U.S. Latinos are the second fastest-growing racial-ethnic group in the country, and it is more important than ever to have access to accurate and reliable data about this population.

Below, we share some key data about U.S. Latinos, covering a range of topics from demographics and economics to education and entrepreneurship.

Given the constantly evolving nature of data, this page will continue to be updated as new reports and research are released. If there is a resource you believe should be added or updated, please contact us at info@latinoslead.org.

 

U.S. Latino Population Size & Growth

In 2022: 63.7 million or 19.1% of the U.S. population

In 2060, over 1 in 4 Americans are likely to be Latino

U.S. Census Bureau. (2023, August 17). Hispanic Heritage Month: 2023.

U.S. Census Bureau. (2023, November 9). U.S. Population Projected to Begin Declining in Second Half of Century.

UCLA Latino Policy & Politics Institute (2022, October 22). A Mosaic, Not A Monolith: A Profile Of The U.S. Latino Population, 2000-2020.

45 million U.S. Latinos are under the age of 44

U.S. Census Bureau. (2023, August 17). Hispanic Heritage Month: 2023

1 in every 4 children in the U.S. is Latino or 25.7%

U.S. Census Bureau. (2023, May 25). One in Every Four Children in the United States Were of Hispanic Origin in 2020.

Latinos are now the largest ethnic group in Texas, accounting for 40.2% of the state’s population

U.S. Census Bureau. (2022, July 1). QuickFacts Texas.

NBC News. (2023, June 23). Latinos now outnumber non-Hispanic whites in Texas, census data shows. 

 

 

Educational Attainment

The share of Latinos 25-34 with some college increased from one-third in 2005 to over half in 2021

U.S. Census Bureau. (2023, May 10). Gains in Educational Attainment, Enrollment in All Hispanic Groups, Largest Among South American Population.

U.S. Census Bureau. (2023). CPS Historical Time Series Tables.

Latinos make up 1 in 5 of students enrolled in postsecondary institutions

Pew Research Center. (2022, October 1) Hispanic enrollment reaches new high at four-year colleges in the U.S., but affordability remains an obstacle.

Latino enrollment in higher education is expected to exceed 4 million students by 2026, growing at a rate faster than any other racial-ethnic group

 

572 U.S. universities are designated as a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) with 400 identified as emerging HSIs

Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities. (2023, March 30). Hispanic-Serving Institutions across the nation total 572.

HSIs are defined as having 25% or more undergraduate Hispanic student full-time equivalent (FTE) enrollment.

Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities. (2023, October 2). 2023 HISPANIC HIGHER EDUCATION AND HSIs FACTS.

 

 

Workforce Participation

Approximately 29 million Latinos in the U.S. workforce

 

Latinos represent 78% of net new employees this decade alone

 

By 2030, 1 in 5 workers will be Latino

U.S. Department Labor Blog. (2021, September 15). Hispanics in the Labor Force: 5 Facts.

At 65.5% in 2021, Latino labor force participation rate was the second highest among all race and ethnic groups

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2023, January). BLS Reports: Labor force characteristics by race and ethnicity, 2021.

 

 

Economic Superpower

In 2021, the Latino GDP was $3.2 trillion

 

If U.S. Latinos were a standalone country, they would have the 5th largest economy in the world, larger than India, U.K. and France

 

Latino Purchasing Power: $3.4 trillion

Latino Donor Collaborative. (2023, September). The 2023 Official LDC U.S. Latino GDP Report.

Latino consumption and purchasing power grew 2.1 to 2.4 times faster than non-Latino counterparts

Latino Donor Collaborative. (2023, September). The 2023 Official LDC U.S. Latino GDP Report.

 

 

Entrepreneurship

Latino-owned businesses outpace the growth rates in number of businesses and revenue of White-owned businesses–and U.S. businesses in general

 

Despite having greater revenue, similar credit scores, and lower outstanding debt than White-owned businesses at the time of application, Latino-owned businesses have lower approval rates for loans above $50,000 from national banks

 

Between 2007 and 2019, the number of Latino-owned employer businesses grew by 34%, while the number of White-owned employer businesses declined by 7%

Stanford Latino Entrepreneurship Initiative. (2023, February). 2022 State of Latino Entrepreneurship.

 

 

U.S. Latinos & Language

78% of U.S. Latinos say it is not necessary to speak Spanish in order to be considered Latino

69% of 2nd generation U.S.-born Latinos speak Spanish

34% 3rd generation or higher report understanding and speaking Spanish, at least pretty well

Pew Research Center. (2023, September 20). Latinos’ Views of and Experiences With the Spanish Language.

 

 

Latino Executive Leadership Gap

4% of large U.S. companies’ most senior executives in 2021 were Latino

SHRM. (2022, February 1). Closing the Gap: As the Hispanic population booms, workers in this demographic seek better representation in C-suites and corporate boardrooms.

Latino representation in executive leadership has remained largely unchanged with an executive leadership gap of 450%

Latino Leadership Institute. (2023, May 23): The Latino Executive Leadership Gap

 

 

Diversity of U.S. Latino Identity

7.6 million Hispanics identified as more than one race in 2021

Pew Research Center. (2023, September 5). Who is Hispanic?.

3% of Asian Americans living in the U.S. identify as Asian Latino or Asian Hispanic

Pew Research Center. (2021, April 21). Key facts about Asian Americans, a diverse and growing population.

In 2020, about 6 million Afro-Latinos lived in the U.S., accounting for 2% of all U.S. adults and 12% of all Latino adults

Pew Research Center. (2022, May 2). About 6 million U.S. adults identify as Afro-Latino.

There are 5.1 million Latino adults with disabilities aged 16 and older

 

 

1.41 million Latino adults with disabilities are currently employed, and 430,000 (or 30%) of these workers are employed in skilled trade professions

U.S. Department of Labor Blog. (2023, September 15). Data Spotlight: Employment of Hispanics with Disabilities in Skilled Trades Professions.

Latino Eligible Voters (2024)

14.7% of all eligible voters in November 2024 are projected to be Latino, a new high

53% of U.S. Latinos are eligible to vote

Pew Research. (2024, January 10). Latinos are projected to account for 14.7% of all eligible voters in November 2024, a new high.

 

Latina Pay Gap (2023)

In 2022, Latina full-time employees made 57 cents for every dollar a white non-Hispanic man earns

 

Latinas potentially face a loss exceeding $1.2 million over the course of a 40-year career due to the Gender Pay Gap

National Women’s Law Center. (2023, September 28). Because of the Wage Gap, Latinas Stand to Lose More Than $1.2 Million Over a 40-Year Career.

 

Media Representation & Journalism

Latinos are still underrepresented in lead roles on U.S. TV, with only a slight increase from 2.6% in 2022 to 3.3% in 2023

Latino Donor Collaborative. (2023, September). 2023 LDC U.S. Latinos in Media Report.

Latinos are underrepresented in top newsroom positions, with only 3 executive editors, 0 CEOs, 0 publishers, and 4 managing editors. Latinos also make up just 12% of editorial boards

Latino Donor Collaborative. (2023, September). 2023 LDC-NAHJ U.S. Latinos in Journalism Report.