Diversity in higher education publication ranks Mercy among institutions conferring the most degrees to African American and Hispanic students
Diverse magazine, the most widely read trade magazine for and about underrepresented groups in higher education, has ranked Mercy College to its list of the nation’s top higher education institutions that confer bachelor’s and master’s degrees to African American and Hispanic students.
Diverse annually publishes rankings of U.S. higher education institutions that confer the most degrees to minority students. The October issue placed Mercy College at #93 among the nation’s colleges awarding bachelor’s degrees to African American students in 2019-2020, which represents a large increase from the previous year’s rankings. Mercy College showed the third largest increase in the country, behind Clark Atlanta University and Arizona State University.
Mercy also ranked #76 for awarding master’s degrees to Hispanic students in 2019-2020. Mercy College is New York’s largest Hispanic-serving, private not-for-profit college. More than 38% of Mercy’s student body identifies as Hispanic and more than half of all first-time, full-time Mercy freshmen identify as Hispanic, which is a number that has climbed steadily during the past decade. In 2015 the College was named a Bright Spot in Hispanic Education by the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanics. Mercy is one of two Hispanic Serving Institutions in the New York City area to receive this distinction.
Using data obtained from the U.S. Department of Education, Diverse ranks institutions for their commitment to provide access and opportunity for every person seeking to advance their education. Rankings address African American, Hispanic, Asian and Native American students, as well as those who identify as LGBTQA, women, veterans, persons with disabilities and more.
“Mercy College is proud to be recognized for its commitment to diversity and providing equal opportunities for the success for all students," said Adam Castro, Vice President for Enrollment Management, Mercy College. “In a time when graduating from college has become extraordinarily challenging Mercy College is committed to helping students achieve their educational and career goals.”