Introduction

Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) are leaders in economic mobility — enrolling large portions of low-income students and delivering strong returns on tuition costs.¹ While HSIs are statutorily defined by their student enrollment, they have a growing reputation for their excellent student outcomes. This analysis explores how HSIs and Excelencia in Education’s Seal-certified institutions perform on Third Way’s Economic Mobility Index (EMI). For over 20 years, Excelencia in Education has released an annual analysis on HSIs, and recognizing that the HSI construct is based on an enrollment threshold, it established the Seal of Excelencia — a framework and certification that recognize institutions that intentionally serve Latino students and demonstrate positive outcomes for all students.² In 2020, Third Way pioneered the EMI, a metric that rates institutions by the economic mobility they provide to their low-income students. When we examine how HSIs and Seal-certified institutions perform on the EMI, we see that they are leading in economic mobility. Below, we dig into data that demonstrate that these institutions set students up for strong economic returns, often leveraging limited resources to do so.

Year After Year, HSIs Outperform on the EMI

Traditional higher education rankings value prestige and selectivity, while Third Way’s EMI rates institutions by how well they serve their low-income students. The EMI accounts for the return on investment (ROI) that an institution provides to low-income students and the percentage of Pell Grant recipients it enrolls. Institutions that enroll more Pell students and deliver strong returns on tuition perform better on the metric. Institutions are rated in a five-tiered system. Tier 1 indicates institutions that provide the strongest economic mobility, while Tier 5 indicates those with the weakest.

Year after year, HSIs consistently outperform their peers on the EMI. In the first year Third Way calculated the EMI, the 10 top-performing institutions were all HSIs located in California, Texas, and New York. The following year, over one-third of all the Tier 1 institutions were HSIs, demonstrating that they are powerhouses for economic mobility. Our most recent analysis from 2024 shows the same pattern. Again, HSIs made up over one-third of all institutions in the top EMI tier. These data are proof of HSIs’ impact on higher education outcomes, but what does it take for an institution to perform well? Let’s look at the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC), an HSI and Seal of Excelencia certified institution, which has been in Tier 1 every year since the metric launched. At UIC, it takes low-income students about a year to recoup the cost of four years of tuition for a bachelor’s degree. And in 2024, the institution enrolled 50% Pell Grant recipients. The EMI accounts for both ROI and Pell enrollment, and by providing that return to half their students, UIC performs exceedingly well.

Seal-Certified Institutions Are Continuously Improving and Leading in Economic Mobility

We can look beyond HSIs to a select group of institutions in the Excelencia in Action network (E-Action) — Seal of Excelencia certified institutions. These institutions have demonstrated the impact of intentionality and continuous improvement, ensuring Latino, and all, students earn an excellent college education of value.

The E-Action network is invited to participate in a rigorous self-assessment process to earn the Seal of Excelencia, aligning three core components: 1) review of five years of data and momentum in key areas of the educational pathway, 2) implementation of strategies and practices that advance Latino student success as a result of the data or informed by the data, and 3) institutional leadership strategies that demonstrate intentional commitment to improving Latino student success.

In Excelencia and Third Way’s analysis, it’s clear that four-year Seal-certified institutions go beyond typical measures of strong enrollment and completion rates for Latino, and all, students. These institutions drive economic mobility, particularly for low-income students. Our analysis shows:

• Four-year Seal-certified institutions lead in economic mobility. The majority (85%) of four-year Seal-certified institutions are in the top two tiers on the EMI, providing return on investment for Latino and other low-income students graduating from their institutions. Nearly three-quarters (74%) of four-year Seal-certified institutions are in Tier 1 on the EMI, demonstrating that these institutions are among the top in the nation at providing ROI for low-income students graduating from their institutions.³
• California, Florida, Illinois, and Texas Seal-certified institutions lead on the EMI. All four-year Seal-certified institutions in California and Illinois are Tier 1 institutions on the EMI. Most Seal-certified institutions in Texas and Florida also rank in the first tier of the metric.
• Public Seal-certified institutions lead nationally. There are 29 Seal-certified institutions that rank in Tier 1 on the EMI, and all but one of those are public four-year institutions.

Additionally, Excelencia has identified Intentionally Thriving Institutions (ITIs), a subset of Seal-certified institutions that have earned Seal certification three times and have demonstrated intentionality in preparing their students for the workforce. Of the six four-year ITIs, five are HSIs, and these institutions stand out as champions of economic mobility. All five four-year ITIs (that are HSIs) are in the first or second tier of the EMI. One ITI that is not an HSI, Grand Valley State University, is in the second tier of the EMI.

Strong performance on the EMI is driven by intentionality. These key data points reinforce the impact of the Seal of Excelencia self-assessment process. By committing to intentional, continuous improvement through the alignment of data, practice, and leadership, Seal-certified institutions are advancing economic mobility and other positive outcomes for Latino, and all, students.

Practices That Drive Economic Mobility

Seal-certified institutions demonstrate that intentional, career-connected practices embedded across the student experience drive economic mobility. These institutions align academic pathways with workforce demand and expand their students’ access to professional networks. In doing so, they ensure that Latino, and all, students graduate prepared not just with a degree, but with access to careers that offer livable wages and long-term economic mobility.

Across sectors and regions, Seal-certified institutions are advancing economic mobility for their students by prioritizing career readiness, leveraging employer partnerships, and investing in post-completion success. Among institutions ranked in Tier 1 on the Third Way Economic Mobility Index, Florida International University (FIU) and The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) demonstrate how institutions are advancing strong economic returns for their students.

FIU demonstrates that economic mobility depends on early and sustained exposure to career pathways, particularly in high-demand STEM fields. Through the Department of Energy (DOE)-FIU Science and Engineering Workforce Development Program, students integrate coursework, applied research, and 10-week internships at DOE national laboratories and headquarters. The program has inducted 227 Fellows and facilitated 194 internships. Over half of the fellows who participated have been hired by DOE entities, national labs, and contractors, entered federal, state, or local agencies, or secured positions with industry leaders after earning STEM degrees. With a 98% hiring rate, FIU illustrates how embedding professional career experience into academic preparation creates direct pathways to economic mobility for Latino, and all, students.

UTEP advances economic mobility by intentionally embedding employer engagement into the academic experience through high-impact, employer-led academies. Designed to serve a high proportion of first-generation students, these academies provide technical training, mentorship, and direct access to industry partners. The Hunt College of Business Corporate Academies — focused on Banking, Enterprise Resource Planning, Human Capital Management, and Risk Management — produced 33 internships and 84 full-time roles with partner companies between 2020 and 2024.

Conclusion

HSIs and Seal-certified institutions demonstrate that economic mobility is achievable and scalable. Institutions can use these examples as a roadmap for delivering real outcomes for Latino, and all, students. Institutions can also take steps to track student outcomes and focus on connecting students with internships, employers, and career guidance. Policymakers can invest in institutions that demonstrate strong outcomes and strengthen data collections to capture institutions’ outputs, like economic mobility. And employers can partner with HSIs and Seal-certified institutions to design career opportunities, expand paid internships, and create pathways to high-demand careers. Elevating these institutions is not just an investment in student success. It is an investment in the American economy and workforce.

Visit Excelencia’s website to learn more about Seal of Excelencia certified institutions and Hispanic-Serving Institutions.

Visit Third Way’s Higher Ed Value Metrics page to learn more about the Economic Mobility Index.

Notes:

1. A Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) is defined in federal legislation as an institution that enrolls at least 25% of full-time equivalent undergraduates that are Hispanic.
2. While many Seal-certified institutions are HSIs, they are not required to be HSIs to apply for the Seal.
3. Both 2-year and 4-year institutions may earn the Seal of Excelencia. This analysis includes only four-year institutions to align methodology with the Economic Mobility Index.

By: Alexia Carrillo Villalobos, Emily Labandera, and Deborah A. Santiago, Excelencia in Education

Students and families want to know whether higher education is delivering on its promise: preparing graduates not just to complete a credential but to succeed beyond college. For Latino students, college degrees can shift life trajectories — not just for individuals, but for entire communities. At a time when the value of a college degree is questioned, institutions that take responsibility for graduates’ long-term educational and career success are reimagining how academic preparation aligns with workforce demands by embedding career development into academic pathways. By integrating career-aligned learning experiences throughout the student journey, institutions ensure students graduate not only with a degree but with meaningful skills, professional experience, and confidence in their next steps post-graduation.

Why Preparing Students for the Workforce Matters — Especially for Latino Students

Latino students are more likely to take multiple paths through higher education, often balancing work, family, and financial responsibilities. Too often, students navigate their coursework without clear guidance on how their degree translates into career opportunities. This challenge is especially faced by first-generation students, who may have limited access to professional networks, paid internships, or career guidance. Latinos are more likely to be first-generation college students than other racial/ethnic groups. In fact, half of Latinos (51%) were the first in their family to attend college, compared to African American (38%), Asian (30%), and White (22%) students.¹

Excelencia’s recent brief emphasizes that when institutions intentionally connect academic experiences to workforce outcomes through career-aligned coursework and applied learning opportunities, students are more likely to see the relevance of their education. This helps students persist and graduate prepared to navigate the workforce with clarity and confidence.

Embedding Career Development into the Curriculum

Embedding career development into the academic pathway helps close this gap. Career-aligned High-Impact Practices (HIPs) such as undergraduate research, service learning (hands-on projects with community partners), cohort-based support, and project-based coursework allow students to apply what they are learning in experiences within their chosen field or career.² These opportunities help students build transferable skills such as communication, critical thinking, teamwork, and problem-solving while developing a professional identity aligned with their career goals.

Challenges: Engagement, Scale, and Sustainability

Despite growing recognition of the importance of career preparation, institutions face persistent challenges when embedding career development into the curriculum. Career development efforts often occur late in the student journey, limiting their impact. In many cases, HIPs are concentrated in specific disciplines such as business or engineering, leaving students in other fields without opportunities to connect their learning to career outcomes.

Institutions also struggle with sustaining these efforts. Scaling career-integrated coursework requires sustained funding, staff capacity, and faculty engagement. Too often, successful programs depend on short-term grants or individual champions, making them difficult to institutionalize. Balancing investments in HIPs alongside competing institutional priorities remains an ongoing challenge. Despite these barriers, some institutions demonstrate what is possible when academic preparation and workforce success are intentionally aligned.

Putting Career Development into Action

Institutions that prepare students for workforce success make career development a shared responsibility across the institution, not just within career services, and embed career readiness directly into academic pathways. In 2025, Excelencia introduced the new Intentionally Thriving Institution (ITI) certification through the Seal of Excelencia framework, recognizing institutions intentionally serving Latino, and all, students, and emphasizing their impact in preparing students for the workforce.

The following examples of ITIs show what is possible when academics and workforce preparation are aligned:

Arizona State University (ASU): Embedding Career Readiness into the Curriculum

At Arizona State University’s W. P. Carey School of Business, career preparation is embedded through a four-year career curriculum grounded in encouraging students to actively design their professional paths. Students progress through guided milestones from career exploration to lifelong career management, ensuring intentional preparation for professional success. The proven effectiveness of this model has driven adoption in other colleges across ASU, advancing system-level transformation and scaling best practices university-wide. In the past three years, over 88% of W. P. Carey undergraduates reported full-time employment or continued education within six months of graduation.

Hartnell College: Creating Clear Pathways to Workforce Success

Hartnell College’s Computer Science in 3 (CSin3) program is a partnership between CSU Monterey Bay and Hartnell College, and part of a larger statewide Computing Talent Initiative designed to increase the number of computer science graduates. The program offers a pre-defined course pathway that provides students with a roadmap to earn a B.S. degree in Computer Science with a concentration in Software Engineering in 3 years. CSin3 is recognized for its cohort-based model and integrated academic, financial, and career support. This model has led to strong outcomes: 85% of students transfer to CSU Monterey Bay within 1.5 years, and 68% graduate within three years. Since its inception in 2013, 80% of the students have been Latino and 80% of those Latino students graduated within 3 years. Additionally, 86% of graduates secure gainful employment within a year of completing the program.

These examples show what’s possible when institutions intentionally align academics with career preparation.

Key Steps Institutions Can Take to Embed Career Development into Academics

Institutions preparing students for workforce success intentionally integrate career development throughout the academic experience. When institutions transform to serve Latino students well, they increase their capacity to serve all students effectively.

Key steps institutions can take include:

• Embed career preparation into academic pathways, rather than siloing it within career services offices.
• Align high-impact practices (HIPs) with career outcomes so students build skills, gain experience, and develop confidence throughout their college journey.
• Foster collaboration among faculty, advisors, and career services to ensure career readiness is integrated across the student experience and can scale institution-wide.

Looking Ahead: From Strategy to Action

Preparing students for the workforce is about designing academic experiences that intentionally prepare students for life after graduation. Institutions committed to post-completion success must treat workforce outcomes as a shared responsibility across campus by investing in career-aligned HIPs, supporting faculty engagement, and using data to connect academic experiences to long-term outcomes. When career development is embedded into academics, institutions move closer to fulfilling the promise of higher education, not just access and completion, but meaningful opportunity beyond the degree.

Through the brief and the Seal of Excelencia framework, Excelencia will continue elevating institutions that bridge education to career. By identifying what works and sharing these practices nationally, Excelencia makes the case that intentionally serving Latino, and all, students strengthens higher education, drives economic growth, and ensures the nation’s global competitiveness.

To learn more about Excelencia’s workforce efforts, explore our research here.

Sources:

1. Santiago, D., Arroyo, C., & Cuellarsola, L. (April 2024). Latinos in Higher Education: 2024 Compilation of Fast Facts. Washington, D.C: Excelencia in Education.
2. Association of American Colleges & Universities. (n.d.). High-Impact Practices. https://www.aacu.org/trending-topics/high-impact

By: Gayle Pitman, Ph.D., Vice President of Institutional Equity, Effectiveness, and Success, Hartnell College, a Seal of Excelencia certified institution

On any given day at Hartnell College, students arrive before sunrise and after dark. They come from crowded multi-family homes where no one else has attended college, where parents may not speak English, and where, in some cases, students themselves are still building fluency. In many cases, their parents have left much earlier in the morning to work in the fields, picking lettuce or harvesting strawberries. They travel long distances by bus, often carrying not only backpacks, but the weight of work schedules and family responsibilities. Many are the first in their families to pursue higher education. All are investing in education not only for themselves, but for the future of their families and our region.

They deserve institutions built for their success.

This year, Hartnell College marks 25 years as a federally designated Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI). It is a milestone to celebrate, and it presents an opportunity to reflect on what the HSI designation represents, what it has made possible, and what is now at risk as Title V funding faces potential elimination.

HSIs are often misunderstood. Many assume they exist to serve Latino students instead of others, or that they are simply another “diversity” initiative layered onto higher education. That assumption misses the point.

HSIs were created as a structural response to demographic change. As Latino students became the fastest-growing population in American higher education, policymakers recognized a simple truth: Institutions built for a different era would not adequately serve a new majority without intentional investment. When student demographics shift, institutional systems must shift too.

Beginning in the 1990s, rapid growth in Hispanic populations reshaped higher education. Advocacy efforts led to the HSI designation for institutions enrolling at least 25% Hispanic students, with dedicated federal funding tied to that designation. Today, although HSIs about 20% of U.S. colleges and universities, they enroll nearly two-thirds of all Hispanic college students.¹

California’s community colleges illustrate this transformation. In 1992–93, the system served about 460,000 Hispanic/Latino students, roughly 20% of enrollment. In 2024–25, it served more than one million, representing nearly half of all students statewide. To put this growth into perspective, while overall enrollment remained nearly flat, Hispanic/Latino enrollment more than doubled.

Hartnell College embodies this shift.

Founded in 1920 in the heart of the Salinas Valley, California (often called the “Salad Bowl of the World”), Hartnell once served a very different community. When we became an HSI in 2000, 48% of our students identified as Hispanic/Latino. Today, that figure is 83%, mirroring a region that is now more than 80% Latino.

This alignment did not happen by chance. It reflects decades of regional change, and an institution that made the intentional choice to evolve in response.

Since 2000, Hartnell has received more than $37 million in Title V funding. These were not supplemental dollars. They were capacity-building investments that strengthened our academic, counseling, technology, and student support systems.

Title V investments have shaped nearly every office and operational area of the college, and have positively impacted students at scale. Through Title V funding, we expanded dual enrollment, strengthened data capacity, built our career and transfer services, launched the Panther Learning Lab (our tutoring services), established El Centro de Excelencia as a student support and retention hub, and modernized core infrastructure.

These systems serve all students. But they are indispensable for students who cannot afford missteps, delays, or dead ends.

Title V has also been a critical foundation for our collective impact strategy to serve our students, allowing us to braid resources strategically and scale high-impact practices. It has also positioned Hartnell as a strong and credible partner for additional external investment in other culturally responsive approaches, including bilingual services, family engagement, support for undocumented students, and deep partnerships with schools, employers, and universities. Our commitment extends beyond graduation to transfer success, workforce entry, and living-wage attainment, with the goal of educating our students into prosperity and breaking multi-generational cycles of poverty.

Over 25 years, the results are clear.

In that period of time, Hartnell’s course success rates have increased, and course retention has improved by 10 percentage points. Annual degree and certificate awards have more than quadrupled. Full-time enrollment among Hispanic/Latino students has doubled. These gains reflect the thousands of students who persisted, completed, transferred, and returned to serve their communities.

Title V funding alone did not create these outcomes. But sustained, strategic investment made institutional redesign possible.

As national leaders debate the future of Title V, several realities must guide their decisions:

• HSIs are access institutions, and, in many rural and agricultural regions, they are the only local gateway to higher education.
• HSIs are workforce institutions, aligning learning with regional labor markets and economic needs.
• HSIs are economic engines that move students from low-wage, unstable work into skilled, living-wage careers, thereby helping to lift families out of poverty, strengthen local economies, and sustain regional industries.
• HSI funding improves public return on investment by reducing excess units, shortening time to completion, and leading students to the baccalaureate degree and to livable-wage jobs.
• HSI grants promote responsible innovation that is data-informed, outcomes-driven, and accountable to the public trust.

Removing Title V is like removing a leg from a four-legged stool. The system may stand briefly, but it will no longer be stable.

Hartnell College did not become an HSI by accident. We became one because our community changed, and because we accepted and embraced our responsibility to change with it.

After 25 years, the lesson is unmistakable: when institutions are designed around the realities of the students they serve, opportunity expands, families rise, and regional economies grow.

The question before us is not whether HSIs matter.

It is whether we are willing to invest in the institutions educating the students who will shape our shared future.

Source:

1. Excelencia in Education. (2026). Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs): 2026 Factbook. Washington, D.C.: Excelencia in Education.

The purpose of the Developing HSIs program legislated in 1992 of the Higher Education Act is to meet a clear national need — ensuring that institutions with low educational and general expenditures, a high enrollment of needy students, and disproportionately enrolling Latinos students — a young, fast-growing, significantly underrepresented population — can fairly compete for limited federal funds to strengthen their institutional capacity to offer access to a quality education.

Cancellation and redistribution of Title V funding: FY25

Institutions that successfully compete for federal Title V funds have Comprehensive Development Plans (CDPs) approved by ED for five years. Thus, in a given year, there are new grantees as well as non-competing continuations (NCCs) grantees — institutions in the process of fulfilling five-year plans. For example, in FY24, there were 49 new grantees (over $28 million) and 343 continuing grantees (over $191 million).

After 30 years of federal funding, the U.S. Department of Education (ED) canceled $229 million in HSI funding for FY25 and redistributed the funds to other institutions based on their assertion that the MSIs’ enrollment thresholds based on race/ethnicity were unconstitutional. The constitutionality of the MSI programs is being addressed through the judicial system currently without a timeline for a decision. This cancellation of funds left 49 institutions of the FY24 cohort without over $112 million in pre-approved Title V funds¹ and an additional estimated 200 non-competing continuation grantees (NCCs) without an estimated $100 million. The cancellation of these funds divests in HSIs across the country that had been approved to implement five-year comprehensive development plans to innovate and increase access to a quality education for all students.

Title V funding: FY26

Congress once again appropriated discretionary funds for HSIs under Title V totaling $259 million for FY26. Congress also appropriated $102 million for Title III Part A Strengthening Institutions program (SIP) and $78 million for other MSIs. However, in anticipation of the Administration’s decision to once again redistribute these funds beyond Congressional intent, language was included in the bill that would allow HSI and MSI funds to be combined with the SIP program instead of being redistributed to other programs.²

Background on Title V and eligibility

Title V of the Higher Education Act includes two programs that are federal, competitive discretionary grants for Hispanic-Serving Institutions to improve the quality of educational opportunities for the students they serve — acknowledging a high proportion of those enrolled are Hispanic and otherwise low-income students. Generally, grantees who successfully compete are awarded five-year individual development grants of up to $600,000 per year. While the funding is relatively small compared to an overall college/university budget, grantees invest in piloting new practices and innovations that can improve the quality of education for all students enrolled.

Institutions must apply to be eligible for Title III and V before they can apply for the competitive grant programs. To be designated eligible for the programs, institutions have to meet two basic criteria with thresholds set by ED: 1) a high enrollment of needy students, and, 2) low educational and general expenditures. For Title V, they must also meet a third criteria: meet the 25 percent or more undergraduate Hispanic FTE enrolled. Often when institutions state they have been “designated” an HSI, they are referring to being designated eligible for Title V. Once they are deemed eligible (as reflected in ED’s eligibility matrix), the institutions may compete for Title III or V funds.

In March 2026, ED released its notice for program eligibility with no mention of the eligibility criteria for the HSI or other MSI programs. This action has been interpreted as signaling the Administration’s intent to merge the funds for HSIs, other MSIs, and SIP into one. If this merging of funds is implemented, eligible HSIs will have to compete for limited capacity building funds amongst a much larger group of institutions. In FY25, over 1,100 institutions were eligible for Title III funding.³

How HSIs planned to use Title V federal investments

Targeted investments in HSIs are critical to expanding pathways into high-demand, high-wage fields because of the institutions’ low educational and general expenditures combined with their disproportionate enrollment of low-income, first-generation and Hispanic students. With limited access to information, networks, and career-aligned experiences, these students benefit from institutional efforts to modernize technology, strengthen teaching and support systems, and link education to workforce opportunities.

Excelencia in Education analyzed FY24 Title V Developing Hispanic-Serving Institutions (DHSI) program abstracts from funded institutions that were impacted by the Fall 2025 redistribution. This cohort of Title V grantees invested in piloting efforts in key areas of community and society need, including the following:

• Strengthening the healthcare workforce pipeline by expanding capacity in health programs through updated labs, equipment, and clinical training, while providing academic and mentoring support to improve completion of healthcare degrees.
• Modernizing learning infrastructure and academic programs by upgrading facilities, technology, including the integration of AI and other digital tools, and developing curricula aligned with workforce and industry needs.
• Strengthening faculty development and student-centered support systems by providing professional development, coaching, and advising models that strengthen persistence and completion.
• Linking students to workforce opportunities by building employer partnerships that provide internships, research opportunities, and career-aligned learning experiences.

For example, Miami Dade College’s Medical Campus was using federal HSI funding to ensure hospitals and clinics can hire well-prepared nurses, technicians, and other health professionals. To do so, the campus was modernizing labs, upgrading equipment, and training faculty so graduates would be ready as trained healthcare workers entering a region where demand is high. Canceling Title V support in the beginning of a five-year planned investment creates challenges for the institution to identify other sources of funding to continue this work or delay facility upgrades and limit the number of trained healthcare workers — directly impacting the access to opportunities for students, and the talent for the workforce in the local economy and society.

States affected by 2025 Title V cancellation and funding redistribution

Institutions in California, Texas, and Puerto Rico faced the largest funding shortfalls (ranging between estimates of $11 million and $46 million) and the highest number of institutions at risk (20, 7, and 5 institutions, respectively) because of the cancellation of Title V funding in FY25 and the anticipated lack of support for the remainder of the approved comprehensive development plans to increase access to a quality education and serve community needs.

Consider the totals below.

Source: Excelencia in Education’s analysis of the U.S. Department of Education, Developing Hispanic-Serving Institutions Program FY 2024 Fund Down the Slate New Award Abstracts. *Refers to the four out of five years of funding that institutions successfully competed for and are not receiving.

Given the need for many states to prioritize making college more affordable and increasing degree completion and outcomes, it will be challenging for states to step in and replace this level of federal support for institutional capacity building to meet the needs of the community.

From investment to sustaining impact: How federal funding has strengthened institutions

Moving from piloting and innovating new efforts and strategies to improve access to a quality education for today’s students, to institutionalizing what is working to serve more students and transform the institution to better serve their students define the critical federal investment in building institutional capacity for institutions with low educational and general expenses and a high enrollment of needy students. Excelencia collected and curated institutional examples and narratives to highlight the significant impact of federal funding and how institutions have sustained the work that began with Title V investments. The examples from some of what Excelencia has collected demonstrate what is possible when institutions are able to compete for, secure, and fully implement investments that enhance capacity and quality.

“…federal investment can catalyze long-term change — transforming one-time grant-funded events into sustainable, community-rooted practices that improve the quality of education and expand opportunity for all students.” — HSI practitioner

Without federal support through Title V funds, institutions shared they would not have had the opportunity to make lasting investments in the following areas:

• Embedding career exploration into core coursework: Institutions are integrating career development seminars into core curriculum and strengthening this support with designated, industry-diverse career mentors.
• Leveraging AI for financial education: Institutions are using AI to increase financial literacy, setting students up for long-term financial wellness.
• Strengthening industry partnerships: Institutions are facilitating industry partnerships to support students pursuing degrees in STEM, including aviation and aerospace sciences.
• Elevating high-impact research opportunities: Institutions are providing research opportunities alongside academic support with structured faculty engagement and student stipends.
• Implementing evidence-based course redesign: Institutions are shifting from deficit-based models to asset-based, culturally responsive approaches to teaching and student support, including through targeted support in high-risk online courses and course redesign.

For example, with Title V support, Texas A&M Corpus Christi partnered with iGrad, an interactive AI financial wellness platform, to support financial literacy for faculty, staff, students, and parents. While the effort started with a pilot group, the platform now serves the wider college community and educates students about student loan debt and teaches them how to manage their finances not only while in college, but for their career and lifetime beyond.

Continuing the federal role

Federal higher education policy has a deep history of supporting institutions that expand opportunity — especially those with limited resources serving high-need students. The HSI capacity-building framework is consistent with that approach: invest in the institutional conditions that improve completion and post-completion success. Excelencia’s research on HSI grant participation underscores that federal HSI grant programs have functioned as a “significant mechanism” for institutions to increase capacity to serve Latino and all, students, even as competition has increased.

For more information on Excelencia’s advocacy efforts to support Hispanic-Serving Institutions, please visit A Call to Action: Supporting Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs).

Sources:

1. Excelencia in Education’s analysis of the U.S. Department of Education, Developing Hispanic-Serving Institutions Program FY 2024 Fund Down the Slate New Award Abstracts.
2. U.S. Department of Education. “Title III Part A Programs — Strengthening Institutions.” U.S. Department of Education.
3. U.S. Department of Education. “Eligibility Designations for Higher Education Programs for FY2026.” U.S. Department of Education.

By: Jennifer Cowley, Ph.D., President, The University of Texas at Arlington

Across the nation, colleges and universities are navigating heightened scrutiny. Families want clearer outcomes. Employers want stronger preparation. Policymakers want a return on public investment. These expectations are reshaping how institutions understand student success — not only as an individual achievement, but as a measure of whether our systems are keeping pace with the students we serve.

At The University of Texas at Arlington (UTA), we’ve learned that first-generation student success — particularly for Latino students, who are disproportionately represented in that population — is a powerful lens for understanding that alignment. For that reason, earning and maintaining our Seal of Excelencia certification has been a strategic priority as we strengthen systems that support students through integrated data, practice, and leadership. When the students who represent the future of our state are thriving, it signals that our structures are fulfilling their purpose. And when we fine-tune our systems — financial aid, advising, and data analytics — with these students in mind, we’re bolstering the structures that support all students.

Affordability: Building a Foundation for Every Student

Nationwide, affordability remains one of the strongest predictors of whether students enter college, stay enrolled, and complete a degree. Among adults who stopped out or never enrolled in college, 85% cite cost as a key reason, and 77% point to the need to work as a major factor.¹ For many students, financial stability is inseparable from academic progress.

That reality shaped our approach at UTA. We created Blaze Forward, a $500 million institutional investment that covers full tuition and fees for Texans with family incomes under $100,000, with an aspiration to expand eligibility to $125,000 by 2030. Nearly half of the students supported through Blaze Forward are Latino.

Programs like this do more than remove financial barriers — they change what’s possible. Students who might have taken fewer classes or worked multiple jobs can focus fully on their studies and their future. Since launching Blaze Forward, we’ve seen consistent gains in retention and degree completion, especially among first-generation and Latino students.

We’ve also built safety nets for the unexpected. Our No-Drop for Non-Payment policy allows students experiencing temporary financial hardship to remain enrolled while they resolve balances. The policy has supported more than 3,400 students — 29% of them Latino — and nearly 700 have graduated. These numbers represent more than fiscal responsibility; they represent faith in human potential.

This is how we bring accountability to affordability — by ensuring every dollar invested translates into student progress. It’s a model of shared responsibility: We commit the resources, and students gain the stability they need to meet high expectations.

Institutional Capacity: Making Success Inevitable

Research across multiple institutions shows that the most effective retention gains come from systems that intervene early — flagging concerns, connecting students to resources, and preventing small obstacles from becoming stopping points.² These findings reinforce a simple truth: Student success is engineered through the institutional capacity and systems we choose to build.

At UTA, we’ve been intentional about making holistic student support the rule, not the exception. Our Advising Enhancement Plan reimagined how advisors, faculty, and administrators work together. Through Civitas Learning analytics, advisors can identify students at risk of falling behind and reach out early — often before students realize they need help. That shift from reactive to proactive support has become part of our institutional DNA.

We’ve also invested heavily in our people. Faculty participate in professional development through the Association of College and University Educators, the UT System’s Exemplary Student Pathways program, and the Student Experience Project — all aimed at strengthening the learning environment. These investments not only enhance teaching, they also create a campus culture where everyone feels responsible for student outcomes.

This year, we’ll take that a step further with the Center for Access and Student Achievement (CASA), which will bring access-oriented grants and programs under one roof. CASA’s role is to turn coordination into capacity — to align our federal programs, outreach efforts, and first-generation initiatives in a way that amplifies their impact.

This kind of structural commitment matters. Success that lasts must be designed into the system itself.

Retention and Student Success: Measuring What Matters

Retention is where our values meet reality. Nationally, research shows that first-year retention is one of the strongest indicators of eventual program completion.³ Further research suggests that when colleges invest in closing retention gaps — through supports, advising, and high-impact practices — outcomes improve significantly.⁴ ⁵ ⁶

At UTA, Latino student first-year retention for our 2024 cohort now stands at 76% — up seven percentage points in just one year, bringing it fully in line with the broader student population. Those results are more than institutional milestones; they’re a window into what’s working.

Mavs RISE is one example of how we got there. Designed for conditionally admitted first-year students, the program pairs academic coaching with workshops on financial wellness, time management, and study strategies. This approach mirrors national findings that structured coaching can improve persistence by 5 to 14 percentage points.⁷ At UTA, 91% of Mavs RISE students engaged with their academic coaches last year, contributing to higher GPAs and a 10% decrease in students placed on academic probation. Sixty-three percent finished the year in good academic standing, up from 55% the year before.

The Academic Success Center extends that continuum of support through tutoring, supplemental instruction, and peer-led team learning — methods shown nationally to boost pass rates and persistence, especially for first-generation and underrepresented students. Among first-time-in-college Latino students who participated in peer-led team learning at UTA, retention was 84%, compared with 79% for those who did not. Structured, collaborative learning is crucial for building the sense of academic community that keeps students moving forward.

And when barriers do arise, our Graduation Help Desk provides timely, personalized solutions. National research shows that clearing administrative holds and resolving roadblocks for near-completers can significantly increase graduation rates. At UTA, our team resolves academic and financial holds — often within 24 hours. It’s a reminder that sometimes the most effective interventions are also the simplest: fast help, human connection, and follow-through.

Together, these approaches make progress predictable. When institutions are intentional about removing friction from the student experience, retention stops being a statistic and becomes a design principle.

Redefining Excellence Through Outcomes

The future of higher education hinges on who crosses our finish lines — and on whether they leave ready to contribute to our civic life and workforce with confidence and purpose. The success of first-generation students tells us whether the systems we build are strong enough, fair enough, and responsive enough to serve every student.

At UTA, those outcomes are measurable. We are ranked No. 2 in Texas for social mobility, reflecting our ability to help students — many from modest means — earn degrees that lead to meaningful careers with low, manageable debt. We are also ranked nationally for helping graduates earn competitive wages. Altogether, these outcomes speak to the economic and social impact public universities can deliver when access is paired with intentional support.

Results like these are a powerful reason why recognition like the Seal of Excelencia matters, and why we are proud to have achieved recertification in 2025. By investing in affordability, building institutional capacity, and measuring what matters, we meet the demands placed on higher education — greater accountability, clearer outcomes, demonstrated value. But we also honor a promise that predates any accountability metric: that public universities exist to create opportunity.

That is the paradox we too often overlook: The work designed to support first-generation students — including Latino and other post-traditional learners — is the very work that makes our institutions more effective, more resilient, and more capable of serving all students well. What appears to be targeted becomes, in practice, transformational.

Sources:

1. National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA). “The Biggest Barriers to Higher Ed Enrollment Are Cost and Lack of Financial Aid” (2024). https://www.nasfaa.org/news-item/34147/Report_The_Biggest_Barriers_to_Higher_Ed_Enrollment_Are_Cost_and_Lack_of_Financial_Aid
2. U.S. Dept. of Education. A Playbook for Holistic Advising and Wraparound Services (2024). https://www.ed.gov/sites/ed/files/2024-09/RTB-Holistic%20Advising%20and%20Wraparound%20Services.pdf
3. National Student Clearinghouse Research Center. Persistence and Retention: 2025 Snapshot Report. https://nscresearchcenter.org/persistence-retention/
4. Association of American Colleges & Universities (AAC&U). High-Impact Practices. https://www.aacu.org/trending-topics/high-impact
5. U.S. Dept. of Education. A Playbook for Holistic Advising and Wraparound Services (2024). https://www.ed.gov/sites/ed/files/2024-09/RTB-Holistic%20Advising%20and%20Wraparound%20Services.pdf
6. McLennan Community College, Center for Teaching and Learning. High-Impact Practices: Evidence & Outcomes (Annotated Bibliography). https://www.mclennan.edu/center-for-teaching-and-learning/docs/Annotated%20Bibliography%20-%20Evidence%20and%20Outcomes.pdf
7. National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER). Bettinger, E., & Baker, R. (2011). The Effects of Student Coaching on College Success. https://www.nber.org/papers/w16881

By Mike Muñoz, Ed.D., Superintendent-President, Long Beach City College, and President in Residence, Excelencia in Education

The future of higher education in America stands at a crossroads. As legal and political challenges call into question the very definition of what it means to be a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI), we must not lose sight of what’s truly at stake. Latino students are the fastest-growing segment of our nation’s college-going population. Their success is not a special interest, it is the foundation upon which the future of higher education rests.

At Long Beach City College (LBCC), where nearly 60% of students identify as Latino, this truth is lived every day. As a Seal of Excelencia certified institution, we’ve made a deep and enduring commitment to serving Latino students not just in name, but in practice. That commitment has transformed our systems, our culture, and our outcomes.

Our guiding belief is simple: When we intentionally build the capacity to serve Latino students well, every student benefits.

From Diversity to Intentional Services

LBCC’s journey has been one of transformation — moving from diversity as a descriptor to intentional service as a defining practice.

We began by asking difficult but necessary questions: Are we truly serving our Latino students, or simply enrolling them? Where are the barriers in our systems? Where are our students thriving and where are they being left behind?

Those questions pushed us to reimagine how we operate as an institution. We shifted from isolated programs to an integrated ecosystem approach, ensuring that every part of the college — academic affairs, student services, human resources, and community partnerships — works in alignment toward equity.

This ecosystem model is not about doing more; it’s about doing better, together. It’s about aligning structures, systems, and culture so that every student experiences LBCC as a place where they are seen, valued, and supported to succeed. This intentional alignment is one of the core reasons LBCC earned the Seal of Excelencia — national recognition that affirms our evidence-based, equity-centered approach to serving Latino students.

Building Systems that Serve

True capacity building requires infrastructure and systems that make equity sustainable. At LBCC, this capacity building was made possible through intentional institutional investment — expanding data infrastructure, dedicating staff to student success initiatives, and fostering cross-campus collaboration among academic affairs, student services, institutional effectiveness, and community partners. These shared efforts ensured that equity was not the responsibility of one office, but a collective institutional priority.

Through Guided Pathways, we redesigned the student experience from entry to completion, providing clear academic routes and proactive support. Our counselors now use data-informed tools to connect with students earlier and more often, preventing problems before they become barriers.

Our Promise Program, which provides two years of free tuition, continues to transform access to higher education for thousands of students — many of them first-generation or from low-income families. But the real power of Promise lies in its wraparound support: mentorship, dedicated counseling, and a strong sense of belonging.

We also strengthened our commitment to the mattering and belonging of our students, which has become the heart of culturally affirming engagement on campus. The CCL helps Latino students navigate college while affirming their identity and community. It’s a space that says, “You belong here.”

Through strengthening our commitment to the mattering and belonging of our students, this has become the rallying cry of culturally affirming engagement on campus. LBCC has created an ecosystem that helps Latino students navigate college while affirming their identity and community. And because success depends on meeting students’ full range of needs, we’ve expanded our Basic Needs Program to address food, housing, and wellness. Through our Viking Vault food pantry, emergency grants, and mental health services, we’ve built a safety net that allows students to focus on learning rather than survival.

These investments have paid off in historic outcomes.

Measurable Progress and Record Achievements

In the last three years, LBCC has achieved several milestones that reflect the power of intentional capacity building:

• Regained Large College Status — LBCC once again qualifies as a Large College under California’s funding formula, unlocking additional state resources. This recognition represents both growth and renewed vitality.
• Largest Enrollment in College History — This past year, LBCC celebrated the largest enrollment class in our 98-year history, even as many colleges across the nation continue to face declines.
• Historic Gains in Latino Student Success — Latino students are now the highest-performing group in completing transfer-level English in their first year, reversing historic equity gaps and setting a new standard for academic achievement.
• Stronger Post-Completion Outcomes — LBCC has expanded workforce partnerships and transfer pathways that support Latino graduates in securing family-sustaining careers and advancing along long-term degree pathways.
• Transformation of Campus Climate — Over the past three years, we’ve seen student perceptions of mattering and belonging rise from 49% to 92%. That’s not just a statistic — it’s a cultural shift. It means our students feel valued, seen, and supported like never before.

These are not isolated wins; they are the results of building capacity across systems, people, and culture.

Culture and Climate: Transformation with Cariño

While structures and systems form the foundation, culture and climate are the soul of sustainable change.

At LBCC, we have been intentional about fostering a culture where equity isn’t just a goal — it’s a shared value. We talk often about being a “student-ready college,” one that adapts to meet students where they are rather than expecting them to navigate outdated systems alone.

Through our Cultural Curriculum Audit, faculty have reexamined their courses to ensure that what students learn reflects their histories, communities, and contributions. Our Leadership Equity Congress develops faculty and staff who can lead with an equity lens in every role.

And this cultural transformation is reflected in how our students experience LBCC. When we first began measuring student belonging, fewer than half of our students felt that they mattered to the college. Three years later, that number has surged to over 90%. That change didn’t happen by accident, it’s the product of an ecosystem designed around relationships, relevance, and respect.

When students feel they belong, persistence and performance follow. This dramatic shift in belonging is also reflected in student outcomes: As students report stronger connections to the institution, we have seen corresponding gains in persistence, term-to-term retention, and progress toward completion. But more than that, belonging is the foundation of hope, and hope is what fuels student success.

The Broader Lesson: Building Capacity for the Nation’s Future

LBCC’s story reflects a larger truth about higher education in America: The success of Latino students is the success of higher education itself.

When we invest in building the capacity to serve — through structures, systems, culture, and climate — we create colleges that are more resilient, inclusive, and innovative. We build institutions that live up to the promise of opportunity that defines our democracy.

Across the country, Seal of Excelencia certified institutions are showing what’s possible when service becomes intentional. The question before us is not whether we can serve Latino students well, it’s whether we will choose to do so with courage and consistency. To sustain and expand this work nationally, state and federal policymakers must invest in evidence-based strategies that strengthen capacity at institutions serving Latino students. Supporting data infrastructure, student success initiatives, and equity-centered innovation will ensure that colleges across the country can deliver on the promise of higher education for this growing student population.

A Personal Reflection

As a first-generation college graduate, I know what it feels like to step onto a campus and wonder if you belong. I also know how life-changing it is when an institution makes you feel that you do.

That’s why this work is deeply personal to me. When we build the capacity to serve Latino students with excellence, we are not just transforming institutions, we are transforming lives.

Introduction

In 2026, institutions of higher education are at the center of national conversations about what economic mobility and prosperity look like for our country. Students seek pathways to prepare them for the workforce that provide economic and social mobility. These students are increasingly completing their degrees outside of what we know as a “traditional” college pathway, and Latino students represent a post-traditional experience. They are more likely to come from low-income backgrounds, often attending college part-time, caring for dependents, working while enrolled, and/or transferring between institutions along their path to degree completion.

Latino students represent the future of America’s workforce. Our past analysis underscores the youth, growth, and attainment rates of this population. As a fast-growing college-going population, Latino students are in a unique position to continue to grow America’s economy. Our nation’s prosperity depends on academic excellence for Latino, and all, students.

Educational excellence for all exists when we keep our post-traditional students, notably our Latino students, at the center of the national discussion. Excelencia remains steadfast in our commitment to serve as the leading and trusted source of information about Latino students in higher education and the institutions serving them so that policymakers can make informed decisions about how to ensure educational opportunities for all students.

Intentionally serving Latino, and all, students at scale depends on knowing and implementing what works to accelerate Latino student success at the institutional, state, and federal levels. To that end, we are launching Voces y Excelencia: Leadership in Action, a new series on our Medium page that will bring you insights and stories from leaders in our national network who are innovating to deliver positive impact for students, their communities, and our country.

Excelencia in Action Network

Excelencia leads a community of practice made up of institutional and program leaders committed to making their campuses learning environments where Latino, and all, students thrive. Excelencia in Action (E-Action) is a network of more than 200 postsecondary leaders from 28 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico that collaborate with Excelencia in Education to ensure that Latino talent meets opportunity by providing access to quality education. Together, they leverage collective expertise and resources, foster partnerships, and amplify current efforts at the national level. Representing only 6% of colleges and universities, institutions affiliated with the network enroll 34% and graduate 36% of all Latino students in the country. This network also enrolls 18% and graduates 19% of all students nationwide.

Among the more than 200, 48 institutions have earned the Seal of Excelencia — a national certification for colleges and universities going beyond enrollment to intentionally serve Latino, and all, students and taking responsibility for providing access to excellence. Seal-certified institutions demonstrate positive momentum among key areas, including higher retention rates, Latino faculty representation, and graduation rates.

Excelencia’s Policy Priorities

Excelencia in Education’s Policy Agenda is grounded in leadership, data, and practice, providing recommendations to accelerate Latino student success, while increasing all student success, to close gaps in degree attainment. Based on continuing discussions with leaders from our E-Action network, the current profile of Latino students in higher education, and evidence-based practices increasing Latino student success, Excelencia’s policy priorities are key to serving Latino, and all, students at scale. Four policy issues were continually raised among leading institutions committed to supporting Latino student success: 1) workforce, 2) institutional capacity, 3) college affordability, and 4) retention and transfer. Focusing on these priorities serves all students and disproportionately benefits Latino students.

Voces Series

Leaders of institutions in the E-Action network that are Seal-certified have demonstrated strategic efforts to transform their institutions to accelerate Latino student success while serving all students. Excelencia is bringing together higher education leaders who are meeting this moment in our new series on Medium, Voces y Excelencia: Leadership in Action. We invite you to hear from them directly as they share stories and perspectives on how investing in workforce, institutional capacity, affordability, and retention and transfer on their campuses ensures a quality education for Latino, and all, students, addressing the needs of America’s workforce.

“Talent is everywhere. Opportunity is not. We don’t always serve all of our communities equally well. HSIs ensure opportunity meets talent — strengthening America as a whole.” – Diana Natalicio, former president, University of Texas at El Paso

A few weeks ago, the Department of Justice (DoJ) decided not to defend the constitutionality of the federally legislated Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) programs in response to a lawsuit by the Tennessee Attorney General. The July 25, 2025 letter to Speaker Mike Johnson states the government lacks any legitimate interest in differentiating among universities based on whether “a specified number of seats in each class” are occupied by “individuals from the preferred ethnic groups.”

However, as federal courts have noted, there is “nothing nefarious about [Congress’s] awareness of racial demographics” when designing programs to address disparities. The HSI programs are a strategic, competitive, capacity-building investment in the institutions that disproportionately educate America’s fastest-growing student population amongst all enrolled. Using data to direct resources to institutions where Latino students are concentrated, similar to directing resources to rural communities, is not race-based discrimination — it is pragmatic policy.

Further, the amount of federal funds allotted for competitive HSI grants are small relative to the transformational work invested for innovation that improve educational outcomes for all enrolled students, regardless of race. HSIs operate with fewer resources yet serve the fastest-growing segment of the college-age population. Supporting HSIs is therefore a strategic investment in America’s competitiveness, democracy, and shared prosperity. Ending HSI support would not erase racial disparities; it would ignore them and weaken the nation’s ability to develop the educated workforce and informed citizenry it needs.

The DoJ position not to defend the constitutionality of the HSI programs ignores three realities:

1. HSIs Are About Capacity, Not Quotas: HSI grants provide institutional support, not individual preference. These are grants to institutions — not scholarships to students. Further, an institution does not automatically receive funds because it has become an HSI; the grants are competitive. In fact, only about one-third of HSIs have ever been awarded a grant.

• HSIs use federal grants to modernize curriculum, innovate and expand student support services for today’s students, strengthen faculty development, and initiate workforce development programs that become institutionalized and can benefit all enrolled students, not any single group.
• The majority of HSIs are in states where race has not been allowed for use in admissions for years, such as California, Florida, Texas, and Washington. In fact, the majority of HSIs have open admissions, meaning there are no selection criteria; students only need to register.¹ Students are not admitted or denied based on race.
• Last year, HSIs enrolled 30% and graduated almost 32% of all undergraduates in the U.S. even though they represented only 20% of all colleges in the country. Further, while HSIs enrolled 65% of all Latinos, these institutions also enrolled 42% of all Asian, 24% of all Black, and 18% of all White undergraduates enrolled nationwide.

2. HSIs Expand Access and Are Proven Drivers of Mobility: The HSI programs fulfill a clear federal responsibility articulated in the Higher Education Act to expand opportunities for students across the country. HSIs also prepare many low-income first-generation students for meaningful careers with limited resources — a significant return on the federal investment.

• By federal definition, HSIs that receive competitive funds must enroll large shares of low-income students and operate with low educational costs, in addition to enrolling a high concentration of Hispanic students.²
• While highly resourced universities maintain endowments in the billions, about one-third of HSIs do not have endowments. Of HSIs with endowments, their endowments hold under $20 million, placing them among the least-resourced institutions in higher education.³
• HSIs represent more than one-third of the nation’s top institutions for economic mobility — reflecting a person’s ability to improve their economic status over the course of their lifetimes. Investment in HSIs’ capacity to provide access to a quality education disproportionately adds value to the country’s economy.

3. HSIs Are About National Need, Not Racial Favoritism: Congress explicitly tied investment in HSIs to the national interest of closing education gaps that weaken our workforce and democracy. HSIs are in more than half of all states; they play a vital role in expanding access to higher education. Improving the capacity and quality of HSIs increases access to educational opportunity for millions of Americans of all backgrounds and closes education gaps to meet a national need.

• HSIs are based on geography and demography, not preferential treatment. HSIs reflect where Latino populations live and enroll. Students regularly attend a college near home, so HSIs emerged organically in growing Latino communities. They may also be the only educational option for those in certain locations. HSIs have evolved to provide access to opportunity for all who enroll in their changing community — many students are more likely to be low-income, first-generation, and attend under-resourced K-12 schools.
• Latinos are the fastest-growing college-age population and already make up 1 in 5 U.S. students in higher education, and 1 in 4 students in K-12 education.⁴ While Latino adults have made progress, they still have lower levels of degree attainment than the national average, a gap that undermines U.S. workforce competitiveness.

For more information about HSIs, please visit Excelencia’s webpage here.

Sources

1. Excelencia in Education analysis of U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), 2023 Fall Enrollment, Institutional Characteristics, Finance, and Student Financial Aid Surveys.
2. Title V, Part A of Higher Education Act (HEA), as amended (20 U.S.C. 1101–1101d; 1103–1103g)
3. Excelencia in Education analysis of U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), 2023 Fall Enrollment, Institutional Characteristics, Finance, and Student Financial Aid Surveys.
4. Excelencia in Education analysis of U.S. Census Bureau, 2023 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates.

As one of the fastest-growing and youngest demographic groups in the United States, Latinos are uniquely positioned to shape the nation’s future. Their increasing representation in colleges and universities has profound implications for economic growth and social mobility. Fields like healthcare, technology, and engineering — sectors experiencing rapid growth and requiring advanced degrees — underscore the critical need for increased Latino degree attainment to meet workforce demands. Latinos not only have the potential but also the determination to fill these vital roles. Despite persistent challenges, Latinos have made remarkable strides in enrollment and degree attainment, underscoring their potential to meet the nation’s workforce needs. This post examines a young and growing Latino population, trends in college enrollment and attainment, and the looming challenges of the demographic cliff. It concludes by exploring actionable strategies to harness Latino talent, emphasizing the urgent need for investment in their success and our nation’s future.

A Young and Growing Population

Latinos are one of the youngest demographic groups in the nation. In 2023, nearly one in three Latinos (29%) were under the age of 18, while ages 18–44 made up the largest share at 41%. By comparison, just 21% were aged 45–64, and only 9% were 65 or older.¹

Latinos are younger compared to other racial/ethnic groups. Those under 45 make up 51% of the White population, 61% of the Asian population, and 63% of the Black population, whereas 70% of the Latino population are under 45.²

Source: Excelencia in Education analysis of U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2023 (PUMS, Annual Estimates of the Resident Population by Sex, Age, Race, and Hispanic Origin for the United States).

Latinos are not only a young population but a growing population. Latinos are projected to grow more than any other racial or ethnic group over the next decade. In 2020, Latinos comprised 19% of the total U.S. population, which is expected to rise to 21% by 2030 (a growth of 10 million people).³ This growth is driven largely by domestic births rather than immigration, reflecting a significant shift in population dynamics.

The Black and Asian populations are also projected to grow by 2030 (by 6 million and 5 million, respectively).⁴ At the same time, the White population is projected to decrease by 2030 (by 4 million).⁵

Source: Excelencia in Education analysis of U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2023 (PUMS, Annual Estimates of the Resident Population by Sex, Age, Race, and Hispanic Origin for the United States).

With 70% of Latinos under age 45 and the population projected to grow by 10 million over the next decade, Latinos will play a critical role in shaping the future of the U.S. workforce. As older generations retire, Latinos will be instrumental in filling workforce gaps across industries, particularly in sectors requiring a college degree.

Latino College-Going Rate and Enrollment

Latinos have made significant strides in higher education. Between 2000 and 2022, the college-going rate for Latino students increased from 49% to 58%, representing the largest growth among any racial or ethnic group.⁶ During the same period, rates for Black students rose modestly (57% to 60%), while rates for White and Asian students slightly declined.⁷ Despite this progress, Latinos still have opportunities to further narrow the gaps in college-going rates and educational attainment.

Source: Excelencia in Education analysis of U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), Digest of Education Statistics, [2022], Table 302.20. Percentage of recent high school completers enrolled in college, by race/ethnicity and level of institution: 1960 through 2022.

Looking ahead, Latino college enrollment is expected to grow significantly. From 2020 to 2030, enrollment is projected to rise from 3.7 million to 4.5 million students, a 21% increase.⁸ In contrast, Black student enrollment is projected to grow by 19%, while White and Asian student enrollment will remain largely stable or decline slightly.⁹ This growth positions Latino students as a pivotal force in the future of American higher education, especially as overall enrollments are projected to decline in the coming years.

Source: Excelencia in Education analysis of U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), Digest of Education Statistics, [2022], Table 306.30. Fall enrollment of U.S. residents in degree-granting postsecondary institutions, by race/ethnicity: Selected years, 1976 through 2030

The Demographic Cliff

According to the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE), the number of high school graduates is expected to peak in the mid-2020s before entering a period of steady decline through the end of 2041.¹⁰ This is commonly referred to as the “demographic cliff.” The country produced about 3.8 million high school graduates in the Class of 2019 and is projected to peak at 3.9 million in the Class of 2025.¹¹ After 2025, due in large part to the decline in births during and following the Great Recession (2008 to present), the U.S. should expect fewer graduates in all graduating classes between 2026 and 2041.¹²

While the demographic cliff poses significant challenges for higher education, Latino students offer a pathway to defy these trends and sustain America’s future. With their young demographic profile and increasing college-going rates, Latinos are projected to drive enrollment growth even as overall high school graduate numbers decline. By 2030, Latino college enrollment is expected to rise from 3.7 million to 4.5 million students, representing the largest increase among all racial and ethnic groups. This growth underscores the importance of creating accessible pathways to higher education and to go beyond enrollment to intentionally SERVE Latino, and all, students.

A Path Forward

What does it mean to go beyond enrollment to intentionally SERVE Latino students? Excelencia established Presidents for Latino Student Success (P4LSS), a network of more than 206 postsecondary leaders from 27 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico committed to a collective goal with Excelencia in Education of Ensuring America’s Future by making our country stronger with the talents, skills, and contributions of Latino college graduates. In 2024, the P4LSS network represented only 6% of colleges/universities yet enrolled 33% and graduated 35% of all Latino students. Comparing the P4LSS network to all institutions:

• Students are more likely to receive Pell Grants and less likely to receive federal student loans or total grant aid.
• Retention rates are higher.
• Latino faculty representation is about twice as high.

After working with institutional leaders, Excelencia established the Seal of Excelencia as a way to set higher expectations of institutional efforts. The Seal is a national certification for institutions that strive to go beyond enrollment to intentionally SERVE Latino students and demonstrate their commitment to continue their transformation journey to ensure they are places where Latino, and all, students thrive.

The 46 Seal of Excelencia certified institutions represent less than 1% of colleges/universities yet enroll 17% and graduate 19% of all Latino students in 2024. Further, data show Seal-certified institutions are leading nationally in serving Latino and all students beyond enrollment and graduation. Among Seal-certified institutions:

• All undergraduates have higher retention rates than students at all institutions.
• Latinos have higher graduation rates than Latinos nationally.
• Latino faculty representation is almost three times higher than at all institutions.

To build on the collective efforts of these institutional leaders, Exclencia released an updated 2024 Policy Agenda. Excelencia’s policy priorities are grounded in the strengths and needs of the Latino community and evidence-based practices that support Latinos’ academic achievement and that of other post-traditional students. To accelerate Latino student success, policymakers should invest in affordability, institutional capacity, retention and transfer, and workforce preparation strategies and practices.

Conclusion

Addressing current challenges in higher education — such as access, affordability, retention and transfer — will be essential as the Latino population continues to grow and diversify. Latinos are not just a growing demographic but a vital source of talent for the degree-required career pathways that drive our economy. As they increasingly enter these fields, Latinos will significantly contribute to innovation, growth, and societal progress. Investing in their potential is a practical necessity, as our country’s future prosperity depends on ensuring a thriving society for all.

Sources

1. Excelencia in Education analysis of U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2023 (PMUS, Annual Estimates of the Resident Population by Sex, Age, Race, and Hispanic Origin for the United States.
2. Ibid.
3. Ibid.
4. Ibid.
5. Ibid.
6. Excelencia in Education analysis of U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), Digest of Education Statistics, [2022], Table 302.20. Percentage of recent high school completers enrolled in college, by race/ethnicity and level of institution: 1960 through 2022.
7. Ibid.
8. Excelencia in Education analysis of U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), Digest of Education Statistics, [2022], Table 306.30. Fall enrollment of U.S. residents in degree-granting postsecondary institutions, by race/ethnicity: Selected years, 1976 through 2030
9. Ibid.
10. Lane, P., Falkenstern, C., & Bransberger, P. (2024). Knocking at the College Door: Projections of High School Graduates. Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education. https://www.wiche.edu/knocking.
11. Ibid.
12. Ibid.

Increasing Latino degree attainment is key to our nation’s prosperity. Latinos currently represent about one in five Americans, and their population continues to grow. This growth has led to a substantial increase in our nation’s overall degree attainment and the number of new workers entering the workforce. In 2021, Latino students represented nearly 80% of our nation’s growth in degree attainment and by 2031, Latinos will make up 91% of the new workforce. As our country moves forward as a knowledge-based economy, it is crucial that our future workforce, Latinos, are well-educated. A clear profile of Latino students in post-secondary education and the institutions where they enroll is needed to inform and compel action to advance their educational success.

Who are Latino students?

Latino students represent the growing majority of college students today– a post-traditional student profile. However, too often a traditional profile of students, which represents a shrinking number, dominates policy and planning discussions. For example, Latino students are more likely than their White peers to be the first in their family to attend college, enroll part-time or mix their enrollment, and work while enrolled. As post-traditional students, Latinos need to balance life circumstances, work, and their education. To intentionally serve Latino students, institutions and decision-makers need to understand their profile:¹

• Latinos are more likely to be first-generation college students than other racial/ethnic groups. Over half of Latinos (51%) were the first in their family to attend college, compared to African American (38%), Asian (30%), and White (22%) students (see Figure 1).
• Latino students are more likely to enroll part-time or mix their enrollment than be enrolled full-time. Nearly 54% of Latino students enrolled part-time or mixed their enrollment while 46% enrolled full-time.
• Most Latino students work while enrolled. Over 80% of Latino students worked 20 hours or more a week to finance their education. About 34% of Latino students worked 40 hours or more, 22% worked 30 to 39 hours, 25% worked 20–29 hours, and 19% worked 1 to 19 hours per week.

Figure 1.

Source: Excelencia in Education analysis of U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, 2019–20 National Postsecondary Student Aid Study (NPSAS:20)

How Latinos Pay for College

The rising cost of college heavily impacts low-income students. Latino students are disproportionately low-income, demonstrate high financial need, and are making pragmatic choices to pay for a college education. As Latinos are one of the fastest-growing racial/ethnic groups in postsecondary education, consider the following:²

• Not all Latino students who apply for financial aid receive aid. Almost three-quarters (74%) of Latino students applied for financial aid. However, a smaller percentage of Latinos received some form of financial aid in the 2019–20 academic year — 72%.
• Latino students are more likely to receive federal grant aid than to accept federal loans. Almost half (47%) of all Latino students received federal grants and about 30% accepted federal loans (see Figure 2).

Figure 2.

Source: Excelencia in Education analysis of U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, 2019–20 National Postsecondary Student Aid Study (NPSAS:20).

Latinos’ Degree Attainment

While a lower percentage of Latino adults have earned college degrees compared to all adults, Latino students represent a majority of our nation’s growth in degree attainment. In the past five years, Latinos accounted for almost 80% of the increase in the overall number of certificates and degrees earned (nearly 190,000). In the same timeframe, Latinos’ degree attainment increased by 23%. While all communities must increase their degree attainment to meet our national goals, Latinos must accelerate their attainment in order for the U.S. to regain the top ranking in the world for college degree attainment.³

Latinos in the Workforce

Although there has been significant growth in Latinos’ degree attainment, the growth has been mostly concentrated at the certificate and associate levels, limiting access to the economic benefits of a bachelor’s degree — which is required for most high-paying positions. By 2031, a majority (72%) of jobs in the U.S. will require postsecondary education and/or training.

Latinos have the highest labor force participation of all groups. Two-thirds (66%) of Latinos (16 years or older) participated in the labor force in 2022, compared to 65% of Asians, 62% of Whites, and 62% of African Americans. By 2031, Latinos will make up 91% of the new workforce.

The future of the United States’ economy relies on the investments we are making now in the education of our future workforce: Latino students.

Which institutions are uniquely positioned to serve Latino students?

A clear profile of the institutions Latinos choose to attend provides a focus for directing efforts and resources to invest in accelerating Latino student success. For example, Latinos are more likely to attend public institutions, especially community colleges, Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs), and Seal of Excelencia certified institutions.

HSIs are a critical set of institutions enrolling Latino students. HSIs are defined in federal legislation as accredited, degree-granting, public or private not-for-profit institutions of higher education with 25% or more total undergraduate Hispanic full-time equivalent student (FTE) enrollment.⁴ As the Latino student population grows, the number of HSIs changes each year making these institutions uniquely positioned to serve Latino students. Consider the following:⁵

• HSIs represent a small segment of higher education yet enroll the majority of Latino undergraduates. In 2022–23, 20% of all colleges and universities were HSIs and enrolled 63% of all Latino undergraduates.
• The number of HSIs is growing significantly. The number of HSIs has increased to 600 in 2022–23 up from 571 in 2021–22 (an increase of 29 institutions, compared to an increase of 12 the year before).
• A majority of HSIs are four-year institutions. Overall, 60% of HSIs are four-year institutions (public — 30%; private — 30%), and 40% are two-year institutions (public — 39%; private — 1%).
• The majority of HSIs are public institutions. Overall, 69% of HSIs are public and 31% are private.
• Latino representation at HSIs is high. Almost half of students enrolled at HSIs (46%) are Latino (see Figure 3).

Figure 3.

Source: Excelencia in Education analysis of U.S. Department of Education, NCES, IPEDS, 2022 Fall Enrollment, Institutional Characteristics, and Completions Surveys.

Given the role of HSIs in educating nearly half of our nation’s Latino students, investing in these institutions can improve the quality of education provided. Since 1995, one key source the federal government has allocated funding to support HSIs has been through the Title V, Developing Hispanic-Serving Institutions competitive grant program. The purpose of this program is to “expand educational opportunities for, and improve the academic attainment of, Hispanic students” and to “expand and enhance the academic offerings, program quality, and institutional stability” of institutions educating the majority of Hispanic students — HSIs.

In the last decade, federal spending to support HSIs has increased. In 2022, the Department of Education (ED) allocated $257 million in competitive grants to support HSIs, representing a 29% increase since 2012.⁶ Despite the increase in federal funding, the growth in HSIs has exceeded the numbers of those receiving Title V grants. Between 2011 and 2021, the number of HSIs has increased by 60% while funding to the Title V program has increased by 49% (see Figure 4). Additionally, while most HSIs have applied for Title V funds at least once, less than a third have successfully received this funding.⁷

Figure 4.

Source: Excelencia in Education analysis using U.S. Department of Education, NCES, IPEDS, 1994–2020 Fall Enrollment and Institutional Characteristics Surveys; and, U.S. Department of Education, Developing Hispanic-Serving Institutions Program — Title V Funding Status, https://www2.ed.gov/programs/idueshsi/funding.html

The increasingly competitive nature of Title V federal funding and increased community attention has increased the importance for HSIs to plan effectively for grant competitions and utilize funds to intentionally SERVE Latino students among those enrolled.

But what does it mean to go beyond enrollment to intentionally SERVE Latino students? Excelencia established the Seal of Excelencia in 2018 after working with institutional leaders as a way to set higher expectations of institutional efforts. The Seal is a national certification for institutions that strive to go beyond enrollment to intentionally SERVE Latino students and demonstrate their commitment to continue their transformation journey to ensure they are places where Latino, and all, students thrive.

The 39 Seal of Excelencia certified institutions represented less than 1% of colleges/universities yet enrolled 15% and graduated 17% of all Latino students in 2023. Further, data show Seal-certified institutions are leading nationally in serving Latino and all students beyond enrollment and graduation. Among Seal-certified institutions:

• All undergraduates have higher retention rates than students at all institutions.
• Latino faculty representation is almost three times higher than at all institutions.
• Latinos have higher graduation rates than Latinos nationally.

The growth of HSIs underscores the importance of deconstructing the “S” in serving. Some institutions become HSIs because of demography and geography, and not because of intentionality or impact in serving Latino students. The Seal of Excelencia highlights the potential for institutions to transcend merely meeting an enrollment threshold and actively cultivating an environment conducive to Latino student success. Developing the ability to serve Latino students enhances the capacity of institutions to serve all students.

For 20 years, Excelencia in Education has led the way through innovative, collaborative, and actionable efforts to accelerate Latino student success in higher education throughout the United States. Excelencia’s latest analysis builds on previous compilations of fact sheets to provide a detailed profile on Latino students and the institutions where they choose to enroll to inform policy and mobilize action.

To read the full report, Latinos in Higher Education: 2024 Compilation of Fast Facts, visit Excelencia’s website: https://www.edexcelencia.org/research/publications/latinos-higher-education-2024-compilation-fast-facts

Sources:

1. Excelencia in Education analysis of U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, 2019–20 National Postsecondary Student Aid Study
2. Ibid.
3. Excelencia in Education. (2020). Ensuring America’s Future: Benchmarking Latino College Completion to 2030. Excelencia in Education. Washington, D.C.
4. Title V, Part A of Higher Education Act (HEA), as amended (20 U.S.C. 1101–1101d; 1103–1103g)
5. ​​Excelencia in Education. (2023). Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) Fact Sheet: 2021–22. Washington, D.C.: Excelencia in Education.
6. Santiago, D., Arroyo, C., & Cuellarsola, L. (April 2024). Latinos in Higher Education: 2024 Compilation of Fast Facts. Washington, D.C: Excelencia in Education.
7. Aguilar-Smith, S., & Yun, J. (2023). Toward ensuring the equitable allocation of federal funding: An analysis of Hispanic-serving institutions’ pursuit and receipt of Title V grants. Education Policy Analysis Archives, 31. https://doi.org/10.14507/epaa.31.7281