These states have the highest rates of first-generation students
Alcino Donadel
July 12, 2023
The median parental income for dependent first-generation students is $41,000. For continuing-generation students, it’s $90,000.
More than half of today’s college students are first-generation (56%), according to the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA). As more institutions and nonprofits emphasize incentivizing these cohorts of potential students to enroll, the ceiling will undoubtedly rise.
Pulling data from The Department of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) the National Postsecondary Student Aid Study-Administrative Collection (NPSAS-AC) and the Federal Application for Student Aid (FAFSA), Forbes Advisor has discovered exactly who these students are, their college preferences, and their locale.
When it comes to race and ethnicity, more than half of all Hispanics or Latinos (60%); Black persons or African Americans (59%); and American Indians, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians or Pacific Islanders (54%) identify as first-generation students. However, while only 36% of white students identify as first-generation, they still make up the most significant chunk of this cohort compared to other races and ethnicities (46%).
