Most 4-year graduates work in same state as their alma mater, report finds

This audio is auto-generated. Please let us know if you have feedback.

Dive Brief:

Over half of workers with a four-year degree or higher, 55%, work in the same state they grew up in and earned their diploma, according to a report published Thursday by the Strada Education Foundation. Only 9% moved to another state for college and never left.

Overall, states that keep their college graduates tend to have “robust employment growth,” lower income tax rates, and jobs that pay a higher wage premium for those with postsecondary education, the report said.

Strada advised state and local governments to invest in public higher education to meet workforce needs. “Despite interest in attracting talent from other states, most states face long odds of doing so as homegrown talent is the primary source of college-educated workers in most states,” the report said.