This UnidosUS report looks at why many Latino students who want to finish college are still pushed off track. It says roughly 3.9 million Latino students are enrolled in postsecondary education, but completion gaps remain large. The report argues that the problem is not a lack of ambition; it is that the real cost of college includes food, housing, transportation, health care, family responsibilities and mental stress, not just tuition.
The report draws on a 2024 survey of 3,000 Latino students and March 2026 focus groups with 18 Latino students. Students described basic needs problems that stack on top of one another: when food is unaffordable, housing is unstable, transportation is unreliable or family members need help, students have less time, money and energy to stay focused on school. Mental health becomes both a result of these pressures and another barrier to finishing.
A major takeaway is that supports often exist but are too hard to find. Students said they often learned about food pantries, emergency aid, transportation help, mental health services or peer support late, through word of mouth rather than clear outreach. Trusted relationships, Latino student centers, peer mentors and culturally responsive staff were often the bridge between students and the help they needed.
UnidosUS calls for a wraparound approach involving federal, state and campus leaders. The report recommends strengthening Pell Grants, protecting access to food and health benefits, expanding emergency aid, supporting basic needs hubs, investing in mental health and caregiving supports, and protecting culturally responsive programs. Its broader message is that improving college completion for Latino students requires addressing the everyday pressures that make staying enrolled harder.