School Ratings

Purpose

The purpose of this page is to provide data on the racial and ethnic demographics of enrolled students at NYU to analyze the school's diversity across degree types. While this data covers a range of ethnic groups and categories, we provide extra emphasis on the Black population at USC due to the history of educational barriers for black students in this country. This data is can help reveal patterns of access, representation, and equity in at USC compared to national standards. This data can be applied to assess compliance with civil rights laws, shape inclusive admissions and retention policies, and inform research on how diversity impacts campus climate and student outcomes. This data can also be useful to potential students belonging to minority racial groups in understanding what their experiences may look like(likelihood of imposter syndrome, discrimination, isolation, familiarity, etc.) attending this institution.

Ethnic Category	Undergrad Percent	Undergrad Total	Grad Percent	Grad Total	Faculty Percent	Faculty Total
Asian	16%	8,380	11%	2,028	16%	3,077
Black or African American	7%	3,750	5%	883	14%	2,668
Hispanic or Latino	13%	6,749	8%	1,390	0%	0
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander	0%	43	0%	9	0%	36
Nonresident	28%	14,591	39%	7,163	0%	0
Two or More	3%	1,619	2%	386	2%	282
Unknown	5%	2,729	4%	802	0%	0
White or Caucasian	28%	14,838	30%	5,511	68%	12,935

Analysis

Smallest Ethnic Group

Native American data was not reported in the provided NYU dataset, which reflects a common issue in higher education diversity reporting. Pacific Islander representation is also extremely low, with only 43 undergraduates, 9 graduate students, and 36 faculty members.

Analysis: Although these small numbers mirror their low share of the U.S. population (~1%), their near invisibility on campus can create challenges such as isolation, limited visibility, and fewer resources. Addressing this gap requires both better data reporting and intentional recruitment and support.

Black Population

Black students at NYU make up 7% of undergraduates, 5% of graduate students, and 14% of faculty.

Analysis: Enrollment is below the national average of ~12%, but Black faculty representation is stronger than at many peer institutions. This creates potential for mentorship and role modeling, though lower student enrollment signals a need for stronger outreach, support, and retention initiatives.

Largest Ethnic Groups

The largest groups at NYU are White undergraduates (28%), White faculty (68%), and international (“nonresident”) graduate students (39%). International students also account for 28% of undergraduates, yet there are none reported among faculty.

Analysis: This reflects NYU’s global presence with it's degree-granting campuses in Abu Dhabi and Shanghai and academic centers worldwide. This may be a driving factor in its high international enrollment compared to the ~5% U.S. average. However, the absence of international faculty re3lays a mismatch between the student body and teaching staff. As with USC this might be indicative of a genertional changes in vales surrounding diversity, or it may imply that the institution places a smaller focus on diversity outside of it's students. Class of 2028 data reinforces this: 26% of incoming students are international, 23% are Pell-eligible, and 21% are first-generation, showing socioeconomic and geographic diversity. Yet underrepresented minority enrollment fell from 23% in 2023 to 14% in 2028 (Black: 7% → 4%, Latino: 15% → 10%, Asian American: 22% → 27%, White: 21% → 23%). This suggests NYU continues to expand its global footprint but faces challenges sustaining racial/ethnic diversity among domestic students.