Gastonia Times

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

Of the 7,305 students attending institutions in the county at the time, 46.8% were white. This is a decrease of 20.1% in enrollment numbers, compared to the previous year.

Students of unknown ethinicity comprised the second largest ethnic group in the county, followed by Black or African American students.

Countywide, the number of undergraduates attending the three universities in the county during the 2022-23 school year grew by 7.4%. Gaston College reported the largest student body, with 5,558 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	46.8%
Unknown	28.1%
Black or African American	11.7%
Hispanic	7.6%
Multiracial	2.9%
U.S. nonresident	1.6%
Asian	1%