Virginia college grads leave

Virginia exports more college graduates than it attracts from other states, a new report from the National Bureau of Economic Research found.

Why it matters: The state is high on the brain drain chart — meaning 41% more of the college-educated workforce leaves after graduation than stays.

• When they leave, they take the education Virginia helped pay for to another state.

What's happening: Those who do leave Virginia are most likely to end up in D.C., a Washington Post analysis of the data found.

• New York, North Carolina and California are also top places Virginia grads end up after school.

The big picture: Around two-thirds of all U.S. students stay to work in the state they graduated from, per the National Bureau of Economic Research.

• Grads are more likely to stay in state if they complete two-year degrees or attend a four-year public school.

Of note: Among professionals most likely to stay put are those working in education, health care, agriculture and business.

• Grads are more migratory if they studied religion, culinary arts, engineering and journalism.