The Pew Research Center recently published an analysis of the educational attainment of Latino immigrants over the age of 25 who arrived in the United States within the previous five years. The analysis found that educational attainment for these immigrants reached its highest level in at least three decades.
Among the findings:
- In 2018, 26% of Latino immigrants over the age of 25 who arrived in the United States in the previous five years held a bachelor’s degree or higher, up from 10% in 1990.
- This increased educational attainment narrowed the bachelor’s degree attainment gap between these immigrants and the U.S. population overall (7% in 2018, down from 11% in 1990).
- In 2018, 67% of Latino immigrants over the age of 25 who arrived in the United States in the previous five years had completed high school, up from 38% in 1990.
- The educational attainment of recent Latino immigrants lags that of other recent immigrants.
- In 2018, 58% of recent non-Latino immigrants had a bachelor’s degree or higher compared to 26% of recent Latino immigrants.
- The share of recent Latino immigrants with a bachelor’s degree or higher varies by country of origin.
- 80% of recent immigrants from Spain, 65% of recent immigrants from Venezuela, 64% of recent immigrants from Argentina, 41% of recent immigrants from Colombia, and 34% of recent immigrants from Peru held a bachelor’s degree or higher.
- The share of recent Latino immigrants with a bachelor’s degree or higher also varies by state.
- 43% of recent immigrants in Michigan, 34% in Florida, 31% in Washington, and 29% in Maryland held a bachelor’s degree or higher in 2019.
