Most Higher Education Institutions Hire Out-of-State Employees

New research from CUPA-HR shows that there has been a slow but steady rise in higher ed employees residing in another state. In its newest report, Colleagues From Near and Far: Out-of-State Professionals in the Higher Education Workforce, CUPA-HR examines the characteristics of out-of-state professionals and their institutions. Most (70%) of higher ed institutions reported employing at least one professional residing out of state (up from 63% in 2021-22), suggesting that higher ed institutions may be increasingly open to employing professionals living in another state.

Some key findings highlighted in the report:

Most professionals in higher education still reside in state, though the percentage of out-ofstate professionals has increased slightly over time. From 2021-22 to 2024-25, the percentage of out-of-state professionals grew from 4% to 5%. Although small, this increase may reflect a shift in institutions’ willingness to hire professionals across state lines to fill needed talent gaps or meet employee expectations for more flexible work options. Most institutions hire out-of-state professionals, but the number of out-of-state professionals at each institution is relatively small. The vast majority of institutions with at least one out-of-state professional reported having 30 or fewer professionals residing out of state. As such, outof-state employment still appears to be the exception rather than the rule in higher education. The percentage of out-of-state professionals who reside in a non-neighboring state has grown by 11 percentage points in the past several years. Over the past four years, the proportion of out-of-state professionals residing in a non-neighboring state has grown from 34% to 45%. This shift is notable, as these professionals are unlikely to be regular commuters to campus and may work partially or fully remote. Athletics and information technology are the professional areas with the largest percentage of out-of-state professionals, possibly because of their unique job characteristics. The professional areas with the largest percentage of out-of-state professionals were athletics (7%) and information technology (6%), followed by external affairs (5%) and academic affairs (5%). Athletics are often high-turnover positions, as coaches seek new opportunities and head coaches replace their assistant coaching staff. IT experiences staffing shortages and so institutions may be motivated to broaden applicant pools and consider out-of-state candidates.

Read the 2025 Colleagues From Near and Far: Out-of-State Professionals in the Higher Education Workforce report and explore the interactive graphics.