High School Education Gap for Hispanics Has Almost Disappeared

Education is a key factor in determining the long-term economic prospects for a country, community, or even an individual. Before the 2000s, the Hispanic community consistently lagged in educational attainment compared with the rest of the US population. However, in recent years, Hispanic high school completion rates have improved dramatically, from 64 percent in 2000 to 89 percent in 2016, almost converging with today’s historically high US average.

This PIIE Chart was adapted from Gonzalo Huertas and Jacob Funk Kirkegaard’s Working Paper 19-3, The Economic Benefits of Latino Immigration: How the Migrant Hispanic Population’s Demographic Characteristics Contribute to US Growth.

Additional credits: Anjali Bhatt, Social Media Editor