The United States is becoming an increasingly racially and ethnically diverse country. Today, about 60% of Americans identify as white. But, according to some projections, there will not be a single racial or ethnic majority in the country by 2055. 

As the country becomes more diverse, other aspects of American society will become more diverse as well. For many businesses and organizations, both public and private, diversity is a growing priority. Perhaps nowhere is diversity more important, however, than in the institutions that are training the future generation — America’s colleges and universities. 

In an interview with 24/7 Wall St., Elon University Professor of Communications Dr. Naeemah Clark explained the benefits of diversity on college campuses in the context of an increasingly diverse country. “When we bring in students from different geographical backgrounds, different economic classes, different races, different ethnicities, different faiths, we can approach real-world problems with more realistic solutions,” Clark said.

Still, there are many higher education institutions where the vast majority of students identify as a single race or ethnicity. 24/7 Wall St. reviewed data from the U.S. Department of Education to identify the colleges with the least diverse student bodies. Schools were ranked on the likelihood that two students chosen at random would be of a different race, ethnicity, or citizenship status. Across all undergraduates nationwide, such a likelihood is about 69.6%. Among the schools on this list, the likelihood ranges from about 25% down to 6%. We only considered four-year colleges and universities with at least 2,500 undergraduates. 

The types of schools on this list vary considerably. Some are large public research universities, while others are small, private schools. Some are historically black colleges and universities, while others have undergraduate populations that overwhelmingly identify as white. Some are located in rural, racially homogenous communities, while others are in the middle of urban areas that rank among the most diverse places in the country. Here is a list of America’s melting pot cities. 

Click here to see the colleges with the least diverse student bodies
Click here to see the colleges that have the most diverse student bodies
Click here to read our detailed findings and methodology