International students contribute billions of dollars to the United States each year - and so much more. International students:
- Build bridges between the United States and other countries.
- Bring global perspectives into U.S. classrooms.
- Demand courses in the sciences and engineering, which makes it possible for U.S. colleges and universities to offer those courses to U.S. students.
- Support programming and services on campus for all students by paying out-of-state tuition, funded largely by non-U.S. sources.
- Support local businesses and communities with their spending on rent, transportation, and other expenses.
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The Economic Benefits of International Students to the U.S. Economy
Each November, NAFSA issues a report – including detailed state-by-state analysis – on the economic benefits of spending by international students and their dependents to the U.S. economy. The latest analysis shows that, during the 2011-2012 academic year, international students and their dependents contributed approximately $21.81 billion to the U.S. economy.
To produce its report, NAFSA uses tuition and living-expense data from Wintergreen Orchard House and enrollment data from the Institute of International Education's Open Doors 2012 report. The data are analyzed by Jason Baumgartner at Indiana University – Bloomington's Office of International Services. Each report includes a detailed methodological appendix (150kb 
). NAFSA and its partners are committed to continuing efforts to improve our data and methodology.
2011-2012 Economic Impact Analysis
Click on a state or select from the list below to see a detailed report.
Note: Congressional district information reflects the 113th Congress.
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 NOTE: All reports are PDFs .
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View Economic Impact Statements for 2010-2011