Market Intelligence Brief - United States 2019-20

The United States of America is not only the largest economy and third largest country in the world but is also the location of the second largest education system after China. It is home to many of the globally top ranked universities and is a research powerhouse. Seven out of the top 10 universities in the world are in the US and 39 rank in the top 100. The US also ranked second in the 2019 Scimago Journal & Country Rank, outranked only by China. In 2018, there were 19.6 million students enrolled in US higher education institutions, below the peak of 20.6 million in 2012.

The US is the largest host of international students, the vast majority of whom come from China and India, and enrolments have increased considerably over the last decade. The outbound trend favours Europe, and the UK is the top destination for outwardly mobile American students with no sign that its popularity will wane in the coming years.