Decreased arterial compliance is an important predictor of cardiovascular risk. Pulse wave velocity correlates well with arterial compliance. Gender and ethnic differences in adult populations have been described. However, few data are available evaluating arterial compliance in adolescent subjects. Using a simple noninvasive oscillometric technique, brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) was measured as an index of arterial stiffness. Measurements were performed on a cross-sectional (65% African American, 52% female) sample of 205 normotensive (blood pressure <95% for gender, height, and age) adolescents with a mean age of 15.9 years (range, 12-21 years). The 205 adolescent subjects include 106 females and 99 males. In these adolescents, the mean baPWV was higher for males (1,096 cm/s) than for females (1,039 cm/s; p < 0.0024; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.2051-0.9349), and for African Americans (1,080 cm/s) than for whites (1,040 cm/s; p < 0.0438; 95% CI, 0.0112-0.7888). Multiple regression analyses found a three-way interaction among gender, ethnicity, and age. The effect of age on baPWV was greater among African Americans (slope = 18.1 cm/s/year) and males (slope = 21.6) than among whites (slope = 11.0) and females (slope = 11.3), although these differences did not reach statistical significance. Differences in arterial compliance are already present and detectable in normotensive adolescent subjects. Decreased arterial compliance among adolescent groups correlates with the known adult risk for cardiovascular events among the same ethnic and gender groups.