Southeast Montana News

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

Of the 4,510 students attending institutions in the county at the time, 76.5% were white. This is an increase of 17.5% 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 two universities in the county during the 2022-23 school year grew by 19.2%. Montana State University Billings reported the largest student body, with 3,665 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	76.5%
Hispanic	7.6%
Multiracial	6.2%
American Indian or Alaskan Native	3.8%
U.S. nonresident	2.5%
Unknown	1.6%
Black or African American	1.6%
Asian	0.8%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander	0.2%