New Research Shows Education Abroad Drives Career Success and Strengthens U.S. Economy

The Forum on Education Abroad recently released research that demonstrates the impact of education abroad for career and economic success. 

“The Value of Education Abroad to Employees and Employers” indicates that education abroad is an increasingly powerful signal in the U.S. labor market. Recent graduates are listing their education abroad experience on their professional profiles more often than graduates from less recent cohorts. 

The research also demonstrates that education abroad is an important economic development tool: Alumni currently employed in the U.S. workforce contribute $1.8 billion in added income, supporting 17,313 jobs. 

​Conducted by Lightcast, this research is the most up-to-date and comprehensive picture of the individual, employer, and national-level economic impacts of education abroad participation that has ever been available.

With this information, the picture becomes clearer. Our world is increasingly professionally and economically interrelated and moving at a fast pace. Global learning experiences allow students to practice and develop skills that help them work smart, adapt quickly, and engage with varied interest-holders, which relate directly to labor market performance and have meaningful impacts on the economy at large.

Why This Data Matters

• For Employers: Our rapidly shifting economy is putting increasing pressure on recruiters to find ways to select the jobseekers that are most likely to excel at work. Historically, study abroad has only shown up on a minority of resumes, but now that you’re seeing it more and more on LinkedIn and in applications, leverage it! Students who study abroad have road-tested skills for adaptability and persistence, creative problem-solving, and the communication and interpersonal skills you need on your team.
• For Governments and Policymakers: The economic and labor market impacts of study abroad participation demonstrate why investing in education abroad opportunities as a part of a comprehensive higher education program makes sense. Not only does it result in positive career outcomes for individuals, it also generates millions of dollars and supports thousands of jobs for the economy at large.
• For Colleges and Universities: Students and families are increasingly focused on the return on investment of their college education—how will studying at your institution lead directly to the student having a good job that pays well after graduation? These data demonstrate that education abroad can be a useful tool in your toolkit for helping your graduates reach those goals.
• For Students/Alumni and Their Families: The economy is increasingly global and always changing. You want your choices in college to prepare you for your first job after graduation and all the other jobs that will follow it over the course of a career. Making study abroad a part of your undergraduate education develops skills that pay off in the short-term and helps you develop the adaptability, creativity, and broad worldview you’ll need to keep learning and evolving in support of your long-term career success. 

About The Career Catalyst

This research was conducted as part of Education Abroad: The Career Catalyst campaign, a field-wide effort to demonstrate how education abroad equips students with real-world skills, professional agility, and a broader perspective that sets them apart in the workforce. 

Additional campaign research includes: 

• “Global Learning for a Competitive Workforce: Findings from a National Survey of Education Abroad Alumni”: With more than 8,000 responses, this alumni survey offers a comprehensive look at how education abroad has impacted alumni’s career trajectories, built essential competencies, and contributed to long-term professional success.
• “International Experience as a Career Asset: Exploring the Earnings Impact of Education Abroad Participation”: This study revealed that education abroad leads to higher earnings for all participants—regardless of academic performance, destination, or duration.
• “The Talent Advantage: What Study Abroad Alumni Can Do Differently in the Workplace”: This qualitative analysis of student blog posts shows how curiosity, connection, and persistence drive personal transformation during education abroad.

The Forum offers thanks to the campaign’s Founding Supporters: API Foundation, CEA CAPA Education Abroad, IES Abroad, ISEP Study Abroad, University Studies Abroad Consortium (USAC), WorldStrides Higher Ed (WorldStrides), Arizona State University Global Education, CIS Abroad, and Tennessee Consortium for International Studies.

The Forum also thanks the Centers for International Business Education and Research at the following institutions for their support: Florida International University, George Washington University, Indiana University, Loyola Marymount University, Ohio State University, San Diego State University, Temple University, University of Maryland and University of South Carolina. 
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Learn more about the campaign, Education Abroad: The Career Catalyst.