Economic contributions by international students at community colleges increased for the third consecutive year, with nearly 64,000 students contributing $2.2 billion and supporting 9,099 jobs to the U.S. economy during the 2024-2025 academic year, according to a new analysis released today.
That’s a 10.5% increase, but significantly less than last year’s growth of 33%. The number of jobs they support also increased, though also at a slower rate — 7.4% this year, compared to 28% last year.
According to the analysis by NAFSA: Association of International Educators and JB International, for every seven international students enrolled in a community college, one U.S. job is created and supported by spending occurring in the higher education, accommodation, dining, retail, transportation, telecommunications and health insurance sectors.
Texas had the most international community college students at 14,253, contributing more than $419.7 million to the economy, followed by California with 13,788 students ($615.7 million) and Washington with 6,236 students ($192.6 million), according to the analysis. Next on the list was Florida, New York, Maryland and Virginia. The report provides information on all 50 states, where available.
Broader analysis
The analysis is part of a larger analysis of international students at all U.S. colleges and universities, which sheds light on the expected loss of revenue and jobs resulting from a drop in international students. Overall, this fall has seen a 17% decline in new student enrollment, contributing to a 7% drop in total enrollment, driven mainly by dips in graduate and non-degree students. This translates to more than $1.1 billion of lost revenue and nearly 23,000 fewer jobs, according to analysts, who based their projections on the Fall 2025 Snapshot on International Student Enrollment report published by the Institute of International Education, along with data from the departments of Education, Commerce, Homeland Security and State.
There was, however, a 2% increase in undergraduate enrollment, which the report says may have been due to earlier student decisions and visa appointments occurring before various administrative actions took place this summer.
Fanta Aw, NAFSA executive director and CEO, warned that the U.S. must adopt more proactive policies to attract and retain the world’s best and brightest, especially in post-study work.
“Otherwise, international students will increasingly choose to go elsewhere — to the detriment of our economy, excellence in research and innovation, and global competitiveness and engagement,” she said in a release.
The broader analysis also examines data by state and congressional district, as well as industry sectors.
