New Brain Gain: Rising Human Capital among Recent Immigrants to the United States
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Highlights
The share of recently arrived immigrants who are college educated nearly doubled from the late 1980s to 2011–15, driven by growing flows from Asia and global gains in educational attainment.
- Among immigrants arriving in the United States between 2011 and 2015, 48 percent were college graduates, compared to 27 percent for arrivals in the late 1980s, driven largely by rising flows from India, China, and the Philippines.
- The college-educated immigrant population grew 90 percent between 2000 and 2015—twice as fast as among U.S.-born adults—now accounting for 17 percent of all 66.4 million college-educated adults nationally.
- An estimated 2 million college-educated immigrants are either unemployed or working in low-skilled jobs, representing nearly $40 billion in unrealized earnings and $10 billion in lost tax revenue annually.
- Restrictive immigration rhetoric and policy risk deterring highly skilled immigrants from choosing the United States, potentially undermining recruitment by U.S. universities and employers even under merit-based admissions.
Some narratives in the current debate about immigration suggest that the “quality,” or human capital, of newcomers, has been low and continues to decline. Under this view, immigrants represent a burden, and the U.S. immigration system should shift to “merit-based” admissions.
However, striking new findings reveal the little-noticed shift in composition of immigration flows over the past decade, with immigrants’ human capital rising sharply. Most notably, 48 percent of recently arrived immigrants to the United States (those coming between 2011 and 2015) were college graduates—compared to just 27 percent of arrivals a quarter-century earlier.
This increase in the share of college graduates, accompanied by greater levels of English language proficiency and bilingualism, is correlated in part with a shift in flows to Asia. It is also reflective of increasing educational attainment across the world; a rise in secondary and postsecondary education offered in English; and the fact that English has become the global lingua franca, especially in business, international trade, science, education, and entertainment.
This fact sheet uses current and historical U.S. Census Bureau data to analyze immigrant cohorts over time, by regions of origin, immigration status, and states of residence.
About the U.S. Immigration Policy Program
The U.S. Immigration Policy Program provides analysis of U.S. immigration pathways, the impacts of enforcement and other policies, and the characteristics of immigrant populations.
About the National Center on Immigrant Integration Policy
The Center is a national hub connecting policymakers, educators, community leaders, and service providers with evidence-informed policy research, technical assistance, and data to advance effective immigrant integration at U.S., state, and local levels.
