Nearly nine-in-ten (88%) Hispanics agree that a college degree is important for getting ahead in life, greater than the share (74%) of the general public that says the same. Young Hispanics (89%) are more likely than all young people (84%) to agree that a college degree is important for getting ahead in life than all young people ages 16 to 25. Virtually identical shares of Hispanic adults ages 26 and older (88%) and all Hispanics ages 16 to 25 (89%) say a college degree is important for getting ahead in life. By contrast, there is an age gap on this question among the overall U.S. population—74% of adults ages 26 and older and 82% of youths ages 16 to 25 agree that a college degree is important for getting ahead in life.((Lopez, Mark Hugo. Latinos and Education: Explaining the Attainment Gap. Pew Hispanic Center. Web))
Just under half (48%) of Latinos ages 18 to 25 say they plan to obtain a bachelor’s degree or more. By contrast, 60% of all young adults ages 18 to 25 say they want to obtain a bachelor’s degree or more. Among native-born young Latinos ages 16 to 25, six-in-ten (60%) say they want to obtain a bachelor’s degree or more, matching the share of all youths who say the same (60%). Among foreign-born young Latinos ages 16 to 25, nearly three-in-ten (29%) say they plan to obtain a bachelor’s degree or more. However, a higher share (36%) of foreign-born young Latinos says they do not want to continue their education. Among Latino youths who are currently enrolled in high school, nearly six-in-ten (57%) say they plan to obtain a bachelor’s degree or more. Just 15% say finishing high school is as far as they plan to go in school. Among Latinos ages 16 to 25 who are not currently enrolled in school, nearly three-in-ten (29%) say they plan to obtain a bachelor’s degree or more. However, 38% say they do not plan to return to school. ((Lopez, Mark Hugo.))
Latino youths generally give positive evaluations of their high schools and the roles their parents play or played in their education:
- Two-thirds (66%) of Latino youths strongly agree that they are receiving or received a good education at their high school.
- More than six-in-ten (62%) Latino youths strongly agree that teachers in their high school are working or worked to help them succeed.
- Almost two-thirds (65%) of Latino youths strongly agree that their parents play or played an active role in their education.((Lopez, Mark Hugo.))
Latino youths ages 16 to 25 in college, or with college experience, also rate their colleges and universities highly:
- Among current and former Latino college students ages 16 to 25, eight-in-ten (80%) strongly agree that they are receiving or received a good education.
- When asked about their professors or college instructors, 57% of current and former Latino college students say they strongly agree that their professors help or helped with their success.
- Six-in-ten (60%) current and former Latino college students say their parents play or played an active role in their college education.((Lopez, Mark Hugo.))
Among Latino youths who have a high school education or less and are not currently enrolled in school, the reasons they give for not continuing their education are:
- Nearly three-quarters (74%) say they need to help support their family.
- Half (49%) say their English skills are limited.
- More than four-in-ten (42%) say they didn’t like school.
- Four-in-ten (40%) say they cannot afford to go to school.
- Almost four-in-ten (39%) say they don’t need more education for the career they want.
- More than two-in-ten (21%) say their grades were not high enough.((Lopez, Mark Hugo.))
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