Telugu students heading to the US this fall are more likely to feel at home than ever before. The Telugu-speaking population in America has seen a significant increase, growing from 320,000 in 2016 to 1.23 million in 2024.
According to a report from the Statistical Atlas of the US, based on US Census Bureau data, this population includes fourth-generation immigrants as well as recently arrived students.
California hosts the largest Telugu-speaking population, with nearly 200,000 residents, closely followed by Texas with 150,000, and New Jersey with 110,000.
States like Illinois (83,000), Virginia (78,000), and Georgia (52,000) also have significant Telugu-speaking communities.
Each of these states has experienced almost a four-fold increase in their Telugu-speaking populations. Local Telugu associations report that these figures align with their own estimates.
Telugu has now become the 11th most spoken language in America out of 350 languages.
Each year, between 60,000 and 70,000 Telugu-speaking individuals arrive in the US, along with approximately 10,000 H1B visa holders.
Older generations of Telugu immigrants are largely entrepreneurs, while over 80% of the younger generation work in IT and finance.
The rise in Telugu influence has made it the third most spoken Indian language in the US, following Hindi and Gujarati.
According to the Indian Mobility Report 2024, students from AP and Telangana form the largest cohort of Indian students in the US, accounting for 12.5% of the total student population.
Kent State University even welcomes new students with signs that read "Vidhyardhulaku Swagatham (Welcome Students)."
