Washington: A latest study revealed that Immigrant graduates in the US, including Indians, are more likely to be better educated and earn than their American-peers with college degrees. A study by the Migration Policy Institute (MPI) in Washington state that college-educated immigrants in the U.S. are more likely to have advanced degrees and majors in the STEM and health sectors than children born in the U.S. with college degrees.
The study found that 60 per cent of immigrant college graduates have at least a master’s degree while 53 per cent of college-educated are born in the US. 51% of immigrants’ degrees are concentrated in the high-demand STEM and health sectors, compared to only 36% of those born in the U.S. In addition, according to the PIAAC (Program for the International Assessment of Adult Qualifications), two-thirds of immigrants received their higher degrees in the United States. Because of this, the average monthly income of immigrant college graduates is higher than that of US-born graduates.
College-educated migrant workers have a monthly income of $7,140, while their U.S.-born counterparts have an income of $6,500. However, despite favorable results on such a large scale, a fifth of the immigrant college graduates use their skills less. The study included the 25-65 age group. The MPI estimated that approximately two million college-educated immigrants in the U.S. worked in jobs that required no more than a high school degree or were unemployed by 2019.
This result is the result of low levels of English proficiency, licensing barriers, limited social and professional networks, and other issues. Literacy, numeracy knowledge and digital skills of migrants can also play a role, the study added.