How African American is the Net Black Advantage? Differences in College Attendance Among Immigrant Blacks, Native Blacks, and Whites

  • The net black advantage in college-going characterizes the educational experiences of both African Americans and black immigrants.
  • Both African Americans and black immigrants are more likely than similar whites to attend college after high school graduation, net of background factors.
  • African Americans display a net advantage over comparable whites across all types of colleges, while black immigrants evidence a net advantage only in attending selective colleges.
  • Differences between immigrant and native blacks in terms of two parents and private school education contribute to group differences in college going and destination; controlling for background differences between these groups led to reductions in immigrant-native gaps in college attendance across all levels of selectivity.
  • Proportionately fewer immigrants than native blacks enter higher education via HBCUs, while a larger percentage of immigrants than native blacks enter via selective colleges.