According to the socio-ecological model, the social environment contributes to the acquisition and maintenance of negative attitudes towards ethnic minority groups. However, the strength of the association between negative attitudes at different levels (i.e. individual, peers) and ethnic bullying and discrimination has not yet been assessed. A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted following the PRISMA guidelines. After duplicate screening, inclusion criteria and quality assessment, 10 studies (predominantly European, cross-sectional and involving secondary school students) were identified for descriptive analysis (i.e. systematic review) and 9 (22 assessments) were included in the meta-analysis. The results showed a positive average effect of attitudes towards ethnic minorities and ethnic bullying (d = 0.41, p < 0.001). Furthermore, the moderation analysis revealed a non-significant difference between the two levels of negative attitudes towards ethnic minorities (i.e. individual, peers) and ethnic bullying/discrimination (d = - 0.07, p = 0.09).