- Vermont has the lowest percentage of students staying in-state, with just 45.50% attending college locally
- Utah has the most loyal students, with 88.64% of students choosing to remain in-state for higher education.
- New Hampshire has the highest percentage of out-of-state students at 78.58%.
Vermont Business Magazine A new study by admissions consulting firm, Inspira Advantage has identified Vermont as the state with the lowest percentage of students who choose to attend college within their home state. Utah is the state with the highest percentage.
The study analyzed student migration data from the National Center for Education Statistics to determine which states retain the most students for higher education and which attract the most and least out-of-state students.
Vermont has the lowest percentage of students staying in-state at just 45.40%. Vermont also has one of the highest percentages of out-of-state students attending its schools, at 74.49%, showing its institutions focus more on attracting students from across state lines.
New Hampshire ranks second lowest with 49.87% of students staying in-state. The state has the highest percentage of out-of-state students at 78.58%, suggesting its higher education system primarily attracts non-residents.
Alaska places third from the bottom with 48.66% of students remaining in-state, and just 13.3% coming into the state from other places, reflecting more limited higher education options compared to more populated states.
Connecticut and Hawaii round out the bottom five, with 56.54% and 57.57% of students staying in-state, respectively. Both have similar amounts of students coming from out-of-state at 38.57% and 33.32%.
Bottom five states with the lowest percentage of students staying in-state for higher education
|
Rank |
State |
State Residents Enrolled in Home State |
State Residents Enrolled in Any State |
Percentage of Students Staying in State for Higher Education |
|
1. |
Vermont |
1,737 |
3,826 |
45.40% |
|
2. |
New Hampshire |
1,904 |
3,913 |
49.87% |
|
3. |
Alaska |
4,932 |
9,890 |
48.66% |
|
4. |
Connecticut |
18,902 |
33,430 |
56.54% |
|
5. |
Hawaii |
5,748 |
9,984 |
57.57% |
Utah leads the nation with 88.64% of its students choosing to remain in-state for their college education. The high retention rate points to strong local educational offerings and potentially favorable in-state tuition policies. Students coming from out-of-state account for 36.88% of first-time enrolments at schools in Utah.
California ranks second with 87.52% of students staying in-state for higher education. With numerous prestigious public and private institutions, California offers its residents diverse educational opportunities without needing to cross state lines. Students coming from out-of-state make up just 11.16% of first-time enrolments in California for the academic year.
Mississippi holds the third position with 87% of students remaining in-state. This southern state's high retention rate shows effective educational policies that encourage local attendance. In terms of students coming from out of state, they account for 27.5% of first-time enrolments in Mississippi.
Michigan and Alabama complete the top five, with 85.99% and 85.4% of students staying in-state, respectively. Both states host well-established public university systems that attract local students, but attract a relatively low number of out-of-state students at 16.52% and 31.71%.
Top five states with the highest percentage of students staying in-state for higher education
|
Rank |
State |
State Residents Enrolled in Home State |
State Residents Enrolled in Any Another State |
Percentage of Students Staying in State for Higher Education |
|
1. |
Utah |
23,442 |
26,446 |
88.64% |
|
2. |
California |
332,855 |
368,926 |
87.52% |
|
3. |
Mississippi |
19,522 |
22,438 |
87.00% |
|
4. |
Michigan |
62,613 |
72,815 |
85.99% |
|
5. |
Alabama |
32,495 |
38,050 |
85.40% |
Arush Chandna from Inspira Advantage commented on the findings:
"These migration patterns reveal fascinating trends in how students select their educational institutions. States like Utah and California have created educational environments that keep their residents wanting to remain in their hometowns for higher education.
"These findings show significant regional differences in how students approach college decisions. States with high retention rates typically offer strong public university systems with favorable in-state tuition rates that make staying local financially attractive.
"States with lower retention rates often have smaller populations or are located near educational hubs in neighboring states. Students from these areas might find more diverse program offerings just across state line.
“These patterns of student migration have important implications for state education policies, funding models, and enrollment strategies for colleges and universities.”
Methodology:
- The study analyzed student migration data from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)
- For each state, the following metrics were analyzed and ranked by states that maintain the most students for higher education within their current state:
-Number of students enrolling from out-of-state.
-Number of students enrolling from within the state.
-Percentage of state residents enrolling in institutions outside the state.
-Percentage of state residents enrolling in institutions inside the state.
The results were determined by ranking the states by those who have the most students remaining in the state for college.
Full rankings of states by percentage of students staying in-state for higher education:
|
Rank |
State |
State Residents Enrolled in Home State |
State Residents Enrolled in Any State |
Percentage of Students Staying in State for Higher Education |
|
1. |
Utah |
23,442 |
26,446 |
88.64% |
|
2. |
California |
322,885 |
368,926 |
87.52% |
|
3. |
Mississippi |
19,522 |
22,438 |
87.00% |
|
4. |
Michigan |
62,613 |
72,815 |
85.99% |
|
5. |
Alabama |
32,495 |
38,050 |
85.40% |
|
6. |
Texas |
44,131 |
51,713 |
85.25% |
|
7. |
Arizona |
221,271 |
259,553 |
85.34% |
|
8. |
Florida |
121,827 |
143,620 |
84.83% |
|
9. |
Iowa |
21,651 |
25,533 |
84.80% |
|
10. |
North Carolina |
65,777 |
78,053 |
84.27% |
|
11. |
Louisiana |
30,964 |
36,832 |
84.07% |
|
12. |
Indiana |
42,955 |
51,300 |
83.73% |
|
13. |
South Carolina |
32,837 |
39,352 |
83.44% |
|
14. |
Kentucky |
28,760 |
34,515 |
83.33% |
|
15. |
Oklahoma |
23,433 |
28,284 |
82.59% |
|
16. |
Arkansas |
17,822 |
21,543 |
82.73% |
|
17. |
Ohio |
71,216 |
86,228 |
82.85% |
|
18. |
West Virginia |
9,029 |
10,948 |
82.47% |
|
19. |
New Mexico |
13,224 |
16,268 |
81.29% |
|
20. |
Kansas |
19,815 |
24,571 |
80.64% |
|
21. |
Tennessee |
39,586 |
49,937 |
79.27% |
|
22. |
Wisconsin |
35,571 |
45,019 |
79.01% |
|
23. |
Virginia |
58,861 |
74,906 |
78.20% |
|
24. |
Oregon |
22,998 |
29,410 |
78.58% |
|
25. |
New York |
124,587 |
161,554 |
77.12% |
|
26. |
Georgia |
64,983 |
85,263 |
76.12% |
|
27. |
Missouri |
33,904 |
44,540 |
76.21% |
|
28. |
Pennsylvania |
71,584 |
94,218 |
75.98% |
|
29. |
Nebraska |
13,278 |
17,689 |
75.06% |
|
30. |
Washington |
42,240 |
59,954 |
74.17% |
|
31. |
Nevada |
14,539 |
19,643 |
74.02% |
|
32. |
South Dakota |
5,138 |
6,984 |
73.57% |
|
33. |
North Dakota |
4,145 |
5,652 |
73.34% |
|
34. |
Wyoming |
3,121 |
4,267 |
73.14% |
|
35. |
Maine |
7,237 |
10,105 |
71.62% |
|
36. |
Montana |
4,776 |
6,688 |
71.41% |
|
37. |
Idaho |
9,429 |
13,224 |
71.30% |
|
38. |
Colorado |
29,602 |
43,426 |
68.17% |
|
39. |
Illinois |
73,087 |
108,931 |
67.09% |
|
40. |
Rhode Island |
5,903 |
8,838 |
66.79% |
|
41. |
Minnesota |
30,874 |
47,261 |
65.33% |
|
42. |
Maryland |
32,009 |
50,500 |
63.38% |
|
43. |
Delaware |
4,833 |
7,721 |
62.31% |
|
44. |
Massachusetts |
36,582 |
58,711 |
62.60% |
|
45. |
New Jersey |
54,087 |
88,945 |
60.80% |
|
46. |
Hawaii |
5,748 |
9,984 |
57.57% |
|
47. |
Connecticut |
18,902 |
33,430 |
56.54% |
|
48. |
New Hampshire |
4,932 |
9,890 |
49.87% |
|
49. |
Alaska |
1,904 |
3,913 |
48.66% |
|
50. |
Vermont |
1,737 |
3,826 |
45.40% |
Source: Inspira Advantage https://inspiraadvantage.com
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