Latino College Completion - North Carolina

Overview

Nationally, Latino student enrollment and degree completion continues to increase. However, different patterns emerge within each state. For example, Latinos in North Carolina graduate at a higher rate at four-year institutions than Latinos nationally. However, North Carolina lags in Latinos’ degree completion and overall degree attainment.

To find out more, scroll below.

  

Degree Attainment for Latino Students (2017-2018), North Carolina

22%
Of Latino adults (25 and over) had earned an associate degree or higher
VS
46%
of White adults

North Carolina Fast Facts

North Carolina had the 11th largest Latino population in the U.S.

Latino Population

16%
K-12 Population
10%
Total Population

Median Age

25
Latinos
44
White

2-Year Graduation Rate

28%
Latino Students
30%
White Students

4-Year Graduation Rate

65%
Latino Students
70%
White Students

Degree Outcomes

At two-year institutions, Hispanics' graduation rate was 2%-points lower than that of their White non-Hispanic peers in North Carolina.

At four-year institutions, Hispanics' graduation rate was 5%-points lower than that of their White non-Hispanic peers in North Carolina.

Latino College Completion Degree Outcomes

Top North Carolina Institutions

Enrolling: Top Institutions (Hispanic Undergraduates) in North Carolina, 2018-2019

Rank Institution Sector Grand Total Hispanic Total % Hispanic
1 Wake Technical Community College Public, 2-year 21,872 2,812 13%
2 University of North Carolina at Charlotte Public, 4-year or above 24,387 2,473 10%
3 Central Piedmont Community College Public, 2-year 18,824 2,449 13%
4 University of North Carolina at Greensboro Public, 4-year or above 16,641 1,715 10%
5 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Public, 4-year or above 19,117 1,567 8%

Associates Degrees: Top Institutions Awarding to Hispanics in North Carolina, 2017-2018

Rank Institution Sector Grand Total Hispanic Total % Hispanic
1 Wake Technical Community College Public, 2-year 2,781 299 11%
2 Central Piedmont Community College Public, 2-year 2,154 255 12%
3 Fayetteville Technical Community College Public, 2-year 1,631 199 12%
4 Guilford Technical Community College Public, 2-year 1,411 103 7%
5 Coastal Carolina Community College Public, 2-year 701 98 14%

Bachelors Degrees: Top Institutions Awarding to Hispanics in North Carolina, 2017-2018

Rank Institution Sector Grand Total Hispanic Total % Hispanic
1 University of North Carolina at Charlotte Public, 4-year or above 5,113 458 9%
2 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Public, 4-year or above 4,628 366 8%
3 East Carolina University Public, 4-year or above 4,728 312 7%
4 North Carolina State University at Raleigh Public, 4-year or above 5,428 257 5%
5 University of North Carolina at Greensboro Public, 4-year or above 3,244 241 7%

Examples of What Works for Latino Students

Here are some institutions showing success in enrolling, retaining, and graduating Latino students:

Sources

Excelencia in Education. (2020). Ensuring America’s Future: Benchmarking Latino College Completion to 2030. Excelencia in Education. Washington, D.C.

US. Census Bureau, Projected Race and Hispanic Origin: Main Projections Series for the United States, 2017-2060.

United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. World Population Prospects: The 2019 Revision. (Medium variant). 

U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Estimates of the Resident Population by Hispanic Origin for the United States and States: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2018.

U.S. Census Bureau, 2018 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates.

U.S. Census Bureau, 2014-2018 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. 

Excelencia in Education analysis using U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), 2018 Fall Enrollment, Graduation Rates Survey and Institutional Characteristics Survey.