UNLV ranks in Top 10 again for diverse student population

By Brian Nordli

Published Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2014 | 4:01 p.m.

Updated Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2014 | 5:20 p.m.

UNLV is once again the sixth most diverse college campuses in the nation, according to the latest rankings from U.S. News and World Report.

With a large population of Hispanic students, UNLV’s student population ranked in the top 10 for the fourth consecutive year. U.S. News and World Report released the information in its 30th annual rankings of national universities in the country.

The report used undergraduate student enrollment data from the previous school year to measure where students are most likely to encounter students from a different ethnic group from their own.

UNLV tied with University of Hawaii-Manoa for the sixth-highest rate of minority students. As of last year’s enrollment data, 57 percent of UNLV’s students reported being part of a racial or ethnic minority, according to a UNLV press release.

The ranking is the result of UNLV’s emphasis and work with nonprofit groups and the Clark County School District on mentoring and retaining minority students, said Luis Valera, vice president of diversity initiatives and government affairs, in the release.

Rutgers University had the highest rate of minority students, followed by Andrews University, St. John’s University and University of Houston.

The report also ranks the nation’s top universities. UNLV’s ranking was not published in the report, while University of Nevada-Reno tied for the 194th best university in the nation.