Tri Cities Reporter

Hispanic students were the most represented ethnicity among students at Benton County universities in the 2022-23 school year, according to the latest disclosure from the National Center for Education Statistics.

Of the 304 students attending institutions in the county at the time, 42.4% were Hispanic. This is an increase of 6.6% in enrollment numbers, compared to the previous year.

White students comprised the second largest ethnic group in the county, followed by multiracial students.

Countywide, the number of undergraduates attending the three universities in the county during the 2022-23 school year fell by 16.9%. Paul Mitchell the School-Richland reported the largest student body, with 261 students.

Graduation rates reveal a significant achievement gap among different ethnicities. While white students graduate at a rate of 62.1%, Black and Hispanic students graduate at a rate of around 40%.

Ethnic Group	% of Total Student Body
Hispanic	42.4%
White	39.1%
Multiracial	12.5%
Asian	2%
American Indian or Alaskan Native	1.6%
Black or African American	1.3%
Unknown	1%
U.S. nonresident	1%