Atlas of Hispanic-American History

lacked coverage. Back in 1992, the medi-

an earnings for year-round, full-time

Hispanic males was 63.1 percent that of

non-Hispanic white males. In 2006, how-

ever, the median earnings of Hispanic

males had risen, though modestly, to 65.1

percent of that of non-Hispanic white

males. On the other hand, median earn-

ings of Hispanic females actually fell in

relation to median earnings of non-

Hispanic white females during the same

period—78.1 percent in 1992 to 75.8

percent in 2006.

While there is still deep poverty in

many Hispanic communities, recent years

have also seen the growth of a Hispanic

middle class. In one of the most positive

signs of this trend, the rate of homeown-

ership—the percentage of families own-

ing the house or apartment in which they

lived—among Hispanics reached 49.5

percent in 2005, up from 42.8 percent in

1996. Unfortunately, this improved per-
      centage still dramatically lags behind the
      total for all Americans in 2005: 68.9
      percent.

Education

Not surprisingly, the number of Hispanic

Americans enrolled in the nation’s schools

has risen dramatically in the last few

decades. In 1972, only 6 percent of high

school students were Hispanic. By 2004,

the percentage had jumped to 17 percent.

Yet low educational achievement has

remained a concern: only 58.5 percent of

Hispanic females and 48 percent of

Hispanic males graduated from high

school in 2004. Even among those who do

graduate, Latinos are underrepresented in

advance science and math classes or in

gifted and talented programs. Post-sec-

ondary education rates are also low: in

2007, only 19 percent of Latinos between

ages 25 and 34 had an Associates,

Bachelor’s or advanced degree, compared

with 48 percent of non-Hispanic whites.

While language barriers have proved

to be one roadblock to Latino success in

more rigorous classes, a bigger problem

may be the lack of advanced classes in

schools serving mostly Latino and other

minority students. According to a 2005

study by Achieve, Inc., although 74% of

minority girls want to enroll in advanced

courses, but only 45% of their schools

offer these courses. Similarly, although

two-thirds of minority boys have an inter-

est in taking advanced mathematics

courses, fewer than half attend schools

that offer these courses.

Black and Hispanic students are gen-

erally less likely than their white and

Asian peers to participate in gifted and

talented programs. In comparison to

white students, Blacks and Hispanics are

less than half as likely to be enrolled in

gifted and talented programs, and a third

as likely as Asians. Specifically, an estimat-

ed 7.5% of white and 10% of Asian/

Pacific Islander students are placed in

gifted programs; only 3% of Hispanic

and 3.5% of Black students are placed

into these programs.

228 ATLAS OF HISPANIC-AMERICAN HISTORY

Hispanic vs. Non Hispanic White Education Levels

in 25 to 34-Year Olds, 2007

Hispanic Non-Hispanic

Source: U.S. Census Note: Percentages may not add up to 100 due to rounding.

67%

14%

6%

10%

3%

33.4%

11% 19%

27%

10%

No college Some college Associate’s

degree

Bachelor’s

degree

Advanced

degree

Hispanic Versus Non-Hispanic Education Levels

in 25- to 34-Year-Olds, 2007