Top 20 Most Ethnically Diverse Schools With Online Programs

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When a college or a university shows a commitment to having an ethnically diverse student body, it’s usually because they care about providing equal education to all of the school’s attending students, regardless of their socioeconomic, cultural or ethnic background.

When a school cares about its student body, it can easily create a sense of pride and camaraderie in its attending students, bringing the students closer together and creating opportunities for students to push each other to succeed, teach each other new points of view and possibilities for students to reach out and help each other. These opportunities are presented both on-campus and online.

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Each school was ranked based on ethnic diversity, allowing students to get a better understanding of how an ethnically diverse school can provide a more welcoming online education.

Methodology:

We have ranked each of the following schools based on a single rating criterion:

100% Ethnic Diversity of the School’s Undergraduate Student Body

For this ranking, we have used the resources provided by U.S. News and World Report and the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). However, whenever possible, we pulled the statistics about the diversity of the school’s undergraduate student body directly from the school’s website.

The ethnic diversity rating of each school was based on the percentages of undergraduate student enrollment that identify as one of the following ethnic backgrounds:

Black or African American;
Hispanic or Latinx;
Asian;
Pacific Islander (including Hawaiʻian Native);
Native American (Indigenous American including Alaskan Native);
Two or More Races (Multiracial) or;
Other or Unknown

Each school was ranked on a scale of 1-100 based on the ethnic diversity of the school’s undergraduate student body. The rating for each school was determined by the total percentage of all students that did not identify as being White (Non-Hispanic; Caucasian). In the case of a tie, the ranking order was determined alphabetically.

Top 20 Most Ethnically Diverse Schools With Online Programs

20. University of San Francisco

San Francisco, California
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Located in San Francisco, California, the University of San Francisco is a private, not-for-profit Jesuit Catholic-affiliated research university which is ranked by the Carnegie Foundation as having a doctoral research ranking.

The University of San Francisco, which is commonly referred to simply as USF, was initially established in the year of 1855 by the Jesuits as the St. Ignatius Academy. USF has had numerous name changes over the years, including the following: St. Ignatius College (1859), University of St. Ignatius (1912) and St. Ignatius College (1919). Today the school offers numerous undergraduate degree-granting programs, graduate degree-granting programs and professional certification programs for students, both traditional on-campus students and to distance-learning students.

Percentage Black or African American: 3.1%
Percentage Hispanic or Latinx: 19.3%
Percentage Asian: 19.8%
Percentage Pacific Islander (including Hawaiʻian Native): 0.6%
Percentage Native American (Indigenous American including Alaskan Native): 0.3%
Percentage Two or More Races (Multiracial): 6.6%
Percentage Other or Unknown: 1.9%

Compared to:

Percentage White (Non-Hispanic; Caucasian): 29.2%

Final Diversity Rating: 51.6/100

19. Andrews University

Berrien Springs, Michigan
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Located in Berrien Springs, Michigan, Andrews University is a private, not-for-profit Seventh-Day Adventist-affiliated liberal arts university.

Andrews University is the flagship university of the Seventh-Day Adventists School System, which is the second-largest Christian school system in the United States. The school was originally founded in the year of 1874 as a small Seventh-Day Adventist school called Battle Creek College.

Today, Andrews University offers a selection of undergraduate degree-granting programs, graduate degree-granting programs and professional certification programs to both traditional on-campus students and distance-learning students. Distance-learning students that are enrolled in a program at Andrews University will be able to complete their work in a fully online and asynchronous format.

Percentage Black or African American: 19.1%
Percentage Hispanic or Latinx: 13.4%
Percentage Asian: 13.1%
Percentage Pacific Islander (including Hawaiʻian Native): 0.3%
Percentage Native American (Indigenous American including Alaskan Native): 0.2%
Percentage Two or More Races (Multiracial): 2.7%
Percentage Other or Unknown: 2.9%

Compared to:

Percentage White (Non-Hispanic; Caucasian): 29.4%

Final Diversity Rating: 51.7/100

18. Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Cambridge, Massachusetts
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Massachusetts Institute of Technology, which is commonly referred to simply as MIT, is a private, not-for-profit land-grant research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

MIT was originally founded in the year of 1861 and was informally known as Boston Tech. MIT has an unyielding entrepreneurial culture, and the aggregated revenues of companies which were founded by MIT’s various alumni would rank as the eleventh-largest economy in the entire world.

MIT offers a wide selection of undergraduate degree-granting programs, graduate degree-granting programs and professional certification programs to students both on-campus and to students that are distance-learners. These academic programs span numerous professional fields, such as business, technology, and mathematics.

Percentage Black or African American: 5.6%
Percentage Hispanic or Latinx: 16%
Percentage Asian: 24.4%
Percentage Pacific Islander (including Hawaiʻian Native): 0.2%
Percentage Native American (Indigenous American including Alaskan Native): 0.2%
Percentage Two or More Races (Multiracial): 5.2%
Percentage Other or Unknown: 1.8%

Compared to:

Percentage White (Non-Hispanic; Caucasian): 36.5%

Final Diversity Rating: 53.4/100

17. University of Texas at Arlington

Arlington, Texas
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Located in Arlington, Texas, the University of Texas at Arlington is a public research university which was originally established in 1895 as Arlington College.

The University of Texas at Arlington (which is commonly referred to as UT Arlington or just UTA) offers a variety of undergraduate degree-granting programs, graduate degree-granting programs, and professional certification programs. Many academic programs are available in a fully online and asynchronous format for distance-learning students. These educational programs span across many different areas-of-study, allowing for a significant amount of flexibility for attending students. The Carnegie Foundation classifies UT Arlington as being a Doctoral Research University and classified as having a Highest Research Activity rating.

Percentage Black or African American: 14.8%
Percentage Hispanic or Latinx: 23.8%
Percentage Asian: 10.7%
Percentage Pacific Islander (including Hawaiʻian Native): 0.3%
Percentage Native American (Indigenous American including Alaskan Native): 0.3%
Percentage Two or More Races (Multiracial): 3.2%
Percentage Other or Unknown: 0.6%

Compared to:

Percentage White (Non-Hispanic; Caucasian): 41.4%

Final Diversity Rating: 53.7/100

16. St. John’s University

Queens, New York
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Located in Queens, New York, St. John’s University (which is commonly referred to just as SJU) is a private, not-for-profit Roman Catholic-affiliated research university.

St. John’s University was originally established in the year of 1868 by the Vincentian Fathers of the Roman Catholic Church. St. John’s core Vincentian values stem from the ideas and the works of Saint Vincent de Paul (1581–1660), who is the patron saint of charity. St. John’s University offers a wide selection of undergraduate degree-granting programs, graduate degree-granting programs and professional certification programs to its traditional on-campus students. Many of the school’s academic programs are also available in an online and comprehensively asynchronous format to cater to the school’s many distance-learning students.

Percentage Black or African American: 14.3%
Percentage Hispanic or Latinx: 13.9%
Percentage Asian: 15.1%
Percentage Pacific Islander (including Hawaiʻian Native): 0.3%
Percentage Native American (Indigenous American including Alaskan Native): 0.2%
Percentage Two or More Races (Multiracial): 3.5%
Percentage Other or Unknown: 7.2%

Compared to:

Percentage White (Non-Hispanic; Caucasian): 41%

Final Diversity Rating: 54.5/100

15. Stanford University

Stanford, California
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Stanford University is a private, not-for-profit research university which was founded in the year of 1885 by Leland and Jane Stanford, and which was dedicated to Leland Stanford Jr; who was their only child.

Stanford University’s school motto is “Die Luft der Freiheit weht” which translates into English from German as “the wind of freedom blows.” Stanford University offers a myriad of undergraduate degree-granting programs, graduate degree-granting programs and professional certification programs for its enrolled students. Many of these academic programs are available in an online and completely asynchronous format for the school’s distance-learning students. Various Stanford faculty and alumni have founded numerous companies which produce more than USD 2.7 trillion in annual revenue combined.

Percentage Black or African American: 5.9%
Percentage Hispanic or Latinx: 16.1%
Percentage Asian: 19.8%
Percentage Pacific Islander (including Hawaiʻian Native): 1.1%
Percentage Native American (Indigenous American including Alaskan Native): 1.1%
Percentage Two or More Races (Multiracial): 10.7%
Percentage Other or Unknown: 0.3%

Compared to:

Percentage White (Non-Hispanic; Caucasian): 37.5%

Final Diversity Rating: 55/100

14. Texas Woman’s University

Denton, Texas
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Texas Woman’s University is a public research university which is located in Denton, Texas. The university, which is commonly referred to simply as TWU, is known as the largest state-supported university for women located within the United States, even though the school started accepting male students in 1972 into its health sciences program and 1994 to all of the school’s programs.

TWU maintains two health science centers, one in Dallas, Texas and the other in Houston, Texas. TWU offers enrolled students with a variety of undergraduate degree-granting programs, graduate degree-granting programs, and professional certification programs. Many of these programs are available online to distance-learning students.

Percentage Black or African American: 20.1%
Percentage Hispanic or Latinx: 24.4%
Percentage Asian: 7.9%
Percentage Pacific Islander (including Hawaiʻian Native): 0%
Percentage Native American (Indigenous American including Alaskan Native): 0.5%
Percentage Two or More Races (Multiracial): 3.5%
Percentage Other or Unknown: 0.7%

Compared to:

Percentage White (Non-Hispanic; Caucasian): 41.7%

Final Diversity Rating: 57.1/100

13. University of California, Santa Barbara

Goleta, California
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The University of California, Santa Barbara, which is located in Goleta, California — approximately 8 miles from Santa Barbara, California, was originally established in the year of 1891 as an independent teacher’s college.

The University of California, Santa Barbara is commonly referred to simply as UCSB and offers numerous undergraduate degree-granting programs, graduate degree-granting programs, and professional certification programs. Many of the available academic programs are available online in a fully asynchronous format for the school’s distance-learning students. UCSB is regarded as a “Public Ivy” which is a public school that provides education on par with the Ivy League schools.

Percentage Black or African American: 2.1%
Percentage Hispanic or Latinx: 25.3%
Percentage Asian: 19%
Percentage Pacific Islander (including Hawaiʻian Native): 0%
Percentage Native American (Indigenous American including Alaskan Native): 0%
Percentage Two or More Races (Multiracial): 8.4%
Percentage Other or Unknown: 2.7%

Compared to:

Percentage White (Non-Hispanic; Caucasian): 36.5%

Final Diversity Rating: 57.5/100

12. University of Texas at Dallas

Dallas, Texas
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The University of Texas at Dallas is a public research university and is commonly referred to as UT Dallas or simply as UTD. UT Dallas was originally established in 1969 by founders Eugene McDermott, Cecil Howard Green and J. Erik Jonsson as the Graduate Research Center of the Southwest to meet the demand for skilled professionals in the area, primarily needed by Texas Instruments, Incorporated (TI). The company was short on qualified employees who possessed advanced training in engineering and the physical sciences.

UT Dallas offers numerous undergraduate degree-granting programs, graduate degree-granting programs, and professional certification programs to both traditional on-campus students and distance-learning students (via an online and asynchronous format).

Percentage Black or African American: 6.4%
Percentage Hispanic or Latinx: 17.8%
Percentage Asian: 27.6%
Percentage Pacific Islander (including Hawaiʻian Native): 0.2%
Percentage Native American (Indigenous American including Alaskan Native): 0.2%
Percentage Two or More Races (Multiracial): 4.1%
Percentage Other or Unknown: 1.5%

Compared to:

Percentage White (Non-Hispanic; Caucasian): 38.8%

Final Diversity Rating: 57.8/100

11. University of California, Los Angeles

Los Angeles, California
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University of California, Los Angeles is a public land-grant research university which was originally established in 1882 as the State Normal School at Los Angeles by the California State Legislature. The school would later be known as the Southern Branch of the University of California in 1919 and finally be referred to as the University of California at Los Angeles in 1927.

University of California, Los Angeles, which is commonly referred to simply as UCLA, offers numerous undergraduate degree-granting programs, graduate degree-granting programs and professional certification-granting programs to enrolled students. Many of the offered academic programs are available in an online and totally asynchronous format to cater to UCLA’s many distance-learning students.

Percentage Black or African American: 2.8%
Percentage Hispanic or Latinx: 19.6%
Percentage Asian: 30%
Percentage Pacific Islander (including Hawaiʻian Native): 0.3%
Percentage Native American (Indigenous American including Alaskan Native): 0.1%
Percentage Two or More Races (Multiracial): 4.8%
Percentage Other or Unknown: 1.9%

Compared to:

Percentage White (Non-Hispanic; Caucasian): 27.8%

Final Diversity Rating: 59.5/100

10. University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Las Vegas, Nevada
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The University of Nevada, Las Vegas is a public research university. The university, which is commonly referred to simply as UNLV, was originally established in 1957 as the University of Nevada, Southern Division. In 1965, the Nevada Legislature renamed the school Nevada Southern University, and the school’s Board of Regents hired the campus’ first president, Donald C. Moyer.

Today, UNLV offers numerous undergraduate degree-granting programs, graduate degree-granting programs and professional certification programs spanning across multiple areas-of-study. These academic programs are available to both the school’s traditional on-campus students and the school’s distance-learning students.

Percentage Black or African American: 7.6%
Percentage Hispanic or Latinx: 24.9%
Percentage Asian: 15.4%
Percentage Pacific Islander (including Hawaiʻian Native): 1.4%
Percentage Native American (Indigenous American including Alaskan Native): 0.3%
Percentage Two or More Races (Multiracial): 8.6%
Percentage Other or Unknown: 1.4%

Compared to:

Percentage White (Non-Hispanic; Caucasian): 36.6%

Final Diversity Rating: 59.6/100

9. University of Illinois at Chicago

Chicago, Illinois
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The University of Illinois at Chicago is a public research university which was officially established in 1913 and can trace its roots to multiple different private health colleges founded during the late nineteenth century. These include the Chicago College of Pharmacy (which was originally established in 1859), the College of Physicians and Surgeons (which was formed in 1882), and the Columbian College of Dentistry (which was created in 1891).

The University of Illinois at Chicago, which is commonly referred to simply as UIC, offers multiple undergraduate, graduate, and professional certification programs for both on-campus students and to distance-learning students.

Percentage Black or African American: 7.9%
Percentage Hispanic or Latinx: 26.4%
Percentage Asian: 22.7%
Percentage Pacific Islander (including Hawaiʻian Native): 0.3%
Percentage Native American (Indigenous American including Alaskan Native): 0%
Percentage Two or More Races (Multiracial): 2.5%
Percentage Other or Unknown: 1.8%

Compared to:

Percentage White (Non-Hispanic; Caucasian): 35.8%

Final Diversity Rating: 61.6/100

8. University of California, Davis

Davis, California
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The University of California, Davis, which is commonly referred to as UC Davis or simply as UCD, is a public land-grant and space-grant research university.

UC Davis was originally established in 1905 as the University Farm. In 1922, the name was changed to Northern Branch of the College of Agriculture, and in 1959 the school underwent a final name change to the University of California, Davis.

The Carnegie Foundation rates UC Davis as a doctoral research university with a Very High Research Activity rating.

UC Davis offers numerous undergraduate degree-granting programs, graduate degree-granting programs and professional certification programs to its 36,000+ students. Many of the academic programs offered are available in an online and asynchronous format for the school’s many distance-learning students.

Percentage Black or African American: 2.1%
Percentage Hispanic or Latinx: 18.4%
Percentage Asian: 34.2%
Percentage Pacific Islander (including Hawaiʻian Native): 0.5%
Percentage Native American (Indigenous American including Alaskan Native): 0.2%
Percentage Two or More Races (Multiracial): 5.4%
Percentage Other or Unknown: 1.5%

Compared to:

Percentage White (Non-Hispanic; Caucasian): 29.6%

Final Diversity Rating: 62.3/100

7. University of California, Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz, California
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The University of California, Santa Cruz, which is commonly referred to as UC Santa Cruz or simply as UCSC, is a public land-grant and space-grant research university.

Originally established in 1965 and a member of the University of California system which is comprised of 10 campuses, today UC Santa Cruz offers a myriad of undergraduate degree-granting programs, graduate degree-granting programs and professional certification programs to both traditional on-campus students and distance-learning students.

The school’s motto is “Fiat lux” which translates into English as “Let there be light.” The school’s colors are UCSC gold and blue, and the mascot is Sammy the Slug with the students proudly bearing the nickname of Banana Slugs.

Percentage Black or African American: 2%
Percentage Hispanic or Latinx: 31.6%
Percentage Asian: 20.3%
Percentage Pacific Islander (including Hawaiʻian Native): 0.2%
Percentage Native American (Indigenous American including Alaskan Native): 0.2%
Percentage Two or More Races (Multiracial): 7.4%
Percentage Other or Unknown: 1.6%

Compared to:

Percentage White (Non-Hispanic; Caucasian): 34.7%

Final Diversity Rating: 63.3/100

6. University of the Pacific

Stockton, California
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The University of the Pacific (which is commonly referred to as Pacific or simply as UOP) is a private, not-for-profit and nonsectarian liberal arts university.

The University of the Pacific has a traditional affiliation with the Methodist sect of Christianity, but the university no longer has any Methodist ties. Originally established in 1851 as the California Wesleyan College in Santa Clara, California, the University of the Pacific has a storied history spanning more than 150 years as a provider of higher education.

Today UOP offers numerous undergraduate degree-granting programs, graduate degree-granting programs, and professional certification programs to both its traditional on-campus students and to its distance-learning students. UOP’s campus has been used in a variety of movies due to its likeness to the East Coast Ivy League schools.

Percentage Black or African American: 2.5%
Percentage Hispanic or Latinx: 18.1%
Percentage Asian: 33%
Percentage Pacific Islander (including Hawaiʻian Native): 0.6%
Percentage Native American (Indigenous American including Alaskan Native): 0.6%
Percentage Two or More Races (Multiracial): 4.6%
Percentage Other or Unknown: 3.9%

Compared to:

Percentage White (Non-Hispanic; Caucasian): 29.9%

Final Diversity Rating: 63.3/100

5. New Jersey Institute of Technology

Newark, New Jersey
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New Jersey Institute of Technology is located in Newark, New Jersey and was originally established in 1881 as the Newark Technical School.

New Jersey Institute of Technology, which is commonly referred to simply as NJIT, is a public land-grant and sea-grant research university and is a member institute of the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture–which is a non-for-profit associated concerned with ensuring the quality of architectural education in the United States and abroad continues to excel. NJIT offers numerous undergraduate degree-granting programs, graduate degree-granting programs and professional certification programs to its enrolled on-campus students and distance-learning students alike. The school’s colors are NJIT red and white with blue accents.

Percentage Black or African American: 8.9%
Percentage Hispanic or Latinx: 19.5%
Percentage Asian: 21.1%
Percentage Pacific Islander (including Hawaiʻian Native): 0%
Percentage Native American (Indigenous American including Alaskan Native): 0%
Percentage Two or More Races (Multiracial): 3%
Percentage Other or Unknown: 11.6%

Compared to:

Percentage White (Non-Hispanic; Caucasian): 31.3%

Final Diversity Rating: 64.1/100

4. University of Houston

Houston, Texas
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The University of Houston is a public research university and is the flagship institution of the University of Houston System (UHS). Originally established in 1927, today the University of Houston (which is commonly referred to simply as UH) is the third-largest university in the state of Texas based on student enrollment.

UH offers more than 280 different degree programs spanning across multiple areas-of-study which are available through its 14 academic colleges for enrolled traditional on-campus students. The university also has a significant portion of those 280 degree programs in an online and asynchronous format for enrolled distance-learning students.

The University of Houston is well-known for the variety of theatrical performances, concerts and student events that are regularly hosted on-campus.

Percentage Black or African American: 10.8%
Percentage Hispanic or Latinx: 30.7%
Percentage Asian: 21.6%
Percentage Pacific Islander (including Hawaiʻian Native): 0.3%
Percentage Native American (Indigenous American including Alaskan Native): 0%
Percentage Two or More Races (Multiracial): 3.3%
Percentage Other or Unknown: 0.8%

Compared to:

Percentage White (Non-Hispanic; Caucasian): 27.7%

Final Diversity Rating: 67.5/100

3. San Francisco State University

San Francisco, California
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San Francisco State University is commonly referred to as San Francisco State, SF State or simply as SFSU. Having been originally established in 1899 as the San Francisco State Normal School, SFSU has undergone a couple of name changes over the years, including: San Francisco State Teachers College in 1921, San Francisco State College in 1935 and California State University, San Francisco in 1972 before being renamed to its present-day name in 1974.

SFSU is a member of the 23-campus California State University system (CSUS) and offers numerous undergraduate degree-granting programs, graduate degree-granting programs and professional certification programs for both the school’s traditional on-campus students and the school’s distance-learning students. SFSU’s school colors are purple, and gold and the mascot is the Gator.

Percentage Black or African American: 4.8%
Percentage Hispanic or Latinx: 24.3%
Percentage Asian: 28.2%
Percentage Pacific Islander (including Hawaiʻian Native): 0.7%
Percentage Native American (Indigenous American including Alaskan Native): 0.2%
Percentage Two or More Races (Multiracial): 5.6%
Percentage Other or Unknown: 7.5%

Compared to:

Percentage White (Non-Hispanic; Caucasian): 21.4%

Final Diversity Rating: 71.3/100

2. Rutgers University — Newark

Newark, New Jersey
https://www.onlinecollegeplan.com/rutgers-university-newark/
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School Profile
Rutgers University — Newark is a public research university which was originally founded in 1766 in New Brunswick, making it the eighth-oldest college located within the United States.

Rutgers University — Newark is also a member of the Association of American Universities, an international not-for-profit organization of leading research universities which are devoted to maintaining a robust and ethical system of academic research and education. The Association of American Universities consists of 60 member institutions in the United States and 2 in Canada.

Rutgers Newark offers a myriad of undergraduate degree-granting programs, graduate degree-granting programs and professional certification programs to its enrolled on-campus students and distance-learning students.

Percentage Black or African American: 17.6%
Percentage Hispanic or Latinx: 23.9%
Percentage Asian: 21.3%
Percentage Pacific Islander (including Hawaiʻian Native): 0.4%
Percentage Native American (Indigenous American including Alaskan Native): 0%
Percentage Two or More Races (Multiracial): 2.8%
Percentage Other or Unknown: 6.3%

Compared to:

Percentage White (Non-Hispanic; Caucasian): 24.8%

Final Diversity Rating: 72.3/100

1. University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa

Honolulu, Hawaiʻi
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The University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, which is commonly referred to as UH Mānoa or UH, is located in Honolulu, Hawaiʻi in the affluent neighborhood of Mānoa.

UH Mānoa is a public land-grant, sea-grant and space-grant research university and is the flagship university of the University of Hawaiʻi System (UHS).

The Carnegie Foundation classifies UH Mānoa as being a research university with a Very High Research Activity rating.

UH Mānoa is home to two of the state of Hawaiʻi’s most prominent professional schools; the William S. Richardson School of Law and the School of Medicine are the only law and medical schools located in the state. UH Mānoa is also home to the Shidler College of Business, which has the only Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) accredited graduate business program in Hawaiʻi.

UH Mānoa is our top pick for the most ethnically diverse school due to the highly extraordinary diversity of the school’s undergraduate student body. We commend UH Mānoa for proving that a student’s only hindrance should be their willingness to try their best; and not the color of their skin.

Percentage Black or African American: 1.4%
Percentage Hispanic or Latinx: 9.3%
Percentage Asian: 39%
Percentage Pacific Islander (including Hawaiʻian Native): 3.7%
Percentage Native American (Indigenous American including Alaskan Native): 0.2%
Percentage Two or More Races (Multiracial): 24.7%
Percentage Other or Unknown: 0.2%

Compared to:

Percentage White (Non-Hispanic; Caucasian): 18.1%

Final Diversity Rating: 78.5/100

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