Federally defined category of higher education institution in the United States
University of Houston–Downtown
A Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) is defined in U.S. federal law as an accredited, degree-granting, public or private nonprofit institution of higher education with 25% or higher total undergraduate Hispanic or Latinofull-time equivalent (FTE) student enrollment.[1][2] In the 2021–22 academic year, 572 institutions met the federal criteria,[3] up from 539 institutions in the 2018–19 academic year.[4]
Background
According to Title III of the Higher Education Act of 1965, in order for an HSI to receive federal funding it must satisfy the following criteria:[5]
Have a least 25 percent Hispanic or Latino undergraduate full-time equivalent student enrollment.[6]
Must be an eligible public or private non-profit institution of higher education
Must offer at least two-year academic programs that lead to a degree
Must be accredited by an agency or association recognized by the Department of Education
Must have high enrollment of students in need
The Department of Education offers grants to institutions defined as HSIs which can be used for many academic purposes serving all ethnicities at the institution including faculty development, funds and administrative management, development and improvement of academic programs, endowment funds, curriculum development, scientific or laboratory equipment for teaching, renovation of instructional facilities, joint use of facilities, academic tutoring, counseling programs and student support services.
Any HSI can benefit from the assistance to increase the amount of Hispanic or Latino students in higher education, and the amount of Hispanic or Latino students graduating from a higher education institution. To be considered an HSI, universities have to meet certain criteria: 2-and 4-year colleges and universities had to have at least a 25% Hispanic or Latino enrollment total. This percentage was the minimum required by the Higher Education Act in 1992 (Laden, 2001). Because HSIs goals are to serve primarily Hispanic populations (Shehadeh & Termos, 2014),[7] they are found in metropolitan areas with increasing Hispanic and Latino populations. Some of these areas include Los Angeles, San Antonio, Chicago, Philadelphia, Detroit, and Miami (Laden, 2001). Vigil discusses the increasing rates of Latinos in these areas due to the demand of unskilled temporary labor and for seemingly attainable housing opportunities. Although HSI's help Latino students in higher education, "HSI's do not have a declared, specific mission to serve Hispanics" (Laden, 2001).[8][9][10]
Title V of the Act, introduced in 1998, is another funding stream specifically for HSIs to assist them in improving their higher educational provision.
Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities
In 1992, the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities led the effort to convince Congress to formally recognize campuses with high Hispanic enrollment as federally designated HSIs and to begin targeting federal appropriations to those campuses. Today, HACU represents nearly 470 colleges and universities committed to Hispanic higher education success in the U.S., Puerto Rico, Latin America, Spain and Portugal. Although HACU member institutions in the U.S. represent less than 13% of all higher education institutions nationwide, together they enroll more than two-thirds of all Hispanic college students.[11] HACU is the only national educational association that represents Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs).[12]
Funding
HSI federal funding grew in the early years (1998–2004) of Title V (the original and still linchpin HSI federal funding program), then leveled off from 2004-07 as the number of HSIs and Hispanic college students continued to grow. It increased dramatically in 2008 with the addition of the HSI STEM program, but since the Recession of 2009–10, it has actually declined while HSIs and Hispanic enrollments have increased even more rapidly.[13][14][15][16][17]
One of the main challenges HSIs face as they address their critical role is persistent underfunding relative to other degree-granting institutions. According to 2016–17 IPEDS data, HSIs on average received $3,117 per student on average from all federal revenue sources, compared to $4,605 per student for all degree-granting institutions, just two-thirds the funding to educate a disproportionately low-income student population. The result is that HSIs only receive on average 68 cents for every federal dollar going to all other colleges and universities annually.[18]
Largest Hispanic university enrollments
See also: The Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education
While Hispanics study in colleges and universities throughout the country, some choose to attend federally-designated Hispanic-serving institutions, institutions that are accredited, degree-granting, public or private nonprofit institutions of higher education with 25 percent or more total undergraduate Hispanic full-time equivalent (FTE) student enrollment. There are over 600 institutions of higher education that have been designated as an HSI.[11]
Universities with the largest Hispanic undergraduate enrollment (2013)[20]
Rank
University
Hispanic enrollment
% of student body
1
Florida International University
24,105
67%
2
University of Texas at El Paso
15,459
81%
3
University of Texas Pan American
15,009
91%
4
University of Texas at San Antonio
11,932
47%
5
California State University at Northridge
11,774
38%
6
California State University at Fullerton
11,472
36%
7
Arizona State University
11,465
19%
8
California State University at Long Beach
10,836
35%
9
California State University at Los Angeles
10,392
58%
10
University of Central Florida
10,255
20%
Universities with the largest Hispanic graduate enrollment (2013)
Rank
University
Hispanic enrollment
% of student body
1
Nova Southeastern University
4,281
20%
2
Florida International University
3,612
42%
3
University of Southern California
2,358
11%
4
University of Texas Pan American
2,120
78%
5
University of Texas at El Paso
2,083
59%
6
CUNY Graduate Center
1,656
30%
7
University of New Mexico
1,608
26%
8
University of Texas at San Antonio
1,561
35%
9
University of Florida
1,483
9%
10
Arizona State University
1,400
10%
Hispanic student enrollment in university and college systems (2012–2013)
This section needs to be updated. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information.(October 2025)
Below are institutions of higher education designated as Hispanic-Serving Institutions in the United States based on 2023–24 data from the HACU (Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities).[32]
Arizona
Arizona Christian University
Arizona State University
Arizona Western College
Central Arizona College
Chandler–Gilbert Community College
Cochise College
Estrella Mountain Community College
GateWay Community College
Glendale Community College
Mesa Community College
Mohave Community College
Northern Arizona University
Ottawa University-Surprise
Paradise Valley Community College
Phoenix College
Pima Community College
Rio Salado College
Scottsdale Community College
South Mountain Community College
University of Arizona
Arkansas
Cossatot Community College
NorthWest Arkansas Community College
California
Allan Hancock College
American River College
Antelope Valley College
Antioch University-Santa Barbara
Azusa Pacific University
Bakersfield College
Barstow Community College
Berkeley City College
Butte College
Cabrillo College
California Baptist University
California Jazz Conservatory
California Lutheran University
California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt[a]
California State Polytechnic University, Pomona
California State University, Bakersfield
California State University, Channel Islands
California State University, Chico
California State University, Dominguez Hills
California State University, East Bay
California State University, Fresno
California State University, Fullerton
California State University, Long Beach
California State University, Los Angeles
California State University, Monterey Bay
California State University, Northridge
California State University, Sacramento
California State University, San Bernardino
California State University, San Marcos
California State University, Stanislaus
Cañada College
Casa Loma College
CBD College
Cerritos College
Cerro Coso Community College
Chabot College
Chaffey College
Citrus College
City College of San Francisco
Clovis Community College
Coalinga College
Coastline Community College
College of Alameda
College of Marin
College of San Mateo
College of the Canyons
College of the Desert
College of the Sequoias
Compton College
Concordia University Irvine
Contra Costa College
Copper Mountain College (Copper Mountain Community College)
Cosumnes River College
Crafton Hills College
Cuesta College
Cuyamaca College
Cypress College
DeAnza College
Diablo Valley College
Dominican University of California
East Los Angeles College
El Camino Community College District
Evergreen Valley College
Feather River Community College District
Foothill College
Fresno City College
Fresno Pacific University
Fullerton College
Gavilan College
Glendale Community College
Golden West College
Grossmont College
Hartnell College
Hope International University
Humphreys University-Stockton and Modesto Campuses
Imperial Valley College
John Paul the Great Catholic University
La Sierra University
Lake Tahoe Community College
Laney College
Las Positas College
Lassen Community College
Lemoore College
Life Pacific University
Loma Linda University
Long Beach City College
Los Angeles City College
Los Angeles County College of Nursing and Allied Health
Los Angeles Harbor College
Los Angeles Mission College
Los Angeles Pacific University
Los Angeles Pierce College
Los Angeles Southwest College
Los Angeles Trade–Technical College
Los Angeles Valley College
Los Medanos College
Madera Community College
Mendocino College
Menlo College
Merced College
Merritt College
MiraCosta College
Mission College (California)
Modesto Junior College
Monterey Peninsula College
Moorpark College
Moreno Valley College
Mount Saint Mary's University
Mt. San Antonio College
Mt. San Jacinto Community College District
Napa Valley College
National University
Norco College
Oak Valley College
Orange Coast College
Oxnard College
Pacific Oaks College
Pacific Union College
Palo Verde College
Palomar College
Pasadena City College
Porterville College
Providence Christian College
Reedley College
Rio Hondo College
Riverside City College
Sacramento City College
Saddleback College
Saint Mary's College of California
San Bernardino Valley College
San Diego Christian College
San Diego City College
San Diego Mesa College
San Diego Miramar College
San Diego State University
San Francisco State University
San Joaquin Delta College
San Jose City College
San Jose State University
Santa Ana College
Santa Barbara City College
Santa Monica College
Santa Rosa Junior College
Santiago Canyon College
Simpson University
Skyline College
Solano Community College
Sonoma State University
Southern California University of Health Sciences
Southwestern College
Taft College
University of California, Irvine
University of California, Merced
University of California, Riverside
University of California, San Diego
University of California, Santa Barbara
University of California, Santa Cruz
University of La Verne
University of Redlands
University of San Diego
University of the Pacific
Vanguard University of Southern California
Ventura College
Victor Valley College
West Los Angeles College
West Valley College
Whittier College
Woodbury University
Woodland Community College
World Mission University
Yuba College
Colorado
Adams State University
Aims Community College
Colorado Mountain College
Colorado State University Pueblo
Community College of Aurora
Community College of Denver
Front Range Community College
Lamar Community College
Metropolitan State University of Denver
Morgan Community College
Otero College
Pueblo Community College
Regis University
Trinidad State College
University of Colorado Denver
University of Northern Colorado
Connecticut
Albertus Magnus College
Connecticut State Community College
University of Bridgeport
University of Connecticut-Stamford
University of Connecticut-Waterbury
Western Connecticut State University
District of Columbia
Trinity Washington University
University of the District of Columbia
Florida
AdventHealth University
Albizu University-Miami
Ana G. Méndez University
Barry University
Broward College
Florida Atlantic University
Florida International University
Florida Polytechnic University
Florida SouthWestern State College
Herzing University-Orlando
Hillsborough Community College
Indian River State College
Keiser University-Ft. Lauderdale
Lake-Sumter State College
Miami Dade College
Nova Southeastern University
Palm Beach State College
Polk State College
Polytechnic University of Puerto Rico-Miami
Polytechnic University of Puerto Rico-Orlando
SABER College
Seminole State College of Florida
South Florida State College
St. Thomas University
Tallahassee State College
The College of the Florida Keys
University of Central Florida
University of Fort Lauderdale
Valencia College
Georgia
Dalton State College
Georgia Gwinnett College
Lanier Technical College
Oglethorpe University
Illinois
Aurora University
City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington College
City Colleges of Chicago-Harry S Truman College
City Colleges of Chicago-Malcolm X College
City Colleges of Chicago-Olive-Harvey College
City Colleges of Chicago-Richard J. Daley College
City Colleges of Chicago-Wilbur Wright College
College of DuPage
College of Lake County
Columbia College Chicago
Concordia University Chicago
Dominican University
East–West University
Elgin Community College
Elmhurst University
Joliet Junior College
Judson University
Kishwaukee College
McHenry County College
Moraine Valley Community College
Morton College
National Louis University
North Park University
Northeastern Illinois University
Northern Illinois University
Prairie State College
Rock Valley College
Roosevelt University
Rush University
Saint Xavier University
South Suburban College
The Chicago School at Chicago
Triton College
University of Illinois at Chicago
University of St. Francis
VanderCook College of Music
Waubonsee Community College
William Rainey Harper College
Indiana
Calumet College of Saint Joseph
Goshen College
Holy Cross College (Indiana)
Indiana University Northwest
Purdue University Northwest
Union Bible College
Iowa
Marshalltown Community College
Kansas
Dodge City Community College
Donnelly College
Flint Hills Technical College
Garden City Community College
Kansas City Kansas Community College
Ottawa University-Online
Seward County Community College
Wichita State University-Campus of Applied Sciences and Technology
Maryland
Montgomery College
Massachusetts
Bay Path University
Benjamin Franklin Cummings Institute of Technology
Bunker Hill Community College
Cambridge College
Elms College
Holyoke Community College
North Shore Community College
Northern Essex Community College
Springfield College-Regional, Online, and Continuing Education
^
Shehadeh, Hazar; Termos, Mohamad (2014). "Hispanic Students' Perception of Discriminatory Campus Climate in a Hispanic-serving Institution". Journal of the World Universities Forum. 6 (2): 65–71. doi:10.18848/1835-2030/CGP/v06i02/56827.
^Garcia, G. A. (2019). Becoming Hispanic-Serving Institutions: Opportunities for Colleges and Universities. Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins University Press.
^Marybeth Gasman, Andrés Castro Samayoa, William Casey Boland, & Paola Esmieu (eds.), Educational Challenges and Opportunities at Minority Serving Institutions (New York, NY: Routledge Press, 2018).
^Marybeth Gasman, Benjamin Baez, and Caroline Turner (eds.), Understanding Minority Serving Institutions (Albany, NY: State University of New York Press, March 2008).
^"HACU 101". Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities. Retrieved 2010-01-03.
^William Casey Boland, Marybeth Gasman, Thai-Huy Nguyen, & Andrés Castro Samayoa, "Master Plan and the Future of California Higher Education: Assessing the Impact of State Policy on Minority Serving Institutions," American Educational Research Journal (2018).
^William Casey Boland, Marybeth Gasman, Andrés Castro Samayoa, Andrew Martinez, and Brandy Jones, Even More Potential to Serve: Florida's Minority Serving Institutions. Philadelphia, PA: Penn Center for Minority Serving Institutions, 2018.
^William Casey Boland, Andrés Castro Samayoa, Marybeth Gasman, and Thai-Huy Nguyen, An Unstoppable Tidal Wave of Progress: Minority Serving Institutions in Texas. Philadelphia, PA: Penn Center for Minority Serving Institutions, 2017.
^William Casey Boland, Andrés Castro Samayoa, Thai-Huy Nguyen, Marybeth Gasman, Chris Jimenez, Elisa Chen, & Vera Wang, Striking Gold in the Golden State: Harnessing the Power of Minority Serving Institutions in California. Philadelphia, PA: Penn Center for Minority Serving Institutions, 2015.
^Thai-Huy Nguyen, Valerie Lundy Wagner, Andrés Castro Samayoa, and Marybeth Gasman, On Their Own Terms: Two-Year Minority Serving Institutions. Philadelphia, PA: Penn Center for Minority Serving Institutions, 2015.
^"About HSIs". Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities. Archived from the original on November 25, 2017. Retrieved July 24, 2018.
