Between 2004 and 2016, nearly 1.5 million foreign graduates of U.S. colleges and universities obtained authorization to remain and work in the U.S. through the federal government's Optional Practical Training program (OPT). More than half (53%) of the foreign graduates approved for employment specialized in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields, according to a Pew Research Center analysis of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) data received through a Freedom of Information Act request. Foreign students obtaining authorization to remain and work in the U.S. after graduation come from all corners of the globe, but the majority of them hold citizenship in Asia. Students from India, China, and South Korea made up 57% of all OPT participants between 2004 and 2016. Although the data referenced in this report cover F-1 visa holders approved for OPT participation between 2004 and 2016, only those who pursued degrees in higher education (associate, bachelor's, master's, or doctorate) are included in the analysis. This data made it possible to map where foreign college graduates came from and where they were going -- both for their education and their OPT employment. Major metro areas in the U.S. tend to attract large numbers of foreign students and also keep a significant share as OPT enrollees. By contrast, smaller-sized metro areas often see local foreign graduates relocate elsewhere as part of OPT employment. The demographic analysis for this report is based on participant records from three U.S. government programs -- F-1 visa, the Optional Practical Training (OPT) program (which is part of the F-1 program) and H-1B visa. All were received through a Freedom of Information Act request submitted to Immigration and Customs Enforcement and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and some H-1B data used are publicly available. Information before 2004 was excluded from analysis because prior to that year the automated monitoring system did not include all foreign students.