The states where students are most and least likely to leave home for college, ranked

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The states where students are most and least likely to leave home for college, ranked

As summer’s end nears, many young adults — and their soon-to-be-empty-nester parents — are starting to pack up suitcases and buy dorm furniture as they prepare to move away for college.

Whether they’re looking for specialized degree programs, school prestige, affordable tuition, broader networking opportunities, or a more distinctive campus experience, many students will soon be attending college across state lines from their parents.

Enrollment data from the US Department of Education’s Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System measures the number of first-time degree- or certificate-seeking undergraduate students residing in each state and documents which institutions those students enroll in — and where those institutions are located relative to the student’s permanent address at the time of application.

The most recent release, documenting the fall of 2024, shows that of the over 2.93 million first-time students across all US states, 562,209, or 19.1%, enrolled at an out-of-state institution.

Business Insider also compared out-of-state enrollment rates across state lines and ranked all 50 US states by the share of resident first-time students who enrolled outside their state. Using IPEDS data, we also calculated the most common destination state among residents who enrolled out of state.

While the data and our calculations can help show the broader picture of student migration in many states, they do not capture the factors that led each student to enroll out of state, nor do they explicitly reflect how many students are physically moving their primary residence, since IPEDS data also includes online programs that may be located in states other than the student’s residence.

See where your state ranked and where its out-of-state students most commonly enrolled.

50. California

Palo Alto, California

yujie chen/Getty Images

Out-of-state rate: 9.9%

Number of resident first-time students: 432,331

Number of students leaving: 43,016

Top destination: Arizona, with 5,537 students (12.9% of students going out-of-state)

49. Utah

Aerial view of Provo City, Utah, Y Mountain, Brigham Young University, and surrounded neighborhoods — Provo City, Utah

Brett Taylor/Getty Images/iStockphoto

Out-of-state rate: 10.5%

Number of resident first-time students: 33,175

Number of students leaving: 3,497

Top destination: Idaho, with 1,038 students (29.7% of students going out-of-state)

48. Michigan

Aerial view of the diverse architecture of Downtown Ann Arbor, capturing the University of Michigan campus in vibrant autumn hues. — Ann Arbor, Michigan

Nicholas Klein/Getty Images

Out-of-state rate: 12.4%

Number of resident first-time students: 82,242

Number of students leaving: 10,185

Top destination: Ohio, with 2,276 students (22.3% of students going out-of-state)

47. Arizona

Tempe, Arizona, USA Drone Skyline Aerial Panorama — Tempe, Arizona.

Kruck20/Getty Images

Out-of-state rate: 12.8%

Number of resident first-time students: 59,989

Number of students leaving: 7,695

Top destination: California, with 933 students (12.1% of students going out-of-state)

46. Mississippi

Hattiesburg, MS - June 2, 2025: Entrance to the campus of the University of Southern Mississippi — Hattiesburg, Mississippi

CRobertson/Getty Images

Out-of-state rate: 13.2%

Number of resident first-time students: 24,451

Number of students leaving: 3,222

Top destination: Alabama, with 614 students (19.1% of students going out-of-state)

45. Florida

Aerial view of the unversity of Florida campass in Gainesville Florida photograph taken Feb 2021 — Gainesville, Florida

6381380/Getty Images

Out-of-state rate: 13.3%

Number of resident first-time students: 179,229

Number of students leaving: 23,780

Top destination: Georgia, with 2,220 students (9.3% of students going out-of-state)

44. Oklahoma

Tulsa, OK, USA - March 10, 2026: Aerial view of University of Tulsa campus with Chapman Stadium and surrounding residential neighborhoods in Tulsa Oklahoma — Tulsa, Oklahoma

GummyBone/Getty Images

Out-of-state rate: 14.1%

Number of resident first-time students: 35,946

Number of students leaving: 5,082

Top destination: Kansas, with 1,008 students (19.8% of students going out-of-state)

43. Texas

Aerial View of a large public State University in Austin, Texas — Austin, Texas

Jacob Boomsma/Getty Images

Out-of-state rate: 14.2%

Number of resident first-time students: 294,363

Number of students leaving: 41,772

Top destination: Oklahoma, with 4,796 students (11.5% of students going out-of-state)

42. Alabama

Aerial View of the Town and University of Auburn, Alabama — Auburn, Alabama

Jacob Boomsma/Getty Images

Out-of-state rate: 14.2%

Number of resident first-time students: 40,085

Number of students leaving: 5,701

Top destination: Mississippi, with 935 students (16.4% of students going out-of-state)

41. Louisiana

Aerial view of Baton Rouge, Louisiana and the Mississippi River — Baton Rouge, Louisiana

CrackerClips/Getty Images/iStockphoto

Out-of-state rate: 14.8%

Number of resident first-time students: 41,892

Number of students leaving: 6,186

Top destination: Mississippi, with 1,090 students (17.6% of students going out-of-state)

40. Iowa

Aerial panoramic view of Old Capitol and surrounding University of Iowa campus buildings. — Iowa City, Iowa

GummyBone/Getty Images

Out-of-state rate: 15.4%

Number of resident first-time students: 26,979

Number of students leaving: 4,144

Top destination: South Dakota, with 529 students (12.8% of students going out-of-state)

39. North Carolina

Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA Downtown Skyline. — Winston-Salem, North Carolina

Kruck20/Getty Images/iStockphoto

Out-of-state rate: 15.5%

Number of resident first-time students: 83,293

Number of students leaving: 12,920

Top destination: Virginia, with 1,953 students (15.1% of students going out-of-state)

38. Ohio

Aerial view of Columbus Ohio — Columbus, Ohio

espiegle/Getty Images/iStockphoto

Out-of-state rate: 15.8%

Number of resident first-time students: 95,533

Number of students leaving: 15,141

Top destination: Indiana, with 1,769 students (11.7% of students going out-of-state)

37. Indiana

Bloomington, United States — August 04, 2025: Aerial view of College Campus dormitories on the Indiana University campus. — Bloomington, Indiana

Wirestock/Getty Images

Out-of-state rate: 16.6%

Number of resident first-time students: 56,069

Number of students leaving: 9,288

Top destination: Ohio, with 1,851 students (19.9% of students going out-of-state)

36. Kentucky

Aerial view of downtown Lexington and the campus os the local University of Kentucky — Lexington, Kentucky

Ivelin Denev/Getty Images/iStockphoto

Out-of-state rate: 16.8%

Number of resident first-time students: 38,910

Number of students leaving: 6,535

Top destination: Ohio, with 1,411 students (21.6% of students going out-of-state)

35. New Mexico

Univeristy of New Mexico Campus viewed from a drone, showing Central Avenye and University Blvd — Albuquerque, New Mexico

Aaron Seltzer/Getty Images

Out-of-state rate: 17.1%

Number of resident first-time students: 17,756

Number of students leaving: 3,028

Top destination: Texas, with 586 students (19.4% of students going out-of-state)

34. South Carolina

Drone Aerial of Main Street in Downtown Spartanburg, South Carolina, USA. — Spartanburg, South Carolina

Kruck20/Getty Images

Out-of-state rate: 17.2%

Number of resident first-time students: 42,179

Number of students leaving: 7,236

Top destination: North Carolina, with 1,671 students (23.1% of students going out-of-state)

33. Arkansas

Aerial shot of downtown Little Rock, Arkansas. — Little Rock, Arkansas.

Rdlamkin/Getty Images/iStockphoto

Number of resident first-time students: 22,786

Number of students leaving: 3,921

Top destination: Missouri, with 475 students (12.1% of students going out-of-state)

32. Kansas

Aerial View of Wichita State University during Summer Break — Wichita, Kansas

Jacob Boomsma/Getty Images/iStockphoto

Out-of-state rate: 17.5%

Number of resident first-time students: 26,488

Number of students leaving: 4,633

Top destination: Missouri, with 1,286 students (27.8% of students going out-of-state)

31. West Virginia

Aerial drone panoramic shot of the downtown campus of WVU in Morgantown West Virginia showing the river in the distance — Morgantown, West Virginia

BackyardProduction/Getty Images/iStockphoto

Out-of-state rate: 19.2%

Number of resident first-time students: 12,314

Number of students leaving: 2,359

Top destination: Ohio, with 529 students (22.4% of students going out-of-state)

30. Nebraska

Drone view of the UNK Loper Campus in Kearney — Kearney, Nebraska

Aaron Seltzer/Getty Images

Out-of-state rate: 19.6%

Number of resident first-time students: 18,209

Number of students leaving: 3,564

Top destination: Iowa, with 680 students (19.1% of students going out-of-state)

29. Tennessee

Nashville, Tennessee, USA. Aerial view of American downtown office district. High commercial and residential skyscraper buildings in modern US city — Nashville, Tennessee

Bilanol/Getty Images

Out-of-state rate: 20.0%

Number of resident first-time students: 58,199

Number of students leaving: 11,667

Top destination: Alabama, with 1,591 students (13.6% of students going out-of-state)

28. Georgia

Athens, Georgia, USA at dawn. — Athens, Georgia

Sean Pavone/Getty Images

Out-of-state rate: 20.1%

Number of resident first-time students: 98,471

Number of students leaving: 19,835

Top destination: Alabama, with 3,475 students (17.5% of students going out-of-state)

27. Wisconsin

Madison skyline and Wisconsin State Capitol. The Wisconsin State Capitol, houses both chambers of the Wisconsin legislature, Supreme Court and the Office of the Governor. — Madison, Wisconsin

Ultima_Gaina/Getty Images

Out-of-state rate: 20.3%

Number of resident first-time students: 46,503

Number of students leaving: 9,420

Top destination: Minnesota, with 2,781 students (29.5% of students going out-of-state)

26. Oregon

Aerial View of a large Public University in Corvallis, Oregon — Corvallis, Oregon

Jacob Boomsma/Getty Images

Out-of-state rate: 21.2%

Number of resident first-time students: 30,818

Number of students leaving: 6,526

Top destination: Washington, with 1,101 students (16.9% of students going out-of-state)

25. Virginia

An aerial view of Virginia Commonwealth University and the Fan District of Richmond, Virginia — Richmond, Virginia

Wirestock/Getty Images

Out-of-state rate: 21.4%

Number of resident first-time students: 76,703

Number of students leaving: 16,448

Top destination: North Carolina, with 1,627 students (9.9% of students going out-of-state)

24. New York

Washington Square Park and Greenwich Village Cityscape in New York City. — New York, New York.

SeanPavonePhoto/Getty Images/iStockphoto

Out-of-state rate: 21.9%

Number of resident first-time students: 170,412

Number of students leaving: 37,301

Top destination: Pennsylvania, with 5,091 students (13.6% of students going out-of-state)

23. Missouri

Columbia, Missouri, USA downtown city skyline at twilight. — Columbia, Missouri

Sean Pavone/Getty Images

Out-of-state rate: 22.6%

Number of resident first-time students: 46,624

Number of students leaving: 10,555

Top destination: Kansas, with 2,186 students (20.7% of students going out-of-state)

22. Pennsylvania

Aerial View of the Gettysburg College Campus With Fall Colors in Gettysburg Pennsylvania — Gettysburg, Pennsylvania

Kyle Little/Getty Images

Out-of-state rate: 22.6%

Number of resident first-time students: 100,007

Number of students leaving: 22,644

Top destination: New York, with 2,642 students (11.7% of students going out-of-state)

21. Idaho

Skyline of Boise, Idaho and the foothills — Boise, Idaho

christiannafzger/Getty Images/iStockphoto

Out-of-state rate: 23.8%

Number of resident first-time students: 15,636

Number of students leaving: 3,716

Top destination: Utah, with 1,106 students (29.8% of students going out-of-state)

20. Nevada

Aerial view of the University of Reno Nevada — Reno, Nevada

OwensImaging/Getty Images/iStockphoto

Out-of-state rate: 24.6%

Number of resident first-time students: 23,982

Number of students leaving: 5,906

Top destination: California, with 964 students (16.3% of students going out-of-state)

19. Maine

Portland, Maine, USA downtown city skyline at dusk. — Portland, Maine

Sean Pavone/Getty Images/iStockphoto

Out-of-state rate: 25.0%

Number of resident first-time students: 11,004

Number of students leaving: 2,750

Top destination: Massachusetts, with 658 students (23.9% of students going out-of-state)

18. Washington

Seattle, Washington, USA - September 19, 2013: Aerial panoramic view of Seattle University of Washington District Neighborhood, Mt Rainer, and Lake Washington — Seattle, Washington

SEASTOCK/Getty Images

Out-of-state rate: 25.1%

Number of resident first-time students: 59,429

Number of students leaving: 14,894

Top destination: California, with 2,344 students (15.7% of students going out-of-state)

17. South Dakota

Aerial view of Rapid City, South Dakota. Rapid City is the county seat of Pennington County in South Dakota and the second most populous city in the state. — Rapid City, South Dakota

Ultima_Gaina/Getty Images

Out-of-state rate: 25.2%

Number of resident first-time students: 7,298

Number of students leaving: 1,840

Top destination: Minnesota, with 319 students (17.3% of students going out-of-state)

16. North Dakota

Aerial View of a large Public University in Grand Forks, North Dakota — Grand Forks, North Dakota

Jacob Boomsma/Getty Images/iStockphoto

Out-of-state rate: 25.9%

Number of resident first-time students: 6,156

Number of students leaving: 1,596

Top destination: Minnesota, with 785 students (49.2% of students going out-of-state)

15. Colorado

Aerial View of a Large Public University in Boulder, Colorado — Boulder, Colorado

Jacob Boomsma/Getty Images

Out-of-state rate: 27.6%

Number of resident first-time students: 49,104

Number of students leaving: 13,561

Top destination: Arizona, with 1,613 students (11.9% of students going out-of-state)

14. Montana

Aerial View of Downtown Bozeman, Montana in Summer — Bozeman, Montana

Jacob Boomsma/Getty Images/iStockphoto

Out-of-state rate: 27.9%

Number of resident first-time students: 7,316

Number of students leaving: 2,042

Top destination: North Dakota, with 211 students (10.3% of students going out-of-state)

13. Wyoming

A drone shot of Laramie Wyoming neighborhood's cityscape near University of Wyoming with farmland and sunlight — Laramie. Wyoming

Wirestock/Getty Images/iStockphoto

Out-of-state rate: 28.4%

Number of resident first-time students: 4,688

Number of students leaving: 1,333

Top destination: Utah, with 229 students (17.2% of students going out-of-state)

12. Minnesota

Aerial View of Downtown St. Cloud, Minnesota during Summer — St. Cloud, Minnesota

Jacob Boomsma/Getty Images/iStockphoto

Out-of-state rate: 30.5%

Number of resident first-time students: 53,053

Number of students leaving: 16,172

Top destination: Wisconsin, with 3,494 students (21.6% of students going out-of-state)

11. Illinois

Aerial View of a large University in the Chicago Neighborhood of Hyde Park — Chicago, Illinois

Jacob Boomsma/Getty Images

Out-of-state rate: 31.3%

Number of resident first-time students: 111,509

Number of students leaving: 34,903

Top destination: Wisconsin, with 4,183 students (12% of students going out-of-state)

10. Rhode Island

An aerial view of downtown Providence, Rhode Island RI, USA — Providence, Rhode Island

Wirestock/Getty Images/iStockphoto

Out-of-state rate: 32.1%

Number of resident first-time students: 9,213

Number of students leaving: 2,954

Top destination: Massachusetts, with 962 students (32.6% of students going out-of-state)

9. Massachusetts

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) grounds aerial view. Research institute in Cambridge, Massachusetts. — Cambridge, Massachusetts

tupungato/Getty Images

Out-of-state rate: 33.5%

Number of resident first-time students: 63,392

Number of students leaving: 21,260

Top destination: Rhode Island, with 2,716 students (12.8% of students going out-of-state)

8. Maryland

The Naval Academy Dome and the Maryland Statehouse buildings show up centered in the Annapolis Skyline — Annapolis, Maryland

ChrisBoswell/Getty Images/iStockphoto

Out-of-state rate: 33.9%

Number of resident first-time students: 54,599

Number of students leaving: 18,506

Top destination: Pennsylvania, with 3,228 students (17.4% of students going out-of-state)

7. Delaware

Newark, DE, USA September 21, DuPont Hall on the campus of the University of Delaware in Newark houses the schools construction and civil engineering department — Newark, Delaware

Kirkikis/Getty Images

Out-of-state rate: 34.4%

Number of resident first-time students: 9,209

Number of students leaving: 3,166

Top destination: Pennsylvania, with 1,043 students (32.9% of students going out-of-state)

6. New Jersey

A drone view of golden sunrise over Princeton New Jersey. Cityscape with famous landmarks, university, residential buildings and roads. — Princeton, New Jersey

Wirestock/Getty Images

Out-of-state rate: 35.6%

Number of resident first-time students: 95,646

Number of students leaving: 34,070

Top destination: Pennsylvania, with 7,672 students (22.5% of students going out-of-state)

5. Connecticut

New Haven city downtown skyline cityscape of Connecticut, USA in autumn — New Haven, Connecticut

f11photo/Getty Images

Out-of-state rate: 38.4%

Number of resident first-time students: 35,699

Number of students leaving: 13,699

Top destination: Massachusetts, with 2,738 students (20% of students going out-of-state)

4. Hawaii

Aerial view of Landmark Mid Pacific institute, University of Hawaii, and surround neighborhood in Manoa in Honolulu, Hawaii. — Honolulu, Hawaii

Eric Broder Van Dyke/Getty Images

Out-of-state rate: 38.9%

Number of resident first-time students: 10,296

Number of students leaving: 4,000

Top destination: California, with 862 students (21.6% of students going out-of-state)

3. Alaska

Aerial View of the State University Campus in Fairbanks, Alaska — Fairbanks, Alaska

Jacob Boomsma/Getty Images/iStockphoto

Out-of-state rate: 42.2%

Number of resident first-time students: 4,303

Number of students leaving: 1,817

Top destination: Arizona, with 222 students (12.2% of students going out-of-state)

2. New Hampshire

Greenville, NH from the air — Greenville, New Hampshire

BackyardProduction/Getty Images

Out-of-state rate: 46.2%

Number of resident first-time students: 10,094

Number of students leaving: 4,663

Top destination: Massachusetts, with 1,419 students (30.4% of students going out-of-state)

1. Vermont

Panoramic aerial view of the town of Stowe in Vermont in the fall — Stowe, Vermont

BackyardProduction/Getty Images

Out-of-state rate: 53.3%

Number of resident first-time students: 3,865

Number of students leaving: 2,060

Top destination: New York, with 406 students (19.7% of students going out-of-state)

Sarah Walker 15 minutes ago