Whites have greater educational opportunities than nonwhites in Colorado, according to the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education. Whites aged 18-24 are more than twice as likely to attend college than nonwhites in that age group, a gap that has “widened substantially” over the past 12 years, according to the center.
Whites are almost three times as likely as nonwhites to have a bachelor’s degree – one of the largest gaps in the country, according to the center. Overall, however, 38 percent of the state’s population aged 25 to 65 have a bachelor’s degree or higher, making Colorado one of the top states in the country in this category.
The organization gave Colorado an “F” in providing affordable higher education. Net public-college costs for low- and middle-income students in the state take up more than one-third of their annual family income. Although Colorado has increased its need-based financial aid over the years, the share of family income required to pay for college is “large when compared with other states,” the center said.
