How Latinos Pay for College: 2025 National Trends

Abstract

Many Latino students believe college provides an opportunity for economic and social mobility to reach the American Dream. Latino students also demonstrate financial need and leverage various cost-saving measures to make college more affordable. Concurrently, select colleges and universities are working to improve their policies and practices to make a quality education more affordable for Latino, and all, students. Latinos are one of the fastest growing and youngest demographic groups in the U.S and represent a growing majority of post-traditional students. Their increasing representation in colleges and universities provides unique opportunities for social mobility and economic growth. This brief builds on 20 years of "Excelencia" in Education's research on Latino students and college affordability, as well as lessons learned from institutional leadership and students' experiences. It provides timely information about two components of college affordability that can inform policy and practice: (1) How Latino students are using financial aid to pay for college; and (2) How a group of trendsetting institutions are financially supporting Latino, and all, students. The first section of this brief outlines the current profile of Latino undergraduates and their participation in financial aid programs by source of aid (i.e., federal, state, institutional, and private), and by type of aid (e.g., grants, loans). The second section highlights the strategies and practices that Seal of "Excelencia" certified institutions have implemented to financially support Latino, and all, students they enroll. The brief concludes with next steps for institutional, state, and federal policymakers.