Student Loan Debt Statistics (2026 stats)
TL;DR
National median: $13,531.50 National average: $15,942.70 National student loan debt levels, institution-type breakdown, and top states—aggregated from College Scorecard borrower
Key Facts
- National median: $13,531.50
- National average: $15,942.70
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Student Loan Debt: National Overview
National Student Loan Debt Overview
The national median student loan debt is $13,531.50, with an average of $15,942.70. This represents the debt burden for millions of American students and graduates.
Median and mean student loan debt at the national level. Source: College Scorecard (2024 data).
Median Debt by Institution Type
Debt Varies Significantly by Institution Type
Private non-profit institutions show the highest median debt at $23,887, while public institutions have the lowest at $12,500. This reflects the cost differences between institution types.
Median student loan debt broken down by public, private non-profit, and private for-profit institutions. Source: College Scorecard (2024 data).
Top States by Median Borrower Debt
State-Level Variation in Student Debt
Student loan debt varies significantly by state, with some states showing median debt levels 50% higher than others. This variation reflects differences in tuition costs, state financial aid programs, and regional economic factors.
States with the highest median student loan debt. Source: College Scorecard (2024 data).
Data by State
| State | Median | Mean | Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| SD | $23,249.50 | $19,478.22 | 18 |
| MA | $21,882.50 | $18,790 | 118 |
| AL | $21,419.50 | $19,916.58 | 66 |
| WI | $20,492 | $17,058.54 | 78 |
| DC | $20,000 | $20,478.12 | 17 |
| NC | $20,000 | $19,041.26 | 120 |
| VA | $20,000 | $19,138.50 | 126 |
| VT | $19,850.50 | $19,218.17 | 12 |
| AK | $19,660.50 | $17,444.17 | 6 |
| ME | $19,328.50 | $18,573.26 | 34 |
| NE | $19,250 | $17,865.18 | 34 |
| NH | $18,525 | $19,015.55 | 29 |
| ND | $18,442 | $16,346.68 | 19 |
| MT | $18,354.50 | $16,839.50 | 18 |
| MO | $17,619 | $16,923.24 | 119 |
| PA | $17,500 | $18,488.72 | 272 |
| IN | $16,666 | $16,500.29 | 125 |
| GA | $16,167 | $17,632.06 | 142 |
| OK | $15,954 | $15,899.44 | 55 |
| SC | $15,917 | $18,009.33 | 84 |
| TN | $15,650 | $16,767.34 | 99 |
| NY | $15,000 | $16,192.11 | 289 |
| MN | $14,859 | $16,565.86 | 94 |
| IA | $14,745 | $16,587.77 | 61 |
| OH | $14,211 | $16,165.14 | 240 |
| OR | $13,667 | $15,591.68 | 59 |
| KY | $13,521 | $15,812.56 | 70 |
| FL | $13,000 | $16,166.79 | 285 |
| HI | $13,000 | $14,803.59 | 17 |
| LA | $13,000 | $15,129.71 | 91 |
| MD | $13,000 | $17,035.96 | 68 |
| MI | $13,000 | $15,791.11 | 140 |
| RI | $13,000 | $17,393.26 | 23 |
| WA | $13,000 | $14,871.76 | 94 |
| WV | $13,000 | $16,272.61 | 41 |
| CT | $12,758 | $16,927.33 | 54 |
| NJ | $12,000 | $14,749.30 | 109 |
| CA | $11,445 | $13,980.11 | 453 |
| NM | $11,399 | $12,950.15 | 33 |
| KS | $11,171 | $14,664.57 | 74 |
| AR | $11,153 | $14,447.22 | 67 |
| IL | $11,130.50 | $14,373.42 | 200 |
| CO | $10,888.50 | $15,093.81 | 72 |
| TX | $10,792.50 | $14,064.76 | 338 |
| ID | $10,555 | $14,675.30 | 27 |
| UT | $10,540 | $13,949.07 | 43 |
| DE | $10,500 | $15,161.67 | 15 |
| MS | $9,736 | $14,553.66 | 44 |
| AZ | $9,500 | $13,180.24 | 95 |
| NV | $9,500 | $13,001.06 | 35 |
| PR | $9,500 | $8,819.95 | 79 |
| WY | $8,811 | $9,531.70 | 10 |
FAQ
Student loans & borrowing
What is the difference between federal and private student loans?
Federal loans are originated under U.S. Department of Education programs with standardized repayment and hardship options. Private loans are credit-based contracts from banks or non-federal lenders with terms that vary by borrower.
Why is median loan debt different from total student debt outstanding?
Median debt describes a typical borrower balance in a cohort. Aggregate national debt sums dollars across every borrower—headlines often mix the two. Check whether a figure is “among borrowers” vs “all Americans.”
What do income-driven repayment and forgiveness programs change?
Income-driven plans tie monthly payments to earnings and can discharge remaining balances after qualifying payments. Policy details and eligibility change with federal rules—verify current law before citing dollar impacts.
How should I read default or delinquency rates?
Defaults occur after sustained non-payment past defined thresholds. Rates depend on the cohort tracked (e.g., borrowers who entered repayment in a given year). Compare cohorts and sectors rather than unrelated percentages.
Why might College Scorecard debt fields differ from survey headlines?
Scorecard emphasizes institution-reported borrowing among students who receive federal aid where fields exist. National surveys may include private borrowing or different populations—match population and year before contrasting numbers.
Using this page
What does this page cover on “Student Loan Debt Statistics”?
National student loan debt levels, institution-type breakdown, and top states—aggregated from College Scorecard borrower outcomes.
Which sources power the numbers here?
Figures draw on College Scorecard, and Census ACS. Use Data Sources for exact tables, APIs, and methodology notes.
Why might these figures differ from another chart or headline?
If another outlet shows a different total, check whether the cohort (all borrowers vs undergraduates only), academic year, and data source match. Mixing definitions is the most common reason charts appear to conflict.
How often is this page updated?
We refresh when upstream federal releases change and the site rebuild ships new CSV/JSON extracts. The Last updated line points to the latest editorial pass on this HTML.
Data Sources
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and enrollment data
- Data year: 2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Census ACS - U.S. Census Bureau
- Demographic and workforce data
- Data year: 2023
- Source: census.gov