The 10 Largest Hispanic Origin Groups: Characteristics, Rankings, Top Counties. Among the 50.7 million Hispanics in the United States, nearly two-thirds (65%), or 33 million, self-identify as being of Mexican origin, according to tabulations of the 2010 American Community Survey (ACS) by the Pew Hispanic Center, a project of the Pew Research Center. No other Hispanic subgroup rivals the size of the Mexican-origin population. Puerto Ricans, the nation's second largest Hispanic origin group, make up just 9% of the total Hispanic population in the 50 states and the District of Columbia.
Hispanics Account for More Than Half of Nation’s Growth in Past Decade. B Jeffrey S. Passel, Senior Demographer, Pew Hispanic Center D'Vera Cohn, Senior Writer, Pew Research CenterMark Hugo Lopez, Associate Director, Pew Hispanic Center. The 2010 Census counted 50.5 million Hispanics in the United States, making up 16.3% of the total population. The nation's Latino population, which was 35.3 million in 2000, grew 43% over the decade. The Hispanic population also accounted for most of the nation's growth—56%—from 2000 to 2010.
Hispanics, High School Dropouts and the GED. A Pew Research Center Report indicating that just one-in-ten Hispanic high school dropouts has a General Educational Development (GED) credential, widely regarded as the best “second chance” pathway to college, vocational training and military service for adults who have not graduated from high school. By contrast, two-in-ten black high school dropouts and three-in-ten white high school dropouts have a GED, according to a Pew Hispanic Center analysis of newly available educational attainment data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2008 American Community Survey.
Latinos in Higher Education: Many Enroll, Too Few Graduate. A postsecondary degree is widely accepted as a basic goal in education, and the U.S. labor market reinforces that expectation with substantial financial rewards. Latinos lag every other population group in attaining college degrees, especially bachelor’s degrees. To better understand that problem and help identify policy responses, the Pew Hispanic Center conducted a new analysis of the educational performance of Latino high school graduates. This analysis is based on Current Population Survey data collected by the U.S. Census Bureau from 1997 to 2000. The data was combined and averaged to create a solid statistical basis for assessing different forms of college attendance for Latinos as compared to other groups and for making important distinctions among sub-groups of the Latino population.
Excelencia in Education! Ensuring America's Future. A collaboration among 60 national partners, the Roadmap for Ensuring America's Future (March 2011) is a tool for stimulating and facilitating dialogue in communities across the nation about action needed to increase degree attainment generally, and Latino degree attainment specifically.
