A new poll by the nonprofit Pew Hispanic Center shows that Latinos in the Untied States value a college degree more than the general population, but that less than half of the demographic actually plans to attend a university.

In a survey (PDF) of more than 2,000 individuals aged 16-25 years, Pew reported on Wednesday that family obligations, financial burdens and language barriers have prevented nearly half of young Latinos from going to college:

Nearly nine-in-ten (89%) Latino young adults say that a college education is important for success in life, yet only about half that number—48%—say that they themselves plan to get a college degree….

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Among Latino youths who have a high school education or less and are not currently enrolled in school, the reasons they give for not continuing their education are:
   
-Nearly three-quarters (74%) say they need to help support their family.

 

-Half (49%) say their English skills are limited.

 

-More than four-in-ten (42%) say they didn’t like school.

 

 -Four-in-ten (40%) say they cannot afford to go to school.  

There are approximately 44 million Latinos in the country, or about 14 percent, according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s most recent data from 2006. The census agency also estimates that almost three-in-ten children in the United States will be of Latino ancestry by 2025.