PUBLICATIONS & RESEARCH

Use the search field below to find Boyd Center for Business & Economic Research publications by title, author, or date of publication.

The Value of a College Education in Tennessee

The Value of a College Education in Tennessee

Authors: Celeste K. Carruthers

Publication Date: August 9, 2023

The labor market and broader economy remain in flux as the U.S. unevenly rebounds from COVID-19 disruptions to health, education, work, prices, and every aspect of life. One silver lining of these disruptions, for job seekers, has been an exceptionally tight labor market with rising wages and expanding job opportunities. The bottom of the pay scale has risen the most in percentage terms, benefitting jobs that are less likely to require a college education. Is college still “worth it” in this environment?

See Dr. Celeste Carruthers’ Presentation for SCORE

The Economic Cost of Child Abuse and Neglect in Tennessee

The Economic Cost of Child Abuse and Neglect in Tennessee

Authors: Matthew Harris, Emily Pratt

Publication Date: June 6, 2023

Statistically, there is a one-in-eight chance that a child in Tennessee is a substantiated victim of child abuse by the time they reach adulthood. We estimate the economic impact of substantiated claims of child abuse and neglect in Tennessee to be between $3.33 and $4.97 billion per year. We consider substantiated claims of four types of maltreatment: physical abuse, sexual abuse, drug exposure, and neglect. Efforts to prevent child maltreatment (and to help young victims recover) will yield a literal lifetime of benefits stemming from greater labor force participation, improved population health, decreased rates of substance use disorders, lower incarceration rates, reduced demand for state services, and greater life expectancy. These efforts can include economic supports for families, education efforts for parents, and greater access to mental health and counseling services for both parents and children.

Tennessee Business Leaders Survey, Winter 2023

Tennessee Business Leaders Survey, Winter 2023

Authors: Boyd Center for Business and Economic Research

Publication Date: March 13, 2023

Many business leaders from across Tennessee responded to the Boyd Center’s semi-annual Business Leaders Survey, providing a unique perspective on the Tennessee and U.S. economies. Responses were provided between January 6 and January 26, 2023. Respondents represent a broad sample of Tennessee’s businesses, both by size and by industry.

Tennessee’s Post-Pandemic Workforce: Implications for the Value of Going to College

Tennessee’s Post-Pandemic Workforce: Implications for the Value of Going to College

Authors: Celeste K. Carruthers, Donald J. Bruce, Lawrence M. Kessler, Linnea Endersby

Publication Date: February 3, 2023

In the decade since the Drive to 55 was initiated, much has changed. According to the American Community Survey, 58% of Tennesseans 25 and older had at least some college-level education in 2019, up from 53% in 2010. However, as the impacts of COVID-19 reverberate throughout our economy, the current environment is more favorable for workers without college than it has been for a generation or more. A tight labor market, high college costs alongside high rates of student loan default, and growth in job opportunities for workers without college have led many to question if college is still worth the cost. What is the average long-term payoff from enrolling in college?

See Dr. Celeste Carruthers’ Presentation for SCORE

An Economic Report to the Governor of the State of Tennessee, 2023

An Economic Report to the Governor of the State of Tennessee, 2023

Authors: Lawrence M. Kessler, Donald J. Bruce, Tim Kuhn, Seth Neller, Alannah M. Shute, Edward L. Taylor

Publication Date: December 15, 2022

This 2023 volume of An Economic Report to the Governor of the State of Tennessee is the forty-seventh in a series of annual reports compiled in response to requests by state government officials for assistance in achieving greater interdepartmental consistency in planning and budgeting efforts sensitive to the overall economic environment. Both short-term, or business cycle-sensitive forecasts, and longer-term, or trend forecasts, are provided in this report. The report’s special section provides an assessment of advanced manufacturing in Tennessee.

Read the 2023 Chapter 3 Online Appendix

The Impact of TennCare: A Survey of Recipients, 2022

The Impact of TennCare: A Survey of Recipients, 2022

Authors: LeAnn Luna, Emily Pratt

Publication Date: December 4, 2022

The Boyd Center for Business and Economic Research at the University of Tennessee, under contract with the Department of Finance and Administration of the State of Tennessee, conducted a survey of Tennessee residents to ascertain their insurance status and use of medical facilities and their level of satisfaction with the TennCare program. A target sample size of 5,000 households allows us to obtain accurate estimates for subpopulations. The Boyd Center prepared the survey instrument in cooperation with personnel from the Division of TennCare.

Assessing Advanced Manufacturing in Tennessee

Assessing Advanced Manufacturing in Tennessee

Authors: Boyd Center for Business and Economic Research, Donald J. Bruce, Lawrence M. Kessler, Edward L. Taylor

Publication Date: June 15, 2022

Manufacturing is critically important to the Tennessee economy, representing 14.5 percent of the state’s GDP, 13.3 percent of the state’s private, non-farm employment, and paying an average annual wage that is above the statewide average. However, TN manufacturing employment has declined by more than 28 percent since 2000, mirroring the nationwide experience. In a similar period, national manufacturing output-per-worker (productivity) increased, revealing that the state and U.S. now manufactures more with fewer employees. This increase in productivity is a clear reflection of the effect and importance of what has become known as advanced manufacturing (A-M). What does it mean to be advanced in manufacturing? Are some manufacturing industries more advanced or differently advanced than others? Which states have the biggest share of manufacturing that is advanced? Which locales have or are developing the key attributes necessary to support a robust advanced manufacturing presence? We investigate these questions using input, output, productivity, and other data that are gathered at the national, state, and county levels.

Tennessee Business Leaders Survey, Summer 2022

Tennessee Business Leaders Survey, Summer 2022

Authors: Boyd Center for Business and Economic Research

Publication Date: September 14, 2022

Many business leaders from across Tennessee responded to the Boyd Center’s semi-annual Business Leaders Survey, providing a unique perspective on the Tennessee and U.S. economies. Responses were provided between August 2 and August 21, 2022. Respondents represent a broad sample of Tennessee’s businesses, both by size and by industry.

Key Facts and Research on Changes in College-Going

Key Facts and Research on Changes in College-Going

Authors: Celeste Carruthers, Steven Gentile (THEC)

Publication Date: May 23, 2022

The COVID-19 pandemic may have fundamentally altered the trajectory of college-going, retention, and completion rates for students nationwide and the Drive to 55 in Tennessee. We review the data on key student metrics for East Tennessee, examine the evidence on the causes of shifting student behavior, and evaluate possible policy options with key stakeholders.

Tennessee Business Leaders Survey, Winter 2022

Tennessee Business Leaders Survey, Winter 2022

Authors: The Boyd Center for Business and Economic Research

Publication Date: February 10, 2022

Many business leaders from across Tennessee responded to the Boyd Center’s semi-annual Business Leaders Survey, providing a unique perspective on Tennessee and the nation’s economies. Responses were provided between January 10 and January 31, 2022. Respondents, nearly 60 percent of whom are CEOs or company owners, represent a broad sample of Tennessee’s businesses, both by size and by industry.