evidence: "Higher education is one of America’s strongest export sectors," Hayes said, while displaying a chart on U.S. education exports. [...] The two organizations reported that those international students contributed more than $40 billion to the U.S. economy during the year. Experts said higher education can be considered an export because international students pay their tuition and living expenses to colleges and universities using money from abroad. [...] Hayes said, "Higher education is one of America’s strongest export sectors.