The top two employers in the Greater Manhattan Area are also the two greatest pull factors to the region: Kansas State University and Fort Riley military installation. These two entities create roughly 13,000 jobs and are huge economic drivers for the region, shaping the economy in major ways. Because of the college, research and development is considered an important business sector in Manhattan. Fort Riley has also helped provide economic activity and investment for Manhattan as it currently trains about 20,000 soldiers, approximately 2,000 of whom separate from military service each year.
