Latinos have achieved a significant milestone – for the first time ever, young Latinos make up a record 16.5 percent of U.S. college students, matching Hispanics’ overall population representation (16.5 percent). While there is still ways to go – Latino college rates should be at 20 percent to match the percentage of 18- to 24-year-old Hispanics – the growing numbers of Latinos in colleges is a significant achievement.

“These milestones signal something favorable is occurring,” says Richard Fry, Senior Research Associate at Pew Hispanic, who authored the new report, along with Pew Hispanic Associate Director, Mark Hugo López.

“We have never seen these numbers; in 2011, three-quarters of young Latinos finished high school or obtained a GED,” adds Fry.

At more than 2 million, 18- to 24-year-old Latinos are now the largest minority group on college campuses, making up a record 16.5 percent of all college enrollments, according to the new report. In fact, in one year, from 2010 to 2011, Latino enrollment at four-year colleges increased 20 percent, from 1 million to 1.2 million. Hispanic college enrollment growth accounts for three-quarters of all college enrollment in 2011.

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