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Backing up what many (including myself) have been preaching, a new study conducted by a USC school says that state investment in higher education wildly benefits everyone in South Carolina.

Read more stories on this subject in our higher education topic page.In the near term, the state could expect a return of $11 for every $1 spent, in 20 years the return would be $25 for each $1. 

The report continues to say that after reaching its goal, state investment would contribute "$6.9 billion in new annual personal income, $7.8 billion in gross state product, and 44,514 additional permanent jobs per year."

Hop on over to their Web site to read the summary, and get links to the full reports.

The tourist based service industry is a vital component of our overall economic health, but it can't be our mainstay. And the only way to break the trend is through education, which won't happen if the Legislature keeps chopping away at is funding.