outlook, and Chapter Three provides an analysis of Tennessee’s nuclear energy industry and how it contributes significantly to electricity generation, employment, and academic research in the state.
2022-2070 Population Projections
Every two years, the Boyd Center for Business and Economic Research partners with the Tennessee State Data Center to publish population projections for Tennessee’s 95 counties. The most recent data, published in fall 2024, includes forecasts through 2070 on population, age, race/Hispanic ethnicity and sex for each county in the state.
Tennessee Business Leaders Survey, Winter 2026 Report
Similar to last summer, four of five leaders believe there is less than a 50% chance that the U.S. will fall into a recession in the next year. About a quarter of employers who responded to the summer survey said tariffs have affected their business a lot, while almost 50% said they have felt a little effect from tariffs. Almost two-thirds said they are using artificial intelligence in a way that does not affect their employment levels. Most respondents felt the Tennessee economic outlook was better than the U.S.
Impact of TennCare
The Boyd Center for Business and Economic Research contracts with the Tennessee Department of Finance and Administration to conduct an annual survey of Tennessee residents in order to ascertain their insurance status and use of medical facilities. It also gauges satisfaction rates for the TennCare program.
Boyd Center for Business and Economic Research
Featured experts
Donald Bruce
Boyd Distinguished Professor
Celeste Carruthers
William F. Fox Distinguished Professor of Labor Economics
Matthew Harris
Boyd Distinguished Professor of Health Economics, Dr. Michael Stahl PEMBA Faculty Fellow (2017-2022-2023)
Lawrence Kessler
Research Associate Professor
Boyd Center for Business and Economic Research
Recent News
Boyd Center’s 2026 Economic Outlook for Tennessee Shows Positive but Slow Growth
The state is out performing the nation in many economic markers
Tennessee Business Leaders Feel Tariff Impact but Stay Optimistic About Economy
