NJ Is Getting Huge Economic Boost From Immigrants, Study Says

New Jersey is one of the top three states in the nation benefiting from the positive economic impact of immigrants, a recent study claims.

Last week, financial information provider WalletHub released a study titled: “Economic Impact of Immigration by State.” The report compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia across 20 key metrics. (See the full, state-by-state results here)

Overall, New Jersey ranked third-highest, behind only California (#1) and New York (#2). Some highlights for the Garden State included:

• 2nd – Percent of Jobs Generated by Immigrant-Owned Businesses Out of Total Jobs
• 4th – Median Household Income of Foreign-Born Population
• 1st – Percent of Foreign-Born STEM Workers Out of Total STEM Workers

Spokespeople for the New Jersey Alliance for Immigrant Justice called the study “another drop in the ocean of evidence showing how welcoming immigrants into our nation benefits everyone.”

“Overwhelmingly, the research has always shown immigrants making a positive impact to our state’s economy,” said Erika Nava, a policy analyst with New Jersey Policy Perspective. “New Jersey has a vested interest in welcoming immigrants to stay in the state, including undocumented immigrants who alone contribute upwards of $500 million in taxes every year.”

• See related article: 5 Reasons Why Immigrants Make New Jersey Better
• See related article: This Town Has Most Immigrants In New Jersey, Report Says

According to WalletHub, factors that played into the study included:

• Immigrant Workforce
• Socioeconomic Contribution
• Brain Gain & Innovators
• International Students

Data used to create this ranking was collected from U.S. Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Department of Labor, National Academy of Sciences, Partnership for a New American Economy Research Fund, Association of American Medical Colleges, American Immigration Council, Center for American Entrepreneurship, Boardroom Insiders, Time and NAFSA: Association of International Educators. (Learn more about the study’s methodology here)

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