Strada Report: 55% of College Graduates Stay In-State
How far do college graduates move once they’ve completed their degrees and are ready to hit the job market? According to one study, most college-educated workers in the United States stay close to home. That’s the information found in a research report released by the Strada Education Foundation.
Strada Report: 55% of College Graduates Stay In-State
The study, “Talent in Motion: Interstate Migration of College-Educated Workers,” reveals that two-thirds of college-educated workers live in the state where they attended high school. Produced in collaboration with the W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research, the project analyzed survey responses from 15,785 working-age adults ages 20 to 65 who hold a bachelor’s degree or higher.
The findings challenge widespread assumptions about geographical mobility among degree holders, showing instead that local high schools and colleges serve as the main supply source for state workforces.
55 percent of college-educated workers attended both high school and college in the state where they currently work, according to the study. An additional 12 percent left their home state for higher education but returned to work there later. About one-third of college-educated talent moved to their current state at some point after finishing high school.
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State Retention Post-Graduation
Retention patterns vary. In Michigan, 72 percent of college-educated workers completed high school and college within the state and remained there to work. By contrast, only 36 percent of college-educated workers in Colorado fit that homegrown profile.
States with above-average shares of homegrown talent, including Oklahoma, Alabama, Louisiana, and Arkansas, often report lower overall “college attainment” rates. New York is an exception, with high rates of both homegrown talent retention and overall degree attainment.
Public colleges and universities retain about two-thirds of their graduates in-state. Even among the most selective public institutions, half of all graduates stay to work in the state where they attended school. The study identifies the percentage of first-year college students drawn directly from a state’s local population as a strong predictor of long-term graduate retention.
When college-educated workers cross state lines, financial considerations seem to drive the decision for younger graduates. 50 percent of surveyed adults cited economic opportunity as the main factor in relocating to another state. Among respondents under age 50, that figure rose to approximately 55 percent.
Motivation for Interstate Moves Post-Graduation
Only 33 percent of respondents aged 50 and older cited economic opportunity as their primary reason for interstate moves. Within that older bracket, 23 percent named housing or community factors, while another 23 percent cited family needs.
The study also had suggestions for addressing workforce supply challenges and an aging national population. The report outlines three recommendations for policymakers.
State officials should gather localized data on why workers enter or leave their regions, as broad national trends do not capture local economic dynamics.
State governments should prioritize investments in public colleges and universities. Public institutions remain an important option for expanding the college-educated labor pool.
State leaders should support educated workers throughout their careers. The Talent in Motion: Interstate Migration of College-Educated Workers report notes that states with high graduate retention rates tend to offer stronger wage advantages for degree holders, steady employment growth, and lower state income tax rates. You can see the full text of the Strada report here.
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About the author
Joe Wallace is a 13-year veteran of the United States Air Force and a former reporter/editor for Air Force Television News and the Pentagon Channel. His freelance work includes contract work for Motorola, VALoans.com, and Credit Karma. He is co-founder of Dim Art House in Springfield, Illinois, and spends his non-writing time as an abstract painter, independent publisher, and occasional filmmaker.
