South Sound Times

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

Of the 7,089 students attending institutions in the county at the time, 53.2% were white. This is a decrease of 5% in enrollment numbers, compared to the previous year.

Hispanic students comprised the second largest ethnic group in the county, followed by multiracial students.

Countywide, the number of undergraduates attending the four universities in the county during the 2022-23 school year fell by 5.7%. South Puget Sound Community College reported the largest student body, with 3,788 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	53.2%
Hispanic	15.8%
Multiracial	9.5%
Asian	6.5%
Black or African American	4.9%
Unknown	4.7%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander	2%
American Indian or Alaskan Native	1.5%
U.S. nonresident	1.5%