The average student loan debt in the U.S. is just shy of $30,000, but several states have already passed that milestone. A report from the Institute for College Access & Success studied the debt loads of 2012 college graduates and found six states whose average student borrower carried more than $29,400 in education loans, which is the national average.
The state-by-state breakdown did not include student debt statistics from for-profit colleges, as many did not report such data, despite having a high concentration of borrowers among their students. According to the U.S. Department of Education 2011-2012 National Postsecondary Student Aid Study, 88% of graduates from for-profit, four-year colleges take out loans, and those students borrowed 43% more than graduates from four-year, not-for-profit public and private institutions.
Among the 10 states with the highest student loan debt averages, Delaware is the only state outside the Midwest and Northeast regions, as determined by the U.S. Census (Delaware is in the South). Minnesota and Iowa are the most western states on the list.
The States With the Highest Student Loan Debt
The state averages are based on the location of the school attended by the borrower, not the borrower’s residence. For the class of 2012, getting a degree in these states often translated into a hefty debt load.
1. Delaware
There are six institutions that grant bachelor’s degrees in Delaware, and only one supplied usable data for the study.
- Average debt: $33,649
- Percentage of students with debt: 56%
- Percentage of Delaware students represented in this data: 60%
2. New Hampshire
There are 15 institutions that grant bachelor’s degrees in New Hampshire, and nine supplied usable data for the study.
- Average debt: $32,698
- Percentage of students with debt: 74%
- Percentage of New Hampshire students represented in this data: 79%
3. Pennsylvania
There are 126 institutions that grant bachelor’s degrees in Pennsylvania, and 81 supplied usable data for the study.
- Average debt: $31,675
- Percentage of students with debt: 70%
- Percentage of Pennsylvania students represented in this data: 81%
4. Minnesota
There are 38 institutions that grant bachelor’s degrees in Minnesota, and 26 supplied usable data for the study.
- Average debt: $31,497
- Percentage of students with debt: 70%
- Percentage of Minnesota students represented in this data: 87%
5. Rhode Island
There are 11 institutions that grant bachelor’s degrees in Rhode Island, and seven supplied usable data for the study.
- Average debt: $31,156
- Percentage of students with debt: 69%
- Percentage of Rhode Island students represented in this data: 78%
6. Iowa
There are 34 institutions that grant bachelor’s degrees in Iowa, and 22 supplied usable data for the study.
- Average debt: $29,456
- Percentage of students with debt: 71%
- Percentage of Iowa students represented in this data: 90%
7. Maine
There are 19 institutions that grant bachelor’s degrees in Maine, and 12 supplied usable data for the study.
- Average debt: $29,352
- Percentage of students with debt: 67%
- Percentage of Maine students represented in this data: 67%
8. New Jersey
There are 38 institutions that grant bachelor’s degrees in New Jersey, and 20 supplied usable data for the study.
- Average debt: $29,287
- Percentage of students with debt: 65%
- Percentage of New Jersey students represented in this data: 76%
9. Ohio
There are 82 institutions that grant bachelor’s degrees in Ohio, and 42 supplied usable data for the study.
- Average debt: $29,037
- Percentage of students with debt: 69%
- Percentage of Ohio students represented in this data: 85%
10. Michigan
There are 57 institutions that grant bachelor’s degrees in Michigan, and 30 supplied usable data for the study.
- Average debt: $28,840
- Percentage of students with debt: 62%
- Percentage of Michigan students represented in this data: 85%
Image: Karen Roach
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