NHCC is known for its ethnic diversity. More than 50% of NHCC's students — and 24% of faculty and staff — are people of color. According to federal data from College Scorecard, it's also socioeconomically diverse, with 52% of students receiving income-based federal Pell grants.
NHCC has also been nationally recognized for its commitment to education, diversity, and fighting against racism. In 2021, it received the Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award from Insight Into Diversity magazine, higher education's oldest and largest diversity-focused publication.