Black and Latinx students are underrepresented in college newsroom leadership

Newspapers from 75 colleges were honored by the Associated Collegiate Press and the Society of Professional Journalists in 2020. Black students account for 9.6% of these schools' student populations in aggregate. However, only 5.5% of surveyed EICs — almost half as many as expected — were Black. Latinx students are underrepresented at a similar rate.

Demographic data are from the National Center for Education Statistics' 2020 survey of American colleges, which is the most recent data available. Where 2020 data was not available, 2019 data was used. AAJA Voices surveyed the editors-in-chief of their respective newsrooms during the Spring 2021 academic semester, the most recent semester the Associated Collegiate Press and Society of Professional Journalists honors were awarded.
Chart: AAJA Voices Source: NCES Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System Get the data Embed