The 2018 Open Doors Report shows a 1.5% increase in the number of international students coming to the U.S for higher education: 1,094,792 international students enrolled in United States higher education institutions in 2017/18 compared to 1,078,822 students in 2016/17.
The Open Doors report further shows that international students continue to have a significant positive impact on the U.S. economy. According to the Department of Commerce, these students contributed more than $42.4 billion to the U.S. economy in 2017, in contrast to $39 billion in 2016.
“International students studying alongside Americans are a tremendous asset to the United States,” said Marie Royce, Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs. “We need to develop leaders in all fields who can take on our toughest challenges. We need people who can find solutions that keep us secure and make us more prosperous. We want to send a message that international education makes us stronger as a country,” the report reads.
Learn more about the report here.