The younger generation of Salvadoran and Guatemalan Americans living in California has higher education and English fluency levels than the older generation, according to a UCLA study.

In addition, the study by the Center for the Study of Latino Health and Culture at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA found that the younger generation is almost entirely U.S. born, while most of the older generation is foreign born.

The findings are part of a profile of Salvadoran immigrants developed by the center. UCLA researchers decided to look at trends in the Salvadoran American community in the state four years ago because very little information has been available, and the university wanted to fill the information gap, said David Hayes-Bautista, professor of medicine and the center director. Salvadoran and Guatemalan Americans are the second- and third-largest Latino subgroups in the state, next to Mexican Americans.

The center, which funded the study, worked with The Salvadoran American Leadership and Educational Fund on the project. In the three previous studies, the center studied other aspects of life for the Salvadoran community in California.

“Data on the Salvadoran and Guatemalan American contributions to the state’s society have been scarce. Our goal is to provide information useful for policymakers whose decisions will touch the lives of these two populations who are integral parts of California daily life,� Hayes-Bautista said.

“We are very happy to collaborate with UCLA with this study. It confirms and demonstrates the growing demographic changes in the state, and most importantly, the contributions of the Central American community to the culture and economy of the state,� said Carlos Vaquerano, SALEF executive director. “It is also a reminder for us that we have to continue investing in the education of our community, as well as to get them involved in the political process.�


Researchers found that most of the younger Salvadoran and Guatemalan Americans in California are U.S. born; data show that 85.3 percent of Salvadoran Americans and 74.9 percent of Guatemalan Americans ages 0–14 are born in this country.

It is easier for the U.S.-born California residents to register and vote because they do not have to go through the naturalization process like their immigrant parents. In addition, the new generation of Salvadoran and Guatemalan Americans can serve as an electoral voice for their immigrant parents.

“When the U.S.-born Salvadoran and Guatemalan Americans vote, they will, in essence, be speaking for their immigrant parents, who have yet to finish the laborious process of becoming citizens before they can vote,� Hayes-Bautista said.

According to the data, the majority of the new generation of Salvadoran and Guatemalan Americans are fluent in English, while their parents mostly speak their native language, Spanish. On average, 78.5 percent of Salvadoran and Guatemalan Americans ages 5 to 24 speak English fluently, compared to 53.7 percent of those ages 30 or older. In addition, nearly half of Salvadoran and Guatemalan Americans age 30 or older do not speak English well or at all.

Because more than half of the older Salvadoran and Guatemalan American population have limited or no English ability, they rely on the younger generation to serve as translators.

“Not surprisingly, Salvadoran and Guatemalan Americans born and educated here achieve a high degree of fluency in English,� Hayes-Bautista said. “This linguistic ability is another way of providing a voice for their immigrant parents, who are still mastering English.�

Researchers also compared education levels among Salvadoran and Guatemalan Americans and found that the newer generation is more highly educated. A small percentage of Salvadoran Americans � 14.9 percent of those ages 20 to 24 � had only a grammar school education, while close to half of the older generation age 30 or older � 41.4 percent � had only completed grammar school. A similar pattern was found among Guatemalan Americans, with 29.6 percent of those ages 20 to 24 with only a grammar school education, compared to 45.1 percent of the older generation.

A higher percentage of both younger Salvadoran and Guatemalan Americans graduated from high school � 54.4 percent and 46.8 percent respectively � than older Salvadoran and Guatemalan Americans � 38.7 percent and 36.3 percent respectively. A much higher percentage of younger Salvadoran and Guatemalan Americans went on to attend college. Data shows that 28 percent of Salvadoran Americans and 21.4 percent of Guatemalan Americans attend college, compared to 14.3 percent of Salvadoran Americans and 13.1 percent of Guatemalan Americans of the older generation.

“The generation of Salvadoran and Guatemalan Americans is English fluent, far better educated than their parents, and U.S. citizens by virtue of their birth,� Hayes-Bautista said. “With modest investments in developing this generation’s skills, it will make a tremendous contribution to the economy and society of this country.�

Data for the study came from the 2000 U.S. Census Public Use Microdata Sample.

The mission of The Salvadoran-American Leadership and Educational Fund, a nonprofit organization, is to promote the civic participation and representation of the Salvadoran and other Latino communities in Los Angeles, as well as to advocate for its economic, educational and political advancement and growth.

Since 1992 the UCLA Center for the Study of Latino Health and Culture has been a resource for cutting-edge research, education and public information about Latinos, their health and their role in California. Under the leadership of Hayes-Bautista, the center, part of the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, has been the lead institution to explode myths and stereotypes about Latinos in California society, provide reliable data on Latino health, emphasize the positive contributions of Latinos to the state’s economy and society, and inform the public about the important emerging Latino medical market.

California’s largest university, UCLA enrolls approximately 38,000 students per year and offers degrees from the UCLA College and 11 professional schools in dozens of varied disciplines. UCLA consistently ranks among the top five universities and colleges nationwide in total research-and-development spending and receives more than $750 million a year in research contracts and federal and state grants. For every $1 state taxpayers invest in UCLA, the university generates almost $9 in economic activity, resulting in an annual $6 billion economic impact on the Greater Los Angeles region. The university’s health care network treats 450,000 patients per year. UCLA employs more than 27,000 faculty and staff, and is home to five Nobel Prize recipients.

The report is available on the center’s Web site at www.cesla.med.ucla.edu/.