Latinos have become the largest minority group in American postsecondary education, a majority of whom attend two- or four-year Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs). However, little is known about labor market outcomes as result of attending these institutions. Using a unique student-level administrative database in Texas and accounting for college selectivity, researchers Toby J. Park, Stella N. Flores and Christopher J. Ryan Jr. examine whether attending an HSI influences labor market outcomes 10 years after high school graduation for Latino students in Texas.
The researchers found no difference in the earnings of Hispanic graduates from HSIs and non-HSIs. This analysis represents one of the first to examine the labor market outcomes for Latino students in this sector of education accounting for critical factors that include a student’s high school and community context.