- In a nationwide study, California ranks third with 15.3% of the college population born abroad.
- There are 2,677,000 students enrolled in higher education in California, 410,000 of which are first-generation immigrant students.
- Minnesota dominates the national rankings with 20.1% of the college population born abroad.
The Trump administration has announced a halt to the scheduling of new visa interviews for foreign students wanting to study in the U.S., while the State Department plans to expand the social media vetting process.
In light of this, U.S. immigration law experts at Shoreline Immigration examined which states attract the highest proportions of immigrant students to their colleges and universities.
Minnesota topped the list, with 20.1% of its college population being first-generation immigrants. The state’s 304,000 total higher education enrollment includes roughly 61,000 students who were born in foreign countries.
Florida placed second in the rankings. The Sunshine State recorded 19.2% of its higher education students as first-generation immigrants, with 196,000 first-generation immigrant students among its total higher education population of 1,020,000.
California ranks third, registering 15.3% of its higher education population as first-generation immigrants.
California has the biggest raw number of immigrant students at 410,000 from its massive 2,677,000 total higher education enrollment.
Commenting on the findings, Lindsey Harris, Managing Attorney at Shoreline Immigration, says:
“These statistics show that first-generation immigrant students make up a significant proportion of the higher education population in many states, particularly in Minnesota, Florida, and coastal states like California and New York.
“This highlights the vital contribution of immigrants to our nation’s educational landscape and future workforce.
“These state-by-state differences in immigrant student enrollment could reshape regional workforces. Areas with higher immigrant student populations may develop more diverse professional talent pools as these students graduate and enter local job markets.
“The report comes as research from the Higher Ed Immigration Portal shows immigrant-origin students now account for nearly one-third of all students enrolled in U.S. higher education.
“Their data reveals these students make up 32% of all college students nationwide in 2022, up from 20% in 2000.
“The Higher Ed Immigration Portal’s research shows immigrant-origin students have powered over 90% of domestic enrollment growth at U.S. colleges and universities since 2000. Many institutions now rely on this demographic to maintain healthy enrollment figures amid broader population challenges.
“College campuses with more first-generation immigrant students typically show greater diversity.
“The Higher Ed Immigration Portal reports over 80% of all immigrant-origin students identify as students of color. This compares to approximately 30% of students born in the U.S. to U.S.-born parents.”
Source: Higher Ed Immigration Portal
