International education in the US continued its multi-year resurgence in 2024, with the number of international students pursuing higher ed in the US increasing every year since 2021. The latest SEVIS by the Numbers report shows that the US hosted nearly 1.6 million F-1 and M-1 students last year,1 a year-over-year increase of 5%.2
Critically, this resurgence has resulted in the US attracting more talent pursuing STEM opportunities than ever before. Over 165,000 international students were authorized to participate in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) OPT in 2024, surpassing pre-pandemic highs. The top employers for this highly skilled cohort include tech powerhouses, academic heavyweights, and financial titans, demonstrating clear alignment between international students and in-demand careers.
As the US attracts more top global talent, the latest SEVIS data offers insight into the evolving priorities of international students. Today we’ll explore where student populations are shifting and which fields of study are drawing the greatest interest.
Key Insights at a Glance
- Nearly 1.6 million international students pursued education in the US in 2024.
- The stabilization of the US’s international education sector led to nearly 166,000 participants in STEM OPT last year.
- Amazon, Google, and Microsoft were the top three STEM OPT employers in 2024.
- Nearly half of all STEM OPT participants in 2024 came from India.
International Student Populations in the US Stabilized at Pre-Pandemic Levels in 2024
International student populations declined across most major destinations in 2024, after reaching new high-water marks in 2023. However, the number of international students in the US recovered to pre-pandemic levels in 2024, representing exceptional stabilization for the sector:
The 1.6 million international students in the US in 2024 marked not only 5% growth over 2023, but also 4% over the pre-pandemic 2019. Since 2021, international enrolment in the US has grown steadily each year, reflecting both sustained student interest and a consistent approach to welcoming them.
Tellingly, the top 15 student populations pursuing a US-based education in 2024 include representation from Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, and South America—a testament to the global reach of American higher education:
India surpassed China as the US’s largest source of students in 2023, and furthered that separation in 2024. The population of 422,000 Indian students in the US last year was 28% higher than the number of Chinese students.
The largest shift in the top 15 student populations was from Nepal. Nearly 33,000 Nepalese students pursued a US-based education in 2024, a 42% increase over the previous year. Nepal has historically had some of the world’s largest outbound mobility ratios—that is, the percentage of tertiary-level students studying abroad—meaning the country will likely continue to help shape campuses in the US and around the globe over the coming decade.
Recovery of US International Education Sector Leads to Record Levels of STEM Talent
The consistent recovery and growth of international student populations in the US over the last four years has led to a significant increase in students pursuing study-aligned work opportunities. Students who began their studies in the early years of the post-pandemic recovery are now entering the workforce through OPT, and many are doing so in high-demand STEM fields. The result is a record number of international graduates contributing to key sectors of the US economy:
Nearly 166,000 international students pursued STEM OPT in 2024. This marked a 36% increase over 2023, and a 22% rise above the pre-pandemic high from 2019. This growth mirrors US labour market expectations as we detailed in our 2025 Trends Report, given that occupations in STEM are projected to grow by over 10% by 2023, outpacing the 4% of non-STEM roles.
Indeed, many of these graduates are entering fast-growing, high-impact sectors where they will play a pivotal role in strengthening the US workforce over the coming decades. The top STEM OPT employers include some of the most influential names in tech, finance, retail, and research, organizations at the forefront of technological advancement and global industry leadership:3
Amazon leads all employers with over 6,600 STEM OPT participants in 2024, underscoring the company’s scale as one of the largest and most multifaceted tech employers in the US. With operations spanning cloud computing, AI, and logistics systems, Amazon draws international graduates with a wide range of technical expertise.
Other tech giants such as Google, Microsoft, and Meta also rank among the top employers. This underscores the country’s high demand for skilled international graduates in engineering, data science, and software development roles.
Beyond the software-driven core of tech, top STEM OPT employers span a range of industries investing in international talent. The University of California’s inclusion reinforces the significant role of research institutions, while Walmart and Goldman Sachs point to demand in areas like retail operations, fintech, and data analytics. Companies like Tesla and Intel also benefit from the contributions of international talent as they tackle challenges in hardware, energy, and advanced manufacturing.
These Student Populations Are Driving STEM OPT Participation
With demand rising across industries, student populations from across the globe are playing a key role in driving that STEM OPT participation:
STEM OPT participation was up uniformly in 2024 over the previous year. Of the 16 international populations with over 1,000 participants, only Iran (-8%) saw a year-over-year decline.
When it comes to major OPT student populations, Indian students are driving STEM OPT expansion in terms of both volume and growth rate. No other student population had a higher year-over-year increase in STEM OPT participation than India’s 66% year-over-year jump. As a result, nearly half of all STEM OPT participants in 2024 came from India, up from 39% the previous year.
While India and China continue to dominate STEM OPT participation by volume, the year-over-year growth among other fast-rising student populations—including Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Taiwan—points to a broader diversification of international talent entering high demand fields of employment in the US. This momentum across multiple regions suggests that US institutions and employers are attracting students from an increasingly wide range of academic and geographic backgrounds, allowing for increased on-campus diversity and insulating US institutions against major shifts in single country student flows.
What Did International Students Study in the US in 2024?
Rising interest in STEM majors among international students helps explain the upward trend in STEM OPT, signalling on-going alignment with high-demand career pathways:
STEM-related majors captured the most interest among international students in 2024, accounting for 8 of the top 10 primary majors. At the top was computer science, reaching over 118,000 active students last year with a 9% year-over-year growth. Another 82,000 pursued computer and information sciences, general, which was 5% more than 2023.
Among the most striking shifts in this year’s rankings was the sharp rise of business analytics, which jumped seven spots to 16th place with a 48% year-over-year increase. This surge reflects growing student interest in programs that blend quantitative and business-focused skills—a trend that aligns with employer demand in fields like fintech, e-commerce, and supply chain optimization. At the same time, the strength of management science and econometrics highlights sustained interest in data-driven, decision-making fields that bridge business and STEM.
Empowering the Next Generation of Global Talent
With international enrolment stabilized at pre-pandemic levels and STEM OPT participation at an all-time high, 2024 was a pivotal year for American institutions. The surge in demand for STEM programs, particularly among students from India and other fast-growing markets, signals not just a rebound, but a realignment between international education and workforce priorities.
As other top destinations contend with restrictive policy shifts, the US has positioned itself as a global leader in attracting high-skilled international talent. To sustain this momentum, institutions will need to sharpen their value proposition—not just in terms of academic quality, but in how they help students connect their studies to meaningful career opportunities.
ApplyBoard can help your institutions strengthen those connections and transform its international enrolment strategies. For data-driven support in strengthening your international recruitment and improving conversion rates, connect with your Account Director or contact ApplyBoard’s Partner Relations team at schoolpartnerships@applyboard.com.
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FOOTNOTES:
1. F Student visas are academic (for study at an accredited K-12 school, college, or university, or studying English at an English language institute; the study must lead to a degree, diploma, or certificate); J Exchange visas are for participants in an exchange program either at the secondary school or university level; and M Student visas are for non-academic study (not including language programs), or vocational study or training.
2. All data courtesy of the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP), unless otherwise noted.
3. If a student is employed at the same employer while in a different program, they will be counted multiple times for the employer.
