Immigrant-Origin Students in Higher Education: Powering the future workforce and helping to drive excellence and innovation on our campuses, in our communities, and for our country

Authors: Miriam Feldblum, Felecia Russell, Melquin Ramos, Corinne Kentor

Executive Summary  

In the wake of the Supreme Court decision ending affirmative action on campuses in 2023, we have witnessed a proliferation of anti-DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) legislation in states across the country, together with increased polarization of immigration as an electoral issue, and ongoing attacks on higher education’s value and role. The impacts of these developments on students and their access to and through college are still unfolding. One group of students who are key to the future of higher education and may be especially affected are immigrant-origin students. 

Immigration helps fuel the U.S. economy, fill job shortages, spur innovation, and bolster our country’s demographic future. Likewise, American colleges and universities play a crucial role in educating and training future workforces, driving research and innovation across public and private sectors, enabling economic and social mobility for students from all backgrounds, and unleashing students’ skills and potential in science, technology, healthcare, business, education, social services, and more. Yet the significant impact of immigration on U.S. higher education is still not well understood. 

This report analyzes the impact of immigrant-origin students on the higher education sector. Immigrant-origin students include first-generation immigrants born abroad and second-generation immigrants, U.S.-born children with one or more immigrant parents (see Box 1). These students are integral to the mission of higher education and to the future of our national economy. Immigrant-origin students drive enrollment growth on campuses, help power the future-trained workforce and economy, increase diversity, and strengthen U.S. national security.

Immigrant-origin students are the fastest-growing group of students in higher education, driving over 90 percent of the domestic enrollment growth at U.S. colleges and universities from 2000 to 2022.  

A Migration Policy Institute (MPI) analysis of the U.S. Census Bureau data commissioned by the Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration shows that, in 2022, immigrant-origin students accounted for 5.8 million or 32 percent of all students enrolled in U.S. colleges and universities, up from 20 percent in 2000 (Figure 1).  

The analysis does not include international students who enter the U.S. on non-immigrant visas (F, J, or M visas) in order to study at a U.S. college or university in the category of first-generation immigrant students.  Over the past decades, many international student alumni have pursued employment and other pathways in the U.S. post-graduation, launching careers, starting families, and transitioning to being first-generation immigrants. Their children are among the growing group of second-generation immigrant-origin students.

When the Presidents’ Alliance first commissioned this research five years ago, immigrant-origin students accounted for 28 percent of all enrolled students in higher education and had driven 58 percent of domestic enrollments from 2000 to 2018. The accelerated impact of immigrant-origin students between 2018 and 2022 reflects the robust immigration trends of previous decades: this group has grown faster than the population of U.S.-born students with U.S.-born parents (considered third-generation or higher).

The growth, experiences, and prospects of the immigrant-origin student population intersect with four crucial policy areas: 

• Federal immigration policy and immigration flows. Federal immigration policies impact students and campuses in the short and long term. For example, federal immigration reform is stalled in Congress, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) is under grave threat in the courts, and immigration is once again being leveraged as a wedge issue in elections. These developments adversely impact a sizable proportion of non-citizen first-generation immigrant students, who account for nearly 50 percent of the 1.9 million first-generation immigrant students in higher education (see Figure 3).  

• State goals to promote postsecondary attainment and support workforce development. Immigrant-origin students make up an increasing share of higher education enrollment in states across the U.S. In many states, policymakers, advocates, and higher education leaders need to attract and support immigrant-origin students in order to meet state-specific goals related to postsecondary attainment and workforce development. In 2022, immigrant-origin students made up 1 in 5 students (about 20 percent or more) in 23 states and the District of Columbia, up from 18 states and D.C. in 2018 (See Table 2). Supporting progress toward state goals means understanding how and to what extent first-generation immigrant students residing in the state are able to access in-state tuition, state financial aid, professional and occupational licensure, and driver’s licenses. Such resources can attract immigrant adult learners to pursue postsecondary credentials and also facilitate support for second-generation immigrant students and their families.

• Institutional inclusion and social and economic mobility efforts. As immigrant-origin students drive enrollment growth on campuses, they also generate increased diversity within the student body. In 2022, over 80 percent of all immigrant-origin students identified as students of color, compared to approximately 30 percent of all U.S.-born students of U.S.-born parents (Figure 4 and Figure 5). In the wake of the 2023 Supreme Court decision ending affirmative action and the proliferation of anti-DEI legislation in states, institutions need to seek alternative ways to ensure access to and success through college for students of diverse backgrounds, including immigrant-origin students.
  

• National innovation and security imperatives. Immigrant-origin students and alumni conduct essential research and fill critical workforce needs in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). In 2022, a third (33 percent) of all first-generation immigrant students in higher education were enrolled in graduate or professional school, compared to 16 percent of all second-generation immigrant students and 19 percent of all U.S.-born students whose parents were born in the U.S. 

U.S. higher education, local and state communities, and our national economy need the talents, determination, and innovative contributions of all student groups. Investing in immigrant-origin students will help colleges and universities meet the demographic challenges confronting campuses across the country and bolster workforce development and postsecondary attainment. 

Gaining a better understanding of immigrant-origin students’ pathways to and through higher education is important for policymakers, higher education leaders, and researchers. Immigrant-origin students may face distinctive challenges as they navigate their educational journey, including immigration policies at the state and national levels, language barriers, and a sense of belonging on college campuses. At the same time, they bring diverse experiences and perspectives to campuses and workforce environments. Focusing on immigrant-origin students sheds light on how we mitigate the impacts of adverse national trends on students, ensure the future sustainability and viability of the higher education sector, grow the trained workforce, strengthen our nation’s resilience and security, and promote economic prosperity nationwide. 

Read the full report here.

Check out the national and state level data featured in the report on the Higher Ed Immigration Portal.