FOR RELEASE May 10, 2018
BY Neil G. Ruiz and Abby Budiman
FOR MEDIA OR OTHER INQUIRIES:
Neil G. Ruiz, Associate Director, Global Migration and Demography
Mark Hugo Lopez, Director, Global Migration and Demography
Stefan Cornibert, Communications Manager
202.419.4372
www.pewresearch.org
RECOMMENDED CITATION
Ruiz, Neil G. and Abby Budiman, May 10, 2018, “Number of Foreign College Students Staying and Working in U.S.
After Graduation Surges”
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About Pew Research Center
Pew Research Center is a nonpartisan fact tank that informs the public about the issues, attitudes
and trends shaping America and the world. It does not take policy positions. The Center conducts
public opinion polling, demographic research, content analysis and other data-driven social
science research. It studies U.S. politics and policy; journalism and media; internet, science and
technology; religion and public life; Hispanic trends; global attitudes and trends; and U.S. social
and demographic trends. All of the Center’s reports are available at www.pewresearch.org. Pew
Research Center is a subsidiary of The Pew Charitable Trusts, its primary funder.
© Pew Research Center 2018
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Terminology
The term OPT is used in this report as a shorthand for Optional Practical Training, a type of work
authorization provided by the U.S. government under the F-1 visa program that allows foreign
students to be temporarily employed for up to 12 or 36 months in a field that is directly related to
their area of study. The term “foreign student graduates” is used interchangeably throughout the
report to refer to those who are authorized to work under the optional practical training program.
The F-1 visa, or the academic student visa, is a type of non-immigrant visa for foreign individuals
who intend to study full-time in accredited academic institutions the United States, which includes
colleges and universities, K-12 schools and language training programs.
Foreign students refer to individuals who were approved to study in the United States under the
F-1 visa program by the U.S. government. The terms foreign students and F-1 visa holders are
used interchangeably throughout this report. Students from outside the U.S (not including U.S.
territories) wishing to study in the U.S. must go through a process to receive approval for their
visas, which includes interviews with U.S. consulates or embassies in their home countries
operated by the U.S. Department of State.
H-1B visa is the United States’ largest temporary employment-based visa program. It allows U.S.
employers to hire foreigners to work for up to six years in jobs that require highly specialized
knowledge, and workers’ employment may be extended if they have green card applications
pending. For more details on the H-1B visa process, see our previous analysis.
Metro areas in this report refer to metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) that are classified by the
U.S. Office of Management and Budget. They consist of at least one large urban core with 50,000
people or more, as well as neighboring areas that are socially and economically linked to the core
area. The terms metro areas and cities are used interchangeably throughout this report.
STEM extension refers to foreign students on F-1 visas working under OPT who qualify for an
additional 24 months of OPT. To qualify, the foreign student must have received a bachelor’s,
master’s or doctorate degree in science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM) degree in
a field on the STEM designated degree program list from an accredited school that is certified by
the Student and Exchange Visitor Program.
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Number of Foreign College Students Staying and Working in
U.S. After Graduation Surges
Between 2004 and 2016, nearly 1.5
million foreign graduates of U.S.
colleges and universities obtained
authorization to remain and work
in the U.S. through the federal
government’s Optional Practical
Training program (OPT). More
than half (53%) of the foreign
graduates approved for
employment specialized in science,
technology, engineering and
mathematics (STEM) fields,
according to a Pew Research Center
analysis of U.S. Immigration and
Customs Enforcement (ICE) data
received through a Freedom of
Information Act request.1
Many foreign STEM graduates
enrolled with OPT after executive
actions in 2008 and 2016 initially
doubled (29 months), then later
tripled (36 months), the maximum length of employment for foreign students with STEM degrees.
The number of foreign STEM graduates participating in OPT grew by 400% since the first
employment extension was introduced in 2008.
1 Data received from Immigration and Customs Enforcement are from the U.S. government’s Student and Exchange Visitor Information
System (SEVIS) – an automated foreign student monitoring system. SEVIS is managed by the Student and Exchange Visitor Program within
ICE.
Number of foreign students graduating American
colleges and obtaining authorization to work in the
U.S. grows, especially among those in STEM fields
Number of OPT approvals from 2004-2016, in thousands
Note: Figures are students with an associate degree or higher. STEM categories are based
on fields outlined by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
Source: Pew Research Center analysis of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement data
received August 2017 through a Freedom of Information Act request.
“Number of Foreign College Students Staying and Working in U.S. After Graduation Surges”
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OPT is one mechanism by which the U.S. can compete with other countries for top talent. It is less
well-known than the H-1B visa program – which enables U.S. companies to hire highly skilled
foreign workers and is the nation’s largest temporary employment visa program – yet OPT
approvals actually outnumbered initial H-1B visa approvals in recent years.2 In addition, OPT’s
eligible population has been on the rise: Between 2008 and 2016, new college enrollments among
foreign students on F-1 visas grew 104%.
2 While this refers to initial approvals for the H-1B visa, both initial and continuing approvals for the H-1B visa still exceed the OPT program.
See Appendix C for more details.
Nearly three-quarters of the 1.5 million graduates on OPT came from Asia
Number and % of OPT approvals in the United States from 2004-2016, by country of citizenship
Note: Only top 10 countries shown. Figures are students with an associate degree or higher and are rounded to nearest hundred.
Source: Pew Research Center analysis of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement data received August 2017 through a Freedom of
Information Act request.
“Number of Foreign College Students Staying and Working in U.S. After Graduation Surges”
PEW RESEARCH CENTER
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Foreign students obtaining authorization to remain and work in the U.S. after graduation come
from all corners of the globe, but the majority of them hold citizenship in Asia. Students from
India, China and South Korea made up 57% of all OPT participants between 2004 and 2016.
Although the data referenced in this report cover F-1 visa holders approved for OPT participation
between 2004 and 2016, only those who pursued degrees in higher education (associate,
bachelor’s, master’s or doctorate) are included in the analysis.
This data made it possible to map where foreign college graduates came from and where they were
going – both for their education and their OPT employment. Major metro areas in the U.S. tend to
attract large numbers of foreign students and also keep a significant share as OPT enrollees. By
contrast, smaller-sized metro areas often see local foreign graduates relocate elsewhere as part of
OPT employment.
View our interactive to see where foreign student graduates under OPT worked in the United
States, by the top 61 metro areas with the largest number of graduates approved for OPT
between 2004 and 2016.
Newly enrolled foreign students surge at U.S. colleges and universities from 2008 to
2016
Only foreign students enrolled full-time at U.S. colleges and universities are eligible for OPT. The
most common type of visa for foreign students is the F-1 academic student visa, which is
typically given to those pursuing degrees in higher education. The number of newly enrolled
foreign students with F-1 visas at U.S. colleges and universities has grown dramatically in recent
years, increasing from 138,500 in 2004 to 364,000 in 2016. Much of this growth happened
after the start of the Great Recession at the end of 2007. Between 2008 and 2016, new
foreign student enrollment has increased by 104%, far outpacing overall college enrollment
growth, which was 3.4% during the same period, according to U.S. Census Bureau data. This
increase was greatest in public colleges and universities, which faced budget cuts during the
recession and began to rely more heavily on tuition from foreign students.
For more in-depth analysis, see this Pew Research Center study on foreign students in the U.S.
and its related fact sheet.
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49%
400%
Non-STEM
STEM
More than half (53%) of students authorized to work under
OPT during the 2004-2016 period graduated with a STEM
degree from a U.S. college or university, according to the
Center’s analysis of ICE data.3 STEM graduates with master’s
degrees made up roughly a third (34%) of all authorized OPT
enrollees.
The overall surge in the number of foreign college graduates
participating in OPT is largely attributable to a 400% increase
in STEM graduates approved to temporarily work in the U.S.
since 2008.
Among OPT participants with doctoral degrees, 78% studied in
a STEM field, while among those with master’s degrees the
share was 60%. STEM graduates made up smaller shares of
OPT participants with bachelor’s (33%) and associate degrees
(12%).
The top fields of study among OPT participants with doctorates
were engineering (34%), physical sciences (16%) and biological
and biomedical sciences (13%).4 Foreign graduates with
master’s degrees concentrated in the areas of engineering (27%), computer and information
sciences and support services (22%), and business, management, marketing, and support services
(22%). OPT enrollees with bachelor’s degrees most often completed majors in business,
management, marketing, and support services (32%), engineering (12%), and the social sciences
(9%).
3 This is based on the definition of which fields of study qualify for the OPT STEM extension according to the U.S. Department of Homeland
Security as of May 10, 2016. The full list of fields of study qualifying as STEM is available here. 4 See Appendix C for a breakdown of top 10 majors by degree level.
Number of STEM
graduates under OPT grew
substantially after the
2008 program expansion
% increase between 2008 and 2016
Note: STEM categories are based on fields
outlined by the U.S. Department of
Homeland Security. Figures are students
with an associate degree or higher.
Source: Pew Research Center analysis of
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
data received August 2017 through a
Freedom of Information Act request.
“Number of Foreign College Students
Staying and Working in U.S. After Graduation
Surges”
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Between 2004 and 2016, the
number of foreign student
graduates who were approved
for the OPT program rivaled
the number of high-skilled
workers initially approved for
the nation’s largest temporary
employment visa program, also
known as the H-1B visa,
according to a Pew Research
Center analysis of data from a
Freedom of Information Act
request received from
Immigration and Customs
Enforcement (ICE) and
publicly available data from
U.S. Citizenship and
Immigration Services (USCIS).5
By the end of the 2004-2016
period, 6 there were a total of
1,474,000 OPT approvals and
1,473,000 initial H-1B visa
approvals.7
While both programs give foreign workers temporary employment authorization in the U.S., they
are different in a number of ways. For instance, only foreign students on an F-1 visa with a higher
education degree8 from a U.S. college or university are eligible for the OPT program, whereas any
foreign worker with a degree that is equivalent to a U.S. bachelor’s degree or higher is permitted to
apply for the H-1B visa. Also, unlike the H-1B visa program, which imposes an annual cap of
5 Data for OPT approvals were received on August 2017 from ICE. Data on annual H-1B visa approvals are publicly available from USCIS. 6 OPT approvals are made during calendar years while H-1B visa approvals are made during the federal government’s fiscal years, which run
from Oct. 1 to Sept. 30. OPT and H-1B visa approval data cannot be harmonized into fiscal years since the OPT data that we received did not
provide the month of approval. 7 The total number of initial and continuing H-1B visa approvals between 2004 and 2016 is 3.5 million. H-1B visa holders can also be
sponsored for a green card through their employer. See Appendix C for more details. 8 See Appendix B for definitions of higher education under OPT.
Optional Practical Training approvals surpassed initial
H-1B visa approvals in 2010, 2014, 2015 and 2016
Number of OPT and H-1B visa approvals, in thousands
Note: H-1B visa data are in U.S. federal fiscal years, which run from Oct. 1-Sept. 30. OPT
data are in calendar years. H-1B data include both capped and uncapped approvals.
H-1B visa applications require an equivalent to a U.S. bachelor’s degree or higher. See
Appendix B for OPT educational requirements.
Source: Pew Research Center analysis of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement data
received August 2017 through a Freedom of Information Act request and publicly available
H-1B visa data from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
“Number of Foreign College Students Staying and Working in U.S. After Graduation Surges”
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65,000 visas to private companies sponsoring foreign workers9, there is no cap on the number of
approvals available under the OPT program; all F-1 visa holders are eligible to apply.10
Furthermore, foreign students do not require employer sponsorship to apply for OPT, while the H-
1B visa program requires employers to directly sponsor the foreign workers they intend to hire.11
Transitioning to the H-1B visa is one of the pathways that foreign graduates can pursue to stay in
the U.S. once their OPT period expires.12 However, there is no guarantee that H-1B visas will be
available for employers who want to sponsor foreign graduates working under OPT. In recent
years, the number of applications for this visa program has exceeded its annual cap, and a lottery
system was put in place to award the visas.
However, those who hold advanced degrees (master’s, professional or doctorate) in any subject
from a U.S. higher educational institution have a greater chance of getting approved for an H-1B
visa, since an additional 20,000 visas are set aside for this group every year. According to a Pew
Research Center analysis of previously obtained H-1B visa data from a separate public records
request from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, nearly 14%, or 118,000, of all capped H-
1B visas approved between fiscal 2010 and 2016 were given to advanced degree graduates of U.S.
universities.13
9 Institution of higher education or its affiliated or related nonprofit entities, or a nonprofit research organization, or a government research
organization are exempt from the cap. 10 For pre-completion OPT, full-time foreign students on F-1 visas must be fully enrolled for at least nine months at a U.S. college or university. 11 Those on OPT may be unemployed for up to 90 days before having to leave the country, while H-1B visa holders are given a 60-day “grace
period” if they find themselves out of a job. 12 Work authorization under OPT is also restricted to 12 months of work in an area related to the foreign student’s field of study, and
extendable only up to a maximum of 36 months for STEM degree holders (it cannot directly lead to a path of permanent residency). On the
other hand, the H-1B visa does not require foreign employees to work in fields that they majored in, and it gives visa holders the opportunity to
transition to permanent residency status (through a green card) with employer sponsorship. 13 The data from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services do not include whether the H-1B visa holder received a U.S. bachelor’s degree.
Only numbers for those with a master’s, professional or doctorate degree from a U.S. college or university are given.
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As yearly H-1B visa applications surpass the annual cap, OPT is becoming a more popular
pathway for foreign graduates of U.S. higher educational institutions to stay in the country
The Optional Practical Training program (OPT) was developed to allow F-1 visa holders to gain practical
work experience after graduating from a U.S. college or university. In 2007 and 2013, Congress did not
pass expansive reforms to the H-1B visa program as part of comprehensive immigration reform bills. At
the time, there were proposals to increase the number of H-1B visas as well as legislation to add
55,000 green cards exclusively for foreign student graduates with a STEM degree. With no legislation
passed on the H-1B visa program, the residency limit for OPT was extended an additional 24 months
for those with a STEM degree.
In light of economic concerns and pressure raised by high-tech professionals, members of Congress
and U.S. educational institutions, the George W. Bush and Obama administrations expanded the OPT
program for those with STEM degrees in 2008 and 2016, respectively. This expansion was intended to
prevent a “brain drain,” addressing U.S. concerns of losing students unable to obtain an H-1B visa.
The federal government also established the “cap-gap extension,” which extends the OPT period
authorization for U.S. foreign student graduates whose work authorization has expired. This extension
allows foreign graduates to continue residing in the U.S. if they are attempting to change status to an
H-1B visa. Only those with pending or approved H-1B visa petitions are granted cap-gap extension,
valid until the beginning of the government’s fiscal year (Oct. 1).
With these policy developments, the OPT program has become a more popular pathway that foreign
students on F-1 visas are taking to remain in the U.S. after graduation. Foreign students are now given
multiple chances to adjust status to the H-1B visa program, which they can then use to potentially
obtain a green card. H-1B visas for private companies are awarded to employers on a first-come, first-
served basis, with applications accepted each year beginning in April. Employers that are institutions of
higher education, nonprofits or government research institutions are exempted from the cap through
the American Competitiveness in the 21st Century Act of 2000. Those OPT participants without STEM
degrees have two opportunities to find employers to sponsor them under the H-1B visa program (one
during the year of graduation and the other during their 12 month OPT period). OPT participants with
STEM degrees could have four chances to get sponsored for an H-1B visa because of the additional 24
months that they receive.
More recently, a lawsuit filed against the Department of Homeland Security by the Washington Alliance
of Technology Workers (WashTech) contested the validity of the STEM OPT extension program that
started in 2008. It was dismissed after a new rule by the Obama administration was issued on May 10,
2016.
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With regard to region of
origin, the largest group of
foreign students who studied
in the U.S. and utilized the
OPT program between 2004
and 2016 held citizenship in
Asia. Asian foreign student
graduates accounted for 74%
of all OPT approvals during
this period. Graduates of
European citizenship were the
second-largest group (8%)
along with students from Latin
America and the Caribbean
(8%), followed by African
students (5%).
In terms of country of
citizenship, graduates from
India made up the largest
share of those authorized to
work under the OPT program
during this period, with
441,400 (30% of the total).
Students from China came
second at 313,500 (21%),
followed by South Koreans at
90,800 (6%).
Among citizens of India,
STEM graduates made up the majority of OPT participants. Between 2004 and 2016, the number
of students from India graduating with STEM degrees increased 658%, compared with a 93%
increase for Indian students with non-STEM degrees.
Students from Asia make up a large majority of
graduates approved for OPT, 2004-2016
Note: See Appendix E for region categories. Figures are students with associate degree or
higher degrees in higher education, rounded to nearest hundred.
Source: Pew Research Center analysis of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement data
received August 2017 through a Freedom of Information Act request.
“Number of Foreign College Students Staying and Working in U.S. After Graduation Surges”
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337%
187%
115%
21%
Master's
Doctorate
Bachelor's
Associate
Between 2004 and 2016, foreign graduates with master’s
degrees far outnumbered all other degree holders under OPT,
making up 57% (840,800) of all graduates in the program. The
number of master’s degree holders also grew the most by far
during the same time period, rising from 39,500 in 2004 to
172,900 in 2016 – a 337% increase. By comparison, the number
of OPT approvals for doctorate degree holders grew by 187%,
bachelor’s by 115% and associate degree holders by just 21%.
This rapid increase in master’s degree holders took place almost
exclusively in the wake of a 2008 revision to OPT that enabled
STEM graduates work an additional 17 months in the U.S. The
contrast before and after the Bush-era revision is stark:
Between 2004 and 2007, the number of master’s degree OPT
enrollees decreased by 7%, whereas between 2008 and 2016 it
increased by 322%.
Largest growth of OPT
approvals among foreign
student graduates with
master’s degrees
% increase between 2004-2016
Note: Those with degrees that fall under
the “other” category not shown.
Source: Pew Research Center analysis of
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
data received August 2017 through a
Freedom of Information Act request.
“Number of Foreign College Students
Staying and Working in U.S. After
Graduation Surges”
PEW RESEARCH CENTER
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Public
Private
nonprofit
Private
for-profit
Non-CCIHE
classified 36,800
44,300
566,100
827,200
More than half (56%) of foreign graduates who participated in
OPT between 2004 and 2016 obtained their degree from a
public college or university. Four-in-ten (41%) came from
private universities and colleges, of which 38% were not-for-
profit schools and 3% were for-profit institutions. Fewer than
3% of OPT enrollees graduated from schools not classified
under the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher
Education (CCIHE).
Despite these overall percentages, the three top sources of OPT
enrollees between 2004 and 2016 are all private, nonprofit
colleges: the University of Southern California (27,100), New
York University (26,800) and Columbia University (22,600).
The top public college for OPT participants is City University of
New York’s Bernard M. Baruch College (18,500). Other public
schools that graduated significant numbers of OPT enrollees
include University of Michigan at Ann Arbor (13,700),
University of California, Los Angeles (13,600), and University
of Illinois at Urbana Champaign (13,600).
Among schools not under the CCIHE, Northwestern
Polytechnic University stands out with 11,700 foreign
graduates who went on to participate in OPT – more than
double the second highest, Silicon Valley University (4,500).
Three other schools stand out: University of Northern Virginia
(2,400), Virginia International University (2,300) and Herguan University (1,000).14
14 There have been some controversies over unaccredited colleges allegedly abusing the student visa program. Following these allegations at
least four schools have closed: Tri-Valley University in the San Francisco metro area in 2011, University of Northern Virginia in the Washington,
D.C., metropolitan area in 2013, Herguan University in the San Jose, CA metro area in 2016, and Silicon Valley University in the San Jose, CA
metro area in 2018.
Public college and
university graduates made
up largest group of OPT
approvals, 2004-2016
Number of foreign graduates
approved to work in the United
States
Note: School categories are defined by the
Carnegie Classification of Institutions of
Higher Education. Figures are students with
associate degree or higher, rounded to
nearest hundred.
Source: Pew Research Center analysis of
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
data received August 2017 through a
Freedom of Information Act request.
“Number of Foreign College Students
Staying and Working in U.S. After Graduation
Surges”
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218
103
73
65
62
60
59
48
34
32
New York-Newark-
Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA
Philadelphia-Camden-
Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin,
IL-IN-WI
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue,
WA
Dallas-Fort Worth-
Arlington, TX
Boston-Cambridge-
Newton, MA-NH
Los Angeles-Long Beach-
Anaheim, CA
Washington-Arlington-
Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
San Francisco-Oakland-
Hayward, CA
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa
Clara, CA
Under the Optional Practical Training
program, foreign students who stay to work in
the United States can search for a job
anywhere in the country. As a result, foreign
student graduates in the OPT program can
move from the metro area of their school and
pursue work elsewhere. Overall, large metro
areas retained many of the students who
attended schools in the area. These same large
metros were also top relocation destinations
for many foreign graduates from other metros.
Meanwhile, areas with smaller populations
saw many of the foreign graduates who
attended school there leave, and saw only a
few foreign graduates from other areas move
in to work.15
The New York-Newark-Jersey City metro area
had the largest cumulative population of OPT
participants (218,400).16 That was followed by
the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim
(103,600) and Boston-Cambridge-Newton
metro areas (73,000).
New York’s dominance can be explained in
part by its ability to retain foreign students graduating from local colleges: 85% of foreign students
graduating from New York-area schools stayed in the metro region to work under OPT between
2004 and 2016. In the Los Angeles and Boston areas, the shares were 78% and 72%, respectively.
15 See Appendix D for metropolitan area population sizes. 16 This analysis focused on 113 metropolitan statistical areas where at least 2,000 foreign student graduates went to school and were
approved for OPT between 2004 and 2016. The sortable table accompanying this report includes this same set of metro areas (113).The
metro area profiles in the interactive accompanying this report only includes 61 metro areas with 5,000 or more foreign student graduates.
This shows percentages based on unrounded numbers.
Top 10 metro areas with largest number
of foreign graduates on OPT, 2004-2016
Number of OPT approvals, in thousands
Note: For more on the classification of Metropolitan Statistical Areas
(MSAs), see Methodology. Figures are students with degrees in
higher education, including an “other” category.
Source: Pew Research Center analysis of U.S. Immigration and
Customs Enforcement data received August 2017 through a
Freedom of Information Act request.
“Number of Foreign College Students Staying and Working in U.S.
After Graduation Surges”
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The Seattle (84%) and Honolulu areas (83%) actually outperformed Los Angeles and Boston in
terms of the share of local foreign students retained through OPT.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, the Springfield, Illinois, metro area retained the lowest share
(7%) of foreign graduates who attended schools in its area. The Carbondale-Marion, Illinois, and
Beaumont-Port Arthur, Texas, areas were next above it at 20% and 23%, respectively.
Across U.S. metro areas, OPT has resulted in both net “importers” and net “exporters” of foreign
college graduates. New York topped the list for attracting the most foreign students who graduated
from schools outside its metro area, with 74,000 students coming into the area for work between
2004 and 2016. Three California metro areas followed: San Jose (44,500), San Francisco (33,700)
and Los Angeles (27,800). The San Jose metro, however, had the largest share (71%) of foreign
graduates working in the area on OPT who graduated from other metros. This was followed by the
Kansas City, Missouri (69%), and Peoria, Illinois (66%), areas.
Even though the New York metro area both attracted and retained the largest numbers of foreign
students on OPT, the Seattle area retained and attracted the highest shares of graduates
proportionate to its foreign graduate population. This is because the number of students who
relocated to the Seattle area (20,500) is larger than the graduates who left (2,700). Overall, the net
change in the Seattle metro’s foreign graduate population was 52%, compared with 22% in the
New York metro area.
To see a sortable table detailing the movement of foreign graduates on OPT by the top metro areas
where they attended school, see Appendix D.
See Methodology for details on this section’s calculations.
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Acknowledgments
The report was written by Neil G. Ruiz, associate director of Global Migration and Demography
research and Abby Budiman, research assistant in Global Migration and Demography research.
Mark Hugo Lopez, director of Global Migration and Demography research and James Bell, vice-
president of global strategy reviewed the report and provided editorial comments. The report was
number checked by Jynnah Radford, research assistant and Antonio Flores, research assistant.
Arnold Lau, research analyst in survey research methods, helped with cleaning and coding the
data. Charts and interactive were designed by Michael Keegan and Alissa Scheller, graphics
designers.
David Kent was the copy editor. Ariana Rodriguez-Gitler, digital producer, Chris Baronavski,
senior developer, and Seth Rubenstein, lead developer, developed the metro area interactive and
sortable table.
Find related reports online at pewresearch.org/global
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Methodology
The demographic analysis for this report is based on participant records from three U.S.
government programs – F-1 visa, the Optional Practical Training (OPT) program (which is part of
the F-1 program) and H-1B visa. All were received through a Freedom of Information Act request
submitted to Immigration and Customs Enforcement and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration
Services and some H-1B data used are publicly available.17 Information before 2004 was excluded
from analysis because prior to that year the automated monitoring system did not include all
foreign students.
The Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks played a key role in shaping the U.S. government’s current
system for foreign student visas. In the years after Sept. 11, the federal government fully
implemented the automated foreign student monitoring system, and student visa applications
began receiving additional scrutiny.
Populations of analysis and data access
The OPT data for this study are from the federal government’s automated foreign student
monitoring system, the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS). Information
added into SEVIS is self-recorded and contains information about F-1 visa holders that have been
approved for the Optional Practical Training (OPT) program extension. The data in this analysis
include information on graduates’ country of citizenship, major, level of education, name and
location of their educational institution, employer name and location, and approval start and end
years. Only foreign individuals who pursued degrees in higher education (associate, bachelor’s,
master’s and doctorate) were included in our analysis. Foreign graduates on OPT who attended
schools in Puerto Rico are included in this analysis; however, those who graduated from or are
currently working in other U.S. territories (such as Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands) are not.
These individuals accounted for less than 0.02% of the population.
Geographical classification of Metropolitan Statistical Areas
Respondents’ city and state level data in the OPT dataset (school address and current address)
were matched to their corresponding Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) as classified by the
Office of Management and Budget.18 Because the raw data contained numerous typographical and
17 H-1B visa data were received in November 2017 from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services; findings were published in a separate
analysis. F-1 visa data were received in March 2017 from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and were also published under a
separate publication. OPT data were received from ICE on Aug. 28, 2017. 18 Cross-referenced data of city and state for respondent address and school address had to match for a respondent to be counted in a
corresponding MSA.
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other contextual errors, the raw entries for city and state were preprocessed by standardizing
prefixes common to cities and towns (such as “saint” or “heights”) and by removing digits and
punctuation. For each entry, we then looked up a list of all cities and towns in that state, found a
matching city, and returned its corresponding MSA. In cases where errors in the raw data resulted
in failure to return an exact match to the city, approximate string matching using the restricted
Damerau-Levenshtein distance metric was used to find the closest matching city up to a maximum
string distance of 3. Locations that are not categorized under any MSA were coded as “non-
metropolitans” (these include Micropolitan Statistical Areas) and were not included in our
analysis. About 3% of entries could not be programmatically matched in this way, and were
therefore manually coded into their corresponding metro areas. Of this 3%, less than 0.5% could
not be manually matched.19
This report’s accompanying sortable table focuses on 113 MSAs that had at least 2,000 foreign
student graduates approved for OPT during the 2004 to 2016 period.20 The interactive associated
with this report includes 61 metro areas with 5,000 or more foreign student graduates.21
Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education (CCIHE)
The Carnegie Classification of Institutions (specifically their “control” variable) was used to
categorize schools into public, private nonprofit or private for-profit institutions. Colleges and
universities that were not included in the classification encompassed less than 3% of the foreign
graduate population on OPT.22 These schools were coded as “non-CCIHE classified” in our
analysis.
Major classifications
This report groups majors based on the taxonomic scheme from the U.S. Department of
Education’s Classification of Instructional Programs which supports the accurate tracking and
reporting of fields of study.23 The most recent delineation of majors that fall under the science,
technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM) fields outlined by the Department of Homeland
Security was used to determine the individuals who are eligible to apply for the additional 24
months OPT program expansion.
19 Those who were not matched were left out of the metropolitan analysis. 20 Metro areas with at least 2,000 foreign student graduates approved for OPT are 87% of the total approved OPT population. 21 Metro areas with at least 5,000 foreign student graduates approved for OPT are 75% of the total approved OPT population. 22 Colleges and universities not included in the CCIHE made up 13% of schools in the data. 23 Majors are based on the first major reported by the respondent. Less than 0.01% of respondents did not report a major.
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Calculating retention, attraction and net change
By comparing individual-level locations of schools and current addresses, we were able to calculate
the total number and breakdown of foreign graduates who stayed in (retention) or left (outflow)
their school’s metro area, as well as the total who were attracted to other metro areas and
relocated (inflow) there. The variables and formulas below were used to define and calculate the
numbers used in our analysis.
STAYED = Total who attended school in metro and stayed to work
LEFT = Total who attended school in metro and left for other metros to work
ATTRACT = Total who arrived from other metros to work
STAYED RETENTION RATE = % Total who attended school in metro
ATTRACT ATTRACTION RATE = % Total who worked in metro area
ATTRACT – LEFT NET CHANGE = % Total who worked in metro area
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Appendix A: References
Bartlett, Tom, Karin Fischer, and Josh Keller. 2011. “Little-Known Colleges Exploit Visa Loopholes
to Make Millions Off Foreign Students.” Chronicle of Higher Education, March.
Benderly, Beryl L. 2016. “Work program for recent foreign grads in legal limbo.” Washington,
D.C.: Science Magazine, January.
Fragomen. 2016. “D.C. Circuit Court Dismisses Appeal Challenging 2008 STEM OPT Rule.”
Fragomen, May.
Gates, Bill. 2007. “How to Keep America Competitive.” Washington D.C.: The Washington Post,
February.
Haddal, Chad C. 2008. “Foreign Students in the United States: Policies and Legislation.”
Washington, D.C.: Congressional Research Service, January.
Hopper, Jessica. 2011. “Immigration Officials: Tri-Valley U. and Students Involved in Visa Scam.”
ABC News, February.
Jackman, Tom. 2013. “The University of Northern Virginia is ordered to close in Annadale after 15
years.” Washington, D.C.: The Washington Post, July.
Murphy, Katy. 2016. “Feds revoke student visas to Silicon Valley’s Herguan University.” Mercury
News, October.
National Public Radio. 2008. “Bill Gates Targets Visa Rules for Tech Workers.” Washington D.C.:
NPR, March.
Redden, Elizabeth. 2018. “’Suspect’ California University Shut Down.” Inside Higher Education,
April.
Ruiz, Neil G. 2017. “Key facts about the U.S. H-1B visa program.” Washington, D.C.: Pew Research
Center, April.
Ruiz, Neil G. 2014. “The Geography of Foreign Students in U.S. Higher Education: Origins and
Destinations.” Washington, D.C.: The Brookings Institution, August.
20
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Ruiz, Neil G. 2017. “More foreign grads of U.S. colleges are staying in the country to work.”
Washington, D.C.: Pew Research Center, May.
Ruiz, Neil G. and Jens Manuel Krogstad. 2018. “East Coast and Texas metros had the most H-1B
visas for skilled workers from 2010 to 2016.” Washington, D.C.: Pew Research Center, March.
Ruiz, Neil G. and Jynnah Radford. 2017. “New foreign student enrollment at U.S. colleges and
universities doubled since Great Recession.” Washington, D.C.: Pew Research Center, November.
Ruiz, Neil G. Abby Budiman, Jynnah Radford and Antonio Flores. 2017. “Facts on Foreign
Students in the U.S.” Washington, D.C.: Pew Research Center, November.
Scola, Nancy. 2014. “Obama likely to expand a foreign-student pipeline the high-tech industry
loves.” Washington D.C.: The Washington Post, November.
Sviokla, John. 2009. “The Brain Drain That Should Worry US Business.” Harvard Business
Review, May.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. 2017. “Characteristics of H-1B Specialty Occupation
Workers, Fiscal Year 2016 Annual Report to Congress, October 1, 2015-September 30, 2016.”
Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Homeland Security, May.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. 2016. “Characteristics of H-1B Specialty Occupation
Workers, Fiscal Year 2015 Annual Report to Congress, October 1, 2014-September 30, 2015.”
Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Homeland Security, March.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. 2016. “Retention of EB-1, EB-2, and EB-3 Immigrant
Workers and Program Improvements Affecting High-Skilled Nonimmigrant Workers.”
Washington, D.C.: Federal Register, November.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. 2015. “Characteristics of H-1B Specialty Occupation
Workers, Fiscal Year 2014 Annual Report to Congress, October 1, 2013-September 30, 2014.”
Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Homeland Security, February.
U.S. Department of Homeland Security. 2016. “Improving and Expanding Training Opportunities
for F-1 Nonimmigrant Students with STEM Degrees and Cap-Gap Relief for All Eligible F-1
Students.” Federal Registrar, March.
https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/USCIS/Resources/Reports%20and%20Studies/H-1B/h-1B-FY16.pdf
https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/USCIS/Resources/Reports%20and%20Studies/H-1B/h-1B-FY16.pdf
https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/USCIS/Resources/Reports%20and%20Studies/H-1B/H-1B-FY15.pdf
21
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U.S. Department of Homeland Security. 2008. “Extending Period of Optional Practical Training by 17 Months for F-1 Nonimmigrant Students with STEM Degrees and Expanding Cap-Gap Relief for All F-1 Students with H-1B Petitions.” Federal Registrar, April. U.S. District Court. “Washington Alliance of Technology Workers VS. U.S. Department of Homeland Security.” Washington D.C.: U.S. District Court, April.
U.S. Government Accountability Office. 2014. “Student and Exchange Visitor Program: DHS
Needs to Assess Risks and Strengthen Oversight of Foreign Students with Employment
Authorization.” Washington, D.C.: United States Government Accountability Office, February.
Wilhelm, Alex. 2013. “Why High-Skilled Immigration Reform Is Stuck.” TechCrunch, September.
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Appendix B: Additional note
The approval process for the U.S. Optional Practical Training (OPT) program
Optional Practical Training (OPT) is temporary work authorization for eligible F-1 visa holders that
lasts up to 12 months. There are two types of OPT programs, pre-completion and post-completion.
For pre-completion OPT eligibility, F-1 visa holders must have completed at least one full
academic year on a full-time basis and apply up to 90 days before completing the full academic
year. If a foreign student chooses to take part in pre-completion OPT, that amount of time will be
taken out of the students’ post-completion period. Many students take advantage of the post-
completion program. For post-completion OPT, students may apply up to 90 days before
completing their degree, but no later than 60 days after degree completion. While students are
enrolled full-time they can also participate in the Curricular Practical Training (CPT) if it is part of
their program of study, which can make them ineligible for OPT if they have 12 months or more of
full-time CPT.
The OPT process starts with foreign students completing an application that involves filing several
official forms and documents to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). If approved,
USCIS issues an employment authorization document that allows the student to work in their area
of study for up to 12 months. If students cannot find a job within 90 days they must leave the
country.
OPT graduates can apply for a 24-month extension if their degree is a science, technology,
engineering or mathematics (STEM) degree in a field approved by the U.S. Department of
Homeland Security. They also must obtain a recommendation from their school, additional
approval from USCIS after completing their initial 12-month OPT period, and sponsorship from an
employer that is part of the E-Verify program, an internet-based system used to confirm
employment eligibility.
Foreign graduates are eligible to receive OPT approvals for each successive higher education
program they complete in the country. This means that a student who graduated with a degree in
the U.S. may participate in OPT before and after receiving another degree within the country.
However, if the student goes straight to another degree program after graduating, they do not
receive extra time for their OPT.
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Appendix C: Additional charts
Total approvals for both
initial and continuing
H-1B visas exceed OPT
approvals, 2004-2016
Number of foreign temporary
employees, in thousands
Note: Data for OPT approvals are based on
calendar years, while data for H-1B
approvals are based on fiscal years.
Source: Pew Research Center analysis of
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
data received August 2017 through a
Freedom of Information Act request and
publicly available U.S. Citizenship and
Immigration Services data.
“Number of Foreign College Students
Staying and Working in U.S. After Graduation
Surges”
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1,473
Among H-1B approvals
OPT approvals
Initial
Continuing
Total 1,474
2,073
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12%
33%
60%
78%
Associate
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate
Share of foreign grads on
OPT who studied STEM,
by degree level
% of STEM graduates by degree
levels, 2004-2016
Note: Degree levels categorized under
“Other degrees” are not included. STEM
categories are based on fields outlined by
the Department of Homeland Security.
Source: Pew Research Center analysis of
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
data received August 2017 through a
Freedom of Information Act request.
“Number of Foreign College Students
Staying and Working in U.S. After
Graduation Surges”
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18,500
9,700
8,200
6,800
3,900
2,700
1,100
1,000
1,000
900
Business, management, marketing,
and related support services
Share
31%
16%
14%
11%
6%
4%
2%
2%
2%
2%
Health professions and related
programs
Visual and performing arts
Computer and information
sciences and support services
Engineering
Engineering technologies and
engineering-related fields
Communication, journalism and
related programs
Education
Personal and culinary services
Liberal arts and sciences, general
studies and humanities
Top 10 fields of study among associate degree
holders on OPT, 2004-2016
Total number of foreign graduates studying …
Note: Majors are grouped based on the taxonomic scheme from the U.S. Department of
Education’s Classification of Instructional Programs. Figures rounded to nearest hundred.
Source: Pew Research Center analysis of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement data
received August 2017 through a Freedom of Information Act request.
“Number of Foreign College Students Staying and Working in U.S. After Graduation Surges”
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108,700
40,800
29,600
29,000
27,900
16,100
12,900
12,300
9,800
8,800
Engineering
Computer and information
sciences and support services
Communication, journalism and
related programs
Psychology
Business, management, marketing
and related support services
Biological and biomedical sciences
Health professions and related
programs
Mathematics and statistics
Social sciences
Visual and performing arts
Share
32%
12%
9%
8%
8%
5%
4%
4%
3%
3%
Top 10 fields of study among bachelor’s degree
holders on OPT, 2004-2016
Total number of foreign graduates studying …
Note: Majors are grouped based on the taxonomic scheme from the U.S. Department of
Education’s Classification of Instructional Programs. Figures rounded to nearest hundred.
Source: Pew Research Center analysis of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement data
received August 2017 through a Freedom of Information Act request.
“Number of Foreign College Students Staying and Working in U.S. After Graduation Surges”
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226,600
187,300
183,200
22,800
22,700
21,900
21,200
20,700
19,600
16,600
Computer and information
sciences and support services
Legal professions and studies
Health professions and
related programs
Engineering
Business, management, marketing
and related support services
Visual and performing arts
Mathematics and statistics
Share
27%
22%
22%
3%
3%
3%
3%
2%
2%
2%
Engineering technologies and
engineering-related fields
Biological and biomedical sciences
Social sciences
Top 10 fields of study among master’s degree holders
on OPT, 2004-2016
Total number of foreign graduates studying …
Note: Majors are grouped based on the taxonomic scheme from the U.S. Department of
Education’s Classification of Instructional Programs. Figures rounded to nearest hundred.
Source: Pew Research Center analysis of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement data
received August 2017 through a Freedom of Information Act request.
“Number of Foreign College Students Staying and Working in U.S. After Graduation Surges”
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63,800
29,800
25,200
11,500
11,300
9,100
6,200
4,000
3,800
3,700
Physical sciences
Computer and information
sciences and support services
Social sciences
Engineering
Health professions and related
programs
Mathematics and statistics
Business, management, marketing,
and related support services
Legal professions and studies
Agriculture, agriculture operations,
and related sciences
Share
34%
16%
13%
6%
6%
5%
3%
2%
2%
2%
Biological and biomedical sciences
Top 10 fields of study among doctorate degree
holders on OPT, 2004-2016
Total number of foreign graduates studying …
Note: Majors are grouped based on the taxonomic scheme from the U.S. Department of
Education’s Classification of Instructional Programs. Figures rounded to nearest hundred.
Source: Pew Research Center analysis of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement data
received August 2017 through a Freedom of Information Act request.
“Number of Foreign College Students Staying and Working in U.S. After Graduation Surges”
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Appendix D: Additional tables
Top 10 public schools foreign student
graduates on OPT attended, 2004-2016
Number of foreign graduates by school
School name
City University of New York, Baruch College 18,500
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor 13,700
University of California, Los Angeles 13,600
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign 13,600
University of Texas at Dallas 13,500
Purdue University 12,900
Arizona State University, Tempe 12,600
University of Texas at Arlington 12,500
State University of New York, University at
Buffalo 12,300
University of Florida 12,300
Note: School classifications are defined by the Carnegie
Classification of Institutions of Higher Educations. Only institutions
of higher education are included in the classifications. Figures
rounded to nearest hundred.
Source: Pew Research Center analysis of U.S. Immigration and
Customs Enforcement data received August 2017 through a
Freedom of Information Act request.
“Number of Foreign College Students Staying and Working in U.S.
After Graduation Surges”
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Top 10 private nonprofit schools foreign
student graduates on OPT attended,
2004-2016
Number of foreign graduates by school
School name
University of Southern California 27,100
New York University 26,800
Columbia University 22,600
Carnegie Mellon University 14,100
Illinois Institute of Technology 12,900
Northeastern University 10,700
Boston University 10,800
University of Pennsylvania 10,500
Cornell University 10,400
Harvard University 9,500
Note: School classifications are defined by the Carnegie
Classification of Institutions of Higher Educations. Only institutions
of higher education are included in the classifications. Figures
rounded to nearest hundred.
Source: Pew Research Center analysis of U.S. Immigration and
Customs Enforcement data received August 2017 through a
Freedom of Information Act request.
“Number of Foreign College Students Staying and Working in U.S.
After Graduation Surges”
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Top 10 non-CCIHE classified schools
foreign students on OPT attended,
2004-2016
Number of foreign graduates by school
School name
Northwestern Polytechnic University 11,700
Silicon Valley University* 4,500
University of Northern Virginia** 2,400
Virginia International University 2,300
Herguan University*** 1,000
The Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute 800
New York Institute of English and Business 700
San Diego University for Integrative Studies 700
Christ for the Nations Institute 600
Pensacola Christian College 500
* Silicon Valley University was officially closed in 2018.
** University of Northern Virginia was officially closed in 2013.
***Herguan University was officially closed in 2016.
Note: School classifications are defined by the Carnegie
Classification of Institutions of Higher Educations. Figures rounded
to nearest hundred.
Source: Pew Research Center analysis of U.S. Immigration and
Customs Enforcement data received August 2017 through a
Freedom of Information Act request.
“Number of Foreign College Students Staying and Working in U.S.
After Graduation Surges”
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Top 10 private for-profit schools foreign
student graduates on OPT attended,
2004-2016
Number of foreign graduates by school
School name
Academy of Art University 6,800
Stratford University 5,900
New York Film Academy 4,100
School of Visual Arts 3,000
Strayer University 2,700
DeVry University 2,100
Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising 1,800
Monroe College 1,700
Full Sail University 1,300
Berkeley College 1,100
Note: School classifications are defined by the Carnegie
Classification of Institutions of Higher Educations. Figures rounded
to nearest hundred.
Source: Pew Research Center analysis of U.S. Immigration and
Customs Enforcement data received August 2017 through a
Freedom of Information Act request.
“Number of Foreign College Students Staying and Working in U.S.
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Foreign graduates who worked under OPT by metro area, 2004-2016
Number of foreign graduates with an associate degree or higher, by metro area
Metropolitan statistical area
Number who
attended
school in
area
Number who
left area for
work
Number who
entered area
to work
Total number
who worked in
area following
school
Net change in
area’s foreign
graduate
population
Akron, OH 5,200 2,600 600 3,100 -66%
Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY 5,000 2,500 2,200 4,700 -8%
Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ 2,500 1,300 1,000 2,200 -13%
Ames, IA 5,400 3,100 400 2,700 -102%
Ann Arbor, MI 16,000 10,000 2,300 8,300 -92%
Athens-Clarke County, GA 2,900 1,500 300 1,800 -65%
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 20,500 6,900 12,600 26,300 22%
Auburn-Opelika, AL 2,400 1,500 400 1,200 -96%
Austin-Round Rock, TX 10,700 4,700 7,800 13,800 22%
Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD 13,700 5,700 6,200 14,200 4%
Baton Rouge, LA 4,300 2,200 600 2,800 -57%
Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX 4,700 3,600 100 1,200 -286%
Binghamton, NY 4,400 3,000 100 1,500 -187%
Birmingham-Hoover, AL 2,200 800 700 2,000 -7%
Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA 5,000 2,800 300 2,600 -93%
Bloomington, IN 7,600 4,200 500 4,000 -92%
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH 69,700 19,400 22,600 73,000 4%
Boulder, CO 3,000 1,900 900 2,000 -52%
Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT 8,900 6,200 2,900 5,600 -60%
Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls, NY 13,400 10,100 800 4,100 -225%
Carbondale-Marion, IL 3,800 3,000 100 800 -356%
Champaign-Urbana, IL 13,600 7,500 1,300 7,500 -83%
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC 5,400 2,500 4,400 7,400 27%
Charlottesville, VA 4,100 2,300 500 2,300 -75%
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 54,300 17,200 21,800 59,000 8%
Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN 6,900 3,500 2,400 5,800 -19%
Cleveland-Elyria, OH 7,800 3,400 2,500 7,000 -12%
College Station-Bryan, TX 11,000 7,500 600 4,200 -164%
Columbia, MO 3,400 1,900 400 1,800 -85%
Columbia, SC 2,600 1,200 700 2,100 -27%
Columbus, OH 12,300 5,200 5,600 12,700 3%
Corvallis, OR 2,300 1,300 300 1,300 -75%
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 45,100 15,800 19,200 48,500 7%
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Dayton, OH 5,300 3,100 700 3,000 -81%
Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO 5,800 1,700 3,600 7,700 25%
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI 11,700 3,400 12,300 20,600 43%
Durham-Chapel Hill, NC 9,400 5,400 2,300 6,300 -49%
El Paso, TX 3,300 1000 300 2,600 -26%
Erie, PA 2,300 1,700 300 800 -179%
Eugene, OR 2,600 1,100 200 1,800 -48%
Fargo, ND-MN 2,900 1,400 300 1,800 -59%
Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR-MO 2,300 1,000 1,200 2,500 7%
Gainesville, FL 12,400 7,100 600 5,900 -110%
Greenville-Anderson-Mauldin, SC 4,500 2,900 600 2,200 -104%
Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT 5,500 3,300 2,400 4,600 -18%
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX 23,900 8,100 16,600 32,400 26%
Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson, IN 3,900 1,500 2,900 5,300 26%
Iowa City, IA 3,600 2,100 500 2,000 -83%
Ithaca, NY 10,500 5,400 700 5,700 -82%
Kalamazoo-Portage, MI 2,900 1,400 400 1,900 -55%
Kansas City, MO-KS 6,100 3,800 5,100 7,400 18%
Knoxville, TN 2,200 1,200 1000 1,900 -15%
Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN 11,700 6,500 700 5,900 -99%
Lansing-East Lansing, MI 7,200 3,500 1,200 5,000 -46%
Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV 4,000 800 1,100 4,300 7%
Lawrence, KS 2,600 1,400 300 1,500 -71%
Lexington-Fayette, KY 3,000 1,400 700 2,300 -30%
Lincoln, NE 3,200 1,100 600 2,600 -22%
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 97,700 21,900 27,800 103,600 6%
Lubbock, TX 4,200 3,000 200 1,500 -185%
Madison, WI 6,800 3,400 2,900 6,400 -7%
Manchester-Nashua, NH 3,600 2,600 1,000 2,000 -79%
Manhattan, KS 2,200 1,200 200 1,100 -100%
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL 21,900 5,400 6,300 22,700 4%
Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI 4,000 1,900 1,600 3,700 -8%
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI 12,900 5,100 6,500 14,300 10%
Mobile, AL 2,700 1,700 100 1,200 -136%
Morgantown, WV 2,800 1,800 300 1,200 -122%
Nashville-Davidson-Murfreesboro-Franklin, TN 3,700 1,500 2,100 4,300 16%
New Haven-Milford, CT 7,500 3,900 2,200 5,800 -30%
New Orleans-Metairie, LA 4,200 1,700 800 3,200 -30%
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New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 170,700 26,300 74,000 218,400 22%
Oklahoma City, OK 7,800 2,900 1,000 5,900 -32%
Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA 3,600 1,200 1,200 3,600 0%
Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL 6,100 1,900 3,000 7,300 16%
Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL 3,000 1,800 800 2,100 -47%
Peoria, IL 2,100 1,300 1,500 2,300 9%
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 33,200 12,600 11,900 32,500 -2%
Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ 15,000 7,200 5,600 13,400 -12%
Pittsburgh, PA 20,400 11,100 3,900 13,300 -54%
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA 5,000 1,600 6,200 9,500 48%
Providence-Warwick, RI-MA 9,800 5,000 1,900 6,800 -45%
Provo-Orem, UT 3,300 1,200 500 2,600 -25%
Raleigh, NC 8,600 4,300 4,400 8,700 1%
Richmond, VA 2,600 900 2,300 4,100 36%
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA 6,500 2,900 3,700 7,300 12%
Rochester, NY 8,900 5,500 1,100 4,400 -101%
Sacramento-Roseville-Arden-Arcade, CA 7,400 3,700 4,100 7,800 5%
Salt Lake City, UT 4,900 1,400 2,000 5,500 11%
San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX 4,500 2,100 1,800 4,300 -6%
San Diego-Carlsbad, CA 17,000 4,800 9,400 21,600 21%
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 50,300 18,600 33,700 65,400 23%
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 32,300 14,400 44,500 62,400 48%
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA 3,100 1,600 900 2,400 -30%
Savannah, GA 3,100 1,300 300 2,100 -50%
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA 16,700 2,700 20,500 34,500 52%
South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI 2,500 1,300 500 1,700 -47%
Springfield, IL 3,000 2,800 200 400 -596%
Springfield, MA 5,300 3,400 500 2,400 -122%
St. Cloud, MN 2,500 1,300 400 1,700 -51%
St. Louis, MO-IL 11,100 4,200 3,800 10,600 -5%
State College, PA 7,800 5,100 600 3,200 -141%
Syracuse, NY 8,600 5,300 600 3,900 -124%
Tallahassee, FL 3,500 1,800 700 2,500 -42%
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL 7,500 2,800 3,100 7,800 4%
Toledo, OH 4,100 1,600 500 3,000 -40%
Trenton, NJ 3,000 1,700 2,400 3,800 19%
Tucson, AZ 5,100 2,700 700 3,000 -67%
Urban Honolulu, HI 5,700 1000 700 5,400 -6%
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Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC 3,500 1,500 1,100 3,100 -12%
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 50,200 16,200 26,800 60,800 17%
Wichita, KS 5,100 2,900 300 2,600 -98%
Worcester, MA-CT 5,700 3,200 2,500 5,000 -14%
Note: For more information on the classification of metropolitan statistical areas (MSA) see Methodology. Only Metro areas with 2,000 or
more foreign students approved for OPT are included. Figures rounded to nearest hundred.
Source: Pew Research Center analysis of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement data received August 2017 through a Freedom of
Information Act request.
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Top 113 metro areas with over 2,000 foreign
graduates approved for OPT, by population
2016 population estimates
Metropolitan statistical area Population
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 20,153,600
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 13,310,400
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 9,513,000
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 7,233,300
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX 6,772,500
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 6,132,000
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 6,070,500
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL
6,066,400
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 5,789,700
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH 4,794,400
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 4,679,200
Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ 4,661,500
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA 4,527,800
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI 4,297,600
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA 3,798,900
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI 3,551,000
San Diego-Carlsbad, CA 3,317,700
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL 3,032,200
Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO 2,853,100
St. Louis, MO-IL 2,807,000
Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD 2,798,900
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC 2,474,300
Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL 2,441,300
San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX 2,429,600
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA 2,425,000
Pittsburgh, PA 2,342,300
Sacramento-Roseville-Arden-Arcade, CA 2,296,400
Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN 2,165,100
Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV 2,155,700
Kansas City, MO-KS 2,104,500
Austin-Round Rock, TX 2,056,400
Cleveland-Elyria, OH 2,055,600
Columbus, OH 2,041,500
Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson, IN 2,004,200
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 1,978,800
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Nashville-Davidson-Murfreesboro-Franklin, TN 1,865,300
Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC 1,726,900
Providence-Warwick, RI-MA 1,614,800
Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI 1,572,500
Oklahoma City, OK 1,373,200
Raleigh, NC 1,302,900
Richmond, VA 1,281,700
New Orleans-Metairie, LA 1,268,900
Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT 1,206,800
Salt Lake City, UT 1,186,200
Birmingham-Hoover, AL 1,147,400
Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls, NY 1,132,800
Rochester, NY 1,078,900
Tucson, AZ 1,016,200
Urban Honolulu, HI 992,600
Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT 944,200
Worcester, MA-CT 935,800
Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA 924,100
Greenville-Anderson-Mauldin, SC 885,000
Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY 881,800
Knoxville, TN 868,500
New Haven-Milford, CT 856,900
El Paso, TX 842,000
Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ 835,700
Baton Rouge, LA 835,200
Columbia, SC 817,500
Dayton, OH 800,700
Akron, OH 702,200
Syracuse, NY 656,500
Madison, WI 648,900
Wichita, KS 644,700
Springfield, MA 630,300
Toledo, OH 605,200
Provo-Orem, UT 603,300
Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL 579,100
Durham-Chapel Hill, NC 559,500
Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR-MO 513,449
Lexington-Fayette, KY 506,800
Lansing-East Lansing, MI 475,100
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA 446,200
Mobile, AL 414,800
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Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX 410,000
Manchester-Nashua, NH 407,800
Savannah, GA 384,000
Tallahassee, FL 379,600
Peoria, IL 376,200
Trenton, NJ 371,000
Eugene, OR 369,500
Ann Arbor, MI 364,700
Kalamazoo-Portage, MI 336,900
Lincoln, NE 326,900
Boulder, CO 322,200
South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI 320,700
Lubbock, TX 314,800
Gainesville, FL 280,700
Erie, PA 276,200
College Station-Bryan, TX 254,900
Binghamton, NY 244,100
Champaign-Urbana, IL 238,600
Fargo, ND-MN 238,100
Charlottesville, VA 231,300
Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN 216,700
Springfield, IL 210,000
Athens-Clarke County, GA 205,300
St. Cloud, MN 195,600
Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA 182,900
Columbia, MO 176,600
Iowa City, IA 168,800
Bloomington, IN 166,300
State College, PA 161,500
Auburn-Opelika, AL 159,000
Morgantown, WV 138,400
Carbondale-Marion, IL 126,400
Lawrence, KS 119,400
Ithaca, NY 104,900
Ames, IA 97,100
Manhattan, KS 97,000
Corvallis, OR 89,400
Note: Geographic boundary population estimates are based on the Office of Management
and Budget’s 2017 delineations of metropolitan areas. Rounded to the nearest hundred.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau’s population estimates as of July 1 of 2016.
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Appendix E: Countries and territories by regional
classification
24 USSR and Czechoslovakia were included as countries of citizenship in the dataset in 2004; they accounted for less than 1% of the
population. Serbia prior to 2001 was also included.
Africa Niger Cook Islands Tajikistan
Algeria Nigeria Christmas Islands Thailand
Angola Republic of the Congo Federated States of Micronesia Timor-Leste
Benin Reunion Fiji Tokelau
Botswana Rwanda French Polynesia Tonga
Burkina Faso Sao Tome and Principe Guam Tromelin Islands
Burundi Senegal Hong Kong Turkmenistan
Cameroon Seychelles India Tuvalu
Cape Verde Sierra Leone Indonesia Uzbekistan
Central African Republic Somalia Japan Vanuatu
Chad South Africa Kazakhstan Vietnam
Comoros South Sudan Kiribati Wallis and Futuna
Dem. Rep. of the Congo St. Helena Kyrgyzstan
Djibouti Sudan Laos Europe24
Equatorial Guinea Swaziland Macau Albania
Eritrea Tanzania Malaysia Andorra
Ethiopia Togo Maldives Armenia
Gabon Tunisia Marshall Islands Austria
Gambia Uganda Mongolia Belarus
Ghana Western Sahara Nauru Belgium
Guinea Zambia Nepal Bosnia-Herzegovina
Guinea Bissau Zimbabwe New Caledonia Bulgaria
Ivory Coast New Zealand Channel Islands
Kenya Asia-Pacific Niue Croatia
Lesotho Afghanistan Norfolk Island Cyprus
Liberia American Samoa North Korea Czech Republic
Libya Ashmore and Cartier Islands Northern Mariana Islands Denmark
Madagascar Australia Pakistan Estonia
Malawi Azerbaijan Palau Faeroe Islands
Mali Bangladesh Papua New Guinea Finland
Mauritania Bhutan Philippines France
Mauritius British Indian Ocean Territory Samoa Georgia
Mayotte Brunei Singapore Germany
Morocco Burma (Myanmar) Solomon Islands Gibraltar
Mozambique Cambodia South Korea Greece
Namibia China Sri Lanka Hungary
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25 Palestinian territories include the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. 26 Individuals who are stateless, from the Neutral Zone and whose citizenship is unknown are also included but do not fall under any region
classification. They accounted for less than 1% of the whole population.
Iceland Argentina Puerto Rico St. Pierre and Miquelon
Ireland Aruba Saint Martin United States
Isle of Man Bahamas Sint Maarten
Italy Barbados St. Kitts and Nevis
Kosovo Belize St. Lucia
Latvia Bolivia St. Vincent and the Grenadines
Liechtenstein Brazil Suriname
Lithuania British Virgin Islands Trinidad and Tobago
Luxembourg Caribbean Netherlands Turks and Caicos Islands
Malta Cayman Islands U.S. Virgin Islands
Moldova Chile Uruguay
Monaco Colombia Venezuela
Montenegro Costa Rica
Netherlands Cuba Middle East
Norway Curacao Bahrain
Poland Dominica Egypt
Portugal Dominican Republic Iran
Republic of Macedonia Ecuador Iraq
Romania El Salvador Israel
Russia Falkland Islands (Malvinas) Jordan
San Marino French Guiana Kuwait
Serbia Grenada Lebanon
Serbia and Montenegro Guadeloupe Oman
Slovakia Guatemala Palestinian territories25
Slovenia Guyana Qatar
Spain Haiti Saudi Arabia
Sweden Honduras Syria
Switzerland Jamaica Turkey
Ukraine Martinique United Arab Emirates
United Kingdom Mexico Yemen
Vatican City Montserrat
Nicaragua North America26
Latin America and the Caribbean Panama Bermuda
Anguilla Paraguay Canada
Antigua and Barbuda Peru Greenland