The US is a global magnet for students from all over the world seeking world-class education. And what do the numbers say about this?
This article takes an in-depth look at the statistics on international students in the US, including:
- Number of international students in the US
- Top countries of origin for international students in the US
- Top 10 States with the most international students in the US
- Top 10 Universities with the most international students in the US
- International students statistics: Graduate vs. Undergraduate
- Most popular majors for international students in the US
- International students statistics: K-12
- Top reasons why international students study in the US
- International students in the US and their impact on the economy
- Future trends in international student enrollment in the US
- International students in the US: Frequently asked questions
Let’s get started!
Top international students in the US statistics
- The US is the largest destination country for international students worldwide, hosting 24% of all international students.
- 70.4% of international students in the US come from Asia, with China (23.8%) and India (21.8%) being the top countries of origin.
- International student enrollment is projected to continue growing at a rate of 4.2% until 2030, with India expected to be the top source market based on current trends.
- 78% of international students pursue either bachelor's or master's degrees.
- Computer Science (7.43%) and Second Language Learning (7.28%) are the top two majors among international students.
- California hosts the largest percentage of international students at 16.5%, followed by New York (8.34%) and Massachusetts (5.21%).
- International students in the US frequently cite the ability to live and work in the US after graduation (38%) as a key motivation for studying in the US.
Number of international students in the US
1. The US is the largest destination country with 24% of all international students worldwide
2. International students in the US make up 6% of the American student population. (Education Data Initiative)
3. There are 1,362,157 international students studying in the US. (US Immigration and Customs Enforcement).
Where do international students in the US come from?
International students in the US hail from 227 countries.
4. 70.4% of international students come from Asia, the largest continent of origin for international students in the US.
Top 10 countries of origin for international students in the US
| Country of Citizenship | Percentage |
| China | 23.8% |
| India | 21.8% |
| Republic of Korea (South Korea) | 4.6% |
| Canada | 3% |
| Brazil | 2.8% |
| Vietnam | 2.2% |
| Japan | 1.95% |
| Taiwan | 1.92% |
| Saudi Arabia | 1.8% |
| Nigeria | 1.7% |
International students in the US: Asia statistics
5. 46% of international students in the US are either from China or India.
6. International students from China are the largest cohort of international students in the US, making up 23.79%.
7. International students from India make up 21.82% of the international student population.
8. Other Asian countries that sent the most international students to the US were
Vietnam (2.2%), Japan (1.95%), Taiwan (1.92%), and Saudi Arabia (1.85%)
International students in the US: Europe statistics
9. Europe is the second most popular continent of origin for international students in the US, making up 9.45% of the international student population.
10. The top European countries of origin of international students in the US are Germany (1.18%), Switzerland (0.27%), Norway (0.25%), and Denmark (0.14%).
International students in the US: Central and South America statistics
11. 9.41% of the international students in the US are from Central and South America.
12. The top countries of origin were Colombia, Peru, and Argentina.
International students in the US: Africa statistics
13. 5.67% of international students in the US come from Africa.
14. 22, 935 international students in the US come from Nigeria, making it the top African country that sent the most international students to the US.
15. The top East African country that sent the most students is Kenya, which sent 5,792 students to the US.
International students in the US: North America statistics
16. 3.08% of international students in the US are from Canada and Bermuda.
International students in the US: Australia and Pacific Islands statistics
17. 0.61% of international students in the US are from Australia and the Pacific Islands.
18. 96% of international students from this continent are from Australia and New Zealand.
Top 10 states with the most international students in the US
19. 54% of international students in the USA are in 10 US states alone.
20. California hosts the largest percentage of international students at 225,173 or 16.5% of international students in the US.
21. Here are the top 10 states with the most international students in the US:
| State | Percentage |
| California | 16.5% |
| New York | 8.34% |
| Massachusetts | 5.21% |
| Texas | 5.15% |
| Illinois | 3.42% |
| Pennsylvania | 3.26% |
| Florida | 2.91% |
| Ohio | 2.29% |
| Michigan | 1.96% |
| Arizona | 1.89% |
International students in the US by region
22. The Northeast is the region with the most international students in the US (29.7%).
23. It is followed by the South with 28.1%.
24. The West accounts for 25.9% of international students.
25. The Midwest region hosts 19.2% of international students.
26. Non-continental U.S. territories have the smallest percentage, which is 0.1%.
Top 10 universities with the most international students in the US
27. 10 universities host 12.26% of all international students in the US, or 166, 843 students.
| School Name | Student Count |
| New York University | 22,232 |
| Northeastern University | 21,849 |
| Columbia University in the City of New York | 20,846 |
| University of Southern California | 18,631 |
| Arizona State University | 15,855 |
| University of Illinois | 15,298 |
| Boston University | 14,843 |
| Purdue University | 12,433 |
| University of California at Berkeley | 12,331 |
| University of California San Diego | 12,265 |
28. 6,322 schools in the US are eligible to enroll nonimmigrant (F-1, M-1 visa ) students.
66% of schools that enrolled international students in the US hosted one to 50 international students.
19% hosted 101 to 1,000 international students.
11% hosted 51 to 100 students.
4% hosted 1,001 to 5,000 students.
Less than 1% hosted 5,001 or more international students.
International students statistics: Graduate vs. Undergraduate
29. About 90% of international students in the US are enrolled in associate, bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral programs.
Associate Degrees
30. International students enrolled in Associate programs make up 6% of all international students in US higher education.
31. The number of international students in associate degree programs in 2022 increased by nearly 3% compared to AY 2020/2021.
32. There were 71, 445 international students in the US who pursued an associate degree in 2022.
Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees
33. 78% of international students enrolled in higher education pursue either Bachelor’s or Master’s Degrees.
34. Bachelor’s degrees account for 37% of degree programs sought by international students in the US while Master’s degrees make up 41%.
35. There were a total of 957,603 students who sought either a bachelor's or master's degree in 2022
36. The number of international students pursuing bachelor’s degrees increased by 1.6% between the calendar year 2021 and 2022.
37. The number of students pursuing master’s degrees increased by 15.7% between the calendar year 2021 and 2022.
Doctoral Degrees
38. 16.1% of all international students enrolled in higher education are enrolled in doctoral degrees.
39. The number of students enrolled in doctoral programs increased by 3.2% between calendar year 2021 and calendar year 2022.
40. There were 197,183 F-1 students who sought a doctoral degree in calendar year 2022
Most popular majors for international students in the US
41. International students in the US pursued 1, 486 different majors.
42. The top 20 most popular majors for international students are:
| Primary Major | Percentage |
| Computer Science | 7.43% |
| Second Language Learning | 7.28% |
| Business Administration and Management | 6.67% |
| Computer and Information Sciences | 5.22% |
| Electrical and Electronics Engineering | 3.08% |
| Mechanical Engineering | 2.49% |
| Management Science | 2.38% |
| General Studies | 2.11% |
| Econometrics and Quantitative Economics | 2.09% |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies | 1.99% |
| Management Sciences and QuantitativeMethods | 1.88% |
| Information Technology | 1.70% |
| Regular/General High School/SecondaryDiploma Program | 1.61% |
| Information Science/Studies | 1.37% |
| Biology/Biological Sciences, General | 1.37% |
| Civil Engineering, General | 1.31% |
| Other High School/Secondary Diploma Programs | 1.27% |
| Computer Engineering, General | 1.20% |
| Mathematics, General | 1.20% |
| Chemistry, General | 1.18% |
International students statistics: K-12
43. International students who are enrolled in K-12 education programs make up 3.93% of the international student population in the US.
44. The top five countries of citizenship with the largest number of international K-12 students in the US are:
- China (25.3%)
- South Korea (8.2%)
- Mexico (7.6%)
- Spain (6%)
- Vietnam (5.5%)
Top reasons why international students study in the US
45. Based on a survey of 5, 861 prospective students and their parents by Keystone Academic Solutions, the top five motivations for studying in the US are:
- Ability to live & work in US after graduation (38%)
- Reputation of degree/institution in US (37%)
- Experience of studying in the US (32%)
- Career opportunities in the home country after graduation (30%)
- Flexibility in studies (part-time work, internships) (28%)
International students in the US and their impact on the economy
46. International students in the US contributed $33.8 billion to the U.S. economy during the 2021-2022 academic year.
47. International students in the US have supported 335,423 jobs.
48. For every three international students, one U.S. job is created/supported.
The impact of COVID-19 on international student enrollment in the US
49. COVID-19 caused a 17.86% drop in international student enrollment in 2020, the first decline in decades.
50. International student spending for community colleges declined by 13.4% due to the pandemic.
51. Before the pandemic, international students in the US generated more than $40.5 billion and supported more than 450,000 jobs.
52. But 2022 saw an increase of 10.1% in enrollments than the previous year.
53. 90% of international students in the US have returned to in-person learning across U.S. campuses. (Institute of International Education)
Future trends in international student enrollment in the US
54. International student enrollment will continue to grow at a rate of 4.2% until 2030, which is still lower than the historical average of 5.2%. (HolonIQ)
55. India is predicted to be the top source market for international students in the US.
56. Africa is the continent of origin with the highest increases in student enrollments. (US Immigration and Customs Enforcement)
Learn more about other college statistics:
- College dropout rate
- How many teachers are there in the US
- Average high school GPA
- Average private school tuition
- Average cost of a Master's degree
- College graduation rates
- Scholarship statistics
International students in the US frequently asked questions
There are 1,362,157 international students in the US, which is 24% of all international students worldwide and the largest share.
International student enrollment is projected to continue growing at a rate of 4.2% until 2030, with India expected to be the top source market based on current trends.
India and China are the top countries of origin for international students in the US, holding 46% of the total number of international students.
The most popular major for international students in the US is Computer Science, which accounts for 7.46% of all international students enrolled in higher education.
Sources
International students in the U.S. 2022 | Statista
U.S. states with the most international students 2022 | Statista
Keystone Academic Solutions State of Student Recruitment USA (2021)
International students are coming back to U.S. campuses – Inside Higher Education
ICEF Monitor – New forecast warns that US is falling behind in the global race for talent
Top host destination of international students worldwide 2020
Gail holds a degree in International Development and has a strong background in research and writing. Her work focuses on exploring topics related to development, including education.