Latinos appear to still be looking from the outside in when it comes to getting college degrees, according to the latest figures.

A new report titled "The State of Higher Education," released this week by the education-focused nonprofit Campaign for College Opportunity, found that when matched head-to-head with other ethnic and minority groups, Latinos -- particularly in California -- are less likely to finish college. Hispanics were found to be lacking behind when in came to enrollment, completing degree requirements and college readiness.

In particular, the study focused on California, which is home to 15 million Latinos and is the state with the largest amount of Hispanics in the country. In The Golden State, the study found, only 12 percent of Latinos ages of 25 and 64 have a baccalaureate degree or higher; in contrast, roughly 42 percent of the Caucasian population of California have such degrees.

The stats, compiled using data from the U.S. Census Bureau, further show that among Latinos in California, 38 percent were found to have no high school diploma, only 28 percent had either finished high school or completed the G.E.D. equivalent, and roughly 19 percent had some college, but no degree.

However, the study notes, Latinos had made some strides within the last 13 years, with the amount of California Latinos without a degree dropping from 53 percent in 2000 to 41 percent in 2013 -- a 12 percent plunge -- while more Latinos appeared to be enrolling in college and graduating during that time. In 2000, only 12 percent of Latinos had an associate degree or higher in 2000; that number climbed by 4 percent in 2013 to 16 percent of Latinos finishing college with at least an associates degree.

In addition, younger Latinos were found to be more likely to have college degrees than older Latinos, with 13 percent of Latinos ages 25 to 34 likely to have a bachelor's degree or higher. Among the 35- to 44-year olds, that number fell to 12 percent, while both the 45-54 and 55-64 age brackets tied at 10 percent. Latinos ages 65 or older saw a drop, with only 7 percent in that group likely to have earned a bachelor's degree or higher.

The nonprofit behind the study offered several recommendation to help close the education gap between Latinos and other ethnic groups, including creating a statewide plan for higher education, allowing California's public colleges to use ethnicity as a factor in looking at admissions qualifications for prospective students, and bolstering financial support options for low-to-moderate income students, among others.

The reason, they state, is because the future of California could hinge upon allowing ethnic groups, particularly Latinos, to fine clear pathways to securing a strong economic future.

"Closing gaps in access and success across racial/ethnic groups is critical for California. As a majority-minority state, the success of all ethnic groups is essential for a strong economy and vibrant civil society," the study states.

More and more Latinos may be finding that college is within reach. As we previously reported, a Gallup poll released in April found that roughly 51 percent of Latinos felt that a college education was indeed affordable, which was a much healthier amount than found among blacks (17 percent who felt college was affordable) and whites (17 percent).

In addition, 72 percent of Hispanics polled felt that it was important to have more Americans finishing up college with degrees, while a whopping 78 percent of Latinos polled felt that having a college degree to secure a good job would be more important in the future.

Those stats could be a prelude to a possible rise in U.S. Latinos heading to college in the next few years. Projections from the U.S. Department of Education show that the number of Latinos enrolled in postsecondary programs is expected to increase by a staggering 46 percent between 2009 and 2020.

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