We examined (a) the construct validity across White and Latino college students in terms of motivational and the use of learning strategies constructs and (b) the differences in the relationships among sociocultural variables and motivation/learning-related factors and academic achievement. Results of multi-group confirmatory factor analyses revealed that the scales of motivation and learning-related factors proved to be equivalent across the groups. We tested a theoretical model of relationships among sociocultural backgrounds and motivational factors which affected achievement using structural equation model (SEM) methods. In general, the patterns of relationships were in the expected direction. There were significant ethnic differences in terms of specific effects of background characteristics on motivational and/or learning-related factors. Ethnic differences were also found in the relationships between the use of adaptive and maladaptive learning strategies and academic achievement. The research is discussed with respect to the relatively sparse literature on sociocultural aspects of motivation and their effects on academic achievement with college-level Latino students.