Trends in U.S. Study Abroad
In the 2009-2010 academic year, only 270,604 students studied abroad for academic credit. The number of students studying abroad still represents about 1% of all students enrolled at institutions of higher education in the United States. The charts below show the current profile of U.S. study abroad participation.
Study Abroad Participation by State
Percent of U.S. Study Abroad Students by Race/Ethnicity
| Race/Ethnicity |
U.S. Postsecondary Enrollment 2009-2010 |
U.S. Students Abroad 2009-2010 |
| African American |
14.3% |
4.7% |
| Asian/ Pacific Islander |
6.5% |
7.9% |
| Caucasian |
62.3% |
78.7% |
| Hispanic/Latino American |
12.5% |
6.4% |
| Multiracial |
Not Available |
1.9% |
| American Indian/Alaska Native |
1.0% |
0.5% |
| Nonresident Alien |
3.4% |
Not Available |
Percent of U.S. Study Abroad Students by Host Region
| Host Region |
U.S. Students Abroad 2009-2010 |
| Africa |
5.5% |
| Asia |
12.0% |
| Europe |
53.5% |
| Latin America |
15.0% |
| Middle East |
1.8% |
| North America |
0.7% |
| Oceania |
5.0% |
| Multiple Regions |
6.5% |
Percent of U.S. Study Abroad Students by Field of Study
| Academic Field of Study |
U.S. Postsecondary Enrollment 2007-2008 |
U.S. Students Abroad 2007-2008 |
| Vocational/Technical |
2.1% |
n/a |
| Business & Management |
16.4% |
20.2% |
| Education |
8.4% |
4.1% |
| Engineering, Math or Computer Science |
8.9% |
4.7% |
| Health Sciences |
13.9% |
4.5% |
| Humanities |
14.0% |
27.9% |
| Law |
0.7% |
n/a |
| Other |
10.2% |
5.4% |
| Physical & Life Sciences |
6.0% |
8.4% |
| Social Science |
6.5% |
21.5% |
| Undeclared |
13.0% |
3.3% |
The information in the charts above is based on the most current data from the Institute of International Education's Open Doors Report and the U.S. Department of Education's National Center for Education Statistics.
