Race and Ethnicity of the U.S. Population
As the U.S. population increased, the nation became more racially and ethnically diverse. Overall, Hispanics or Latinos had the largest increase in their total share of the population, increasing from 11.1 percent in 1997 to 18.0 percent in 2017, followed by Asians, whose share increased from 3.7 percent to 5.7 percent. Although Whites continued to represent the largest racial and ethnic group in the U.S., their share of the overall population decreased from 71.9 percent in 1997 to 61.0 percent in 2017.
Report Links
Race and Ethnicity in Higher Education: A Status Report
Chapter One: Population Trends and Educational Attainment
Chapter One Report Download (PDF) 2.5 MB
Chapter One Data Tables Download (XLSX) 48 KB
Source
U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population Survey, 1997–2017
Notes:
Years prior to 2003 only report the following racial demographic categories: Hispanic; White; Black; American Indian, Eskimo, or Aleut; and Asian or Pacific Islander.
Data for Native Hawaiians or other Pacific Islanders for the following years: 2009, and 2011 to 2013 should be interpreted with caution. Ratio of standard error to estimate is >30 percent but <50 percent.
Data for Native Hawaiians or other Pacific Islanders for the following years: 2003 to 2008, and 2010 should be interpreted with caution. Ratio of standard error is >50 percent.
