Postsecondary Achievement of Latinx Deaf People in the United States: 2024
Authors: Carla García-Fernández, Janette Durán-Aguirre, Carrie Lou Bloom, Jeffrey Levi Palmer & Jonah Winninghoff
Key Findings
Employment
51.4% of Latinx deaf people are employed.
However, despite high employment rates, Latinx deaf people are underpaid.
Intersectional Impact
Postsecondary Enrollment
41.2% of Latinx deaf people had completed at least some college.
Earnings
Annually, Latinx deaf people earn $10,000 less than non-Latinx deaf people.
Introduction
Employment
The employment gap between deaf and hearing people in the U.S. is a big issue. Nationally, about 16-19% fewer deaf people have jobs compared to hearing people (Bloom et al., 2024). When we look at Latinx deaf people, about 51.4% are employed, which is close to the rate for non-Latinx deaf people (52.4%). The gap between employed Latinx deaf people and hearing people is 17.6%, similar to national trends.
It’s important to know that if 51.4% of Latinx deaf people are working, it doesn’t mean the rest are unemployed. The government separates people without jobs into two groups: unemployed or not in the labor force. Around 43.5% of Latinx deaf people are not in the labor force, and 5% are unemployed. Those who are unemployed are looking for work. Others, like students, stay-at-home parents, caregivers, or retirees, are not counted as part of the labor force.
While employment rates for Latinx and non-Latinx deaf people are similar, Latinx deaf workers earn less. On average, they make $10,000 less per year than non-Latinx deaf workers, but they earn $2,000 more than Latinx hearing workers. Latinx hearing workers earn $15,000 less than non-Latinx hearing workers on average. Latinx people, in general, face challenges getting good jobs due to unequal access to education and other opportunities (Sanchez Cumming, 2022).
One factor that affects earnings is skin color. Studies show that Latinx people with lighter skin are less likely to face discrimination than those with darker skin (Gonzalez-Barrera, 2019), which can impact job opportunities. Gender also plays a role. Like in the general population, men earn more and are more likely to be employed than women. This is true for Latinx deaf people as well. Latinx deaf women have an employment rate of 44.3%, and many (50.6%) are not in the labor force, often prioritizing family care over work (Feist et al., 2013). Latinx deaf women who do work full-time earn $10,300 less than Latinx deaf men and $14,000 less than non-Latinx hearing men.
The work experiences of Latinx deaf people are very different. When it comes to full-time versus part-time jobs, slightly fewer Latinx deaf people work part-time compared to non-Latinx deaf people. More Latinx deaf people have full-time jobs than other groups.
Self-employment and business ownership are a bit more common in deaf communities compared to hearing communities (Bloom et al., 2024). This is true for Latinx communities, where more Latinx deaf people run their own businesses or work for themselves compared to Latinx hearing people. However, fewer Latinx deaf people are self-employed compared to non-Latinx deaf people.
Many deaf people find that working for themselves or starting a business helps them avoid challenges in the workplace. For example, they don’t have to keep asking for accommodations like sign language interpreters for training, staff meetings, or work events where communication can be difficult.
Educational Attainment + Employment
Research shows that when deaf people get more education or training after high school, their job prospects improve (Bloom et al., 2024). For Latinx deaf people who did not finish high school, 39.3% have jobs. Employment rates go up for those who finish high school and increase even more for those with bachelor’s or master’s degrees.
As Latinx deaf people get more education, the employment gap between them and hearing people becomes smaller, following the same trend seen with all deaf people (Bloom et al., 2024). Wages also go up with more education. However, even with a bachelor’s degree, Latinx deaf and hearing people still earn less than non-Latinx deaf and hearing people.
Educational Attainment
Nationally, 68.9% of Latinx deaf people have finished high school, and 13.6% have earned a bachelor’s degree. However, it’s unclear if they received a high school diploma or just a certificate of completion. This difference is important because research (Lawyer, 2018) shows that many Latinx deaf students, and other students of color, are often pushed into vocational programs and receive certificates instead of diplomas. These challenges in the K-12 education system lead to lower high school graduation rates, which then affect college enrollment and graduation for Latinx deaf people.
Compared to other groups, fewer Latinx deaf people earn bachelor’s, master’s, or doctorate degrees. Research also shows that most teachers and administrators in deaf education are White (Acevedo et al., 2022; Ausbrooks et al., 2012; Simms et al., 2008). This means Latinx deaf students rarely have teachers who look like them or share their culture and language. These gaps in education are also seen in younger Latinx deaf students.
Currently Enrolled Postsecondary Students
In the U.S., among people aged 16–64, about 4.9% of deaf people are enrolled in postsecondary education or training, compared to 10% of hearing people (Bloom et al., 2024). Interestingly, more Latinx deaf people (11.7%) are enrolled in college than Latinx hearing people (9.6%). However, there are differences in enrollment between men and women. More Latinx deaf women (9.2%) are enrolled in college than Latinx deaf men (6.8%), and more Latinx hearing women (12.1%) are enrolled in college than Latinx hearing men (7.2%).
A 2023 report by the National Deaf Center provides more details about deaf students enrolled in colleges across the U.S. It shows that 20.8% of deaf students were Latinx, which is similar to 21.1% of hearing students. Most Latinx deaf students (46.3%) were working toward their associate’s degrees, while a smaller percentage (38.6%) were studying for bachelor’s degrees. Additionally, 15.1% of Latinx deaf students were pursuing a certificate. In the 2019–2020 school year, 21.3% of Latinx deaf students completed their certificate or degree programs, compared to 19.6% of all deaf students (Bloom & Palmer, 2023).
Conclusion
Research on Latinx deaf people in education and employment is limited, and more studies are urgently needed. Data collection must be approached carefully. Comparing different groups can be misleading if “White” or “hearing” is used as a standard, as these groups often represent dominant norms (García-Fernández, 2021). Systemic racism, audism, and other forms of discrimination must be considered in data analysis. To better understand education and employment for Latinx deaf communities, it’s important to recognize their diverse experiences. Factors such as hearing status, language acquisition age, exposure to role models, and the quality of education (e.g., availability of qualified teachers and interpreters) play a significant role. Qualitative methods like focus groups and interviews can provide deeper insights into these experiences (García-Fernández, 2014). Current data collection methods, such as those used by the ACS, often exclude signed languages like Cuban Sign Language, Mexican Sign Language, and Puerto Rican Sign Language (Hidalgo & William, 2010; Quinto-Pozos, 2008).
Latinx deafblind and deaf students, including immigrants, face significant challenges with language access and support (Delgado Palacios, 2020; Guerrero-Cantor, 2019). They often lack early access to sign language and face ongoing deprivation and misdiagnosis in education (Delgado, 2001; Gerner de García, 2000). Discrimination in education and employment includes low expectations and a shortage of qualified deaf teachers and interpreters of color (Ausbrooks et al., 2012; Simms et al., 2008). Issues like poverty and racist attitudes also affect higher education for Latinx deaf students, particularly undocumented Mexican women (Guerrero-Cantor, 2019).
Latinx deaf immigrants or refugees often arrive in the U.S. with limited formal education and face additional challenges due to differences in educational systems and a lack of resources (Gerner de García, 2000; Guerrero-Cantor, 2019). U.S. schools and service providers often lack the cultural and linguistic competence needed to support these students effectively (García-Fernández, 2014; Gerner de García, 2000; Guerrero-Cantor, 2019). To improve outcomes, educators and counselors need to adopt anti-racist and anti-ableist practices and develop culturally responsive strategies. This approach will help create more opportunities for Latinx deaf people in higher education and employment.
For the full data from this report, as well as the references list, please download the report below.
