Balancing Act:The Tradeoffs andChallenges Facing
Black Students inHigher Education

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Balancing Act: The Tradeoffs and Challenges Facing Black Students in Higher Education﻿

Background
Many Black students in the U.S. face distinctive challenges tocompleting postsecondary programs.
Six-year completion rates for any type of degree or certificate program are lower for Black students thanfor those in any other racial or ethnic group.1 Barriers to completion include the high financial cost of
higher education and implicit and overt forms of racial discrimination that cause many to stop out or neverenroll in the first place.2
Findings from Balancing Act: The Tradeoffs and Challenges Facing Black Students in Higher Education
are derived from the Lumina Foundation-Gallup State of Higher Education 2022 study. The LuminaFoundation-Gallup State of Higher Education 2022 study identifies the psychological, physical andfinancial barriers to high-quality post-high school training and builds on insights Gallup and Lumina gainedin the fall of 2020 and fall of 2021. In the fall of 2022, Gallup interviewed 6,008 currently enrolled students
across program types, including 1,106 non-Hispanic Black students. Among non-Hispanic Black students
included in the study, 155 were pursuing professional certifications, 287 were in certificate programs, 347
were in associate degree programs and 317 were in bachelor’s degree programs. This report, dedicatedto the experience of Black learners, provides a deep dive into the exceptional barriers Black students
face in higher education today and makes further examination of these differences valuable for reducing
inequities in higher education.
12

National Student Clearinghouse Research Center. (29, November 2022). Completing College National and State Reports With Six- and Eight-Year
Completion Rates Dashboards. https://nscresearchcenter.org/completing-college/

Museus, S.D., Ledesma, M.C., & Parker, T.L. (2015). Systemic Racism in Higher Education. Racism and Racial Equity in Higher Education. ASHE Higher
Education Report, 42(1), 49-71.

1

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Balancing Act: The Tradeoffs and Challenges Facing Black Students in Higher Education﻿

Part 1: Discrimination

Black students in least racially diverse programs more likely tofeel discriminated against or unsafe
Among all postsecondary institutions, 21% of currently enrolled Black students say they feel discriminated against“frequently” or “occasionally” in their program, vs. 15% of all other students. Black learners are more likely to feel
discriminated against at institutions with the least racially diverse student bodies. At schools that score in thebottom quintile on the Simpson racial diversity index,3 Black students are not only more likely to say they frequently
or occasionally feel discriminated against but also to say they feel disrespected and physically or psychologicallyunsafe. Such findings support the idea that staff and students at institutions with few students of color may be lesslikely to adhere to norms of inclusivity and intolerance of racist acts.4
TA B L E 1

How often do you feel any of the following at [school name] — frequently, occasionally,
once or twice, or never ?
% “Frequently” or “occasionally” among Black students
Least racially
Feelings

Most raciallydiverse student

2

3

4

bodies - 1

34

diverse student
bodies - 5

Discriminated against

311916

1817Physically unsafe

2817121416

Psychologically unsafe

2725201417

Disrespected

2619211319The Simpson racial diversity index is based on the probability that any two randomly selected members of a system — in this case, students in a
postsecondary certificate or degree program — will be from the same racial or ethnic group.

Newsome, M. (1, April 2022). Black Students Experiencing Racism on Campus Lack Mental Health Support. KHN. https://khn.org/news/article/blackstudents-experiencing-racism-on-campus-lack-mental-health-support/

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Balancing Act: The Tradeoffs and Challenges Facing Black Students in Higher Education﻿

Black learners in short-term
credential programs most likely
to feel discriminated against
Twenty-one percent of Black students say they frequently oroccasionally experience discrimination at their postsecondary
institution. Black students’ perceptions of discrimination varyconsiderably according to the type of credential they are pursuing.
Among those in short-term credential programs — including
certificates and professional certifications — about one-third(32%) say they feel discriminated against at least occasionally,
compared with 16% in associate degree programs and 14% inbachelor’s programs.
FIGURE 1

How often do you feel discriminated against at[school name] — frequently, occasionally, once ortwice, or never?
% Frequently% Occasionally% Once or twice% Never

Due to rounding, percentages may sum to 100% ±1.

These findings call into question the safeguards against systemic
discrimination in short-term credential programs, which areincreasingly popular in the U.S. and provide prospective adultlearners additional pathways to education and training with lower
financial and time investments.

3Copyright © 2023 Gallup, Inc. All rights reserved.
LuminaBlackLearners_RPT_EXT_enUS_032223_kp“I did get into a verbal disagreementwith someone, and I felt like the situation
should have been handled better. … I’m
Black and this person was Caucasian,and because of the person’s smaller
stature and voice, they [the university
administration] just automaticallyassumed that I’m the one who started
this verbal disagreement when itended up showing that it was her. …
I’m not an aggressive person, but they
automatically assumed [it was me].”– Kia B., Black woman, 30-44

Balancing Act: The Tradeoffs and Challenges Facing Black Students in Higher Education﻿

Black students’ ratings of routine interactions with faculty and other students differ somewhat by program orinstitution type. Those in short-term credential programs are somewhat less likely to agree that they are treatedwith respect by other students and faculty members. In general, however, these results do not vary as much as
those for perceived discrimination. Moreover, results for these items are generally similar between Black students
in each program type and students in all other racial or ethnic groups.
FIGURE 2

Using a 5-point scale in which 1 means strongly disagree and 5 means strongly agree,
please rate your level of agreement with the following statements.
% “4” or “5” among Black students vs. all other students
Certification/Certificate program

Associate degree

Bachelor’s degree

4Copyright © 2023 Gallup, Inc. All rights reserved.

Balancing Act: The Tradeoffs and Challenges Facing Black Students in Higher Education﻿Black learners at private
for‑profit schools more likely
to report discrimination
Black students’ experiences with discrimination varysignificantly by the type of institution in which they are enrolled.
One-third of those at private for-profit schools (34%) say
they experience discrimination frequently or occasionally, vs.
23% of those in private not-for-profit institutions and 17%
at public institutions. This is particularly problematic giventhat Black students make up a larger share of the student
population in private for-profit institutions than in public or
private not‑for‑profit universities.5
FIGURE 3

How often do you feel discriminated against at[school name] — frequently, occasionally, once ortwice, or never?
% Frequently% Occasionally% Once or twice% Never

Due to rounding, percentages may sum to 100% ±1. Totals of combined
categories presented in this report may differ by ±1 percentage point dueto rounding.

5

Postsecondary National Policy Institute. (2022). Factsheets: Black Students.
https://pnpi.org/black-students/

5

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Balancing Act: The Tradeoffs and Challenges Facing Black Students in Higher Education﻿
“I’m basically a single
parent, and I don’t reallyhave much help when it
comes to watching mychild when I have to dothings, so it can get in theway of a lot.”– Bianca F., Blackwoman, 30-44

Part 2: Multiple priorities

Many Black bachelor’s students forced to balance studies
with other duties
As with other credential and degree types, Black students in four-year bachelor’s degree programs are more likely
to stop their coursework prior to completion than those in other racial/ethnic groups.6 Black students are also more
likely than others to report having caregiver responsibilities and to be working full time.

15% vs. 8%
11% vs. 7%

22% vs. 11%
20% vs. 11%

15% of Black students are caregivers for adult family members or friends,
vs. 8% of other students.
11% of Black students are parents or guardians of children under 18,
vs. 7% of other students.
Overall, 22% of Black students have caregiver responsibilities,
vs. 11% of other students.
20% of Black students are employed full time,vs. 11% of other students.

Altogether, Black bachelor’s students are twice as likely as other bachelor’s students to have additional
responsibilities as caregivers or full-time workers — 36% vs. 18%, respectively.

6National Student Clearinghouse Research Center. (29, November 2022). Completing College National and State Reports With Six- and Eight-Year
Completion Rates Dashboards. https://nscresearchcenter.org/completing-college/

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Balancing Act: The Tradeoffs and Challenges Facing Black Students in Higher Education﻿

FIGURE 4Percentage of bachelor’s students who have
responsibilities as caregivers or full-time employees% Black bachelor’s students% All other students

Black bachelor’s students with competing responsibilities arealso significantly more likely than those without to say they haveconsidered stopping their coursework in the past six months —46% vs. 34%, respectively.

Black bachelor’s students
more likely than others to cite
importance of flexibility inschedules and course delivery
When asked about the importance of various considerations intheir ability to remain enrolled, Black bachelor’s students are more
likely than others to consider most factors very important, including
financial supports like their financial aid/scholarship or an increasein personal income. However, the items that most distinguish themfrom other students are those relating to greater course or work
flexibility, which is essential for many struggling to keep up withclasses and coursework amid other demands on their time.
A majority of Black bachelor’s students (59%) say greater flexibility
in their work or personal schedule is very important to remaining
enrolled, vs. 37% of other students. Almost half of Black students(47%) say flexibility in course delivery — including remote learning
options — is very important, vs. 29% of other students.
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Almost half of Black associatedegree students must balance
multiple responsibilities.

Among those currently enrolled in
two‑year associate degree programs,
Black students are about as likely asothers to have additional responsibilities
as caregivers or full-time employees— but such responsibilities are morecommon among both groups than they
are among bachelor’s students.
• 32% of associate degree students
have caregiver duties, including
36% of Black students and 31%of other students.

• 27% of associate degree students
work full time, with this figure nearly
identical among Black students(28%) and others (27%).

• Overall, 46% of associate degree
students have responsibilities thatcompete for time with their studies,including 47% of Black students and
46% of others.

Balancing Act: The Tradeoffs and Challenges Facing Black Students in Higher Education﻿

FIGURE 5

How important are each of the following in your being able to remain enrolled inyour program?
% “Very important” among bachelor’s students
Black students

All other students

When asked what they would be looking forin a college or university: “I would like to see
remote learning. And, for moms that are busy
during the day, night classes.”– Malika R., Black woman, 30-44

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Balancing Act: The Tradeoffs and Challenges Facing Black Students in Higher Education﻿

Conclusion
The current findings on Black learners demonstrate the need for data on the experiencesof students enrolled in all forms of postsecondary education to identify specific challenges
that threaten to derail their progress. Students’ experiences with discrimination may insome cases suggest a need for greater regulatory oversight; for example, some advocacy
organizations have called for greater accountability measures that prevent for-profit
colleges from targeting minority communities with inferior program qualities and predatory
lending practices.7
Strategies for helping Black bachelor’s students stay enrolled while fulfilling otherresponsibilities, meanwhile, may require institutions to continue developing best practices
in integrating in-person and online course options. Clear access to counseling services
that help such students manage scheduling and resource challenges, as well as strategies
for coping with the stress they may experience balancing multiple priorities, may also be
particularly important to helping them remain enrolled.

Methodology Statement
Results for Balancing Act: The Tradeoffs and Challenges Facing Black Students in Higher
Education, which are derived from the Lumina Foundation-Gallup State of Higher Education
2022 study, are based on web surveys conducted Oct. 26 to Nov. 17, 2022, with U.S. adults
aged 18 to 59 who have a high school degree/diploma or equivalent and have not yet
completed an associate or bachelor’s degree. Gallup surveyed 12,015 total U.S. adults,
including 3,949 who were currently enrolled in an associate or bachelor’s degree program,
2,059 who were enrolled in a certificate or certification program, 3,004 who have somecollege experience but no degree and are not currently enrolled, and 3,003 individuals
who have never enrolled in higher education. Respondents were interviewed via Dynata’s
web‑based panel.
The data are weighted to match national demographics of gender, age, race, Hispanicethnicity, education and region. Demographic weighting targets are based on the mostrecent American Community Survey figures for the aged 18 to 59 U.S. population.

7

Sheffey, A. (24, August 2021). For-profit schools target minority communities that typically owe more student debt,report says. Insider. https://www.businessinsider.com/for-profit-schools-target-minority-communities-student-borrowerprotection-center-2021-8

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Balancing Act: The Tradeoffs and Challenges Facing Black Students in Higher Education﻿

About Gallup

Gallup delivers analytics and advice to help leaders and organizations solve their mostpressing problems. Combining more than 80 years of experience with its global reach,Gallup knows more about the attitudes and behaviors of employees, customers, students
and citizens than any other organization in the world. Gallup has served more than 1,000
education organizations with advice and analytics based on over 85 years of research,
including nearly half a million interviews with education leaders and their teams about theirworkplace experiences and the perspectives of more than 6 million students and alumni
captured by the Gallup Student Poll and Gallup Alumni Survey. Gallup assists districts,schools, universities and institutions nationwide with research-based strategies toprovide a culture shift in education to help students on their path toward great careers andgreat lives.

About Lumina Foundation

Lumina Foundation is an independent, private foundation in Indianapolis that iscommitted to making opportunities for learning beyond high school available to all. We
envision a system that is easy to navigate, delivers fair results, and meets the nation’s
need for talent through a broad range of credentials. Lumina Foundation works withgovernmental, nonprofit, and private-sector organizations to bring about change. We rely
on communications outreach, meetings and events that engage and mobilize people, stateand federal policy outreach, investments in proven and promising practices, and targeted
efforts to measure and evaluate progress.

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