Des Moines Sun

White students were the most represented ethnicity among students at Polk County universities in the 2022-23 school year, according to the latest disclosure from the National Center for Education Statistics.

Of the 27,510 students attending institutions in the county at the time, 65% were white. This is an increase of 3.2% in enrollment numbers, compared to the previous year.

Students of unknown ethinicity comprised the second largest ethnic group in the county, followed by Hispanic students.

Countywide, the number of undergraduates attending the nine universities in the county during the 2022-23 school year grew by 3.9%. Des Moines Area Community College reported the largest student body, with 21,637 students.

Graduation rates reveal a significant achievement gap among different ethnicities. While white students graduate at a rate of 62.1%, Black and Hispanic students graduate at a rate of around 40%.

Ethnic Group	% of Total Student Body
White	65%
Unknown	11.6%
Hispanic	8.8%
Black or African American	6.4%
Asian	4.1%
Multiracial	2.4%
U.S. nonresident	0.6%