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Written by: Jason Gonzales/Chalkbeat

Although the majority of Hispanic students see college as a path to a well-paying job and support for their families, a new survey finds that many face significant barriers to graduation.

In fact, two-thirds of students surveyed said they had considered leaving college at some point.

The survey, released last week by UnidosUS, hopes to shed light on the challenges Hispanic students face in college and help explain why they graduate at lower rates than their white peers. The study focuses on the population at a time when increasing numbers of Hispanic students were attending college each year.

The Latino civil rights and advocacy organization surveyed more than 3,000 current and former students from August to September. The survey’s margin of error is 1.8%.

The survey confirms many of the challenges Hispanic students in Colorado and across the country face as they pursue their college dreams. UnidosUS found that the majority lack affordable, healthy food, face challenges such as filling out financial aid while transferring to college, and have to juggle work and school.

“This certainly reveals that some of the problems we know are much deeper than most of us expected,” said Eric Rodriguez, senior vice president of policy and advocacy at UnidosUS.

Other studies and reports have also sought to understand the challenges students face, including a Denver-based study on Hispanic men and their views on the college transition. Hispanic men are less likely than women to attend a college campus; This is a disparity that is also seen in other racial groups.

But the UnidosUS survey offers a broader view of what Hispanic students face across the country. Here are some takeaways from the national survey.

Food insecurity is high among Hispanic students

National surveys from 2020, which include the most recent data on college student food insecurity, reported that nearly a quarter of all college students face food insecurity.

But UnidosUS research found much higher rates. Approximately 85% of Hispanic students have faced food insecurity at some point. Nearly half of those surveyed said they didn’t eat enough food or didn’t have healthy food options every day or several times a week.

More and more colleges in Colorado are starting to provide students with nutrition assistance as it helps them graduate. This support includes food pantries, mobile food distributions, and even cooking classes. This is true in other states as well.

But many students were sometimes unaware of some of the resources potentially available to them, UnidosUS reported.

SNAP, or the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, is one way students can receive assistance. But less than half of students at two- and four-year college campuses across the country applied.

About half did not believe they were eligible or did not know about SNAP.

“Frankly, this was a much higher number than we expected to see,” said Anaís López, a senior analyst at BSP Research, a data firm that helped conduct the UnidosUS survey.

Work complicates Hispanic students’ path to graduation

About half of Hispanic students work part-time at the university.

A quarter work full-time jobs, while another 5% work full- and part-time jobs.

Nearly 40% of those surveyed had a work-study job that provided more general support to students to help them earn a decent wage and finish their schoolwork. But many people lacked this support. Many relied on family support, increasing the need to have a job.

The study also found that income and where students went to school did not reduce the likelihood of needing to hold a job while attending college. This is important because, according to a 2023 study, students with jobs are 20% less likely to graduate.

Large numbers of Spanish students are leaving university

The survey focused on other key hurdles, such as states tightening race-based admissions considerations and the recent error-riddled rollout of the new Free Application for Federal Student Aid.

Often, students say it was not one but multiple issues that influenced their decision to leave school.

The survey shows that nearly a third of students drop out of school at some point.

Where students went to college appeared to be important in this decision. Hispanic students at two-year universities were more likely to drop out than students at four-year universities. Those most likely to drop out were students who were parents and students from low-income backgrounds.

“We must invest in supporting these students to ensure higher education can deliver on its promise,” Rodriguez said.

Jason Gonzales is a reporter covering higher education and the Colorado legislature. Chalkbeat Colorado partners with Open Campus on higher education coverage. Contact Jason at (email protected).