Higher Education

UnidosUS advocates for policies and programs that support better outcomes for Latinos in postsecondary education.

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Access

Latino students enrolling in college today are more likely to be first-generation, come from low-income families, and begin their studies at two-year institutions. Latinos remain underrepresented in many institutions and face persistent barriers to entry. Key challenges to enrollment include insufficient targeted outreach and recruitment, lack of access to culturally competent college counseling, affordability concerns, and underinvestment in Hispanic-Serving Institutions.  

Fast facts

97%

The overwhelming majority of Latino students are U.S. citizens or permanent residents. In 2019–2020, 97% of Latino students were either U.S. citizens (90%) or U.S. residents (7%), and 3% were international.   

60%

 of Hispanic undergraduates are women, marking a larger gender gap than the undergraduate population overall (58% of all undergraduates). 

1 in 5

1 in 5 postsecondary students are Latinos. Nearly 3.8 million Latinos are enrolled in postsecondary education, making up one of every five postsecondary students in the United States (21.5%)

13%

Latinos are less likely to attend private nonprofit four-year colleges—like Harvard or Princeton—and make up only 13% of students at these institutions.

Latinx Student Enrollment (2nd Row)

2 in 3

Latino students considered leaving school. One-third took a leave at some point.**

**UnidosUS defines first-generation college students as those with a parent who did not obtain a bachelor’s degree or higher.   

28%

Latino students are more likely to attend school exclusively part-time than other racial or ethnic groups (compared to 25% of all undergraduates). An additional 27% of Latino undergraduates mix their enrollment between full — and part-time.  

50%

About half of Latino undergraduates received a Pell Grant, a federal grant for low-income students to help them attend a postsecondary program, compared to 40% of all undergraduates in the 2019-2020 school year. 

28%

28% of students at public two-year colleges are Latino, even though Latinos make up only 20% of all college students overall.

All data is from 2020 National Center for Education Statistics NPSAS: UG unless otherwise noted.

Latinos in Higher Education: Stories

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Success

Latino students are enrolling in college at higher rates, but not enough are graduating due to insufficient support and institutional barriers. Key challenges include affordability, inadequate advising and academic supports, and unmet basic needs like housing, food, and childcare.

fast facts

72%

Among Latino students, private nonprofit institutions achieve the highest completion rate at 72%, compared to 67% at public institutions and just 40% at private for-profit institutions. 

25%

25% of Latino adults held a bachelor’s degree or higher compared in 2022 to 40% of the total population.  

34%

34% of Latinos between the ages of 25-29 held an associate’s degree in 2022, compared to 49% of the total population.

6 years

Six years after entering college in 2018, 50% of Latino students had completed degrees compared to 69% of white students and 61% of all students overall — a completion gap of more than 19 points and 11 points, respectively.  

32%

32% of those enrolled in  for-profit two-year institutions are Latinos, even though Latinos make up only 20% of all college students overall. For-profit institutions have been result in lower completion and higher debt and default rates. 

National Completion Rate

The college completion gap for Latino students has remained largely unchanged over time.
Six years after entering college in 2018, 50% of Latino students had completed degrees compared to 69% of white students and 61% of all students overall — a completion gap of more than 19 points and 11 points, respectively. 

 

UnidosUS Survey of Latinos in Higher Education

To better understand and elevate Latino perspectives in higher education, UnidosUS conducts surveys, polls, and focus groups with Latino postsecondary students and Latino voters.

2 in 3

Latino students considered leaving school. One-third took a leave at some point.

85%

Latino students report being unable to get affordable and healthy food.

80%

Latino students report working either full-or part-time while attending college.

Citation Disclaimer - higher ed survey

Source – UnidosUS National Survey of Latinos in Higher Education (October 2024) 

Value

Even after they earn a degree, many Latino students do not see the full economic return on their investment in higher education. Key challenges include student debt burdens, enrollment in programs with weak outcomes, and lack of access to paid internships and networks. Worse still, too many Latino students are defrauded by predatory institutions, leaving them with debt but no degree or path to a good job.  

Fast facts

5.3 million*

holding federal student loan debt. This is likely an underestimation due to survey limitations.

*Estimates from the 2019 Survey of Consumer Finances (SCF)

48%

Nearly half of Latino borrowers have student loans of $15,000 or more in outstanding debt. 55% of Latinas owe more than $15,000.

 

53%

Over half of Latinos with a student loan reported going into deferment or forbearance with their loan, and 19% said their loan went into default.

Fast facts 2

73%

Nearly three in four of Latino borrowers who considered leaving school stated not wanting to take on more debt as a key driving factor in their decisionmaking.

 

18%

of the Latino first-time college entrants in 2011-12 defaulted on their student loans within six years of completing their degree, compared to 12% of their white peers.

64%

Latino borrowers default at rates higher than their white peers. In the same cohort, Latino default rates varied by institution sector but were highest at for-profit colleges (57%) and lowest at non-profit (8%) and public institutions (35%).

Citation disclaimer for value

Source -UnidosUS Latino Banking and Financial Health Survey (June 2024)

- Recent 4-year college graduate

“Although more Latinos are pursuing college than before, barriers do still exist for our community, especially given that many of us are first generation students. For many of us, our parents and siblings did not attend college so everything that comes with attending is totally new to us and that is absolutely a struggle in and of itself.”

Latino policy agenda

UnidosUS is advocating at the federal and state levels to support better outcomes for Latinos in postsecondary education: 

  • Make high-quality colleges and universities more affordable for high-need students 
  • Make it simple and easy for economically disadvantaged students and parents to access and understand financial aid 
  • Ensure equitable enrollment and admissions processes across all public colleges and universities 
  • Increase degree attainment by investing in academic and comprehensive support programs for Latinos 
Postsecondary Agenda

 

  • Ensure that Latino students earn quality degrees across all institutions 
  • Make student loans manageable and less of a financial risk to borrowers 
  • Ensure that racial and ethnic opportunity gaps in higher education are addressed by requiring institutions to report and use student outcomes measures to improve equity 
  • Diversify the teacher workforce to improve Latino student outcomes 

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