Elite U.S. Universities Show Dependency on International Students

Many elite US universities, including NYU, Johns Hopkins, Columbia, and Carnegie Mellon, rely heavily on international students to fill their classrooms and research programs.
The share of international students at these top universities has been growing over the past two decades, driven by rising incomes in countries like China and India.
A decline in international students could have serious financial consequences for these universities, disrupting research, education, and the next generation of workers in the US.
International students pay full tuition prices at public research universities, helping to subsidize lower costs for US students and contributing significantly to the US economy (over $43 billion in 2023-24).
The Trump administration’s threat to block Harvard University from enrolling international students highlights the vulnerability of these universities to changes in global immigration policies.

IBL News | New York

The Trump administration’s threat to block Harvard University from enrolling international students highlighted the risk other American universities face.

NYU, Johns Hopkins, Columbia, and Carnegie Mellon have even larger international student shares than Harvard.

This metric, which once reflected their financial strength and international prestige, now looks like a vulnerability.

For universities, a decline in international students could have serious financial consequences, disrupting classrooms, research, and the next generation of workers in the United States.

Currently, these are the schools with the most international students, according to a graphic released by The New York Times:

School	Students	Pct. International
Illinois Tech	6,571	51%
Carnegie Mellon	14,517	44%
Stevens Tech	7,461	42%
Northeastern	29,738	40%
New School	8,725	40%
Columbia	28,756	40%
Johns Hopkins	16,830	39%
N.Y.U.	49,847	37%
Clark	3,830	34%
Rochester	10,109	33%
Caltech	2,463	32%
Chicago	16,499	31%
Boston U.	29,104	30%
M.I.T.	11,706	30%
Harvard	20,807	28%
U.S.C.	41,648	28%
WashU	14,282	28%
Penn	23,948	27%
Brandeis	4,873	27%
Rice	7,972	26%
Cornell	25,334	26%
Duke	16,557	25%
Stanford	17,212	24%
Saint Louis	12,904	24%
Princeton	8,849	24%
Yale	14,854	24%
Northwestern	19,451	24%
Illinois	47,118	23%
Ga. Tech	25,178	23%
U.T. Dallas	25,108	23%
N.J.I.T.	10,388	23%
Mt. Holyoke	2,206	22%
Dartmouth	6,678	21%
Georgetown	15,453	20%
U.M.B.C.	11,523	20%
Brown	10,832	19%
Case Western	11,143	19%
Grinnell	1,707	19%
Emory	13,565	18%
U.C.S.D.	40,716	18%
Washington	43,118	18%
Bentley	4,690	17%
Fran. & Marshall	1,902	17%
Berkeley	41,572	17%
Denison	2,391	17%
G.W.	18,049	17%
Michigan	48,167	17%
U.C. Irvine	35,511	16%
Tufts	11,953	16%
U.C. Davis	38,184	15%

The share of international students studying at these colleges has been growing for the past two decades as rising incomes in countries like China and India have produced more families looking to educate their children in America.

In addition, public research universities have turned to international students, as they pay the full tuition price.

Higher education is a major American export. Over 1.1 million international students contributed about $43 billion to the U.S. economy during the 2023-24 academic year, most of it on tuition and housing, according to nonprofit NAFSA.

Experts say the higher tuition paid by international students helps subsidize lower costs for U.S. students.

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Q. What is the current trend among American universities regarding international students?

A. Many American universities, including NYU, Johns Hopkins, Columbia, and Carnegie Mellon, have a larger share of international students than Harvard University.

Q. How many international students does Harvard University have?

A. Harvard University has 20,807 international students, which accounts for 28% of its total student population.

Q. Which university has the largest share of international students among all American universities listed?

A. Illinois Tech has the largest share of international students with 51% of its total student population being international students.

Q. Why are public research universities turning to international students?

A. Public research universities are turning to international students because they pay the full tuition price, which helps subsidize lower costs for U.S. students.

Q. How much do international students contribute to the U.S. economy each year?

A. Over 1.1 million international students contributed about $43 billion to the U.S. economy during the 2023-24 academic year.

Q. What is the main reason why higher education is considered a major American export?

A. Higher education is considered a major American export because it attracts international students who pay full tuition, which helps subsidize lower costs for U.S. students.

Q. How has the share of international students at American universities changed over the past two decades?

A. The share of international students at American universities has been growing for the past two decades as rising incomes in countries like China and India have produced more families looking to educate their children in America.

Q. What are the financial consequences if a university experiences a decline in international students?

A. A decline in international students could have serious financial consequences, disrupting classrooms, research, and the next generation of workers in the United States.

Q. How do international students contribute to the U.S. economy in terms of tuition and housing?

A. International students pay full tuition price for their education, which contributes significantly to the U.S. economy, with most of it going towards tuition and housing costs.