21 percent of those born in the United States have a GED , compared with 5 percent of those born abroad , the research center said . A greater percentage of U.S.-born Latinos obtain GEDs because they are more aware of the opportunities available to them , said Richard Fry , the Pew Hispanic Center researcher who compiled the report . `` For the foreign-born , it takes them a little bit of time to learn about the GED , '' Fry told CNN . `` It takes a little bit of time to figure things out . '' Fry said he obtained the information by performing an analysis of newly available educational attainment data from the U.S. Census Bureau 's 2008 American Community Survey . That Census Bureau survey was the first to differentiate between those who graduated from high school and those who obtained a GED , Fry said . Previous surveys had lumped both categories together . The Pew analysis also found that in 2008 , Latino adults with a GED had a higher unemployment rate than those with a high school diploma -- 9 percent versus 7 percent . However , the report said , Latino
Washington -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Just one in 10 Latino high school dropouts earns a high school equivalency degree , compared with two in 10 African-American dropouts and three in 10 white dropouts , the Pew Hispanic Center said Thursday . The equivalency degree , called the General Educational Development -LRB- GED -RRB- credential , `` is widely regarded as the best ` second chance ' pathway to college , vocational training and military service for adults who do not graduate from high school , '' the center said on its website . Latinos also have a much higher high school drop-out rate than blacks or whites . About 41 percent of Latinos 20 and older in the United States do not have a regular high school diploma , compared with 23 percent of black adults and 14 percent of white adults , Pew said . Among Latinos , Pew noted , significant differences exist between those who were born in another country and those born in the United States . About 52 percent of foreign-born Latino adults are high school dropouts , compared with 25 percent of the native born , Pew said . Among Latino dropouts , about