The Nation’s Colleges and Universities With the Most Diverse Student Bodies

US_NewsLogoNoDateThe magazine U.S. News and World Report recently issued its annual rankings of the best colleges and universities in the United States. In addition to its rankings of the best national universities and liberal arts colleges, the rankings also calculate which universities have the most diverse student bodies. Schools that are identified as diverse are ones where a student is most likely to encounter undergraduates from other racial and ethnic groups.

This year, the Rutgers University campus in Newark, New Jersey, was deemed to have the most diverse student body in the country. According to the U.S. Department of Education figures for the 2014-15 academic year, Blacks were 18 percent of the enrollments at the Newark campus. Whites were 25 percent of the undergraduates and Hispanics were 24 percent. Some 21 percent of undergraduates were of Asian descent. Other universities rated as the most diverse were Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan (19 percent Black), St. John’s University in Queens, New York (14 percent Black), the University of Houston (11 percent Black), and the University of Nevada Las Vegas (8 percent Black).

Among the smaller liberal arts institutions, the University of Hawaii at Hilo was rated as having the most diverse student body. Blacks are only 1 percent of the students but there are large groups of Asians, Hispanics, Native Hawaiians, and White students. Other small colleges rated as being the most diverse were Pacific Union College in Angwin, California (8 percent Black), SUNY College at Old Westbury (30 percent Black), and Pine Manor College in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts (28 percent Black).

Related Articles

1 COMMENT

  1. In the very white state of Vermont, College of St. Joseph, an independent Catholic college with approximately 350 students is the most diverse college in the state. Students of color make up approximately 45% of the student body, while 65% of students residing on campus are students of color. CSJ does not offer athletic scholarships, but a $15,000 Provider Scholarship requiring 15 hours community service per semester and a locked in tuition, room and board rate for four years Students backgrounds are African American, Dominican American, Cape Verdean American, Puerto Rican American, Haitian American, and Caucasian. Another key component of the diversity of the College is the STEPS Program which provides year around support for students who have aged out of the Vermont foster care system. They are never without food or residence. All of the STEPS students are Cauacasian. Additionally, many Caucasian Vermonters commute to CSJ, which is located in the small town of Rutland. Please contact me for additional information regarding this very unique setting.
    Paula J. McGhee
    Associate Vice-President of Student Affairs
    Director of Diversity, Inclusion and STEPS Program

Leave a Reply

Get the JBHE Weekly Bulletin

Receive our weekly email newsletter delivered to your inbox

Latest News

Students at Three HBCUs in New Orleans to Participate in Power of Prosperity Initiative

The Power of Prosperity program will help remove barriers to students’ academic success by providing students and their families with free access to financial support and resources.

Yale University Scholar Wins Early Career Physics Award

Charles D. Brown II, an assistant professor of physics at Yale University, has been selected as the winner the Joseph A. Johnson Award for Excellence from the American Institute of Physics and the National Society of Black Physicists.

Three African Americans Appointed to New Administrative Posts at Universities

Arthur Lumzy Jr. is the new director of student career preparedness at Texas A&M University–Commerce. Sandra L. Barnes was named associate provost for undergraduate education and student success at Alcorn State University in Mississippi and Roberto Campos-Marquetti has been appointed assistant vice president for staff and labor relations at Duke University.

North Carolina A&T State University to Debut New Graduate Programs in Criminal Justice

The university's criminal justice master’s and doctoral programs are designed to provide high-quality graduate education and training in criminal justice with the four areas of specialization: investigative science, digital forensics, research methodology, and social justice.

Featured Jobs