A new report from Excelencia in Education makes one thing clear: Latino talent is vital to our workforce — particularly in science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (STEAM), where innovation and creativity converge to drive economic growth. The report, Finding Your Workforce: Linking College Completion with U.S. Workforce Needs in STEAM, released March 17, examines where Latino students are earning STEAM credentials, where gaps persist, and what institutions and employers can do about it.
The data paints a picture of meaningful presence paired with significant inequity. In 2023, Latinos represented 31 percent of all STEAM degree recipients. But the researchers found that representation is concentrated at the lower credential levels and drops sharply as degree levels increase. While Latino students represented more than one-quarter of certificate (26%) and associate degree (28%) recipients, representation drops at the bachelor's degree level (16%) and continues to decline at the master's (8%) and doctoral (5%) levels.
That pipeline gap has real workforce consequences. According to the report’s authors, Latinos are projected to represent 91 percent of new U.S. workers by 2031 and one in five workers nationwide, yet they remain only 15 percent of the STEM workforce, despite making up 18 percent of all workers. Meanwhile, STEM occupations are projected to grow 8 percent between now and 2034 — more than double the rate of other fields — with median annual wages for STEM occupations more than double those of non-STEM roles ($103,580 vs. $48,000).
To close the representation gap, the authors offered a "roadmap" for both higher education administrators and corporate recruiters. The framework emphasizes three primary pillars:
Collaborative Credentialing: Excelencia calls for "stackable credentials" created with industry partners. This mirrors our previous reporting on the essential role of Latinos in the engineering workforce, which highlighted the need for better career planning and financial literacy.
The "Last Mile" Support System: Transition services, including financial and mental health resources, are critical. These "wraparound" services have been identified by EDU Ledger contributors as the moral obligation of HSIs to ensure upward economic mobility.
Active Pipeline Leveraging: Employers must move beyond passive recruitment and leverage existing partnerships with top-producing institutions.
HSIs are doing the heavy lifting
The report identifies 269 institutions across 33 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico as top credential-granting institutions for Latino STEAM students. Of the top 25 institutions awarding STEAM degrees to Latinos, 24 were Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs), and Latino representation across these institutions was 45 percent. All 25 were public institutions, and Texas led with 10 institutions, followed by California with 8 and Florida with 5.
The top five institutions awarding STEAM credentials to Latinos across all credential levels were: Miami Dade College (Fla.), Dallas College (Tex.), Central New Mexico Community College (N.M.), Valencia College (Fla.), and Lone Star College System (Tex.).
These institutions demonstrate that intentionality in serving students is what distinguishes a "Hispanic-Serving" institution from one that is merely "Hispanic-Enrolling."
What's Working on the Ground
The report highlights evidence-based practices from Seal of Excelencia certified institutions that have demonstrated sustained commitment to Latino post-completion success. Several standout programs are profiled:
At Florida International University, FIUteach has graduated over 130 students since 2016 — 92 percent from underrepresented groups in STEM — with 75 percent entering the teaching profession and 73 percent remaining in teaching for at least four years, exceeding national retention averages.
At Arizona State University, a technology-enhanced career readiness approach increased Handshake job applications by 48 percent and career services usage by 50 percent.
At Miami Dade College, AI Clinics launched in Spring 2025 have served more than 350 local small business owners and professionals, with 100 percent of surveyed graduates rating the experience as "very valuable" and 70 percent of participants identifying as Latino.
The report closes with concrete recommendations for both institutions and employers. Institutions are urged to integrate arts into STEM curricula, assess Latino participation at each stage of the pipeline, expand post-graduation mentorship and job placement, and track how alumni apply their education in the workforce.
The authors called on employers to recruit from the top institutions graduating Latinos in STEAM, fund internships and scholarships, align hiring priorities with institutional curricula, and connect Latino professionals as mentors to students making the transition into STEAM careers.
The findings serve as a wake-up call for stakeholders across the education-to-workforce continuum. As the U.S. population ages, the relative youth and growth of the Latino community represent the primary engine of future economic expansion.
The Excelencia report makes the case that ignoring this demographic reality is no longer an option for a nation dependent on STEM innovation. Success in these fields requires a deliberate, data-backed strategy to ensure that the students currently filling our classrooms are the same professionals filling our labs, engineering firms, and technology hubs tomorrow.
