The milestone comes as 2025 marks 30 years since HSIs first received dedicated federal funding to improve academic quality and expand access for Latino and other low-income students.
According to the organization’s annual analysis, these institutions now represent 20% of all colleges and universities in the United States but are responsible for graduating 31% of all students and 66% of Latino students nationwide.
“HSIs have become a critical component of higher education access and success,” said Excelencia in Education in its latest report, which uses data from the U.S. Department of Education’s Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System for the 2023-24 academic year.
The analysis highlights that HSIs have expanded their geographic footprint to 29 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. More than 70% of HSIs are public institutions, and 60% offer four-year degree programs.
The report also tracks 418 Emerging Hispanic-Serving Institutions (eHSIs) – schools approaching the 25% Hispanic enrollment threshold required for HSI designation – and 257 HSIs that offer graduate programs (gHSIs), both categories showing growth from the previous year.
Despite their significant impact, Excelencia notes that while most HSIs have applied for Developing Hispanic-Serving Institutions Title V Program funds, less than a third have received this funding. Over the past three decades, HSIs have received an estimated $18 billion from various federal agencies.
The organization also emphasizes that only 43 institutions, representing just 7% of all HSIs, have earned the Seal of Excelencia, which recognizes institutions demonstrating an intentional commitment to serving Latino students through data, practice, and leadership.
Excelencia in Education, which has been tracking this data for over 20 years, has made detailed information available through its HSIs Factbook, interactive dashboard, and a new HSIs StoryMap that chronicles the evolution of these institutions over 30 years.
