Best Colleges for Hispanic Students

The University of Texas at Austin qualified as an HSI in 2020 when its Hispanic learner enrollment exceeded 25% of all admitted students. The institution also maintained a four-year graduation rate above 70% for Hispanic students. UT Austin has several clubs devoted to its Latino/a students, including Latinx Community Affairs — which hosts the Latinx Leadership Summit and the Latinx Leadership Institute — and Adelante, a welcome-week event for incoming Hispanic learners.

Prospective and current students can take advantage of the university's Multicultural Engagement Center. This office provides advising, social justice education, outreach, conference rooms and common space, a lounge area, and a lending library.

Located in San Antonio, Texas, Hallmark University operates as a private university that educates an average of 1,000 students annually. Of that population, almost 50% of students are Hispanic. 

The institution offers both associate and bachelor's degrees in four primary areas: aeronautics, business, nursing, and information technology. All students enroll on a full-time basis. Graduate employment rates hover between 86% and 100%, depending on the chosen discipline.

Recognizing the needs of many learners, the institution provides support with things like childcare, transportation, housing, and counseling services. Learners can also join student veterans organizations representing all five branches of the armed forces.

From its home base in Miami, Florida, Florida International University (FIU) educates more than 56,000 learners annually. It is considered among the top 10 largest research institutions in the country. As of 2023, 61% of FIU students identify as Hispanic.

Students can choose from a wide selection of clubs and organizations, including many catered specifically to Hispanic learners. These include the National Association of Hispanic Journalists, the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers, the Venezuelan Student Alliance Club, and the Hispanic Law Student Association. Additionally, FIU has a Hispanic Faculty Association for professors.

Founded in 1945, Pacific Oaks College in Pasadena, California, is a small private institution. Based on Spring 2020 student data, nearly 50% of all learners identify as Latino/a or Hispanic. The school recently received a $2.5 million Title V Hispanic-Serving Institution grant, allowing it to increase support services for Hispanic students.

Some of the additions include bilingual staff, bilingual one-to-one tutoring and mentorship, a lending library providing textbooks and laptops, and professional development workshops and cultural events. The Center for Achievement, Resources, and Enrichment (CARE) also provides tailored resources to help students from various backgrounds thrive.

The Polytechnic University of Puerto Rico maintains several campuses, including one in Miami. With a focus on providing a technical education, the institution offers undergraduate and graduate programs in business administration, organizational management, computer science, and engineering management.

During the most recently surveyed academic year, the institution served 137 students, 97% of whom identified as Hispanic or Latino/a. A popular destination for non-traditional learners, approximately 92% of students are aged 25 and over.

The University of California, Irvine celebrated five years as a Hispanic-serving institution in 2023. Latino/a students make up a quarter of the student population at UCI. UCI is also a founding member of the Hispanic-Serving Research Universities alliance, which aims to double the number of Latino/a doctoral students and increase the number of Latino/a professors.

UC Irvine has a Latinx Resource Center, which regularly hosts cultural events, offers a weekly social event known as Spanish Hour, and promotes efforts to increase retention and empower higher graduation rates among Chicano/a and Latino/a learners. Students can also choose from many Hispanic-specific clubs and organizations, including Latinos/as for Community Medicine and Latinos/as in Science & Engineering.

Founded in 1876, Texas A&M University's campus in College Station, Texas, serves nearly 75,000 students each year. Approximately 22% of learners are first-generation students, and Hispanic learners make up approximately 25% of the student body.

The university maintains the Hispanic Network, an advocacy and support group offering plenty of opportunities for involvement. Hispanic learners can also choose from many different clubs and organizations, including the Brazilian Student Association, Columbian Student Organization, Hispanic Studies Association, Lambda Theta Alpha Latin Sorority, Latino Logradores, and Latinx Graduate Student Association.

The largest institution in Florida based on enrollment, the University of Central Florida serves nearly 70,000 students per year at its campus near Orlando. In 2022, UCF enrolled its most diverse study body yet, with 28% of learners  –— or nearly 20,000 students — identifying as Hispanic. Ninety-three percent of learners at UCF hail from Florida.

UCF first gained status as an HSI in 2017. Today, the school offers several services for Hispanic students, including a minor in Latin American Studies, mentoring and advisory programs, and student organizations such as the Cuban-American Student Association, Juntos Latino Leadership Council, Latin Rhythm, and the Spanish Graduate Association.

The University of California, Santa Barbara enrolled more than 26,000 undergraduate and graduate learners for the 2022-2023 academic year. Chicano/a and Latino/a students account for 27% of the student body.

The Chicanx/Latinx Cultural Resource Center offers myriad support services and resources, including a rotating series of events across the school year. Student organizations catering to Hispanic and Latino/s learners include Cotillion Dance Club, Decolonizing Our Lives Project, El Congreso, Hermanos Unidos, Latino Business Association, and the Society for Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science.

Founded as a public research institution in 1897, San Diego State University now educates over 35,000 students and offers over 200 degree programs. According to a 2020 report, 30% of undergraduate students identify as Hispanic, along with 28% of graduate students. At the SDSU Imperial Valley campus, 91% of students are Hispanic or Latino/a.

The university's Latinx Resource Center provides a full calendar of events, including celebrations around Latino/a Heritage Month. Popular student organizations include the Hispanic Business Student Association, Association of Latino Professionals for America, and the Latino Student Social Work Association.