Student Migration
One of the most compelling reasons for having publicly subsidized institutions of higher education is that a well-educated population presents greater opportunities for a state’s economic growth. Defraying some of the costs of obtaining that education is worthwhile because the state also reaps benefits (in the form of greater tax revenue from higher wages, innovation, etc.) from having its citizenry obtain degrees.
But as Americans become increasingly more mobile, the higher likelihood of a student crossing state borders to attend college elsewhere lessens this rationale. After all, why should Maryland spent millions of dollars each year so students from New Jersey can earn degrees there? Sure those students do pay higher tuition, but having them turn around and leave the state as soon as they walk across the stage sure seems like a lost investment.
Curious to see how student migration has changed over the last decade, I turned to the data released from the Digest of Education Statistics this week. It provides information about both the inward movement of students from out-of-state (what I’ll call importation) and also the exodus of in-state students to a university across the border (what I’ll call exportation).
First, a quick note on the data. Unless noted otherwise, when I say students, I am referring to those who enrolled in either the fall of 2008 or the fall of 1998 after