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Hispanic student participation in U.S. colleges has reached historic levels, according to the Trends in College Pricing and Student Aid 2025 report from College Board. The report highlights that over an eight-year period, Hispanic enrollment has shown unprecedented growth at four-year public and private nonprofit institutions.
Between Fall 2015 and Fall 2023, the overall proportion of Black, Hispanic, and Native students increased across both public and private nonprofit institutions at all levels of selectivity. This growth was primarily driven by the expanding Hispanic student population and the rising number of Hispanic high school graduates.
The report shows steady growth in Hispanic representation at four-year institutions:
Four-Year Public Institutions:
- Highly selective universities (admission rates below 25%): Hispanic undergraduate enrollment increased from 14.4% in 2015 to 20.1% in 2023.
- Moderately selective universities (admission rates 25%–49.9%): Hispanic representation grew from 15.6% to 20.3% during the same period.
- Less selective universities (admission rates 50%–74.9%): Hispanic enrollment rose from 12.9% to 18.4%.
- Least selective and open-admission universities (admission rates 75% or higher): Hispanic share increased from 15.3% to 20.1%.
Four-Year Private Nonprofit Institutions:
- Highly selective universities (admission rates below 25%): Hispanic undergraduate enrollment rose from 11.0% in 2015 to 13.7% in 2023.
- Universities with admission rates of 25%–49.9%: Hispanic enrollment increased from 9.2% to 12.2%.
- Universities with admission rates between 50% and 74.9%: Hispanic representation grew from 8.8% to 13.5%.
- Universities with admission rates of 75% or higher: Hispanic enrollment rose from 10.9% to 16.5%.
These enrollment increases are linked to long-term demographic changes in U.S. high schools.
According to Trends in College Pricing and Student Aid 2025, Hispanic students represented 27.5% of all public high school graduates in 2023, up from 21.6% in 2015 (source: WICHE, Knocking at the College Door, 11th edition). During the same period, the proportion of White graduates fell from 54.7% to 47.4%, while Asian graduates rose from 5.5% to 6.0%.
Hispanic students have significantly contributed to increasing representation in higher education:
- In Fall 2023, Black, Hispanic, and Native students together represented nearly half of undergraduate students at two-year public and for-profit institutions.
- At four-year public institutions, Hispanic students accounted for nearly one in five undergraduates.
However, despite progress, income disparities continue to affect access to higher education. The median income for Hispanic families ($77,420 in 2024) remains substantially lower than that of White ($120,300) and Asian ($150,100) families. This gap contributes to greater reliance on Pell Grants and higher sensitivity to tuition costs.
Hispanic students continue to prefer two-year public colleges and less selective four-year institutions, where affordability and proximity drive enrollment.
Access the full report [here].
About College Board
College Board serves over 7 million students annually, helping them navigate the path from high school to college and career. Our nonprofit membership organization was founded more than 120 years ago. We pioneered programs like the SAT® and AP® to expand opportunities for students and help them develop essential skills. Our BigFuture® program assists students in planning, paying for college, and exploring careers. Learn more at cb.org.
About Trends in College Pricing and Student Aid
College Board has been tracking higher education trends for over 40 years, beginning with the first Trends in Student Aid report in 1983. Trends in College Pricing debuted in 1998, and the first edition of Education Pays was published in 2004. Together, these landmark reports provide a comprehensive view of college sticker prices and net costs, the availability of student aid, student debt levels, and repayment outcomes.
