Debt, Doubt, and Dreams: Understanding the Latino College Completion Gap

Abstract

Researchers at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill teamed up with UnidosUS to explore whether and how our debt-driven higher education system makes it difficult for students to finish a college program or degree. The quantitative research, gathered from more than 1,500 respondents from across the country, offers insight into the primary barriers making college completion difficult. With 35 percent of the respondents identifying as Spanish, Hispanic, or Latinx, the data shed critical light on the unique circumstances and particular challenges facing Latino students. The report contextualizes the data within existing literature, bridging the gap between prior research on college completion and student debt.