Latino college students are more likely to be first-generation students and less likely to leave college having earned their degrees, according to a new report from Excelencia in Education.
Emily Labandera
The April 2024 report uses publicly available data to provide readers with a “fundamental understanding” of who Latino students are, how they fit a “post-traditional student profile,” and the schools they are attending, said Emily Labandera, director of research at Excelencia.
“This is a significant college-going population,” Labandera told Diverse. “Latinos are one of the fastest growing populations and college-going populations. And if we're really thinking about ensuring America's future – whether that's the workforce, the economy, and civil leadership – Latinos are a key demographic and a key group to keep in mind when thinking about federal policy.”
Latinos in Higher Education: 2024 Compilation of Fast Facts was authored by Dr. Deborah Santiago, co-founder and CEO of Excelencia, and research analysts Dr. Cassandra Arroyo and Lily Cuellarsola.
Of the Latino students in U.S. colleges and universities, those of Mexican or Chicano descent constitute almost half (49%) of the population. Meanwhile, students of other Hispanic backgrounds made up 27%; those of Puerto Rican descent made up 12%, and those of Cuban descent 2%.
The vast majority of these students are citizens of the U.S. (90%), making their numbers comparable to students of other racial/ethnic demographics – 98% of white students and 92% of African American students. Additionally, most Latino students are second- or third-generation immigrants – 47% and 36%, respectively – meaning they were born in the U.S. as well.
When it comes to matters of postsecondary education, Latino students were far more likely than those of other demographics to be the first in the family to go to college (51%). For comparison, 31% of all students are first-generation college students, and the next highest racial/ethnic group to have first-generation students are African Americans, with 38%.
