Indian migrants to US better educated, have higher incomes than others: study

Indian migrants to the United States are on average better educated and have greater incomes with higher education levels compared to other immigrants and native Americans, according to a recent study by Washington-based Migration Policy Institute (MPI).

On average, households headed by an Indian immigrant had a median annual income of $150,000 in 2021, compared to $70,000 for all immigrant- and native-led households, the study, made public earlier this month, showed.

In 2021, Indian immigrants were less likely to be in poverty (5%) than immigrants overall (14%) or those born there (13%). Indian adults have much higher education levels than both the native- and overall foreign-born populations, the study found.

In 2021, 80% of Indian immigrants aged 25 or older reported having at least a bachelor’s degree, compared to about one-third of all foreign-born and US-born adults.

The share with advanced degrees stands out: 49% of Indian immigrant adults held a graduate or professional degree in 2021 compared to 15% of foreign-born and 13% of US-born adults, MPI said.

The Indian diaspora comprises around 4.9 million US residents who were either born in India or reported Indian ancestry or origin.

Indians represent the second largest US immigrant group after Mexicans and ahead of Chinese and Filipinos.

The 2.7 million Indian immigrants living in the United States as of 2021 made up 6% of the total foreign-born population, and their numbers continue to grow, the Institute said.

Unlike predominantly low-skilled migrant workers who arrived from India during the 19th century and the early 20th century, most post-World War II Indian migrants are professionals or students in US colleges and universities.

Most Indians are there through employment- and family-based pathways.

India is the source of the second largest number of international students enrolled in US higher education and its nationals receive the majority of employer-sponsored H-1B temporary visas for high-skilled workers.

Read more at: https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/nri/work/indian-migrants-to-us-better-educated-have-higher-incomes-than-others-study/articleshow/96532661.cms