Immigrants of all racial and ethnic groups are equally or more likely to hold STEM degrees than their U.S.-born white peers, according to a new study from UC Berkeley Visiting Research Professor Byeongdon Oh, who has coined the term “STEM immigration” to describe the growing trend.
Published recently in SageJournals, Oh’s paper — STEM Immigration and U.S. STEM Workforce Development at the Intersections of Race/Ethnicity, Gender, and Immigration Status— examines the racial, gender and generational disparities in STEM degree attainment in the United States. The study highlights how immigration, education policy and workforce development intersect in shaping STEM immigration.
“In the United States, about 30% of STEM degree holders are immigrants,” Oh said.
Drawing from national data, the study finds that immigrants, especially those who arrive in the U.S. after completing K-12 education to pursue higher education — a group Oh refers to as the “1.25 generation” — are the most likely to earn STEM degrees. This group outpaces both first-generation immigrants (those born abroad who completed their education outside the U.S.) and U.S.-born individuals.
The study also found stark differences by race and gender. Among immigrant STEM degree holders, Asians represent the largest share. But among the U.S.-born STEM graduates, Asians are still the smallest group. Across the board, women remain underrepresented in STEM, regardless of immigration status.
Oh coined “STEM immigration” to capture this specific pattern: the influx of highly educated immigrants who arrive in the U.S. to study or work in STEM fields. He said the term also points to a larger story about opportunity and inequality.
“If your parents are poor, but you’re well educated, there is a possibility of upward mobility,” said Oh, noting that STEM education, in particular, can serve as a powerful equalizer.
Oh’s personal background informs his research. Growing up in a South Korean neighborhood marked by severe educational inequality, he became interested in how systemic disparities play out in academic and professional pathways.
His study also sheds light on the policy landscape surrounding student immigration. U.S. law currently allows international students to stay for one year on an F-1 visa after graduation, with an optional two-year extension for those holding a STEM degree.
Oh called for better data collection that accounts for the racialized and gendered barriers in STEM immigration. He believes a clearer understanding of who comes to the U.S. and stays for STEM education and careers can help strengthen diversity, equity and inclusion in both academia and industry.
“Some public media tend to portray immigration in terms of criminality or negative stereotypes,” he said. “But in reality, U.S. society greatly benefits from highly skilled immigrants, especially those in the STEM workforce.”
He hopes the findings will influence how policymakers and the public think about international students – not just as temporary visitors, but as valuable contributors to the American workforce.
