A Pew Research Center recent report reveals a notable increase in the number of Latinos with advanced education, master’s or doctorate, in the United States over the past two decades. In 2021, nearly 2.5 million Latinos held advanced degrees, a significant increase from the 710,000 recorded in 2000. This growth is remarkable, and Hispanic Americans had the fastest growth in the number of degree holders compared to any other ethnic or racial group between 2000 and 2021. The increase was 291% for women and 199% for Latino men. Asian-Americans had the second-fastest growth, with a 264% increase for women and 167% for men, followed by African Americans with a 188% growth for women and 140% for men.

One notable trend is that Hispanic women outpaced Hispanic men in the number of advanced degrees in 2010, and in 2021, about 290,000 Latina women had more advanced degrees than men.

“Mexicans are the largest group of immigrant Latinos with graduate degrees, numbering about 250,000 in 2021. They are followed by Cubans, Colombians, Venezuelans and Dominicans. Venezuelans are the most highly educated of Latino immigrant origin groups. In 2021, 22% of Venezuelan immigrants ages 25 and older had a graduate degree. An additional 36% of Venezuelans held a bachelor’s degree”, according to the research.

Most advanced educated Latinos hold master's degrees as the highest level of education, with 72% among Latino degree holders and the general U.S. population. In addition, nearly half of all Latinos with advanced degrees live in major metropolitan areas in the United States, with New York, Miami, and Los Angeles leading the way. The bulk of these degree holders are also U.S.-born citizens.

Despite this remarkable growth, Latinos with advanced degrees still make up only 8 percent of all advanced degree holders in the U.S., even though they make up 19 percent of the population. This data highlights both the significant progress Latinos have made in obtaining advanced degrees and the potential for a continued increase in Latino representation in this educational category.

The Pew Research Center study demonstrates a positive shift in the educational landscape for Latinos in the United States over the past two decades.