State tax appropriations for higher education were examined in relation to aggregate state personal income for two selected years, 1970-1971 and 1980-1981. Percentage changes for the 10-year period were calculated as were percentage differences between appropriations and personal income. States were identified according to regional and national rankings on appropriations and on personal income, and an index was constructed by which to measure state support for higher education. Categories of states are identified as follows: gains in both appropriations and in personal income, losses in both, and a gain in one but a loss in the other as measured against the U.S. average amounts in each category. Information is provided for each state and for the eight census regions. For all regions except the Great Lakes and Mideast states, both appropriations and personal income gains were greater than the U.S. averages. One-half or more of the states in the Southwest, Southeast, and Far West had appropriations and personal income exceeding the U.S. averages. For the case where higher education appropriations were less than the U.S. average but personal income was greater than the average, the following percentages were found: Rocky Mountain region--60 percent; Far West--50 percent; Southeast--33 percent, and New England--17 percent. Regions in which personal income gains were less than the U.S. average but appropriations gains exceeded the U.S. average for the decade were: the Plains--43 percent and Mideast--40 percent. Regions in which both appropriations and personal income gains were less than the U.S. averages were: Great Lakes, New England, Mideast, and the Plains. Appropriations data were obtained from the "Survey of Current Business" and "Grapevine." (SW)