States
The U.S. has a rich legacy of immigrant-origin and international students contributing to the academic, social, and economic life of higher education communities across the country. Today, one out of every three students in higher education is a first or second-generation immigrant or international student.
Portal to the States
The Portal highlights how 24 states and D.C. provide in-state tuition to the states’ undocumented students. Of those states, 18 and D.C. (“Comprehensive Access”) also provide access to state financial aid. Massachusetts, which just passed in-state tuition for undocumented students, brings the number of states with access to in-state tuition to 24.
Four states provide undocumented students with access to in-state tuition in some but not all universities, 5 states provide access to in-state tuition only to DACA recipients, 8 states do not have known policies, and 9 states actively block access to in-state tuition for undocumented students, including 3 states which prevent undocumented students from enrolling in all or some public colleges.
Tuition & Financial Aid Equity for Undocumented Students
- Comprehensive AccessPolicies provide statewide access to in-state tuition and some state financial aid or scholarships for the state's resident DACA recipients and undocumented students.
- AccessiblePolicies provide statewide access to in-state tuition for the state's undocumented students, including DACA recipients.
- LimitedPolicies provide the state’s undocumented students, including DACA recipients, with access to in-state or reduced tuition in at least some public institutions.
- Limited to DACAPolicies provide the state’s DACA recipients with access to in-state tuition in at least some public institutions.
- No State PolicyNo known policies on access to in-state tuition or state financial aid for the state's DACA recipients and undocumented students.
- RestrictivePolicies actively bar access to in-state tuition or state financial aid for the state's undocumented students, including DACA recipients.
- Prohibitive EnrollmentPolicies actively bar enrollment in all or certain public institutions for the state’s undocumented students, but may still allow DACA recipients to enroll.
Benchmarks Across the States
The Higher Ed Immigration Portal measures where states are situated on equity and access to higher education, degree completion, and career prospects for DACA and undocumented students.
Tuition & Financial Aid Equity for Undocumented Students
The U.S. is home to more than 408,000 undocumented students, including DACA recipients, in higher education. Each state implements its own policies in terms of providing access to in-state tuition and state financial aid to the state’s undocumented residents.
The Portal analyzes in-state tuition and state financial aid policies across all 50 states and D.C. to measure and compare the inclusivity and effectiveness of the policies. Policies that provide tuition and state financial aid equity generally expand access to higher education and help fuel the state’s economy.
| Comprehensive Access | Accessible | Limited | Limited to DACA | No State Policy | Restrictive | Prohibitive Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17 states and D.C. | 6 states | 4 states | 7 states | 8 states and P.R. | 5 states | 3 states |
The Portal analyzes and measures a state’s in-state tuition and state financial aid policies for undocumented students to assign each state to one of the following seven classifications.
Key Point: Most undocumented students in the U.S. live in Comprehensive Access or Accessible states, but a significant percentage still face immigration-related barriers to higher education.
Professional & Occupational Licensure
The Portal scans professional and occupational licensure policies across all 50 states and D.C. to measure and compare the inclusivity and effectiveness of the policies. Policies that provide individuals with access to professional, commercial, and business licenses, regardless of their immigration status, generally aid the state’s economy.
| Comprehensive Access | Accessible | Limited | No State Policy | Restrictive |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 states | 3 states | 10 states | 30 states and D.C. and P.R. | 2 states |
The Portal analyzes and measures a state’s professional and occupational licensure policies for undocumented immigrants to assign each state to one of the following five classifications.
TheDream.US & Immigrant Finance Resource Guide
TheDream.Us and Immigrant Finance put together resource guides of state professional/occupational licensure requirements and state business and tax registration requirements for immigrants. The guides are based on outreach to the state’s specific licensing boards and each state’s business and tax agencies from April 2023 to July 2023 and are subject to change. The guides include an interactive table of contents. You can access the information for any state by clicking on the state you wish to learn more about on the table of contents.
The professional/occupation licensure requirements guide provides licensing information for 11 different professions
(1) Nursing (Registered nurses (RNs), licensed practical nurses (LPNs);
(2) Physician’s Assistant;
(3) Counseling (i.e. Associate Licensed Counselor ALC), Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC);
(4) Therapy/Psychology (Psychologist, Psychological Technician);
(5) Clinical Lab Technician;
(6) Dentistry/dental assistant/dental hygienist;
(7) Education (Educator Certification);
(8) Law (License to Practice Law);
(9) Accounting (CPA):
(10) Social Work (LBSW, LMSW, LCSW, LCSW-C);
(11) Engineering (Professional Engineer).
You can find the guide for professional/occupational licensure requirements here and the guide for state business and tax registration requirements here or by clicking on the state you’re interested in to learn more about Professional & Occupational Licensure under the Professional & Occupational Licensure section.
Expanding Access to Driver Licenses
The Portal analyzes driver license and state identification policies across all 50 states and D.C. to measure and compare the policies. Policies that provide individuals access to driver licenses and state identification cards, regardless of their immigration status, help expand mobility and increase safety in the state’s roads.
Comparison Chart of All 50 States and D.C.
| Accessible | Restrictive |
|---|---|
| 18 states and D.C. | 32 states and P.R. |
The Portal analyzes and measures a state’s driver license policies for undocumented immigrants to assign each state to one of the following two classifications.
Source: NILCAdmissions and Funding Opportunities for Undocumented Students
A growing number of private colleges and universities in the U.S. consider undocumented students to be domestic students for the purposes of admission and financial aid. Many colleges and universities have also expanded access to specific institutional funds, external scholarships or other donor funds to support undocumented students.
You can see a list of top 30 U.S. colleges and universities. The overwhelming majority have expanded financial aid equity to undocumented students comparable to other domestic students.
Top States by Immigrant & International Students
This section provides an overview of the top states in the number of undocumented, first and second-generation immigrant, and international students enrolled in higher education.
Undocumented Students in Higher Education,
Top States (2021)
| Rank | State | Number of Students |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | 82,933 |
| 2 | Texas | 59,021 |
| 3 | Florida | 40,396 |
| 4 | New York | 29,727 |
| 5 | Illinois | 20,151 |
| 6 | New Jersey | 18,834 |
| 7 | Maryland | 11,970 |
| 8 | Georgia | 11,945 |
| 9 | Virginia | 10,539 |
| 10 | Washington | 10,388 |
| 11 | Arizona | 9,570 |
| 12 | Pennsylvania | 8,022 |
| 13 | Massachusetts | 6,663 |
| 14 | North Carolina | 6,166 |
| 15 | Colorado | 5,946 |
| Full Report Note: The year in parentheses in the chart's title refers to the year of the source data. | ||
Undocumented Students Graduating High School Each Year,
Top States (2021)
| Rank | State | Number of Students |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Texas | 18,000 |
| 2 | California | 14,000 |
| 3 | Florida | 13,000 |
| 4 | New York | 7,000 |
| 5 | New Jersey | 6,000 |
| 6 | Virginia | 5,000 |
| 7 | Georgia | 4,000 |
| 8 | Ohio | 4,000 |
| 9 | Pennsylvania | 4,000 |
| 10 | Massachusetts | 3,000 |
| 11 | Minnesota | 3,000 |
| 12 | North Carolina | 3,000 |
| 13 | Wisconsin | 3,000 |
| 14 | Alabama | 2,000 |
| 15 | Colorado | 2,000 |
| Full Report Note: The year in parentheses in the chart's title refers to the year of the source data. | ||
First and Second-Generation Immigrant Students,
Top 15 States (2021)
| Rank | State | First and Second-Generation Immigrant Students | First-Generation Immigrant Students | Second-Generation Immigrant Students |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | 1,485,000 | 387,000 | 1,099,000 |
| 2 | Texas | 619,000 | 199,000 | 420,000 |
| 3 | New York | 560,000 | 205,000 | 356,000 |
| 4 | Florida | 448,000 | 183,000 | 265,000 |
| 5 | Illinois | 266,000 | 108,000 | 157,000 |
| 6 | New Jersey | 235,000 | 85,000 | 150,000 |
| 7 | Arizona | 158,000 | 61,000 | 97,000 |
| 8 | Virginia | 138,000 | 67,000 | 71,000 |
| 9 | Massachusetts | 136,000 | 62,000 | 74,000 |
| 10 | Maryland | 126,000 | 55,000 | 71,000 |
| 11 | Georgia | 126,000 | 42,000 | 84,000 |
| 12 | Washington | 118,000 | 44,000 | 74,000 |
| 13 | Michigan | 97,000 | 27,000 | 69,000 |
| 14 | North Carolina | 96,000 | 29,000 | 67,000 |
| 15 | Pennsylvania | 93,000 | 14,000 | 79,000 |
| Full List Note: The year in parentheses in the chart's title refers to the year of the source data. | ||||
International Students in Higher Education,
Top States (2022/23)
| Rank | State | Number of Students |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | 138,393 |
| 2 | New York | 126,782 |
| 3 | Texas | 80,757 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | 79,751 |
| 5 | Illinois | 55,337 |
| 6 | Pennsylvania | 48,593 |
| 7 | Florida | 42,590 |
| 8 | Ohio | 34,204 |
| 9 | Michigan | 33,501 |
| 10 | Arizona | 30,054 |
| 11 | Indiana | 26,739 |
| 12 | Georgia | 26,450 |
| 13 | Missouri | 24,260 |
| 14 | North Carolina | 23,488 |
| 15 | Washington | 23,100 |
| Source Note: The year in parentheses in the chart's title refers to the year of the source data. | ||
Optional Practical Training (OPT) Participants,
Top 15 States (2017-18)
| Rank | State | Number of Students |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | 44,536 |
| 2 | New York | 24,611 |
| 3 | Texas | 22,870 |
| 4 | New Jersey | 15,396 |
| 5 | Massachusetts | 10,604 |
| 6 | Illinois | 9,334 |
| 7 | Michigan | 7,840 |
| 8 | Washington | 7,585 |
| 9 | Virginia | 7,086 |
| 10 | Georgia | 7,035 |
| 11 | Florida | 6,997 |
| 12 | Pennsylvania | 5,265 |
| 13 | Ohio | 3,877 |
| 14 | Maryland | 3,808 |
| 15 | North Carolina | 3,715 |
| Source Note: The data is derived from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The location information for 14% of all OPT participants was not included in the DHS data. The true count of OPT participants in the top 15 states is likely higher. The year in parentheses in the chart's title refers to the year of the source data. | ||
Immigrant-Origin Adults without Postsecondary Credentials,
Top 15 States (2022)
| Rank | State | Number of Students |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | 7,167,000 |
| 2 | Texas | 3,736,000 |
| 3 | New York | 2,335,000 |
| 4 | Florida | 2,316,000 |
| 5 | Illinois | 1,262,000 |
| 6 | New Jersey | 1,077,000 |
| 7 | Arizona | 884,000 |
| 8 | Georgia | 746,000 |
| 9 | Washington | 673,000 |
| 10 | Massachusetts | 638,000 |
| 11 | North Carolina | 634,000 |
| 12 | Virginia | 540,000 |
| 13 | Pennsylvania | 474,000 |
| 14 | Maryland | 464,000 |
| 15 | Nevada | 435,000 |
| Source Note: The year in parentheses in the chart's title refers to the year of the source data. | ||
Immigrant STEM Workers,
Top 15 States (2019)
| Rank | State | Number of Workers |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | 609,000 |
| 2 | Texas | 241,000 |
| 3 | New Jersey | 150,000 |
| 4 | New York | 136,000 |
| 5 | Florida | 128,000 |
| 6 | Washington | 120,000 |
| 7 | Massachusetts | 107,000 |
| 8 | Illinois | 106,000 |
| 9 | Virginia | 100,000 |
| 10 | Maryland | 75,000 |
| 11 | Georgia | 74,000 |
| 12 | Pennsylvania | 65,000 |
| 13 | Michigan | 62,000 |
| 14 | North Carolina | 58,000 |
| 15 | Arizona | 46,000 |
| Source Note: The year in parentheses in the chart's title refers to the year of the source data. | ||