| Ethnicity | Population in Numbers | Population in Percent |
|---|---|---|
| White | 16,357,893 | 52% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 7,465,177 | 24% |
| Black | 4,313,398 | 14% |
| Asian | 1,788,142 | 6% |
| Two or More Races | 1,084,990 | 3% |
| American Indian/ Alaskan Native | 255,986 | 1% |
| Pacific Islander | 62,545 | <.5% |
- Compared to the 2020-2021 data, minorities in the 2015-2016 admission data all see a decrease in admssion rate, with the exception of black which as an admission rate of 1% Higher.
- White is the most predominatly represented in the dataset, accounting for more than half of all admissions.
- Hispanic, Black, American Indian/Alaska Native, and Pacific Islander students collectively make up only 32.597% of the acceptance rates.
- The category "Two or More Races" represents individuals with multiracial backgrounds. Their acceptance rate accounts for 3.49% of admissions.
- Students from historically marginalized groups may face challenges such as underfunded schools, lack of access to advanced coursework, and inadequate college preparatory support, correlating to their decreased admission rate.
- The data underscores a significant racial disparity in acceptance rates for postsecondary education. While White and Hispanic students have relatively higher admission rates (54% and 20.3% respectively), Asian, Black, American Indian/Alaska Native, and Pacific Islander students face much lower rates of acceptance.
- Despite comprising a substantial portion of the US population, Hispanic, Black, American Indian/Alaska Native, and Pacific Islander students collectively make up only 34.4% of the admission rates.
- The category "Two or More Races" represents individuals with multiracial backgrounds. Their admission rate, though not the highest, still accounts for a notable percentage (4.2%).
- White students have the highest admission rate at 54%, indicating a similar representation compared to their share of the total population.
- The variations in admission rates could be linked to disparities in educational attainment and access to resources at earlier stages of schooling.
- White Majority in Both Years: In both 2015-2016 and 2021-2022, the white population represents the majority in postsecondary education across almost all states.
- Increase in Diversity Over Time: Comparing both years, there appears to be an increase in the representation of minority groups, such as Hispanic and Asian students, suggesting a trend toward greater diversity in postsecondary education.
- Higher Hispanic Representation in Certain States: In states like California and Texas, there is a significant representation of Hispanic students, which is consistent with the overall demographic composition of these states.
- Certain states, particularly in the South (e.g., Mississippi and Georgia), have a higher percentage of Black students attending postsecondary education in both academic years.
- American Indian students in postsecondary education, although the numbers are relatively small compared to other groups.
- The percentage of Pacific Islander students appears to remain low and fairly stable between the two years, with slight increases in states like Hawaii.
- The "multiple" category, which likely represents multiracial students, shows an increase, indicating a growing recognition and reporting of multiracial identities in postsecondary education.
- There is considerable variability among states in terms of racial representation, which likely reflects the different demographic compositions of each state.
- The District of Columbia stands out with a significantly different racial composition compared to states, with a higher representation of Black and Asian students in both academic years.
- The increasing diversity in postsecondary education might be indicative of changes in educational policies, admission practices, and demographic trends over the years, reflecting efforts to increase access to higher education for historically underrepresented groups.