The Institute of International Studies (IIE) annually surveys data on foreign students in the U. S. higher education system. The survey, Open Doors, draws on data collected from approximately 3,000 U. S. colleges and universities.
Indian students are a strong presence on U.S. campuses, contributing $3.3 billion to the U.S. economy IIE reports, using U.S. Department of Commerce data. This year, the number of Indian students in the United States surpassed the 100,000 mark, ticking up to 102,673, keeping India the number two country of origin for foreign students in the United States.
A large number of Indian students in the United States are at the graduate level, 59%. Just 12 % of the Indian students here are undergrads, and 27% are pursuing optional practical training (a year of work following degree completion).
More interestingly, 79% of the Indian students in the United States are in the “STEM” (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) fields. The only country sending a higher proportion of its students in the STEM fields is Iran, with 79.6%. Every other field of study tracked by Open Doors clocks in at 3% or less for Indian students: the social sciences, just 2.7%; fine arts, 1.4%; humanities, a mere 0.5%, as was education.
Last updated: December 26th, 2025
