What is the average student debt out of college?

Asked by: Nedra Cremin V  |  Last update: October 5, 2023
Score: 5/5 (57 votes)

The average federal student loan debt is $37,338 per borrower. Private student loan debt averages $54,921 per borrower. The average student borrows over $30,000 to pursue a bachelor's degree.

What is the average college debt after 4 years?

The average debt for a 4-year Bachelor's degree is $34,700. The average 4-year Bachelor's degree debt from a public college is $32,714. 64% of students seeking a Bachelor's degree from a public 4-year college have student loan debt. The average 4-year Bachelor's degree debt from a private for-profit college is $59,701.

What is a healthy amount of student debt?

Some experts go even further, advising student loan payments remain at 10% or less of your gross income. In the above example, a salary of $29,100 would suggest that you should seek to pay just $243 a month or less. Of course, there's no guarantee you'll even land a job immediately.

Is 100k in student loans a lot?

If you owe $100,000 or more in student loan debt, you're not alone. Six percent of borrowers owe more than $100,000, according to the College Board. A standard 10-year repayment plan may sound like a quick way to pay down your debt, but your monthly payment could be as high as $1,000 or more.

Is 200k a lot of student debt?

Although $200,000 in student loan debt is an astronomical amount, paying it off isn't impossible, especially if you've earned a valuable degree that will lead to a high-paying job or student loan forgiveness.

What Everyone's Getting Wrong About Student Loans

22 related questions found

Is 1.6 trillion dollars in student loan debt?

Federal data shows 43 million Americans, around 20 percent of adults, have educational loans outstanding that add up to a total of $1.6 trillion. According to Dr. Nicholas Hillman of the University of Wisconsin at Madison's School of Education, student debt is one of the biggest economic issues in America today.

What is considered bad student debt?

Based on our analysis, if you are a man and owe more than $100,000, or a woman and owe more than $70,000, you have high student loan debt and your debt is likely not worth the income you'll earn over your lifetime.

What is considered high student debt?

It's hard to say what's too much for everyone, broadly across the board. However, borrowing $100,000 or more is considered to be a lot and isn't normal for the average student. Most jobs don't pay over $100,000 right out of school so it could be a struggle to have that much student loan debt.

What is too much student debt?

One rule to live by is to try to limit your total amount of student loans to a small percentage of what your expected annual salary may be from the first job you get after college. For example, you could decide that your monthly loan payment should be no more than 10 percent of your gross income.

How to pay off 200k in student debt in 5 years?

Use the debt avalanche method

Many debtors use debt repayment strategies to pay off all types of debts — including student loans — faster. One popular strategy is the debt avalanche method, which prioritizes paying off the loans with the highest interest rate first while making minimum payments on your other loans.

Are most people in debt after college?

Nearly eight in ten students graduate with less than $30,000 in debt. Among those who do borrow, the average debt at graduation is $25,921 — or $6,480 for each year of a four-year degree at a public university.

What age group has the most student loans?

Federal Student Loans by Age

Unsurprisingly, younger people hold the majority of student loan debt. Borrowers between the ages of 25 and 34 carry about $500 billion in federal student loans—the majority of people in this age group owe between $10,000 and $40,000.

Is 25k in student debt a lot?

Most borrowers have between $25,000 and $50,000 outstanding in student loan debt. But more than 600,000 borrowers in the country are over $200,000 in student debt, and that number may continue to increase.

Is 30k in student loans a lot?

If you racked up $30,000 in student loan debt, you're right in line with typical numbers: the average student loan balance per borrower is $33,654. Compared to others who have six-figures worth of debt, that loan balance isn't too bad. However, your student loans can still be a significant burden.

How long will it take to pay off student debt?

The standard student loan payoff time for federal student loans is 10 years. However, repayment time depends on the loan amount and how much you can pay a month. A bachelor's degree-holder with the average amount of federal loan debt would need to pay at least $290 a month to pay off their loan in 10 years or less.

What percentage of college students take out loans?

In 2009, about 68% of college graduates had taken on student loan debt, while in 2021 nearly 64% of graduates had borrowed, per data reported to U.S. News.

Do student loans affect credit score?

Yes, having a student loan will affect your credit score. Your student loan amount and payment history will go on your credit report. Making payments on time can help you maintain a positive credit score. In contrast, failure to make payments will hurt your score.

Is 80k in student loans a lot?

Paying for college can be expensive. While the average student loan debt for college students is $39,351, it isn't uncommon for students to leave school with $80,000 or more in education debt. Tackling this amount of student loan debt can be difficult and time consuming.

Why you shouldn't pay off student debt?

Paying off student loans early means you may not receive that tax deduction down the road. You shouldn't keep your loans around just for the tax deduction, but if you have other things to do with your money, it's nice to know that your student loans aren't such a huge resource drain.

Is it OK to have college debt?

In the good debt versus bad debt debate, student loans fall into a gray area. They can be considered good debt because the money you're borrowing to attend school is your ticket to earning a degree and getting hired at a well-paying job. That debt should pay itself off over time with a lucrative career in place.

Should I worry about student debt?

Should you be scared of student loans? While you should take student loan debt seriously, you shouldn't have a fear of student loan debt. These loans can help you earn your degree and start the life you always dreamed of enjoying.

How many people owe $10,000 in student loans?

As for how much money people owe, 15 million people owe $10,000 or less in federal student loans. Another 21 million people owe $10,001-$50,000 dollars, and about 9 million people owe more than $50,000. President Biden has previously floated the idea of canceling up to $10,000 in federal student debt.

Who owes the most student debt?

Those ages 25 to 34 are the most likely to hold student loan debt, but the greatest amount is owed by those 35 to 49 — more than $600 billion, federal data show.

Who is the 34 year old with $250000 in student debt?

Meet a 34-year-old with $250,000 in student debt after 13 years of barely keeping up with her monthly interest payments: 'I never felt like I could get a handle on it' Janell Tryon owes more than $250,000 in student debt. $100,000 of that is from interest, despite 13 years of payments.