Understanding Country Differences: Predicting the Effect of Financial and Labor Market Conditions at Home and in the U.S. on International Doctoral Recipients’ First Labor Market Destination

Abstract

This study used the Survey of Earned Doctorate, World Bank economic data of the student’s home country, and Hierarchical Linear Modelling analysis to examine the effects of financial factors and home-country macroeconomic indicators on international doctoral student’s labor market destination. This study found that wealth disparities and economic opportunities in the home country impact on international doctoral student outcomes. We find that higher GNI per capita was associated with decreased likelihood of remaining in the United States. We find that higher unemployment rates in the home country significantly increased the likelihood of choosing to remain in the United States. The study also identified factors impacting international doctoral recipients in the United States across regions and economies of the home country.