‘Hispanic Outlook’ rankings show improvement

Hispanic Outlook colleges

Northern Arizona University inched up slightly in the annual rankings of the nation’s top institutions for Latinos, according to Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education magazine.

In its May 4, 2009, edition, Hispanic Outlook ranks NAU 14th in the nation for graduating Latinos with master’s degrees—up five places—and 63rd for undergraduates, a slight improvement from last year’s 65th spot.

For granting doctoral degrees to Latinos, NAU ranks 70th in the nation, a decrease from last year.

The magazine further analyzes degrees awarded to Latinos by academic programs, and for the fourth year in a row, NAU ranks ninth in the nation for bachelor’s degrees in education.

“We strive for all students to feel a connection to Northern Arizona University,” said David Camacho, associate vice president for Diversity and Equity. “The Hispanic Outlook rankings demonstrate that our institution provides the right environment for academic success.”

The rankings were derived from data gathered from the U.S. Department of Education’s Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System program. The figures are from July 7, 2007, to June 30, 2008.
The complete list of the top 100 can be found at hispanicoutlook.com/top100.htm.

Nearly 2,900 students of NAU’s total enrollment of 22,507 identify themselves as Hispanic—about 13 percent.