Net flow of internationally mobile students (inbound - outbound) in United States of America

United States of America: Net flow of internationally mobile students (inbound - outbound) was 902,965 number in 2018. ▲ Rising

Latest (2018)
902,965 number
Change on year
up 0.5%
World rank
1st
of 136 countries
All-time high
902,965 number
in 2018
All-time low
391,109 number
in 1998
Years of data
21
1998–2018

Net flow of internationally mobile students (inbound - outbound) in United States of America, 1998–2018

0200.0k400.0k600.0k800.0k1.0M1998200820181998: 391.1k number1999: 409.0k number2000: 430.1k number2001: 425.5k number2002: 528.4k number2003: 531.7k number2004: 517.8k number2005: 532.4k number2006: 524.4k number2007: 531.7k number2008: 561.0k number2009: 594.8k number2010: 617.6k number2011: 639.1k number2012: 668.4k number2013: 708.8k number2014: 764.4k number2015: 826.7k number2016: 887.4k number2017: 898.3k number2018: 903.0k number

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in number.

Analysis

In 2018, net flow of internationally mobile students (inbound - outbound) in United States of America stood at 902,965 number. That is the highest value across all 21 years on record.

The figure is up 0.5% on the previous year and up 61.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, net flow of internationally mobile students (inbound - outbound) in United States of America peaked at 902,965 number in 2018 and was at its lowest, 391,109 number, in 1998.

That places United States of America 1st out of 136 countries with data for 2018, putting it in the top 10%.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 21 years of available data.

Net flow of internationally mobile students (inbound - outbound) in United States of America, year by year

Annual values for Net flow of internationally mobile students (inbound - outbound), both sexes (number) in United States of America, 1998 to 2018.
Year number Change
1998 391,109 number
1999 408,963 number +4.6%
2000 430,070 number +5.2%
2001 425,512 number -1.1%
2002 528,390 number +24.2%
2003 531,734 number +0.6%
2004 517,773 number -2.6%
2005 532,391 number +2.8%
2006 524,449 number -1.5%
2007 531,734 number +1.4%
2008 560,967 number +5.5%
2009 594,758 number +6.0%
2010 617,642 number +3.8%
2011 639,076 number +3.5%
2012 668,419 number +4.6%
2013 708,777 number +6.0%
2014 764,421 number +7.9%
2015 826,691 number +8.1%
2016 887,433 number +7.3%
2017 898,302 number +1.2%
2018 902,965 number +0.5%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 400,036 number 391,109 number 408,963 number 2
2000s 517,778 number 425,512 number 594,758 number 10
2010s 768,192 number 617,642 number 902,965 number 9

Countries ranked near United States of America

  1. 2 Australia 431,195 number compare
  2. 3 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 413,093 number compare
  3. 4 Russian Federation 204,784 number compare

See the full ranking of 136 places →

More reference data data for United States of America

All data for United States of America →

Frequently asked questions

What is net flow of internationally mobile students (inbound - outbound) in United States of America?
Net flow of internationally mobile students (inbound - outbound) in United States of America was 902,965 number in 2018, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest net flow of internationally mobile students (inbound - outbound) recorded in United States of America?
The highest recorded value was 902,965 number in 2018.
What is the lowest net flow of internationally mobile students (inbound - outbound) recorded in United States of America?
The lowest recorded value was 391,109 number in 1998.
How does United States of America rank for net flow of internationally mobile students (inbound - outbound)?
United States of America ranks 1st out of 136 countries with data for 2018.
Is net flow of internationally mobile students (inbound - outbound) rising or falling in United States of America?
Over the last ten years it is up 61.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this United States of America data come from?
The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Net flow of internationally mobile students (inbound - outbound), both sexes (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Net flow of internationally mobile students (inbound - outbound) in United States of America. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 26 August 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/net-flow-of-internationally-mobile-students-inbound-outbound-both-sexes-number/united-states/

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About this data

Indicator
Net flow of internationally mobile students (inbound - outbound), both sexes (number)
Unit
number
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
136 places, 1,866 data points, 1998–2018
Last refreshed

Number of tertiary students from abroad (inbound students) studying in a given country minus the number of students at the same level from a given country studying abroad (outbound students).