Higher education is associated with greater earnings and standard of living. College graduates earn more money, live longer and healthier lives, and are more engaged citizens.

In 2022, institutions of higher education in Westchester County admitted a lower share of African American and White applicants (both 82%), compared to 87% of Hispanic applicants, and 88% of Asian applicants. Rates of acceptance have increased among all races and ethnicities since 2013: the African American acceptance rate has increased the most, by 28 points, followed by Hispanics, by 27 points, Asians, by 21 points, and Whites, with a 16-point increase.

Westchester had lower acceptance rates among applicants of all racial/ethnic groups than Rockland County and the lowest acceptance rate among Asian and White applicants compared to both Rockland (89% for Asian applicants and 94% for White applicants) and Nassau counties (90% for both Asian and White applicants).

Students of color face systemic barriers in the American education system, including exclusion, segregation, fewer resources, and lower familial wealth. As a result, students of color are more likely to attend-high poverty schools, have less access to core college preparatory classes, and fare worse on standardized admissions tests, making it harder for people of color to access institutes of higher education. Additionally, legacy admissions preferences perpetuate long-standing inequalities in college access.

This data does not tell us where students residing in Westchester (or any other county) are admitted or enrolled in college, since it is only available grouped by institutions within counties. The data reflects students admitted for the first time on a part- or full-time basis.