A new report says foreign students contributed $2.6 billion to the economy in the last financial year.
The Infometrics report for the government body in charge of international education, Education New Zealand, says foreign students created 28,000 jobs in the 12 months to the middle of this year.
It says university students provided 35% of the value, followed by private tertiary institutions and primary and secondary schools.
The report says one-third of the spending came from Chinese students, which includes tuition fees, accommodation and food.
It says the value of international education has grown 3% since it was last measured in the 2007 - 2008 financial year.