As the population of F and M students grows in the United States, so does the economic and cultural value they contribute. NAFSA: Association of International Educators recently released a report about the economic benefit F and M students have on the U.S. economy. According to this report, 764,495 F and M students in the United States “supported nearly 300,000 jobs.” The contribution these jobs brought to the U.S. economy was $21.8 billion in the 2011-2012 academic year.

The report also revealed that “for every seven enrolled international students, three U.S. jobs are created or supported by spending in the following sectors: higher education, accommodation, dining, retail, transportation, telecommunications, and health insurance.”

In addition to economic contributions, F and M students “contribute incalculable academic value to U.S. colleges and universities and cultural value to local communities as international enrollments grow,” the report notes.

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Source:

• New Data Show International Students Support Job Creation and Contribute $21.8 Billion to U.S. Economy; NAFSA