Class of '28: One of the most "diverse classes in U.S. Air Force Academy history"

The continued obsession with race, sex and identity. Focus on this divides rather than unifies as a team.

U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. – Ethnic and racial minorities comprise 38% of the Class of 2028, making it one of the top two diverse classes in U.S. Air Force Academy history. Two years ago, the Class of 2026 also arrived with the same ethnic and racial percentage.

Class of 2028 cadet appointees arrived for Basic Cadet Training on In-processing Day June 26. Almost 1,110 Class of 2028 basic cadets are now in their second phase of training at Jacks Valley. They will officially enter the Cadet Wing during the Acceptance Day Parade Aug. 7.

Class of 2028 basic cadets perform physical training exercises on the Terrazzo July 2, 2024. Thirty percent of the class’s 1,110 basic cadets are female. (U.S. Air Force photo by Justin Pacheco)

The breakdown

This information is based on data from the Academy’s Operations and Analysis Directorate, released July 11.

Class of 2028 basic cadet trainees took the Oath of Office and began Basic Cadet Training.
70% of the Class of 2028 are men, and 30% are women.
38% are racial and ethnic minorities.
The average high school GPA for the class of 2028 was 3.86; the average SAT score was 675.5 for evidence-based reading and writing and 682.5 for mathematics; the average ACT score was 29.7 for English, 30.6 for reading, 29.4 for mathematics and 29.8 for science reasoning.
54.3% of the Class of 2028 finished in the top 10% of their high school graduating class, 75% finished in the top 20%, 82% finished in the top 25%, and 97.1% finished in the top 50%.

Basic cadets march on the Terrazzo July 2, 2024. The class’s ethnic and racial percentage equals the Class of 2026 rate for the most diverse classes in U.S. Air Force Academy history. (U.S. Air Force photo by Justin Pacheco)

Cadet totals

The Class of 2028 consists of 779 men, 331 women and 16 international cadets. The class includes 422 students who identify in the following ethnic or racial groups:

108 Asian American, 135 Hispanic or Latino, 77 African American, 5 Pacific Islander and 15 Native American, with some cadets identifying in two or more of these identity groups
766 cadets in the Class of 2028 identify as white.
178 Class of 2028 graduates attended the U.S. Air Force Academy Preparatory School. The Prep School offers a select group of cadet candidates a pathway to the Academy. After cadets graduate from the Prep School, they must reapply for admission to the Academy. The Prep School commander Col. Mark Landez can recommend them to the Academy board, the final appointment authority. Forty are prior enlisted Airmen.
53 basic cadets have one parent who graduated from the Academy and 5 cadets have two parents who graduated.

A cadet cadre gives instructions to basic cadets on the Terrazzo July 2, 2024. The average high school GPA for the Class of 2028 was 3.86. (U.S. Air Force photo by Justin Pacheco)