Facts and Figures about Study Abroad

• Only 1.5% of American college students (and 10% of all U.S. college graduates) have done study abroad, which makes those who have the experience extremely competitive and marketable to employers.
• $7,000 — Amount more that study abroad students earn, on average, in starting salaries, across all degree fields and career paths, compared to recent U.S. college graduates from the general population. [Study abroad thus pays for itself the first year after graduation.]
• 97% — Percentage of study abroad students who secured a job within one year after graduation, compared to only 49% of respondents in the general college graduate population.
• 90% — Percentage of study abroad students who got into their 1st or 2nd choice for graduate or professional school.
• 84% — Percentage of study abroad students who felt that studying abroad helped them build valuable job skills, such as language proficiency, cultural training, tolerance for ambiguity, adaptability, and communication.
• 73% of employers cited study abroad as a critical factor when evaluating candidates’ resumes.

Sources

• http://www.nafsa.org/Explore_International_Education/Advocacy_And_Public_Policy/Study_Abroad/Trends_in_U_S__Study_Abroad/
• http://www.iesabroad.org/study-abroad/why/career-benefits