The economic impact of international students

The nearly 100,000 international students attending U.S. community colleges contributed $2.4 billion to the U.S. economy and supported more than 14,000 jobs during the 2016-2017 academic year, according to NAFSA: Association of International Educators.

According to a NAFSA analysis, five states exceeded $100 million in contributions from international students at community colleges, with California nearing the $1 billion mark. Additionally, the data show that for every six international students enrolled at U.S. community colleges, one U.S. job is created and supported by spending occurring in the higher education, accommodation, dining, retail, transportation, telecommunications and health insurance sectors.

NAFSA annually releases an economic analysis on international students attending U.S. institutions broadly. The most recent data, released last November, show that international students contributed $36.9 billion and more than 450,000 jobs to the U.S. economy. This community college-specific analysis was conducted in response to a renewed emphasis within the higher education community on the importance of international student recruitment to U.S. community colleges.

“Community colleges provide a fertile environment for students of all walks of life to learn and develop vital skills that will lead to professional success,” Esther Brimmer, executive director and CEO at NAFSA, said in a statement. “The results of this analysis demonstrate that as community colleges continue to prioritize internationalization in their expansion efforts, and as they continue to welcome international students to their campuses, our country and our students are the better for it.”

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