Study Abroad Student Characteristics
Here are the common U.S. study abroad student profile characteristics. The data is current for 2008. Our observations are as follows:
- Students in their Junior and Senior year account for more than half of all students studying abroad, with Juniors consistently more than one third of all students.
- Females students consistently outnumber males by nearly a 2 to 1 ratio.
| Characteristics | 01/02 | 02/03 | 03/04 | 04/05 | 05/06 | 06/07 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Academic Year/Type | ||||||
| Freshman | 3.2 | 2.9 | 3 | 3.1 | 3.7 | 3.3 |
| Sophomore | 13.6 | 11.8 | 12 | 12.2 | 12.8 | 12.9 |
| Junior | 40.7 | 38 | 34.7 | 35.8 | 34.2 | 36.6 |
| Senior | 20.4 | 20.2 | 19.3 | 19.6 | 19.8 | 21.3 |
| Associate's | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Bachelor's | 11 | 15.3 | 16.3 | 15.2 | 14.9 | 12.5 |
| Master's | 4.7 | 4.8 | 4.1 | 3.4 | 4.8 | 5.9 |
| Graduate | 3.3 | 3.4 | 3.8 | 5.1 | 4.8 | 4.2 |
| Doctoral | 0.7 | 0.9 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.4 |
| Other | 0.8 | 0.7 | 4.2 | 2.5 | 1.9 | 0 |
| Sex | ||||||
| Female | 64.9 | 64.7 | 65.6 | 65.5 | 65.5 | 65.1 |
| Male | 35.1 | 35.3 | 34.4 | 34.5 | 34.5 | 34.9 |
| Race/Ethnicity | ||||||
| Caucasian | 82.9 | 83.2 | 83.7 | 83 | 83 | 81.9 |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 5.8 | 6 | 6.1 | 6.3 | 6.3 | 6.7 |
| Hispanic | 5.4 | 5.1 | 5 | 5.6 | 5.4 | 6 |
| African-American | 3.5 | 3.4 | 3.4 | 3.5 | 3.5 | 3.8 |
| Multiracial | 2 | 1.8 | 1.3 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 1.2 |
| Native American/Alaskan | 0.4 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.6 | 0.5 |
| Totals | 161k | 175k | 191k | 206k | 224k | 242k |
Data source: IIE Network's Open Doors 2008: Report on International Educational Exchange