- About This Report
- College Readiness Benchmark Attainment
- Participation
- Student Migration and Academic Achievement
- Time of First Testing
- EOS Participation
- Score-Sending Behavior
- Enrollment by College Preference
- Interest-Major Fit
- Predictors of Success
- Key Findings and Recommendations
- Recent ACT Research
Student Migration and Academic Achievement
Net Migration
The graph below shows the intersection of college student migration and academic achievement for ACT-tested students in each state and DC. Student migration is measured by college enrollment patterns, and academic achievement is measured by ACT Composite score.
State Migration Patterns and Academic Achievement, 2011*
Graph reads: West Virginia gained about 3 ACT-tested college enrollees from other states for each of its ACT-tested high school graduates who enrolled out of state. The average ACT Composite score for students who migrated into West Virginia to attend college was about 2 points lower than the average score for students who migrated out of West Virginia.
| State | Migration Ratio | Difference | Enrollment | Brain |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 2.6 : 1 | 0.0 | Gain | Drain |
| Alaska | 1 : 7.1 | -2.8 | Drain | Drain |
| Arizona | 1.7 : 1 | -1.2 | Gain | Drain |
| Arkansas | 2.5 : 1 | 0.0 | Gain | Gain |
| California | 1 : 1.9 | 0.6 | Drain | Gain |
| Colorado | 1 : 1.5 | -0.4 | Drain | Drain |
| Connecticut | 1 : 1.8 | -0.2 | Drain | Drain |
| Delaware | 2.5 : 1 | 0.9 | Gain | Gain |
| District of Columbia | 4.2 : 1 | 5.0 | Gain | Gain |
| Florida | 1 : 1.6 | 0.5 | Drain | Gain |
| Georgia | 1 : 1.4 | 1.5 | Drain | Gain |
| Hawaii | 1 : 3.4 | -0.7 | Drain | Drain |
| Idaho | 1.3 : 1 | -2.0 | Gain | Drain |
| Illinois | 1 : 3.3 | 0.2 | Drain | Gain |
| Indiana | 3 : 1 | 1.3 | Gain | Gain |
| Iowa | 2.8 : 1 | -1.1 | Gain | Drain |
| Kansas | 1.2 : 1 | -3.4 | Gain | Drain |
| Kentucky | 1.6 : 1 | -1.9 | Gain | Drain |
| Louisiana | 1.5 : 1 | 1.1 | Gain | Gain |
| Maine | 1.5 : 1 | 1.3 | Gain | Gain |
| Maryland | 1 : 1.5 | 0.8 | Drain | Gain |
| Massachusetts | 1.6 : 1 | 2.1 | Gain | Gain |
| Michigan | 1 : 1.3 | 1.6 | Drain | Gain |
| Minnesota | 1 : 1.9 | -0.2 | Drain | Drain |
| Mississippi | 2.7 : 1 | -0.6 | Gain | Drain |
| Missouri | 1.2 : 1 | 0.9 | Gain | Gain |
| Montana | 1.4 : 1 | 0.3 | Gain | Gain |
| Nebraska | 1.1 : 1 | -0.1 | Gain | Drain |
| Nevada | 1 : 2.6 | -2.2 | Drain | Drain |
| New Hampshire | 1.1 : 1 | -1.0 | Gain | Drain |
| New Jersey | 1 : 12.5 | -2.4 | Drain | Drain |
| New Mexico | 1 : 1.5 | -3.5 | Drain | Drain |
| New York | 1 : 1.1 | 0.3 | Drain | Gain |
| North Carolina | 2 : 1 | -0.8 | Gain | Drain |
| North Dakota | 3 : 1 | 0.0 | Gain | Gain |
| Ohio | 1 : 1.2 | -0.6 | Drain | Drain |
| Oklahoma | 2 : 1 | -0.2 | Gain | Drain |
| Oregon | 1.5 : 1 | -1.3 | Gain | Drain |
| Pennsylvania | 2.4 : 1 | 0.7 | Gain | Gain |
| Rhode Island | 4.4 : 1 | -0.8 | Gain | Drain |
| South Carolina | 3.1 : 1 | 1.4 | Gain | Gain |
| South Dakota | 1.6 : 1 | -1.0 | Gain | Drain |
| Tennessee | 1 : 1.4 | 1.0 | Drain | Gain |
| Texas | 1 : 1.9 | 0.0 | Drain | Drain |
| Utah | 3.4 : 1 | 2.3 | Gain | Gain |
| Vermont | 2.1 : 1 | 1.1 | Gain | Gain |
| Virginia | 1.4 : 1 | 0.3 | Gain | Gain |
| Washington | 1 : 1 | 0.0 | Drain | Gain |
| West Virginia | 2.9 : 1 | -2.1 | Gain | Drain |
| Wisconsin | 1.1 : 1 | 0.0 | Gain | Gain |
| Wyoming | 1.6 : 1 | -1.5 | Gain | Drain |
Along the horizontal axis is the college migration ratio for each state. Ratios that are greater than 1 to 1 represent a net gain of ACT-tested students for the state, whereas ratios that are less than 1 to 1 represent a net loss of ACT-tested students for the state. For example, West Virginia gained about 3 ACT-tested college enrollees from other states for each of its ACT-tested high school graduates that attended college out of state. California, on the other hand, lost about 2 of its ACT-tested high school graduates to colleges in other states for each ACT-tested college enrollee who came into California.
Along the vertical axis is the difference in the average ACT Composite score between students coming into the state to attend college and those leaving the state to attend college. Positive numbers represent a net gain in the average achievement level of ACT-tested students enrolled in that state, whereas negative numbers represent a net loss. For example, the average ACT Composite score for students who migrated into Tennessee to attend college was about 1 point higher than the average score for students who migrated out of Tennessee. In contrast, the average ACT Composite score for students who migrated into Idaho was about 2 points lower than the average score for students who migrated out of the state.
In looking at the intersection of college student migration and academic achievement, states fall into 1 of 4 categories based on their ACT-tested population: states that have (1) enrollment gain and brain gain, (2) enrollment gain but brain drain, (3) enrollment loss but brain gain, and (4) enrollment loss and brain drain.
- Thirty-one states and DC had migration ratios that were greater than 1 to 1; 19 states had migration ratios that were less than 1 to 1.
- Roughly half of all states had an average ACT Composite score for in-migrating students that was higher than the average score for out-migrating students.
* States Not Shown
| State | Migration Ratio | Difference in Mean ACT |
|---|---|---|
| AK | 1 : 7.1 | –2.8 |
| DC | 4.2 : 1 | +5.0 |
| KS | 1.2 : 1 | –3.4 |
| NJ | 1 : 12.5 | –2.4 |
| NM | 1 : 1.5 | –3.5 |
| RI | 4.4 : 1 | –0.8 |