Apr 16, 2025
Contact: Media@EdExcelencia.org
Federal Investments in HSIs Increase Capacity to Enhance Access to Quality Education for Millions of Latino and Other Low-Income Students, New Excelencia in Education Analysis Shows
WASHINGTON, D.C. (April 16, 2025) – Excelencia in Education, the premier authority on accelerating Latino student success in higher education, released today a comprehensive factbook on Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) with annually updated lists of these colleges and universities that disproportionately enroll and graduate Latinos, as well as analysis on their federal funding. It shows that there are now 602 HSIs enrolling 30% of all undergraduates and 64% of Latino undergraduates, and that HSIs successfully competed for an estimated $18 billion in grants from various federal agencies over four years (2020 to 2024) to enhance access to quality education for millions of Latino and other low-income students.
The factbook, “30 Years of HSIs: Improving Access to Quality for 30%,” reveals that the number of HSIs continued to grow in 2023-24. HSls are defined as having 25% or more undergraduate Hispanic student full-time equivalent (FTE) enrollment. Given this definition, the number of HSIs has more than tripled since they first received federal funding in 1994-95, driven by significant growth in Latino undergraduate enrollment.
The HSI classification was recognized in federal legislation for capacity-building support to improve academic quality and access to excellence for Latinos and other low-income students. While HSIs are eligible for competitive grants, they are not guaranteed federal funding. Excelencia’s analysis demonstrates that less than one-third of HSIs have received a grant through the Title V Developing Hispanic-Serving Institutions Program, even though most have applied at least once. This is despite the fact that the Department of Education has increased funds allocated through the Title V program from $12 million in 1994-95 to $228 million in 2023-24. Funds awarded through Title V grants are intended to improve access to quality education for all students and do not require use specifically for Hispanic students.
“HSIs must demonstrate the quality and merit of their efforts to earn federal funding, and they use these funds not to the exclusion of any student but to the benefit of all,” said Deborah Santiago, co-founder and CEO of Excelencia. “Excelencia is focused on ensuring Latino, and all, students in higher education are served with intentionality and impact. Our annual analysis of HSIs is less about institutions that enroll a concentration of a certain racial/ethnic group and more about institutions that provide access to students seeking opportunity.”
Institutions have an ongoing opportunity to become learning environments where Latino, and all, students thrive. Excelencia established the Seal of Excelencia, a national certification for colleges and universities that more intentionally SERVE Latino students, to support this transformation. Only 43 of the 602 HSIs have earned the Seal.
Key findings from Excelencia’s HSI analysis include:
HSls represent 20% of colleges yet enroll 30% of all undergraduates and over 60% of all Latino undergraduates.
HSIs enroll over 1.5 million Latino FTE undergraduate students, compared to 340,000 in 1994-95.
Almost half (45%) of undergraduate students at HSIs are Hispanic, while 26% are White, 9% are Black, 9% are Asian, and 11% are of other backgrounds.
Over 70% of HSls are public and 60% are four-year institutions.
HSls are located in 29 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico.
Over 40% of the nation’s HSIs (257) offer graduate programs (gHSIs).
The Department of Education’s spending to support HSIs has increased by 65% in the last decade, amounting to $349 million in 2023-24.
Beyond HSIs, the number of Emerging HSls (eHSls) — a categorization created by Excelencia to track colleges approaching the 25% Latino student enrollment threshold — also continued to grow, from 412 to 418. eHSIs represent another 14% of all institutions and enroll 15% of Latino students.
Excelencia is the leading independent source of information on HSIs and has released annual lists of HSIs, eHSIs, and gHSIs for over 20 years to provide federal agencies, researchers, funders, and others an up-to-date, credible list of institutions that meet the enrollment criteria for HSIs.
Access the 2023-24 HSIs Factbook: EdExcelencia.org/research/publications/hispanic-serving-institutions-hsis-factbook
About Excelencia in Education
Launched in 2004 in the nation’s capital, Excelencia in Education leads a national network of results-oriented educators and policymakers to tap the talents of the Latino community and address the U.S. economy’s needs for a highly educated workforce and engaged civic leaders. With this network, Excelencia accelerates Latino student success in higher education by promoting Latino student achievement, informing educational policies with a Latino lens, and advancing evidence-based practices. For more information, visit: EdExcelencia.org