UMass Amherst Ranks Fifth Among Massachusetts Colleges and Universities in Economic Benefits Generated by International Students

International students attending the University of Massachusetts Amherst generate nearly $157 million in economic impact for the region and state and support nearly 1,800 jobs, according to a new report released by NAFSA: Association of International Educators.

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The report shows that UMass Amherst’s approximately 4,200 international students – over 1,800 undergraduate and nearly 2,400 graduate students – contribute $156.9 million to the economy, fifth-most among Massachusetts colleges and universities. Based on the association’s estimates, that spending in the higher education, accommodation, dining, retail, transportation, telecommunications and health insurance sectors supports 1,773 jobs.

For the second straight year, NAFSA found that the Bay State saw the third-largest economic activity created by international students in the country, with a 2021 financial contribution of $3.1 billion and 31,420 jobs supported by 71,026 students. Nationally, the nearly one million international students at U.S. colleges and universities contributed $33.8 billion to the U.S. economy during the 2021-22 academic year.

“International Education Week is a time to reflect on and celebrate the diversity of our international community and the value of global educational exchange,” says Kalpen Trivedi, UMass Amherst vice provost of global affairs in the International Programs Office (IPO), which in celebration of International Education Week is conducting a number of events on campus for international students, including relaunching the popular IPO Coffee Hour Series. “Our classrooms and our communities are infinitely richer for the viewpoint diversity and cultural vibrancy our international students and scholars bring to UMass, and as the data from NAFSA shows, they make a major material contribution to the state and the region’s economic development.”

A summary of the complete national report, released in conjunction with the U.S. State Department’s celebration of International Education Week, as well as the report on Massachusetts colleges and universities, can be found on NAFSA’s website.